Feed Him

And Timmy is working today, he doesn't usually eat my food but he will make an exception and eat my na'an pizza that I cook every Friday today

Which we both enjoyed but I had a peach for pudding, which I bought in Aardvark s'morning, good lord, it was delicious but hard to eat without dripping etc

Odd Day

So unusually today's timetable says "Aardvark" then, oddly, "Phone call from Denyse" then "Gym class"

Well we did the first thing, it went OK, he said "That will be £58.32", I said "Pardon?" he double checked, said "Can I weigh this again", right £32.45 in the end. But I walked out of the car, walked around Aardvark, walked back to the car, walked around my kitchen to put it all away.......

But Denyse hasn't phoned yet, she must be busy but I need to go to my gym class in ¼ of an hour

Well she didn't phone, we went to gym and again I astonished myself with how much easier eg the kneeling down and standing up exercise has become. 

Denyse phoned Timmy later

Dinner For Three

So tonight it is me, Timmy and Freya all eating at Caffi Iechyd Da

Except I txted Freya and said "Where are u?" and she replied "Sh*t, I forgot, no buses now....." so we just had dinner for 2, but it was nice

Camera

So s'afternoon I was playing with my camera and I started using some of the touchscreen buttons at the bottom RHS of the screen, I discovered that if you use those you can zoom even closer than I usually would

Gym b4 lunch

So s'morning we (me & Timmy) headed to gym and we and did loads of exercises etc

Old Places

Then we went out to somewhere tonight. Gareth said "Where?" I said "I am trying not to say Cwrt Henri then Mynydd Cerrig but......." he said "Lets go" so marginally sentimental

I used to have a life, I still have one but it is so different

New Card

Then after lunch we had to nip out to More Reasons...... to try my new Lloyds card, which I ordered last Thursday. First of all it worked in the cash machine then it worked buying 1 item. So after we came back I cut up my old card and threw it away

Oh What Fun We Had.....

Hooray, my timetable says "Swimming" today.........

Well it wasn't too bad. So we took precautions in case the pool was too full so we could just go to gym but it wasn't too bad. I did my exercises and lengths

Pressie

And we nipped out to buy wrapping paper and a card for Freya. So now her extra pressie is wrapped etc and her main pressie should arrive here this week

Burning Bright

Then after lunch today we popped back to Tiger store. This time I had a plan, to buy Freya a bonus birthday present. Which proved relatively straightforward as it is a strange shop with lots of tat.

When we were there I also bought a sheep called Humbug (Baaa Humbug!) because when I was looking at him in the shop a passer by said "This is Wales, you gotta buy a sheep" so I did

Gymification

So s'morning eventually we headed to gym for an exercise session. I did my exercises then got on the bike. I only did 10 of my 20 minutes and climbed off. MOS protested but then I walked out of the room and walked down the stairs to leave.

Caffe

So s'afternoon we nipped out into Caffe Nero and had an excellent coffee. (So I won't have one with dinner tonight) This double chocolate cheesecake must be a myth

First

But before all the excitement we had to nip to More Reasons To Shop At..... and do my weekly shop.

Which was still smaller than my Aardvark shop on Friday

Perhaps

So today we are having a perhaps day on swimming. I will go along with my trunx in a bag but still wearing my sockings so it it is too busy we shall go upstairs and do a gym session instead

No, it looked really empty, by the time we had changed etc it was busier but not full of teenagers jumping in etc, it was much more civilised han last week

Debenhams

So s'afternoon me and Alex headed off to explore some shops, first of all we nipped into Debenhams, looked all around and didn't see a single thing that appealed to me. Except for women's clothing but as I am a man we didn't buy any.

Then we popped into Tiger, 2 doors up, and gaped in wonderment at some of the stylish tat they have on sale

Testosterone Working

And Alex was creaming my feet/legs s'morning and said "Wow, you have got hairs on your feet now too"

Hello Stranger

And an almost stranger was working today, my full time nurse Ed was working today

And he gave some worthwhile advice. While my right knee has been clicking when I walk, nowt I could do to make it stop, he did say bend it further forward in your step, which is working, if I bend it an uncomfortable amount forward it doesn't click. So now all I have gotta do is learn that so it will still work when I don't bend my knee quite so far....

Pizza&...

So we had the usual Friday Night Dinner of na'an bread pizza and chips which was as delicious as usual. This week we are on a fresh packet of frozen oven chips and they seem a bit...... different, possibly better than the previous packet

First Things First

So about 11 we went to Aardvark and spent the majority of my weekly shopping budget as usual. No blueberries this week, I tried blackberries instead for on my muesli

We were back home by 12 so I didn't get back in my wheelchair, walked around the kitchen and put it all away as there was time.

So in 10 minutes we gotta head to gym to my one weekly class. And that is making my brain ache somewhat, just getting down to a kneeling position there then getting back up by myself!!!

And Sam wasn't there but I did tell her substitute that Neil missed her etc. but AGAIN GOOD LORD how much better am I than last week. Today I was able to lift my right foot forwards over the hurdles, for ages I have done t'hurdles but had to move my foot around the hurdles but at last I can just do it now

Against My Will

So today I said to GGtGG "Lets go out for a long walk today instead of gymming" he replied "We can do both" so we have been to gym for a session on the exercise machines (incidentally I am a lot better at this that last week) then I walked down the stairs from gym next we are going to town for a long walk after lunch

And we nipped to town, parked outside Aardvark then nipped up town, I walked nearly the whole way up (to here), then GGtGG pushed me along King Street at the top to Lloyd's bank where I ordered another card, then I walked back the whole way along King St and down the hill at the end until I got back in my wheelchair about 2/3 of the way back down the hill

Memory

So as I was coming to bed tonight I thought "Oh, cereal...." but on reflection I can tell you that I did get my muesli ready etc, my memory isn't as bad as it once was, I can remember doing tasks etc

(Sigh)

So we went swimming slightly later today as "they" had told us it was quieter then. No it fscking wasn't, loadsa kids jumping in, loadsa kids in the way etc, it was a right pain

But I spoke to one stranger, I apologised for getting in her way and she did say that she has seen me getting better and better at stuff in the pool over the last year or so, which was nice to hear

Fixed It

And I was able to take advice from Alex and fix my own coffee pot, clean out the bits on the lid

He said turn that around, I thought WTF but with both hands it was easy. With both hands

More Reasons To Shop At....

And we had to nip to Morrisons tonight, I had been sent a fiver voucher which I forgot to spens on two Monday's and it runs out of date on Friday so we had to get some emergency frozen food

Brain Injury

So I was watching telly, saw a ref to a program called My New Brain I thought watch that and it turns out it's a program about suffering a Brain Injury. It's a bit close for comfort but I am trying

Aargh, I watched the first 25 minutes, nearly crying/shouting etc and the rest (35 mins) is available on the iPlayer for the next week

Out For Lunch

Then s'morning Freya and Brian, Julia's Dad, came and took us out for lunch. It was a really nice lunch, at Freya's suggestion we headed to Iechyd Da which was actually really pleasant and we had a big lunch at Brian's expense.

It was a nice trip out and a catch up

Strangely we parked down well below the cafe on a dotted double yellow and I just got out of the car with no 'chair and walked there and back, up and downhill. I am still getting better 

Quick Trip Out

And we had to do a quick trip out s'morning to go to the Drs for my asthma 'script then walk across to the chemist to get it.

Today was the first time I have ever managed the steep downhill (and back up) to the chemist without holding onto any support columns on the way past. My balance is still improving

Nor Tomorrow

I thought to myself that Alex will still be working tomorrow so he can take me to the pool at 1pm.

But then I recalled "No, we r having lunch with Freya and her grandparents tomorrow" so we will be busy at 1pm

Swimming. Or Not

So we went to pool today but it was much too busy with loadsa kids in as it is the summer holidays. So we went to gym even tho I was not wearing my sock info or my FES. But just good lord, how much better is my right foot at keeping flat, I didn't even have to concentrate on it, it just happened automatically. Muscle memory is making me happy

We spoke to someone on the way out and she said the free kids swimming time ends as 1pm

And I was sitting on various machines today some of which are much lower that my chair and I still managed that standing up with no hands thing.

Out

So tonight we were bored so we nipped out to Saint Clears to The Little Chef and had a brew and bun

Quiet Sunday

Tra la la...

Out For A Drive Tonight

So tonight me and Alex were bored so we headed out in the car, drove all the way to Llandeilo (via my old house in Cwrt Henri) headed back to Carmarthen and took the traditional route back, the one that was replaced by a bypass a few years back

That Friday Feeling

So it's off to Aardvark in a bit to do most of my weeks shopping, then to gym for a proper class then........ lunch & rest

Well I did it, a larger than usual shop at Aardvark. It went well. Back home for long enuf to have a cuppa and sit by my PC for half an hour

Well I did go to Sam's class. As usual she was nagging me to get on but on some levels just WOW, on the kneeling down exercise I can now just do it etc. I am so much better at nearly all the exercises

Test Results

And Timmy made the phone call that Alex was too busy neglecting me to make on Tuesday (She said "Phone me on Tuesday or Thursday"), and my blood sugar levels are within the amounts that they are s'posed to be, so I am relatively well

Strange Diary

So we are going swimming today instead of yesterday.....

And what fun it was. Again I was *so* impressed with the muscle memory caused by the FES, but I did loads of exercises then 4 lengths on my back and 2 lengths breast stroke

And a little girl in the queue behind us said "Oh, you are him"

Brain Injury

I was eating breakfast s'morning, watching the news, suddenly they said how Brain Injuries have increased recently and how the inital NHS coverage is good but rehab is letting the side down

Gymming

And because the whole timetable is strange this week we went to gym instead of swimming. Again just good lord, I am so much better, fitter, stronger than I was even last week. Surely I will reach the end of this "Getting better" thingy, I hope not for a long time tho....

All Windows Again

Then the delivery chap came with the new window handle for the spare bedroom. So GGtGG got stuck in, "Ah, where's the screws?", erm...... turns out a different MoS had taken them off and put them in the toolbox in the kitchen, not to worry, it is all done

Muscle Memory

So I am walking in the house s'morning and it really impressed me, it is too early for the FES to be fitted and already my right foot is behaving itself - keeping flat

Lets hear it for muscle memory

New Mobile Search Engine

So I was thinking that the search engine on my mobile didn't present answers in a large enough to be legible format. As Timmy had suggested yesterday I started using Google once again but...... I really didn't want to. So after a bit of searching on the web I found out that Startpage (which I use on my PC) did actually have a mob version, which works just as well but makes it all legible

VBG, I don't want/need them selling the results of my searches to advertisers etc

Nested

So the birds that are nested over the front door whose eggs hatched last week are now all flying round outside, showing the kids the world. How much bigger and more able are they, a week ago they were newborn and today they can fly!!!

Busy-ish Morning

So s'morning we need to nip to Drs to pick up 2 'scripts then go across to the chemist to get my script then to the pool to go swimming

No, well we got most of the 'script but there is more cream to be collected tomorrow. Then, as we were in town, we nipped to Wilko and got more "wash my chest" cream which apparently I will just always need now

But just wow for how much better I am in the pool even than last week. So no FES fitted in the pool (obviously) but wow to how much the muscle memory is making my right foot stay flat etc. And also wow for how much better my right wrist is at just staying in proper position

Winner, winner,

Tofu Dinner....

Cycling

And we went to gym today(1) and did a marathon cycle for 35 minutes. And just wow but my right foot is just staying flat, in a proper position

(1) Yes, not the swimming pool like normal Mondays, apperently we have swapped tomorrow too.....

"The Twelfth"

So today is a day of political ups and downs in NI, The Twelfth Of July parades which you can't hold on a God Botherers Day so traditionally in the past the prods were making the micks feel like loosers etc

Tofu Dinner

While I find it in bad taste I have today finally won all the competitions, I have been 2 or 3 behind but today I caught up

Unusual Shopping

Then we had to go to Morrison's and get veg &c to cook with Freya tonight. I also had to buy my week's salad, I had finished it today and had it on my diary for tomorrow but I may as well get it now

And it was well worth it, Freya (with a little help from me and none from Ed) cooked the dinner, and it was actually a bit lovely, worthwhile in the end, but what a struggle but we did it

But Freya has finished now, done that school thingy, my youngest born has finished school. How old must I be....

Up

And I am still able to stand up from my chair without using my hands to help.

It feels like such a big thing but it is actually simple, most folk can do it

Taste/Smell

And I sent an email to this charity today, asking them if there is any help available in or around Carmarthen

Cricket

So yesterday morning I watched the cricket on Sky on the interweb, looked good for England, I thought they might win today. I stopped watching yesterday afternoon, had my bath and nap &c but I was looking forward to catching the end s'morning

But England kicked their arse and won yesterday afternoon

Wasn't Bad

And tonight's Ed dinner wasn't too bad, wasn't my favourite but wasn't bad. Too much squash but wasn't too bad

Watching Cricket

And the Ashes cricket isn't on BBC telly much to my disgust, "someone" said t'other day "Ah, but you have a link saved to watch it without paying" and lo and behold, I checked today and perfectly legal freebie I am watching

Impressive

So Ed got stuck into fixing the bathroom window, the one that GGtGG looked at and said "No, not fixable" but he fixed it. I still need to pay somebody to fix the spare bedroom window as he had to nick the opening handle of that to fix the bathroom one but its fixed now

Dinner Tomorrow

And we are having an Ed dinner tomorrow.....

Pizza

And we had the usual na'an bread pizza for Friday tea and it was as nice as it usually is

In The Bathroom

So in the bathroom after my bath I can reach down and dry both legs without any holding on with my other hand to balance me, my balance &c is simply so much better than it used to be

Nipped Out

Then after lunch we nipped out to Morrisons, because..... because the na'an bread I had bought for tonight's pizza had broken, and as I bought a jar of lentil soup that me and Ed can have on Sunday with the broken na'an bread and no sweet potatoes I thought we may as well buy more today. So I got most of the little shopping that was on the list apart from next weeks na'an bread and next weeks salad so I will nip to shop on Monday and just buy those 2 things

Friday Business

Yes, again......

Well, we did a triple shop.

First of all we went to Aardvark and did my weeks shopping, then we nipped to Wilko's and got some compost so the sunflower can move to a bigger pot, then we nipped into Morrisons and had to buy the one ingredient I need to cook with Ed tomorrow that they didn't have in Aardvark. So we have done it all and still have time to sit in front of my PC for half an hour b4 we nip to my gym class that happens every Friday

MegaWalk

So we went to town for a walk s'afternoon, he pushed my wheelchair in case I needed it but I didn't, up one street, across and down the next then back to the car

Recording

And I did a recording t'other day of recording stuff on my phone, I am practicing so I can use it any time I am talking to an official, there will be no query, I have proof

Quiet-ish

And I am having a quiet day today as there is a team meeting going on here, Denyse and the team are all arriving independently to slag me off &c (1)

Well I sat in for the first couple of hours, it was reasonably OK, but Denyse asked me to leave so they can slag me off or whatever then

(1) Sorry, "independently to discuss my needs &c" is what I meant but it didn't make for such an entertaining read

Walkies

And I asked Timmy to push my wheelchair in, up the steps etc, last night, in case I needed it. When we got in it was folded in the corner, I sat on a stool at the bar, later we went round the bigger room for the quiz, I sat in a proper seat. Sometimes I walked back from the bar with my beer held in my right hand (after I had drunk an inch off the top) other times I carried my beer in my left hand and held my walking stick in my right. This was a bit mind boggling but I did it

Out Tonight

And me and Timmy are going to the pub up the road for a pub quiz tonight

And we came last in the quiz.....

Shopping

And me and Timmy headed out today to the Farm Foods shop for a) Some Findus Crispy Pancakes and (Shhh) b) Some Ice Cream treats

6km

And as Timmy forgot to bring his swimming trunx today we went to gym and I got on a bike to do "further cycling" instead of my usual timed. It took a bit longer but I travelled 6km

And my right ankle was being strange, it sayt properly without turning over and for the 2nd half of the cycle it was sitting in a "proper" position

Learning About BI

And 2 of my staff are off on a course today to learn how to nag me better etc, it's about Learning Strategies for Brain Injury sufferers

Went To See

So I was sitting outside while GGtGG was cutting grass when my neighbour, 2 doors to the left, was out. I thought "Tell her that joke" and was about to push myself in wheelchair round. I thought "No" stood up and walked round. When I spoke to her she invited me around to see her garden, I walked around the back of her house. And walked all the way home too

Pointless

So we nipped to the surgery to see the Diabates Nurse who was quite positive about me but couldn't find the results of my blood test on 30th of last month so we nipped to the hospital and had more taken and we have instructions to just phone the nurse next Tuesday or Thursday to get the rest of my results, but she seemed positive already

Damn It Janet....

Then after lunch today I am off to see Janet the diabetes nurse who is gonna take the temp of my feet etc

Gymtastic

Well we went to gym and I did various machines. Good lord but I am improving

On the bike I did a 30 second fast section instead of the previous 2 x 15 seconds, I did manage it now but I was too knackered to continue after I had done the second

Standing

And I was sat at t'kitchen table having a cup of tea with GGtGG, leaned forward to stand up, stopped, thought "No" and released my grip on table, stood up properly, no hands.

I've gotta practice as I can do it but it is still not filed in my "usual way" file yet

Timmy Warning

Timmy came in s'morning and said, with reference to, that my stick keeps me more upright etc while walking so I shouldn't ditch it ATM

Swimming

Deep joy, my timetable says "Swimming" for today.....

And we went and did a "loadsa lengths" session in pool. I survived, it's over now

Shopping

And as I ran out of fresh veg yesterday we nipped to supermarket and got some shopping today.

(The attachment is to where I walked there)

Eating It Tonight

And luckily there is someone who can put up with my food working tonight so we will have roast veg tonight

Dinner

And I asked Ed what he wants for dinner. "Roast veg or a fry up?", he said a fry up, what hope is there for him?

How Much Better

And today it has struck me that that FES device has made such a difference to my right foot. I am not wearing it today so far but I can nearly walk properly my right foot isn't turning over etc etc

And I can walk a short distance with no stick ATM

Out For Brew

So after 6 we went out looking for a brew tonight

Peaceful

After such a hectic morning now I am in relaxed mode

Not Smellifier

So after my bath today I looked at my roll on deodorant thought "Nah" reached for my spray and applied that, to both armpits. I can now, my right hand is SO much better

Leisure Center

Then, as Alex corrected me, we didn't go to the gym we actually went to the leisure center for my session in the gym. It was as difficult as you would expect in this heat but I did it. I also note that on the stairs exercise I now go up and over one way then walk around the machine with no walking stick and do it again

Off To See The Dr

So we are off s'morning to see a Dr Rice at Glangwili Hospital who knows all about my testosterone injections etc

Just wow, we saw the Dr, he said "Yes, carry on", we left there about the time we normally leave for Aardvark, did our shopping and came back and put it away and I have time to sit at my PC before we head to gym

Nooneraft

So at 2pm we took the car in for a service, they drove us back then took the car away, they reckon it will take 3 hours so we have booked a taxi back for a quarter to 5

Phew, we have got the car back, all done, they had to change some computerised stuff, no idea what it does, but the car felt exactly the same so......

Morning

So first thing me and Timmy nipped to the chemist and picked up my sockings then we went to gym and I got stuck into cycling and did an extra 2 km, with no time limit in place, so a total of 6 km. then we nipped home for a quick lunch then afterwards we are nipping to the garage to have the car serviced

In A Bit

"We" are going out for a pint tonight

And it was quiet but good, filled up a bit later

Smug

Winning for this month too, I must be a bit clearer sighted

Blurry

And it is making me want to scream, if I look at anything more than a couple of feet away it is all blurred.....

I can sort of see now, it is still a bit strange looking at the house across the road but my house is in focus

I can see properly now.....

What A Morning #27 try 2

So me & Alex headed off to gym s"morning. We went to gym first, did loads of exercises then went off to the Diabetic Eye Test Centre further up in Johnstown, there they injected me with blurry stuff, waited for 20 minutes then took pictures of the back of my eye.

Now I can see the keyboard bit but I can"t actually see what I have typed, so possibly sorry etc etc

Grumble

And there is time to go to the gym before nipping out to see the nurse

Standing Up

And it occured to me how much my standing up has changed recently, not all the time do I need to hold on, sometimes now I am just standing up like a normal person, no hands, no holding on involved