Peeing

‎And tonight I had a pee b4 we went out at about 6.45, another at half time there and not another until we got home at about 11.30. Just WOW compared with this time last year

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Shopping

So first of all Gareth persuaded me to buy a ticket for the comedians who are playing tonight in Narbeth.

Then he took me to a shop in Llanelli where I bought another deep bed sheet that actually fits on my bed. That's two now, one for on and one for washing

And actually the comedy club had nobody advertised as playing actually playing but the two comics were actually rather good anyway

Trysordy

And we are off in a bit for more voluntary working

And again I was on't PC entering loadsa members details. Gareth helped me today, reading out while I typed and it went as well and quickly as last time when we invented that technique

Halloween

And we went out looking for cheapo Halloween toys and found a mask and pretend hand with broken gun for a couple of quid

Cooking

And while I was cooking I thought "Oh, empty the waste food box" but then it occurred to me ‎that I am cooking for me and Timmy and he is a fussy bugger and no doubt will scrape away some of his meal

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And WOW, he finished every mouthful tonight. He's a fan of pizza and chips(1)

(1) Which I made tonight instead of Friday as I thought Freya was coming on Friday and we wouldn't have enough ingredients but since I finished my dinner she has txted me and said "Sat not Fri as I am...?"

Fly Killed

So I gave up trying to be the first person to kill a fly and Timmy had a go and it worked, 1 dead fly later

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Swimming

Then me and Timmy went swimming today and actually....... actually..... (whisper)it wasn't too bad(/w)

It was difficult, as ever, walking down the step but I managed. So we got in the pool and it was OK. Then we got out and there was somebody in the big changing room which already had the shower chair in it so we had to go to a smaller changing room which had no shower chair. But actually that wasn't a problem. I parked, walked 5 or 6 paces there holding a handle on the wall and was able to do it OK

So it all made me proud of being able to manage

Swimming

Then me and Timmy went swimming today and actually....... actually..... (whisper)it wasn't too bad(/w)

It was difficult, as ever, walking down the step but I managed. So we got in the pool and it was OK. Then we got out and there was somebody in the big changing room which already had the shower chair in it so we had to go to a smaller changing room which had no shower chair. But actually that wasn't a problem. I parked, walked 5 or 6 paces there holding a handle on the wall and was able to do it OK

So it all made me proud of being able to manage

Out

So we went out to a pub in Carmarthen 'cos the local looked empty and they close early under such circumstances

Oh My Flipping Gosh

Just like WOW. So as usual on Tuesday I went to gym. Recently I have felt nervous because I was due to do a "getting down and standing back up" exercise. So today on about my third attempt I got right the way down.

Then I panicked because that had been so difficult would I be able to stand up again?

And yes, it was actually a lot easier than getting down.

So now folk can relax now, there is no issue. If Neil falls over he can get back up again

Thin Legs

And we have just measured my leg, as we do every morning, and today was the smallest diameter I can remember

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Late Run

So we had to go to Tesco's at 1.45 AM because when I tried to go to bed my bedside lightbulb had blown‎ and we needed another, and where would be open so late?

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Aargh, and the blub that we bought wouldn't darken when less electric is pumped through. But that Paul chap took me to Wilkinson's and bought a bulb that actually works

Gym

And I am off to gym in't morning which should be fine but I am just intimidated/scared by this getting down and getting back up stuff. It might work but I haven't been able to do that in so many years

GB

And tonight again I made Garlic Bread with the dinner.

Oh yes, learning how to do "simple" tasks again which are partly difficult because of my injuries/disability and partly because I have forgotten how to do them

First Time In Years

When we left the house now I took a bit longer than usual but it was because I locked the door behind us with my right hand. My right hand is working so much more than it used to

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Sara-ing

Then Sara came in today and did more walking practice, apparently I lean to my left when walking and it has become habitual as I have done it for so long. Even when walking without my 'stick I still lean over to the feft

Results

So Gareth had to phone the Doctor's and say "And results for Neils heart tests?" They were a bit vague and said "No worries" but couldn't actually give him results

I think it was OK but they were very vague

By hand

And it has come to my attention that for a couple of go's I have been able to open a packet of crispy treats with both hands, no longer needing 1 hand and my teeth to open the other side

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Garlic

And my new Garlic Press works, unlike the old one that someone else bought on my behalf, this one works

Hum ha

And this morning we hum'ed and ha'ed and in the end decided to nip to Morrison's s'morning

TV

Gosh, just turned on telly tried "Not Going Out" and the main character is in hospital in a coma and dreaming rude thoughts

Sounds strangely familiar

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Games

So s'morning I lost a few Solitaire games but since then I have won a Solitaire game and a Backgammon game. Just wow

Second Things Second

Then we went to gym. Gosh it was hard work today, me and Sam were practicing that "getting down and back up" thingie and I was able to go down about twice as far as last week. We had to do loads of other stuff too but this was the scariest

Just f*c*ed afterwards

First Things First

So s'morning we went to Aardvark where I didn't buy as much as usual but (perhaps because)  I walked in and back out of the shop to pick up my parked 'chair outside

Then we nipped to Wilkinson's (ex Tesco) and bought more gloves and cream to clean my feet and more printer paper for the staff PC

More Xmas Shopping

Then today after lunch me and Gareth headed out to Parc Trostre at Llanelli for a look at some different shops. We chose Trostre because Gareth has been there before and said the whole centre is modern and wheelchair friendly. And we found the other half of Freya's pressie and half of Sam's so we only have to find the other half of Sam's and my Dad's

Trysordy-ing

And I went out and did my (computer based again) voluntary work s'morning.

Today we noticed, I had entered about 10% of today's data alone, in the first third of the time, 'til Gareth came in and said "Shall I read that out to you?" and read out what I was typing in. So in the last ⅔ of the time we did 90% of today's work  

Xmas shopping

So we went Xmas shopping s'morning and s'afternoon looking in loadsa shops. At a guess we have done about half of it but we have exhausted most of the shops

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And we went back after dinner to the only shop we hadn't been to, T, but they didn't have their Xmas goodies in yet

Bath Fixer

‎Then, t'other day, I finished in my bath, got dried then shouted "Help" to Paul. So he came in the bathroom, I explained then went to bed for a nap. While I was napping Paul fixed the bath, reattaching the side decoration bit which has been coming off for a number of months

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Out To Eat

So as I was having a crisis feeding Freya and Timmy together we went out and had an Indian meal at The Elaichi Indian Restaurant in St Clears and it was rather lovely. There was waty too much on the menu but we found summat and we all thought it was lovely

Samless

And this morning I am torn between crying "Missing you" to Sam, the gym teacher, as we had a cancelled class s'morning(1) and being pleased that I didn't see her and couldn't carry on with my "Falling over and getting back up" practice that we started last week

(1) Or rather "didn't have a class"

Fixed It

And Timmy came in s'morning and within 3 minutes has answered my technical queries for today

In between

And in between the business me and Gareth completed The Guardian Quick Crossword again, completed

ANOTHERfixer

And we came back from hospital just as a chap was sitting in a van outside phoning the landlord and telling him we weren't in, he phoned back to say "No worries" and came in to fix the hot tap in the kitchen

What a performance he has had, whoever fitted it last made a mess of a job under the sink, I think it is good now

But as he has been here all afternoon I haven't been able to have a bath or a nap today. The bath I can do later but it's way too late to go to sleep now

Returning

Then we had to go to hospital to return the device that I have had attached to me for the past week, they will write to me and Denyse to tell us of any issues

Sara-ing

Then Sara came round and was making me take one step forwards then another back then forwards again to really try to make my brain remember how to walk properly, not to one side etc. After an hour of it I was exhausted, she is coming to see me next Monday to keep up loadsa work 'til my FES is collected

Fixer

So then s'morning the wheelchair fixer came back with the proper front wheels for my 'chair and fitted and tightened them in no time.

So hopefully it will last until I no longer need it....

Out at DT

‎So instead of cooking my present from Aardvark we went out to Burryport and sat looking at t'harbour while eating i‎ce cream. Now we are heading home to cook our Aardvark dinner

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Just wow. So later I got stuck into cooking summat that I made loadsa times before my accident but haven't been able to do for years. But I got stuck into chopping and it worked in the end, it was actually easier than I thought. So thanks Aardvark, that was a lovely dinner you gave us to make

Better and Easier

‎Gosh, going in to my bathroom has got so much easier since I learned to use my right hand/arm to close the door

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Shopping

Then as a wheelchair re-wheeler is coming tomorrow we needed to go shopping today, which we did.

Wot A Difference

So Paul has brought in some "clean your windows" stuff and what a difference it is making. The windows are properly clean now, not just as if someone rubbed a bit with a grubby cloth, properly clean now

Sleep

Gosh, last night in bed I remember being awake from about 4 to 7 but then I must have nodded off as next thing I knew it was half past 8, a lie fscking in

Geranium Chocolate

So I have just found in my cupboard a Dark Chocolate Orange&Geranium bar. Which was OK but a bit felt too strange to enjoy

We Confered

And me and Alex conferred and decided on the song we will sing at Iechyd Da next month.

Aargh, excited and shitting myself

Out

And Paul wasn't able to come here today as his granny died but he is coming in tomorrow

Today Alex came in instead. So we went off looking at some other shops today as I need to go out every day. First things first we went to the Recycling Center Free Books place where they give away books, magazines, DVDs and CD's for free. The CD's weren't sorted out so I had trouble finding one but what a good idea for a center

Then we went to a new shop which had loads of animals like I have in the garden but they were all colored so no good for here. But we found a light up dragonfly for the garden

Loo Door

‎And I am going to the loo now, in the bathroom where I have shut the door behind me with my right hand/arm

:) 

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Aardvark - TVM

And we went shopping in Aardvark s'morning and they were celebrating the first birthday of the new shop. So they gave me a birthday present, ingredients for a meal and instructions of how to cook it. So dinner on Sunday is sorted

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Gym-ing

So at lunchtime today I went to Gym. Did loadsa standy up and walky around stuff then Sam said "Right, are you up for getting down?". It was a scary session but by the end of it I was nearly getting down and back up by myself. Then we did standing up fron chairs, I managed 15 stand ups without holding on with my hands.

I can't cope, my improvement here is so fast

What Fun

So me and Freya and Gareth who has never been before went to Iechyd Da tonight and it was rather excellent. In one song Freya stood up waving pet animals etc which was well cool

Busiest

THEN we nipped to the recycling place where once again I was entering loads of members data into the PC.

And I did notice today that when I first started working on their PC I would read half someones 6 figure phone number and enter it then the rest whereas now I can read the whole number, in fact usually the code and number all in one go and enter it straight away

Extra Busy

So then first thing today me and Gareth had to head over to my doctors to get the "Free water" things which we left there a couple of days ago so that now he has signed it we send it off to the water company and get much cheaper water rates as there are some "medical" uses for it

Walkies

And now I catchout myself walking eg from the loo to the living room with my walky stick tucked under my arm, not touching the floor

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RHS

And twice now today I have been to the loo and used my right hand to close the door behind me. It is SO much easier....

Out Twice

And I have been out twice today.

First time I/we nipped to town and picked up some more ice cream lollies and a bit of frozen food

Second time me and Gareth just headed into town, moseyed around some and bought a couple of ice cream cone

Farkin 'El

‎So we are in the car coming back from town. It is 4 o'clock, 25th September and we are sitting here wearing t-shirts with the car windows wound down to the max.

AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER

What's going on, Autumn?

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Bathing

‎So then I had to take off my device and have a bath. So after my nap Timmy is gonna try and stick it back on

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Device

And I still have my device around my chest measuring me......

And I went to gym, had more difficulty keeping my ankle straight but I managed in the end

Then we went to the Doc's, picked up a new script for me and left in a form for him to fill in so that I can claim water rates back as I need my feet washing twice a day. We left it with them, gotta go pick it up on Thursday

WWGH

‎And s'afternoon we are off to the hospital to talk about me fainting

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And we did, had to wait for 10 minutes then we were seen and she was finished in another 10. So I now have a device stuck to my chest with extension electrodes stuck under my arms. I will keep it on tonight, they have supplied extra stickers to be put on after I take it off to have a bath, and I have to note time bed, time gym, time light headed etc for 7 days

More Reasons To Shop At...

‎And we nipped to Morrison's s'morning and spent loads on a weeks FoodThatDoesn'tComeFromAardvark

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Slept

So yesterday I ate nowt sugary after 8pm and I only had my morning vat of strong coffee. This morning I had a lie in until nearly 10

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To Sleep

And as an experiment I only had 1 cup of filter coffee s'morning, had just a cuppa tea at lunchtime - wait and see

Out

So s'morning we got up, had breakfast then later called that Toby chap, eventually he got up, made himself scrambled egg and beans on toast then we took him to near Kidwelly where we left him waiting for someone to pick him up. He forgot to take his cake with him so we finished it by eating some at lunchtime and the rest after dinner.

Then we went looking for the Motability Center to get some wheelchairing gloves but it doesn't open on Saturday so we went to Argos and bought some weightlifting gloves

Ybot

And Toby came down tonight. We made sum pizza naan bread which amazed him by how lovely it was, then we went to the pub and he championed us playing pool against Paul and a passer by, which he won both of

Too busy

So we nipped to Aardvark, did the weeks shopping, went to gym(1) then went back to Aardvark and bought the milk we had forgotten s'morning

(1) Which wasn't too busy so Sam focussed on me for nearly the full hour

Visitor

And Toby is coming to stay here tonight, the first time he has ever visited me in my own house

Cake

And Freya came over s'afternoon. According to her mother she was gonna doo summat with his birthday cake, I panicked, thought "What cake?", but Freya made him a cake from scratch, half an hour ago. Made him a birthday cake, who is gonna feel a bit loved

And we had a piece tonight, yum yum

Getting Ready

Now I am trying to prepare myself for a night out for dinner with Toby, Freya, Julia and me. With Alex driving and eating too.

We need to start making friends, me and J, so hopefully this is a start

 And it was, an excellent time was had by us all, all talking to each other etc etc, an excellent time was had

Half Mended

S'morning a wheelchair fixer came out. He changed both big wheels, tried to change little wheels and they were the wrong size, so I will see him again next week when he comes back again

He did look at loadsa bits as the noise had got a lot less but was still on, no finding.

But it is really better

Pissing

And now it takes so long to finish a pee, and it isn't coming out slower, just much bigger than it has been for a number of years

Crossworders

And we got stuck into The Guardian quick crossword again s'morning and between the 2 of us got it 100% finished

'Wimming

So we went to the pool again s'morning. I can't think of a reason to complain but give me time...

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Toby

And I have spoken to him tonight, he sounds well cool and he is making friends with his Mum enough to stay with her. Anyway I have been invited out on Thursday with Toby, Freya, possibly Sam and definitely with their Mum. Aargh, what a lot of clearing out of my head in one go, but I am looking forward to make friends

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Crossword

And me and Gareth did today's quick crossword from The Guardian and finished it, all, got it right

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Gym gym jeroo

And I went to gym s'morning in my new gym boots and what a difference they have made, more support∴walking better/faster etc

It's Back

For that Ixion....

Denyse

And Denyse came in today to talk about most aspects of my recovery and to tell me to stop thinking negative thoughts about the past

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Lynda Chiropodist

And Lynda the toe cutter came today and trimmed 9 toenails. On the 10th she got stuck in to the extra thick bit I have had since my accident and wow but didn't she make it much smaller/thinner

Go West

Then me and Paul headed out west to near where he lives, saw 2 castles and the country's smallest museum

Early

And as I am busy tomorrow we decided to go shopping a day early so today instead of tomorrow

2nd Bath

And I had my second silent bath s'afternoon, bliss

Hoo-f**king-ray

And today I had my first bath since the plumber has worked on my bath. I just turned the tap on a little and it just ran slowly, no banging noise, nothing. There was no need to turn it up far enough to stop the banging noise, nothing. No banging noise

Too Big

And my bumbag is proving a bit too big ATM so I may be loosing some inches

Samming

And having changed my boots etc I will go and letch over^^^^^see Sam

And as the lift is broken I have had to spend a day Samless

And it is Friday The Thirteenth today....

Aardvarking

In a few minutes

 And I parked my wheelchair outside, walked in, up and down, paid then walked out to my wheelchair outside

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Comedy Club

And me and Gareth are off to the Comedy Club in a bit, hopefully I will enjoy it

Well the first half has been good, ready and waiting for 2nd act

And it has finished now, yes I am glad we came tonight (Phnar phnar)

FES

And we are off to Swansea s'morning to get my new NHS bioness device. Which I am a bit cynical about as I walk so well unaided but wait and see, as they say

Well, that was knackering but effective. We tried one on and I walked up and down and up and down again while they adjusted stuff and shoes etc. Then I walked up and down more with it switched off and on again. In the end he said "Yes" and is gonna apply to the NHS for one and will write to me next month with another appointment for my fitting

But what a difference it made, cynicism=gone

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Strange Memory

So Paul is sat at breakfast table with me. He said 'Cool' and I replied '-io Inglesias'

Now how many years since I even thought him in the past?

Fredumpkins

And that Freya came round tonight, it was well cool

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Plumber

Then s'afternoon out of the blue a plumber came round, said "Your landlord sent me", fixed the tap in the staff bathroom that was leaking. Then we said "But the tap in Neil's bathroom isn't pouring quietly" and he got stuck in and fixed that too. So my sanity is a bit safer...

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Shopping

Then we needed to buy me a new pair of Going To Gym boots as my existing ones, while looking fine, aren't quite as rigid as before

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Swimming

Well against my will I was taken to t'swimming pool today and wow what a difference. We haven't been since the summer holidays started and how much better an I. Standing on one foot or the othet, bending both legs together... just wow

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Puzzlers

And me and Gareth got stuck into The Guardian quick crossword after breakfast and between the two of us we answered ALL OF IT between the 2 of us, we finished a crossword

More just my 2 feet

And I was coming out of the bathroom again tonight, I didn't meet anyone in the corridor, but today I tucked my 'stick under my arm and walked the length of the hall and across the living room to my chair, on JUST my own two feet

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Out

So we headed out s'afternoon and looked for an ice cream. 4 places we looked in, at last we found an accessible café which sold some

Boots

And I had to wear my smaller lighter boots to gym and what a difference it is putting my big boots on again, big difference

Impressed Sam - no chance

So I went to gym without the Bioness device on, for the first time and wow what an improvement

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Saming

And we will go off in a bit and try to impress Sam with how much I am walking today (and possibly....)

Walkies

And it has come to my notice today, I am no longer a habitual wheelchair user. Yes, I am an occasional user but not very often

Out&About

So me and Alex went out s'afternoon. First of all we nipped to Carmarthen Museum which was shut on a Monday, summat their website didn't tell us s'morning.

So then we nipped out traveling on the single track roads between here and Llandeilo, at one point we passed Cwrt Henri School where my kids used to go.

Then we made it to Cwmcerrig Farm Shop where(1) they sell delicious ice cream, amongst other stuff. When we were there I got out of the car and walked in and round

All in all it was a good day

(1) Also where we bought some beetroot crisps and a packet of Welsh Cakes

Walking

So today I was coming out of the bathroom as Alex was walking towards the front door. So I said 'Walk next to me' and picked up my walky stick and walked the whole length of the hall on my own two feet, no stick involved

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Some Boots Are Made For Walking

And then s'morning we realized that I only wear my last pair of small boots to fit the Bioness device on, which has gone back, so we tried on an older pair of big, support from the sides, boots which seem to be really easy to walk in