Again

And again......

No Neil, you said you wouldn't talk about it - SHHHHH

12 Hours

And almost 12 hours after we left we are home again

Nice Looking Women

So SmallPaul grew up around where we are ATM and said that I would soon realise that English women are more beautiful than Welsh ones. I told this to a woman who was serving us lunch in England and said "He might be right". She laughed

(from my phone)

In England

Lordy. So s'morning we left Carmarthenshire heading east. We stopped for lunch then set off again. Eventually we arrived at Orthotics place and talked about what I need etc and walked up and down with various additives. So soon it's gonna be time for dinner

(from my phone)

To That E Place

So s'morning we are going over to somewhere near Glastonbury to have my walking/Bionessing checked out for my claim. Perhaps on the way back I can go and be a new age traveller again and throw some stones at a policeman or summat

Beyond News

As I managed to wipe my bum properly again s'morning it is perhaps now news not worthy of being written about here in my Blog

Out

And as I probably won't be back in time for the monthly folk club tomorrow we are going out to a blues come-all-ye at The Blue Parrot in Carmarthen

And it was good too

Newbie

So then Ed was in s'morning for the first time in ages. I showed him the video and he was able to tie my shoes the right way round first time

Well Wiped

And I wiped my bum s'morning and I was able to wipe it clean again without any Andrex Washlets. It is getting to be more regular now

Rest Of Day

And we had such fun....

Early Start

So we set off at 10 o'clock s'morning looking for Llanelli Volunteer Centre to meet up with Sarah Jones. We found Llanelli easily but drove round and round and in the end parked a distance away and was pushed in a wheelchair. But it went well, I came away with 3 volunteer jobs to look into. I have just filed them, next week Sarah is gonne come here and phone them etc

Videofluroscopy

And Denyse emailed my tonight and said "I have spoken to your Doctor and they have agreed to send you for a videofluroscopy to find out why you are choking etc". Like the Dr responded to my letter last week and said "Nah, can't afford that" so g*d nose.....

Nicking

So I have had a number of hours with Naughty Nick my temp MOS from England. He has been OK, not knowing but learning quickly. He even tied my laces properly s'afternoon

Aardvarking

Then we nipped to Aardvark to buy what I should have bought last Friday but I was away to Ixion SoS instead

Jeroo

And then today Nick my temporary MOS has gotta take me to gym in a bit

And it went OK, I was a couple of minutes late and then Sam was talking to a newbie by me for ages, so I perhaps didn't do as much as usual but it was OK 

Fixer

And after they said he would phone he showed up without phoning but he replaced the small wheels on the front of my 'chair

Odd but better now

And it has seemed a bit strange after 2 whole days absent having to get used to my habits and routines again but it's eventually working again now

Back Now

Sunday just before lunchtime and home again, home again, jiggity jig (noisy link)

SoS

I am excited and nervous and........

YES

So I have now got my new Bioness hired for a month and it is SO much better at keeping my right foot in line and proper etc etc

(from my phone)

Nap Time

And so we are waiting in Cardiff s'afternoon... I am trying to have a nap sat in the car waiting but it doesn't seem to be working

(from my phone)

Well...

So today we drove for 2 hours, went to Daceys, the splint makers, showed him my splint and he said "Oh, it's broken". So we are waiting for 3 hours until his next patient has been so we can hopefully get a replacement

(from my phone)

Splinters

And "we" have to head over to Cardiff in a bit to Daceys, my splint makers for a rebooting and check....

We will tell 'em that we bought a new battery for the controler and it hasn't worked since

2nd Day Running

So s'morning for the second day in a row I had a pooh, wiped my bottom and managed to clean it properly with just bog roll, no need for Andrex Washlets

Drinking Slowly

So me and Paul headed to my local tonight and I practiced my drinking slowly and just had 2 pints when there. But "they" are starting to recognise me as a resident of near here

Battery

And after gym we nipped out trying again to get a battery for my Bioness. As yesterday we tried loadsa places but in the fourth shop they actually sold it. Hooray.

So then we nipped home, had lunch and he tried to change my battery. He is still fiddling with it, no joy

No joy, still no battery

Jeroo

Hmmm, so off to Gym s'morning without my Bioness walking tool. And I can really tell how much I miss it ATM, it is really impressive. Apparently, it is much harder to walk without it

And as we were heading to gym I said "If the lift isn't fixed I can't walking up the stairs" but the blooming thing was fixed so we had a slightly strange class without my Bioness

Battery Crisis

Then this afternoon the battery in my Bioness died. So we went looking, to 3 different places and couldn't get the right size anywhere. So no Bioness walker for 2 days as I am due back there on Thursday

So no Bioness at gym tomorrow either...

OffTopic

Then Sarah Jones the Occupational Therapist came in today and did two things. 1) We cooked some flapjacks because I have got out of the habit. 2) Then we cooked a curry, from scratch, not from a sauce, which was delicious but Timmy couldn't eat Cauliflower so we had to freeze it and eat summat else

New Shop

And today we went exploring to a new shop that Timmy recommended. So about 60% of their stock was no good to me but some of the rest was, and it was so cheap.

I don't think we will have to go every week but eg when I run out of oven chips I can stock up on them and some other

Jim-jim-jeroo

[sigh]I am off to gym again in a bit[/s]

And the flipping lift still wasn't working but the class today was in a downstairs room which I was much more pleased about but it went well

And we forgot to that my leg splint today, and it did feel as if my leg was turning over too much again, so on Wednesday Paul can put it in his pocket and see what happens

Thatcherite

Good lord, after watching a TV program about her whole life I feel to have become a bit Thatcherite, she was well working class and thought "they" should win, not traditional Tory rich gits

Dinner

For dinner tonight we had scrambled eggs, beans and toast. Making the toast was easier than last week, which was easier then...... etc, at last I seem able to marg. my toast from one side to the other

Bye bye David

So then after an hour of chatting to David and taking the mickey out of how much cereal he ate we dropped him off at the railway station for his journey home

Visitor

And today I had a visitor, my big brother came over from Belfast and had a good, chatty, time. We went out and had dinner at Con Passionata which was lovely

Nice Biscuits

Are these although I have onle had 1 because I am on a diet

Grate

And tonight for the first time in nearly 10 years I was able to grate a load of cheese by using my right hand to hold and move the cheese

And the pizzas were extra delicious because of that

Made Me Grin,

and I haven't even had breakfast yet

Someone Else Is Here

Then Freya came down and was nice to me too!!!!!

And it was nice, we picked her up before dinner time then sat, after dinner, talking in the kitchen for a number of hours

She's Here

And Denyse came here at quarter past 10 and until I was mid way thru lunch was sat in the room with Ed and Paul assessing them for.... god knows.

Then she came out, sat at the table with me finishing lunch and discussed loadsa stuff. 

No Birthday Friends

And because I have very few friends me and Ed are nipping to t'pub in a bit to have a birthday drink

And it was well busy, by it's own standards, perhaps 7 people just having a pint!! Now many recognise me and say hiya etc

Warm!!

So I am sat outside ATM wearing just a T-shirt on my top half. It is fine and warm and dandy then the wind strikes up again and it is shiver worthy freezing

(from my phone)

Jeroo

(Sigh)
So I had jim again s'morning. Today we didn't take my splint on purpose as it seems fine and it was. In the gym walking everywhere with my walkystick, just yes
</S>

Sad

So tonight I was sat outside when one of my neighbours pulled up in her car 2 doors away. It was as much as I could do not to call her and her son over and sing them a tune

Off Topic

So Sarah Jones, the OT, came to see me today. We talked about loadsa stuff and she is gonna bring ingredients next week so I can practice walking in the kitchen. Then I am gonna see her again the following week when she is gonna take me to the Carmarthenshire Volunteering Centre and we will have a look there

My Door Wouldn't Lock

So as yesterday I wasn't able to lock my front door from the inside or the outside. So panic panic panic. So Timmy just generally hit it with a hammer and ever since the lock has worked

No news

There is nowt happening in the world today. All news men and women have become focussed on this, so there is nowt else important

Jim Jiminy...

...Jeroo (noisy link) So s'morning we are off to gym. Hoo-flipping-ray

And s'morning it went well, I took my wheelchair into the room because I am nervous if I can't see it, took my walky stick out and did not sit in my wheelchair until the class was finished

More Reasons To Shop At....

Then after lunch today we nipped to Morrison's and did the rest of the weeks shopping. (noisy link)

There was a bit of hassle with cheese flavoured baps for lunch time snacks but in the end we bought some, hopefully they will last longer than the 2 days date as there were 4 in a packet

Take Her Home

So then s'morning after she had a lie in for a couple of hours and then a play on my PC we took that Freya home again, to her Mum and StepDad's

Today

So we have had a quiet day today but Freya is coming to stay over later

And while dinner was cooking we watched Dr Who which was rather excellent

And when it was cooked, it was rather nice. Baked spuds, beans and falafel we had

And we had this novel dinner because all the "spuds pre cooked" come in portions of 2 and there were 3 of us tonight and I am trying not to make do with oven chips

Local

And we went out to my local pub last night.....

Aardvarkin

And as "someone" had fitted my Bioness I wore it to Aardvark. Perhaps that's why I spent so much this week...

QUIET morning

We have done f. all s'morning, still no Bioness so no change of chair. Paul has done some gardening with me watching and being in charge

And all afternoon I have been sat outside commenting on etc and watching SmallPaul gardening. On one level he hasn't done much but on another level he has made such a difference, it looks well better out the front

Posh

Well today I am sitting in a proper chair. My wheelchair feels abandoned across the room

And I can manage, stood up and walked to the loo, no prob etc etc

Happy chappie....

And I have been wheelchairing again since I bathed today but just WOW, I can manage the proper seat some and it will get more every day

Quiet

A quiet day today but I won't be using my stick holder as I am going to gym and will be exhausted afterwards. Tomorrow....

And I am trying out gym with no splint on today....

And just WOW. We took the splint in case I needed it, Ed was watching me the whole time and we didn't need it. I think we will do that "splint in pocket" thing again but it was well good without it

My right foot stayed almost completely straight, Bioness is working wonders

Stick Holder

This morning me and Timmy were discussing how my proper chair was harder to use because there was no way of holding my stick, so after much discussion we nipped into LTC Mobility and picked up a strange clip that lets me put my 'stick on the back of my PC chair out of the way

And just WOW, after lunch I sat on my PC chair and was still there at bathtime

Walk Into Shop

And as the shops are open again we need to go and buy some "non mayonaisey" salad and some focaccia with cheese, for my lunch and some potatoes to cook at dinner time

And I went into shop, looked for cheesy bread thingies (they had none of the same today), found summat else eventually, wallked to the other end of the shop, bought more, remembered that I had forgotten summat in the first aisle and walked the whole length of the shop again before paying and walking back to the car

With no splint on my right foot

No Shopping Today

As the shops are shut all day as it's some dead god chaps re-erection or summat

MORE Walkies

And because Morrisons will be shut tomorrow I went to get most of the rest of my shopping today, WITHOUT my wheelchair. I actually did much more walking than on our trip yesterday, and I will have to come back on Monday to buy some more "proper" salad, not this mayonaisey gunk I have been eating for months.

AND more to the point with no splint on my right foot, as my Bioness is working on my right leg

Walkies

And because we needed more salad(1) this morning we nipped to Morrison's. Got there, in thru the front door in my wheelchair, stood up and walked to all ends of the shop, walked back to the till and finally sat in my wheelchair then. The whole shopping trip done on my own two feet

(1) Proper green salad now, not the mayonaisey fattening stuff I have been eating for some months. So for lunch now I have a little green salad and 1 piece of toast, hopefully I will loose weight 

Out To Play

And tonight we are going to a monthly folk club at Iechyd Da (noisy link) with Freya who we are picking up after Spanish Extra Lessons at school later

AND Toby who is over here for half a week met up with us too, he seemsd happy and well. He is staying with his Mum for a few days which is good too

Sara

Then Sara the Physio came round this morning. I phoned her because she was late and she said "Sorry, at SPAR shop, buying chocolate" so....

She did loadsa stretching as my right arm isn't moving as well as it was last week, probable because of my cough. Also she phoned Daceys and tried to get some more electrical attachments posted out to me because I haven't got enough to last 'til I am back there. There was a discussion because if she does phone them they might realise that I have had the Bioness for a number of weeks for free

Cough Almost Gone

And by today my cough has nearly entirely gone. Every now and again I kind of clear my throat/half cough and loadsa phlegm comes up and out of the way

Blues

And we are going out tonight to a once in a while Blues night at The Tangled Parrot in Carmarthen

And it was good, Clive was there from the start, playing tunes and Naomi was there later which was nice

Right, we drove to there, parked in the car park at the end of King Street and I stood up and walked to The Parrot, not wheelchairing again until we were inside

On't way back

Then on't way back from gym we nipped to town and bought some tips for my big walky stick

Gym

So we nipped to gym again. It was OK, I did some work etc. I had to say to Sam, my instructor, that I accept that it is doing me some good, so I should be a bit more cheerful, but I really don't like it - but as it's doing me some good I will have to keep going

Coughing

And as my cough sounded worse yesterday while we were in't supermarket trying to buy more ink for "their" printer we got some Tesco's Antiseptic Blackcurrant Flavour Lozenges, some cheapskate Strepsil impersonators and they seem to have helped my cough already 

And my cough seems almost better by tonight so hopefully.....

Tell You Again

I wanna tell u about this event yesterday as it was such an important event

Errands

And we all went out to show Nick around where I need to go in Carmarthen tonight, then when we came back to eat later, it took the best part of an hour to cook, so together we had a very late dinner

Newby

So this morning the MOS from West Country who is going to be covering some shifts here came and met me.

He seems OK for now, I will let you know later

Well Dun

So the highlight of the day (apart from meeting Nick, my extra MOS) was going to the Docs to see the dietitian. After some discussion I stood up, walked to my car on my own two feet, Denyse drove off to the docs, leaving my wheelchair here. We parked, I got out again, walked across the car park to my docs, went in, sat on a proper chair, saw the dietitian, stood up walked beck to my car, then from car to home

Animator

So today I was trying again to get my head round the gif animator that Freya was using here t'other night, and today I actually succeeded. OK, it's not very impressive but I have learned from that and the next time I will be able to make a better one.

If I ever try again.....

Jim, Jim, Jeroo

So I went to the gym again. Today I did 10 minutes on the bike so obviously increasing my cardio vascular...

Change Da Bed

And as I was randomly thinking about stuff I changed the bed today, not tomorrow like it said on my diary

More Reasons To Shop At...

So after we took Freya home I nipped to Morrisons (noisy link) and did my weeks shopping. I had loads today, 2 kinds of ketchup eg

Freya-ing

And we are picking Freya up later and she is staying here tonight!!!

And she came back here then, we had veggie sausages, potato croquettes, garlic and... stuffed mushrooms for dinner with an ice cream on a stick for pudding

Aardvarking

What fun I had today. The only event of note was nipping to Aardvark to buy loadsa food. Not as much as last week as I need to eat my wat into the freezer a bit

OK after Aardvarking I nipped to Morrison's too to get a little summat

Daceys

So we nipped to Daceys, east of Cardiff, today. They were good, looked at my splint and gave me (well sold me) a different one and looked at my Bioness machine and altered it loads

(sent from my phone)

Slagging

So we r going off in a bit to the 'splint makers' to say "Yes, please" for my Bioness machine and ask him for a different splint as the one he gave me last time is cutting into my leg

'Puter Crisis

Gosh. So s'morning I hadn't changed owt but my PC was saying "enter password" for email. Oh dear, I have a record of most passwords but not that one. I guessed, guessed again differently etc until it said "Sod off, too many guesses".

Luckily Timmy came in here with his laptop, logged into my account and was able to change the password without guessing, then he told me

So I now have a note of my email password too

Jimming Again

So I have nothing written in my timetable for today apart from Gym. Hoo-flipping-ray. So we well go off there in a few minutes

And oh what fun we had. I took my walking stick today as I seem better using it but it meant that I didn't sit in my wheelchair for an hour

Blown bulb

So as I was going to bed I was in the bathroom the light lit up on the toothbrush that said "Battery" so I walked back into the living room to change it. I switched the light switch on, there was a bang, a sound of breaking glass and the light didn't come on

Pubbing. On my own two feet

And I managed to walk all the way from my house to the pub that's a quarter of a mile up hill.

I walked with walking stick, it seems to improve so much

Shopping. On my own two feet

Then afterwards we nipped shopping, I stood up, got in my wheelchair until I was in the shop, walked all the way to the back of the shop, all the way forwards, paid, walked back to the car, walked from the car into the house. All on my own two feet

And I notice, in all the photo's of shopping my right hand/arm is properly straight

When I'm Cleaning Windows....

Well not me but my MOS produced a bottle of Industrial Strength window cleaner from somewhere and what can I say, all the streaks on my windows which I thought were scratches seem to have gone now, just WOW.

OK he had to do the cleaning but still...

What an afternoon

Good lord

Shhh

Hooray

Changed my bed, next we are off to Jim.... :)

Which went well. The new class seem to be accepting me as a "mouthy chap" and all goes well. I am able to show off walking in my Bioness

More Reasons To Shop At....

Then after lunch, when I finished my salad we are going off to get some more and a few other things.

But no blueberries this week

A few other things including some more "mini choc ice on a sticks" and some toffee ice cream cones

Rugger

And we went to the pub about half past two and didn't leave until half way thru the third match some hours later. Firstly Ireland got beat which upset me a bit but then in the next match Wales played England and trounced them by nearly 20 points, an effective victory.

Ed had some of the freeby sausage and mash so I only had to pay for one dinner

He's back

And Ed is back today(1) so I am having to get used to looking up to his eyes, unlike the rest of 'my team'

(1) From the first part of his nurses training

Aardvarking

Then we nipped to Aardvark early and spent far too much on org. tofu and org. apple juice and so on. I went into the shop sitting in my 'chair to give me a chance to browse the shelves slowly and I got everything on my list and some more

Physioing

So this morning the Sara the Physio came to see me, and as we couldn't go out to walk in the rain just did loadsaa checks on my Bioness tool and my splint, and agreed to put next Thursdays patients on hold and come to Daceys with me

Freya

Then later we went to pick up Freya from school. She worked hard on her O-levels the whole time she was here apart from when we were eating dinner

For dinner tonight we had some of the pasta in spicy and tomatoey sauce that I had made t'other week for my parents dinner but it turns out that Mum was allergic to one or two of the ingredients. We weren't sure if it would freeze well, with the pasta in it etc but it was actually rather delicious, according to Freya, Paul and me

Wales Fan

And eventually we found a Wales supporter hat in town even tho I am pulling a face in this photo

Nowt On All Day

So me and Paul nipped into Morrisons where I bought more salad and 2 more packets of pre prepared potatoes.

Bingo

And so we nipped to the school fundraising bingo tonight, which was as much fun as usual.

Tonight, for the first time since my accident I experimented with playing 2 bingo cards at once. It was possible but I still didn't win

BUT tonight after the bingo he called out the raffle results, the very last one called was a bottle of cider that I won.

Jimming

So we are off to gym in a bit with the Bioness functioning on my right leg

And just further WOWness. Today I was able to walk about the gym without my walking stick, just my Bionesses foot. And just good lord. My right foot step isn't quite as long as the left but it's not far off. This Bioness makes such a difference. So next week I might try on a bike with Bioness

Walkies - first time in 10 years

And today I set off with Dicky to do walkies. We set off up the street with my walky stick and my Bioness clicking away, up the street, paused sat in stationary wheelchair got up and started progressing again.

Made it TO THE PUB. It is the first time in 10 years I have been able to walk to my local

(sent from my phone)

Nowt On Today

So I have nowt on my diary for today but I will nip out for another walk up the street later