‘My children don’t need to Be My carers anymore’ w
alexandra Parks, 50, lives in Kent. She has three grown-up children, aaron, Henry and Elle. atching my eldest son graduate, I tried to ignore the agony in my back. Scoliosis, arthritis of the spine and chronic pain meant I’d often be bed-bound for weeks. Not wanting to spoil Aaron’s moment, I bore the pain. But by the time I got home, I was in so much agony I went to hospital. For years my condition had left me dependent on carers – as well as Aaron, Henry, and Elle. I felt so guilty, but without them I couldn’t even get to the bathroom. In a wheelchair, it took two people to lift me in and out. As a young woman, I’d been slim and active, but following a car accident while pregnant with Aaron, I’d had one problem after another with my spine. By 2010 I had to give up my job in education. Miserable, I turned to chips and pizzas to cheer me up.
Now, I knew I had to improve my health. It was my 83-year-old mum who somehow got me to my local Slimming World group. Jo, the consultant, wrote down my weight – 14st 2lb.
For my next online grocery shop I ordered stacks of fruit, fresh veg, fat-free natural yogurt, pasta and rice. In my first week I lost 5lb and within months, my life changed. I still had days when I was exhausted, but now Elle could wheel me in town.
The best bit has been seeing Aaron start his career, Henry and Elle go to uni. Although I’m still in pain and need a care team, losing weight has meant it no longer includes my children.