Such Fun

Oh we have had such fun today. So since about 9 o'clock s'morning  have been cooking and the pan stayed on the heat til about 4pm at which point I had to start baking the potato to go with the stuff. Which I was able to freeze 3 day's worth of and left tomorrows in the saucepan

Needy

I have just watched The Silent Child that was on telly earlier. Gord but it got me emotionally. She was as f*cked as a very f*cked person and they didn't know how to help her. Until someone who could understand her came along. That seemed a bit familiar....

Useful

And GGtGG proved himself useful tonight, he got stuck into mending the greenhouse and making it worth us planting next week

Walkies

So I said to GGtGG "Let's go out for a walk today" and headed into town. For more than three hours we just walked about. And up and down stairs too which made me wanna stop passers by and say "Look, I was in a wheelchair for 15 feckin' years"

As there is no gym class today I walked so far that he stopped saying "On a machine later at gym...."

Iechyd Ding

And we went to the monthly Folk Night at Iechyd Da and it was much busier than last month, both musos and spectators.

I did rather enjoy most of the night. Although as Timmy had to remind me I wasn't able to drink Red Wine as recommended by the Diabetes Nurse last week, I stuck to beer

Row Row Row Your Boat

So Timmy said "You can either go to gym and cycle....." but I got stroppy then and said "No, went cycling Tuesday" so we headed gymwards and got stuck into seeing if I could row, if my right hand would let me. Which it did, it did hurt my right hand but not too much so I just cracked on and did it

Thursday Morning

So we had the usual Thursday Morning business. First of all me and Timmy went to fetch my veg from Iechyd Da (and we got to say "See you later" as we will be heading there tonight for a monthly Folk Night) then we popped to MoreReasonsToShopAt... for the rest of the weeks shopping

Scared/Intimidated

Then s'morning I was sitting in one room while GGtGG did the handover to Timmy in another and they spent part of the time discussing the trip to Belfast in April and Sam&Emma's wedding shortly after that

FES Wearing

So I got out of bed s'morning, had breakfast, went to the loo and then GGtGG fitted my FES, when I took it off for my bath he didn't wet it then an hour later he put it back on. It is still on, helps me walk etc. I will take it off later and he can wet it then and stick it in the fridge

Farmfoodery

Then we popped into Farmfoods as we used some sweet potato oven chips tonight and needed to top them up and I just found various treats which we hardly ever eat as my cooked/frozen food usually lasts for 4-5 days and my pizza is a weekend treat too

Then

Then we went straight from gym to King St, to the Drs. The woman took my blood pressure and said it was low enough this time, even tho it was too high when she took it last week.

As I had already told her that my pressure went up as soon as I saw her I said that the nurse last week must have been even more beautiful, which was hard to believe that anyone could be more gorgeous than her

First Things Out

Then the first "proper" trip out was to Gym after an early lunch. The class was taken by Gaynor who was pleased when I told her that as I had trouble remembering her name GGtGG called her "Gorgeous Gaynor" and ever since then I could remember. I even called her "Gorgeous" which made her smile.

But on Fridays the class is usually taken by "Sexy Sam"

No Swimming

And we are not going swimming today as I have an appointment with the Dr which clashes with the time, so I will go to an earlier gym class then pop over to the Docs to have my blood pressure taken

But I have a problem with most of the women that I deal with at the gym *and* most of the women that I deal with at the Docs. If I have to speak to any of them my blood pressure will go through the roof

Popped Out

And we had to pop out to Home Bargains s'morning as they sell really cheap bird food and I had given the last out of the bag s'morning so needed a new one. GGtGG said "Ah, I need a new bulb for the staff-room" so he was able to spend next to nothing too

Sigh

So I put my splint on when I was going to bed last night. I was warned about putting it on too tight and kept it on until 'bout 4.30 when I woke up and took it off

Keep It On For Hours

And I took care today, when I took off my FES at bathtime I didn't give it to RoyGBiv to wet, I just left it on the table and then got a Roy to put it back on after bath, so I am still wearing it even tho I haven't been walking outside since early this afternoon

Fetch

Then s'afternoon the phone rang and it was the shop in town which I had ordered my new walking stick and a couple of new walking-stick-feet from so we pooped into town and fetched them. This stick will be decorated like my existing one then put in the corner and kept fresh looking until I use it at Sam's wedding in May

Cycling

Then today after Denyse had been intimidating Magic Mark we had a brief chat when she told me to wear my splint for longer than the hour-a-day I have been, she suggested trying it every night again, then she left and me + Roy came to the gym and I got stuck into cycling. I have got another 7km to go but progress is being made

Well I have done 7km so far, only another 3 to go

Sigh

And Denyse is here s'morning, she is discussing how MM does with Timmy ATM, then MM is gonna be called in for a chat to see how much she is gonna tell him off

UberProtected

And I put on my FES about 9 o'clock s'morning then put it back on after I had my bath this afternoon not because I was going out but because Sara recommended wearing it more.

Today we learned "Don't wash it when Neil is in the bath, just leave it dry then, don't wet it until he takes it off for the night"

I Can See

And my Dad phoned today, said "You were complaining about your vision last night, don't forget they thought you were blind when you were in hospital at first. Your Mum had to tell them that you could reach out towards her so obviously you could see her"

Afterwards

And afterwards it was lunchtime by the time we left so we popped into Asda despite Sara recommending 2 alternatives and had the slice of pizza again.

Same as last time we were down here

Take Us About An Hour

To get there apparently.....

Lordy. Yes it did take us 58 minutes to get there. When we got there I was stuck on the treadmill with a harness to catch me if I fell over. I walked for 10 minutes without holding on to anything. It is so different to walking with my 'stick or some other support but I did it. After that I was walking a few paces forward, turn left and walk another few steps sideways, turn left and repeat backwards and last of all turn left again and walk the other direction sideways. And again I managed this without holding on which I haven't been able to do for some years. Then last of all we did a stepping up onto a cushion and kicking all directions, again balance. And stepping up and back down in various directions etc. Oh yes, and we examined my splint, which I have been wearing for an hour or two in the evening and just said "Looks OK, keep it up"

Well it was hard work but I can see the progress I am making. We will head back in about a month to work out again

Rugger

Watching rugby on't telly and how shit is my vision, trying to keep up with the ball/runner

Not Dark At Dinner Time

This Daylight Saving Time cheers me up every year

Walkies

So we popped into town for a walk s'afternoon as I am going to see the physio lady tomorrow for a practice walking session as the quality of my steps fell somewhat when my attention was taken by my arm in plaster.

But it went OK s'afternoon, I think the quality was OK

That's Better

Phew, unlike yesterday I went t'loo and just squeezed gently and it all came flooding out at the proper time s'morning

T'Pub

So we went t'pub to drink beer not red wine as that is less harmful for someone in my condition. It was empty when we got there but a few chatty folk did come in later

Poohing

So I went and sat on the loo like I do every morning after breakfast for my daily pooh. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, no, nowt. WTF, I have a pooh after breakfast every day.

So I went back to the loo half an hour later and it was easy this time. Dunno what's going on but I feel a bit lighter now

The Class

So today it is an early lunch day and go to the Pulse Class @ gym.

Hooray

So she said 'No class for 2 weeks' now, Eastern holidays get in the way

Still Improving

Yep, still getting better, still improving

Busy Thursday

So we started Thursday as usual with Iechyd Da then Morrison's to fetch my frozen food etc. After we had taken the food home we simply paused for a bit and had lunch etc.

After lunch we had to pop to the Drs to see the Diabetes Nurse who was well pleased with how all my tests had come out except blood pressure which we will have to take another test next week (1)

After that we had to pop to Aardvark to get some soapy stuff that they don't sell elsewhere.

(1) Or I think next week someone less beautiful better see me, no wonder my blood pressure exploded today........

Shopping

Then we popped out tonight to look for more new trews so we popped to Matalan to check out some and actually ended up paying for a pair. On the way back we popped somewhere else obscure and bought a few more mini packets of proper big sized tissues

Splinting

And as I put the splint on for an hour again s'evening I was able to put it on in the "straighter fingers" position for all 3 of my fingers. That I couldn't last night

Fark

And we are off to the swimming pool now......

Well phew, it wasn't too bad. I managed almost all of the exercises for a full hour. I could do most of it as I am getting better

Men's-shed

So I went back to Men's-Shed tonight, the first time I have been there for a month. I didn't actually do anything, just socialized and kept an eye on what folk were doing tonight

Doesn't Hurt

And I have just been using that ball thingy that I was given yesterday and it hurts loads less than it did yesterday. I can actually squeeze it with my thumb and third finger which I couldn't do yesterday, it hurt too much

AND I was able to put my splint on much tighter when I put it on myself tonight. Yes, I am obviously "getting better" in some way

Rowing

Then we popped to gym and I got stuck into the rowing machine for the first time in about a month as I can manage it now.

It was harder work but I did my 10km

First Things First

First Things First we popped down to the Drs to fetch my soapy stuff and my asthma inhaler except what I had ordered was my inhaler and cream for my legs, so when I came home I had to order some soapy stuff which I will collect on Thursday when I am there seeing the Diabetes nurse

Sigh

Weather

And after it snowed yesterday the sun is out today  (new link)

Were Off

And we are off s'lunchtime to Bridgend to see that Sara the physio so she can advise me about my broken hand and apparently I have been a bit wobblier on my feet recently so she will advise me how to not wobble so much

Well.... they said my hand was just busy recuperating but my walking needs loads more practice so she has made an appointment for me next week when I will take my splint in to have it reset.

Well I have fitted it on tonight. We have said "Keep it on for an hour" so we shall see. It hurts but not too much......

And we popped into Asda close by the center to have lunch too. We were in the center from 12 midday 'til 1.15 then we stopped in on the way home 'cause it takes the best part of an hour to get home from there

And we had decided that I should wear my splint for an hour or two every night when I am sitting at my PC, it doesn't work in bed for me but a couple of hours is good...

Lovely Summers Day

Toasty and warm today....

And oh look, it's much warmer an hour later....

And well after midday when the sun is at it's highest

And look how it got this afternoon....

Walkies

And we went out for a walk into the freezing wind. We walked all the way along King St calling in 3 or 4 charity shops as we went along, down the big hill at the end past the old court building, turned right at the bottom of the hill then back to past Iechyd Da and back along King St to the car

It was fscking freezing but occasionally sunny too

Gymming

So I went to Sam's Class at the gym today and this time I managed to do the full hour. It was different but OK.

That Was Just As Well

And we had to take a sample of piss into the testers yesterday but they compared it today "No, no problem" so I am not ill in that was

First Things First

So first of all s'morning we had to head down to Toe Choppers where they did all my feet, it didn't hurt too much today even tho I complained as much as ever

But I didn't wear my uber-trainers or my FES sockings, just normal trainers and shoes but I was able to walk from the car to their establishment no problem

Pushed It

And I managed to push the trolley around the supermarket this week, my hand is much better

AND for the third day in a row I was capable of doing the washing up!!

Crisis

First of all s'morning we went to the Drs and got a bottle and form so I can leave in a piss sample. Then we went to hospital and they took a blood test to try my for diabetes. It did hurt this time.

THEN we popped to Iechyd Da and picked up my org veg and we popped to Morrison's and got the rest of the shopping

Third of all we came home and I pissed in my bottle and we popped it back to the doctors

This is to see if there is any reason I have pissed the bed twice in a fortnight

Double Sheet

And I wet the bed last night, I wasn't drunk or anything......

But according to GGtGG I was snoring really loudly last night.....

<Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t>

So as my Plaster of Paris is off my arm I will have to go to Aqua Aerobics today

Fark. Wasn't that fun. I only lasted about 40 minutes out of the hour class but my right hand was hurting too much to continue. But I did it, I started

For The Best

And I hope that my ache isn't being prominent in't morning...

And it wasn't. There is one position in which it hurts loads but the rest of the time it doesn't hurt at all

Xcel

So we are off in a bit to Xcel bowling alley where I won't be bowling at all but socializing with many (hopefully) Carmarthen folk

And yes, there was a few folk, many of whom I talked to. A good night was had

All Clean

And just now I was just able to clean my left armpit using my right hand. As simple as that. No trying to bend my left arm or owt. Just did it.

PoP-less

So we went to hospital s'morning, were saw within about 10 minutes by someone who just removed my plaster of paris and said "Someone will call you in a bit". Lordy, the skin that had been underneath looked like it had been underwater for ages etc, but it gave me great pleasure to be able to move fingers again etc. After we saw the specialist he said "Your 3rd knuckle has disappeared but that shouldn't affect you, the rest of it looks fine, see yah" and we came home.

Lord, so I went into bathroom straight away and cleaned it with soap and water as the skin had been coming off for 3 weeks and unable to go anywhere. It still aches a bit but he said it should be better fully in 2 or 3 weeks, I just need to do my stretchy exercises in the mean time etc

Random Thoughts

And I was sitting on the loo thinking about what I needed to do. I thought about my FES attachment which I thought until then stood for "F#ck Every Saturday" but I realised that it actually stands for "Fscking Extra Sexy"

Yes, sorry, HTH

Up Early

And I got up early s'morning as my right hand was hurting. It seems better now I have been up for an hour, it seems to just prefer being in these positions rather than lying down on it's side

Fracture Clinic

And we have to be at the clinic at Glangwilli Hospital at 11AM where, hopefully, they will remove this plaster of paris half way splint that has been on me for a fortnight

Headwaying

Dunno, if it is because I am too grumpy, because the game is too hard or what but I did not enjoy being at Headway today. OK, it is more fun than swimming but only just

Mañana

And tomorrow I will have this splint thing taken off my wrist.

Hooray

And it occurred to me after my bath today that hopefully today is the last bath that I will have with that "cover your splint" thing on

Washing Up

And I did the days washing up again after dinner tonight. Dunno why I felt I couldn't do it last week? Is my hand so much better or am I just feeling better or what?

Lighter Quicker

And as the length of days changes most, quickest just (before and) after the solstice it is noticeably different every day ATM

Busy Morning

So first of all we popped to Farmfoods to fill up the chips and baguette pizza shelves. We got a couple of "frozen food" items to fill up the rest of space.

After we brought that home we popped back to town and parked Llamas St, walked up the hill then along King St from one end to t'other, down the obscure street then along looking at the backs of King St shops then I headed back to the car but GGtGG said 'No, come this way' and headed t'other way through town before heading back to the car 

Drinking

And we went to The Pub s'evening and drank a small amount. But yum yum

Bathing

And today in the bath I managed to wash my left armpit using my right hand which was in the keeping water away from your plaster thing. First time I have managed that since I owned the cover, a week and a half ago

Stickshopping

So s'morning we headed into town, to opposite the railway station is the mobility tools shop where we were looking for a new walking stick. As mine is fine for normal use but a bit scruffy for using it walking to the podium at Sam's wedding to make my reading. OK, that's not for two months yet but phew as they had to order me a stick today which won't be in for 2 weeks. Then we bring it home and decorate it with flowers etc then leave in in the corner until we take in to England in my spares bag until the morning of the wedding when I will actually use it

Although the chap in the shop, when I said "Can I have another 'stick like this" said "Sorry, we can't do one with flowers"

¾

Then last night it occurred to me that then I was ¾ of the way through my time in a splint

Up She Cried

So I had no alarm clock set today, as it is the weekend, and I still got up, stripped my bed etc 15 minutes before my alarm clock goes off on a normal morning

Paralympics

Lord, watching the intro to the Paralympics and it so occurs to me, I am an exwheelchair user

Gymwards

Then I got stuck into going to a proper gym clasd. Kind of neing able to do some and not others but I did a load. I wasn't too inappropriate with Sam, just because she was busy with other clients

S'morning'

Well s'morning I asked MM to chop my onion and mushroom then got stuck into cleaning under a running tap then peeling and chopping the rest of the veg and I made it into a potentially delicious* big pan of food with a tin of tomatoes and some lentils, garlic and spices. So I nearly did this all by myself

* Say potentially, I haven't actually tasted it yet but it looks nice

Ignoring Ads

So I am watching a C4 program on the iPlayer and there was 3 or 4 minutes of ads in the middle and there was no way of switching them off.

Very unsettling

Rather Strange But Strangely Entertaining

Well I have just listened to the first installment of Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy new series which was strange but entertaining, much like the other stuff I have heard/read

Busy Thursday Morning

So first of all we had to go to The Warren (Just called Th.....ren in this pic) unusually to pick up my veg and there was no parking anywhere by there but we parked on the main street about 5 yds away so it was dead close. We did that then MM had to push my trolley around Morrison's for me but again we did it, got everything on the list

Then after we had come home and put stuff away etc we headed back to the gym where I was only able to use 3 "leg only" machines but I did it

Hanging Out Again

And I hung the washing out to dry again. So 4 days ago I didn't feel able to, then 2 days ago I did and it is just force of habit now.

Very strange

Off Out For Dinner

And we did the washing up early today because me and GGtGG are going out for dinner with the Carmarthen Making Friends group

And wasn't that fun, a good time was had

Denyse

Then Denyse came over "because she's supposed to" to just check up on me and how I am coping with my splint etc. It all went well until she said "Is there anything you want to ask me?" and even tho I didn't ask her this time she could tell that I was frantically trying to think of something other than "Marry me"

Shopping

So we headed into town first thing and went round and round until we found a free parking space. From there it was miles to Savers where we had to go, but it just isn't an issue, any more. Distance to walk is not as much of an issue as it was a few months ago

Randomly Better

Today, for the first time since last week I was able to hold my toothbrush in my right hand and squirt 'paste with my left hand. I haven't been able to use both hands for a week, I had to lie my toothbrush down in the sink and use one hand to squirt

Hectic Day

So first thing today that Denyse is coming to see me, then I have gotta head to a gym class then we are popping out to a restaurant near where we first lived in Wales for a 'making friends' group dinner

Tomorrow

And we are going out for dinner tomorrow night with the Carmarthen Meet Folk Society or somesuch

Theraputic

And as it hurts to lean on anything with my right hand it means that when I go to stand up I am holding my walky stick in my left hand and I have got to just stand up using my legs alone. So even this is thera-fsckin'-putic

Bicycling

So s'morning we headed to gym and I got on the bike. I had said "No" to that loads of times as it feels really strange a)if I don't lean my right hand on the handlebars I feel really unbalanced/unstraight, and b)if I do lean my right hand on it makes the wrist feel all unstraight etc, but I got stuck in and tried it.

I was due to do 10km but I finished after half an hour cycling, about 6 and a bit km as my right foot was feeling a bit odd

Sleeping

And I find that I am sleeping less than normal ATM because my right hand is irritated by being in a plaster. It doesn't hurt loads but I am aware of it....

Half Way Through

And I have reached half way thru the keeping my arm in a plaster period, I am due back at t'hospital in a week

Memory

So I went to gym today with a pair of trousers on which didn't need a belt. But as I was leaving I headed into my bedroom and put my belt in my pocket. When I got to gym I put tgeelt on and clipped the FeS device on it and took off the bumbag it had been attached to.

Just the fact that I remembered to take it with me.....

Class

So as I can't swim ATM and if I am doing exercises I will say "Can't do that" loads we have decided to head back to Sam's class at 2pm so I will need to have an early lunch in a minute......

Aargh, it wasn't Sam, it was some chappy and it was strange only being able to use 1 arm but I did what I could

Warmer, Later

And a few days ago it would have been -3 by this time

Out

And as Timmy was very pleased that we would actually be able to leave the house now he said "Shall we eat at Wetherspoons tonight?" which didn't take much persuasion

And the veggie burger and chips was a bit delicious. And the pudding too, which meant I got a bit drunk but......

Changeable

So the weather has changed a bit. So now the sun is shining from a 75% cloudless sky. And I need to have a bath&nap. Bet the weather will have changed again by the time I get up

And in the bath today I was able to open the window instead of switching on the noisy extractor fan for the first time in 3 days. The scary eastern weather has been replaced with wind from the south 

Ice Going

There are just a few bits on the roof and at the side of the path, most ice has gone away s'morning, it's raining now

Not Freezing

And my watch says it is 2°C outside now at 11 o'clock at night which is about 5° warmer than it has been at night for a number of night's now

Trapped In

And I am well grumpy about being "trapped" indoors here tonight, not being able to go to the pub which I only do every couple of weeks. As I couldn't go there, or anywhere else, last night or tonight g*d help anyone that makes me shout.....

Watching

And I sat down in the kitchen today & turned on the iPad and looked what was on. So I found myself watching an episode of Wallace & Gromit which was rather entertaining

Duh

And the interweb wasn't working, I switched off my PC and went back to it half an hour later, still wasn't working, so a shout of "Timmy" came out, he said "Ah, reset the router" (which hadn't occured to me) and 5 minutes later all is working again

???

So why are they selling this this week?

Trouble Yesterday

And I did today's and Thursdays straight away but I had to have loadsa go's on yesterday's so I am missing the stars

Grumpy

And tonight I am feeling so shit because we can't go to the pub. Some weekends I don't go at all but because I can't tonight it is making me want to more than usual

Hiding

And we had a conference earlier and decided to listen to the advice on the radio and stay at home s'afternoon, not try and head to the gym class

Even tho I am missing Sam dunno if she was gonna make it in today.....

LimbO

So I found yesterday with my new cover your splint product that I could fit it myself, I didn't have to call a MOS into the bathroom and say "HELP" like I had to when using a bin-bag

Slingless

So I find that as I am not wearing my sling I can carry light goods and walk at the same time, which makes me feel a lot less disabled

Like carrying the towels back into the bathroom after I got dried/dressed. Summat I haven't been able to do for days...

The Wedding

Yesterday I printed out a copy on narrow paper, in big print etc of the piece I am reading at Sam's wedding in April. I have read it out each day as a practice as I will every day now, to practice and make it sink further into my head.

And I said to Timmy about trying on my suit etc and he said "Yes, but you only bought that when you were going back for your Mum's funeral, and you haven't lost too much weight since" and did say there is a sewing mender in Carmarthen if it needs changing

Fed Up

So I haven't put my right arm in the sling at all today and it is much less disabling like that. I can use my right hand some.

But I am still well fed up with it, I just wanna be better. Gonna be nearly another fortnight before I go back to the hospital and hopefully they will be able to give me my arm back

Gymless

And we didn't go to gym s'afternoon because I was due to do one of the machines that I can't use ATM and as we had struggled to find machines I could use t'other day "we" decided not to go

It is Sam's class tomorrow, if the snow holds off

As Warm As A Very.....

Warm Thing?

Well I was a bit nervous as we headed off to Iechyd Da to pick up the veg, thinking "There is gonna be snow somewhere?" but we didn't see any. I didn't walk down to Iechyd Da as it is slippery and icy on the way there but apart from that it was a normal day. But next week we will have to make different arrangements

But at 10 past 10 tonight it had snowed to about 1cm depth out the front. Which is bugger all compared with the world around us but it loads locally