Class

And then we all went to my gym class which went well, even tho Sam is on holiday today.

On the step over device which I usually have to put my right foot round instead of over, they had put some lower tiles in every other go. So I was able to step over each one, alternating right and left feet

Aardvarking With.....

So Mark is gonna come to Aardvark with me and GGtGG so he will learn how to park/shop etc.

I have got a slightly bigger shopping list than usual as "me and my staff" are cooking more from Monday

Extra Hand

So today Timmy is working with the newbie Mark

Team Meeting

So today I have gotta try and mind my own business as Denyse and potentially the whole team are coming here for a "team meeting"

And I sat in for the first hour but have been asked to leave now so......

Went Out

And because he was at a..... me and GGtGG went up the street to the pub tonight. I was complaining about not being able to get in on Thursday for the Rugger World Cup and she did say that someone else (she wasn't working last Thursday) had opened, perhaps just with the door around the side as.......

Hooray For 'Wimming

And we (me and GGtGG) are off to the swimming pool in a bit.....

And he did manage to get me doing sum breaststroke

And I won't be coming to gym tomorrow as there is a "team meeting" happening in my house

I'm So Lucky...

That this doesn't apply to me, I have my own income.....

Alex Said.....

He said....."

No Neil, shhhhhh

In Town

So we headed into town s'evening because "I'm bored" but we did find ourselves shopping and bought a wig to wear to Rocky Horror Show in a quid shop

Jimming

Then after our shopping trip we headed into the gym where I did 5 machines then 4 and a big bit KM on the bike

Chemist

Then first thing we had to head over to the chemist that didn't have everything on my 'script yesterday to finalise that and it was done

I walked from the car, to chemist(*) and back

(*)Down the scary slopy bit etc

Made It Work

So s'morning I video taped the Dancing Flower that the postman brought yesterday

Batman

And for tonight's dinner I am trying that made from scratch pasta sauce

To The Docs

Then we had, all 3 of us, to head to the Drs to pick up a 'script for cream, because it was raining I wheelchaired instead of walking, then down to the chemist  to pick them up. They gave me an "owes you" 'script for 1 piece, so tonight or tomorrow we will be back

'Wimming Again

And this time I am taking the "teach disabled folk to swim" new MOS swimming so.....

And it went OK, we took out list of exercises to so and did them then I did 3 lengths breast stroke. Dunno why it wouldn't work t'other day, perhaps I just need a Timmy in the water or summat

Shaving

And I had my first "Shave your whole face the same" shave today

To Be Continued

Aargh, I watched yesterday's Dr Who s'morning, it was excellent but it says "To be continued" at the end......

More reasons to shop...

So I needed to go and buy more salad before lunchtime tomorrow and some bits, but as it's Timmy working in the morning and he will be grumpy about my looking for Quorn Sausages and Chopped Onion eg I decided that we better go tonight

Neil's Fashion

So today I was glancing at The Gruniad and there was an article about me

Nipped Out

Then we nipped out to Wilko's to buy another mirror as.....

OK, when shaving with my electric razor I can't look in the mirror and see my left cheek, because my eyes were so fscked and they only partly mended it so I can't look even the 5 degrees left required to see my cheek, so I now have 2 mirrors, one to use for most shaving and then bring another into play and shave my left cheek with both

Got That Saturday......

So it's Saturday today. I changed my bed, had breakfast and........ fsck all else

Dinner (Dinner Bat Man)

So we had the traditional Friday Night Dinner of na'an bread pizza and proper chips and again it was lovely

Farmfoods

So tonight we headed over, bought more traditional oven chips, more sweet potato oven chips, and a few bits of ice cream etc

Circulation

And as I am lying in bed after my bath, my right leg is warm enough, my left leg is warm enough, my bum and arms etc are warm enough but my right toes are fscking freezing

Samless

And we had a gym class with a chap instructor as Sam is away on holiday but I still astonished myself with how much more I can do

My right knee, I have been struggling to not let it go too far back on walking, but today I just realised that I need to tighten all the muscles in my whole knee and that keeps it in a proper position

Aardvarking

And I just about managed to not call "Gareth, ignore Timmy, we need to be @ shop" went to Aardvark, parked at the back, and bought everything. And we were back here three quarters of an hour before we need to pop to gym

Walkies To Pub

And I walked all the way to the pub and it was shut. So Mark walked back home to get the car, while I finished walking the rest of the way to the pub so I can say "Did it". So we drove into town and went to the Rose And Crown where the telly is on but the match hadn't started.

Ooh we won too!!

Jim

So we all went to gym and I did less exercise on more machines so Mark can get familiar

Marking

So Mark is shadow shifting with Timmy today. I have a few jobs 4 him then we (all 3 of us) are going* to the pub to watch rugger and have dinner at the same time

* Walking there from here, all of us!!!

'Wimming

Then we went swimming again, I still can't do breaststroke under GGtGGs instruction but we did all exercises and 4 lengths on my back etc

New Monitor

So I was expecting a second hand monitor for the bedroom PC s'morning. Waiting and waiting, I thought "In 20 minutes we have gotta go swimming. Hope he arrives while we are still here to accept a big parcel" Then in 5 minutes he arrived, with nothing for me today. I thought "Tomorrow then" and then in another 5 minutes a new PO van pulled up outside the house and unloaded my new monitor. I unpacked it, said "Looks good" etc then we went swimming. Afterwards we were able, no I wasn't able to, I watched GGTGG plug it in etc and it works. Properly etc, I am a bit pleased

Rocky

And I have just phoned up and booked (I have got a Hynt card now, so my carer goes for free) to see The Rocky Horror Show (noisy link) in Cardiff in IIRC February next year

"The river was deep but I swam it, Janet....."

Wow

Paraplegic man walks again with help from electrodes

(noisy link)

Cold

And tonight (as usual) I was lying here and all the rest of me felt warm enough but the toe section of my right foot was shivering thru cold

Out

Then tonight Alex said "Lets go out, not to Carmarthen like we always do" so we headed down to Burry Port to look at the boats etc and they actually launched the lifeboat while we were there

Chas

Then after lunch we headed out to Charlies, a kind of all sorts shop where I found summat for my Dad at Christmas. So I have been busy online too this week and I have already bought nearly all the Xmas pressies that I want

Morn'

So before lunch me and Alex headed to gym and I did lifty up exercises and 20m on the bike. I did notice that on the bike I didn't need to stop for a rest, I just cycled 4 and a bit KM. I am so much fitter than a couple of weeks ago

Confusing Day

And we have had an odd day, me and GHtGG doing as normal and Timmy and Mark being in the background, training Mark.

But good lord, my MOS need to know loads and loads about me

Pressies

Then we headed into town later looking for Xmas pressies, found one for my Mum but nowt else

'Wimming

So we went off swimming today. I was really struggling to do the breaststroke, dunno why, I was doing it all properly, push off the wall, kick loads and move arms, just didn't succeed today. So I did 2 lengths of not really stroking, 2 lengths on my back and many hamstring exercises. GGtGG said "Come on then, get out" but I tried again to do a breath breaststroke, still couldn't, dunno what the issue was

Getting Easier

So because I am going swimming today I carried the half pile of washing out of my room to leave by the machine, I will fill it up later when we come back from the pool. But today I walked on two feet, walks stick in left hand as usual and the box of washing in my right hand. Just phwoargh, how much better is my tight hand? It seems like no time since I had to wheelchair out of my room in order to carry half a box of washing etc

La-Nelly

So s'afternoon we headed to The Trostre Shopping Center in Llanelli to try and find some stuff for Xmas. I found summat for my parents and f. all else

Apart from some wrapping paper.

More Reasons To Shop At...

So s'morning me and Alex went shopping (noisy link) as I finished last weeks salad yesterday. They only had 1 pkt of granary or brown baps, I had to buy a packet of white too

Not So Urgent

So while I am having my breakfast s'morning I do need a pooh but it is not so urgent today, I can eat my breakfast and drink my coffee and do the washing up first

Back to normal.....

Right Hand

And cooking dinner tonight, I had to chop "some" veg to put in a pasta sauce, a red onion, a courgette and a big mushroom, and I took my knife in my right hand and chopped up all the veg. I did not use my left hand at all

Until It came time to eat......

And I am just walking about the kitchen when preparing food. No stick, no chair. I do walk slower with no stick but I can do it

'Cut

And Ed the hair cutter (and....) is working again today

But most mohicans don't consist of grey hair.....

Nipped Out

And we nipped out to Wilko s'morning to fetch more "kitchen cleaner" stuff and staff bog rolll etc.

Radical

And s'morning I got up at about 10 to 8 and immediately went for a pooh before my breakfast. That's different to usual

But I Can't

And I spent ages today farting about with video files. So I made some .mp4 into much smaller .avi files, tried to put them on my website, couldn't. OK, went back and tried to put the .mp4s on, still not working. So I had almost given up, looking again and again for answers on that Interweb when I came across summat which said "Your bandwidth will cost too much, put it on youtube" and 'Doh, of course', that worked

Wow

Then Sam did my head in (more than usual) at gym, I was on the stretchy thingy and she looked at me and said "Just crawl backwards" which I just did. Then we were doing various balance exercises, lifting each leg in turn, then each hand etc

It was just really strange, doing stuff that I would have said "No, impossible" tio even a couple of weeks ago

-ing

So as usual we went shopping in Aardvark s'morning and found everything that was on my list

Oogie Woogie

And it was as entertaining as usual at Iechyd Da (noisy link). As usual Timmy didn't approve but I liked it

Politics

We live in a ridiculously capitalist world

Washing Up

And I did the washing up after lunch today as we are going out to Caffi Iechyd Da tonight

Cycle... to the moon & back

So in gym s'morning with Timmy I repeated the cycling 8 km thingy. I was obviously lazy, it took me 25 seconds longer today than t'other day. So yes, I didn't have a rest until I had already cycled 4 km, which used time be a total session involving 5 or 6 rests. That was the only test, that 1, in my 8 km today

Farm Foods

We were in Farm Foods tonight buying more tea/coffee/sugar for the staff on my petty cash card when I glanced at one member of staff and nodded "Hello". She saw me and immediately came over. She said "Remember you asked but we didn't have any? Well we now sell Sweet Potato Oven Chips"

And I think they might be nicer (as well as cheaper) than the ones I had to buy from Tesco

Good-ish News

And Alex has just announced that as he is full of the cold we can't go swimming today. So hooray etc but he is gonna take me to gym for loadsa exercise machines as I just went on the Tour De France yesterday

And I went in and did loads of lifting exercises. One of them, lifting straight up from the shoulder, I was only able to do 3 or 4 times last week (because my right arm is fscked). Today I was able to do 18 lifts. I am just getting better in so many ways

Skiver

So I wasn't skiving today when I forgot but after Alex reminded me I got stuck in and did my sara-cises for the afternoon

Alex Mender

And Alex got stuck in with a hammer and the filing cabinet in my living room now shuts properly like it hasn't for a week now

So ta Alex....

Tommy Ducked

So today we went to gym and I got on one of the exercise bikes. And I cycled further that I have ever cycled on an exercise bike, 8 km (autoplay video, noisy) I did, I used to struggle to reach a few km

But yes, I am Tommy Ducked now, but I don't have too much to do s'afternoon

Smelly

And I used the first section of my spraying deodorant today. I wouldn't say "No problem" as I need to think about using it especially spraying it with my right hand but it worked. The future is now......

Swim A Long Way

So today in the pool with Timmy I swam 6 lengths breast stroke. And my right arm is much more able to do the strokes, keeping in position etc which it wasn't doing even last week

6 lengths, I used to struggle to do half a one

Small Ways

Lordy, I am still improving day by day in small ways

IxiFun

And there was a lot of fun had by folk on the Ixion do, oop in Yorkshire this weekend. I think I may go next year (more mobile etc) but dunno, it is such a distance away

Ha Ha Ha

Oh dear. These are just 2 of many but they got me......

Walking

So I was sat at the dining table at lunchtime realised that I had forgotten summat from the fridge. So I stood up and walked to the fridge without using my walky stick, I just left it on the back of my pushy trolley

I am so much better/more confident now

Smelly

And today I got it together to not just look at at and actually burnt some incense, but I was right, my nose is too fscked to actually notice a difference

Rugger

And we are gonna watch the first Wales game in the rugby world cup in a bit....

And I had to just watch the first half then bath/nap etc

So it started with Wales losing....  then it went on to them losing even more, but then Wales got back in touch and in the end they won by 40summat to 9 points or summat

At Cinema

So "we" were outside the cinema today and they are advertising one of my chat up lines as the name of a picture that's coming next week

Shopping

And as I forgot to buy milk in Aardvark yesterday we had to nip to shop today. I thought shouldn't waste fuel just buying that so we went to Morrison's instead and got my weeks shopping that I was gonna do tomorrow

Crisis

So s'morning I updated my iPad and it said "Password" and scared nine sense it stopped working altogether. Luckily Timmy knew how to reset it then I have spent a happy hour reloading my apps etc

Out

And we went out to my local pub to watch their big screen of world cup tonight

And England won the first match of the tournament.....

Fame And Fortune

So someone at gym today said "Have you seen The Carmarthen Journal this week?"

Sam-ing

Then I went and did an exercise class with Sam. Again it is hard to say why but I am better than last week. She did say to me that next week we can start getting about on the floor and generally doing exercises while I am down there because my confidence, my ability to get back up, is so much better than it was a couple of weeks ago

-ing

So we headed to Aardvark first thing s'morning and bought not quite as much as usual as I still possess loads of veg that I bought last week. I checked it all s'morn so I can confidently cook it over the next few days

Popped Out

Then s'afternoon we popped into town mainly for a nosey but while we were there we bought some more clean myself scrub that I use every day in't bath

Furthest Cycled

So today we went shopping in Aardvark (to get some upstairs stuff) then in next door so Timmy could have sum breakfast (while I drank a cuppa tea) then we went to gym where I did 6 km on the bike, the furthest I have cycled in some years

And I am knackered afterwards

Bosom-ing

So after Gorgeous Greta the Foot Fairy comes to take some money off me, me and Timmy are going swimming again. See how this breaststroke is coming along etc

Well she came and really impressed me with how much better the overgrown toenail on my right foot is looking now, again she cut well into the overgrown bit, making it smaller again

Then I went and did my swimming. It is a bit strange, doing breaststroke the right hand which on Monday was turning itself over has pretty much stopped, it is just doing what I tell it. So in between exercises and stretches I swam 4 lengths breaststroke. Which I couldn't do before my accident

A Long Way

So today we headed to gym and I just got on a bike, and cycled 6.3km in the next half an hour.

Reading

And I am reading once more. A book that was donated by an Ixie called Chernoble by Frederik Pohl. It is a serious long book but I have just finished the first quarter and it is mind boggling. A big disaster has occurred and noone is any the wiser. Yet

'Wimming

And today is a fscking 'wimming day.

Hooray etc he said sarcastically

Right. So what is Timmy doing differently than Gareth?  He said "Do this..... and make sure you do it like that" and I immediately swam 2 lengths of breast stroke

FESing

And today I am a bit impressed with the FES. I haven't had it on yet today but already my right foot is nearly being perfect. Walking into have breakfast I was hardly having to level it at all, it just does it by itself now

Bluddy.....

So Sunday..... we had to nip to Morrisons before lunchtime as I had run out of salad but that is the only exciting thing to happen today

OK it wasn't very exciting but.....

Early(ish) Bath

So I had an early(ish) bath <at the time I am supposed to every day> so we will be ready to head to The Cwtch about tea time

Which was a bit excellent if a bit muddy. Chappy soon realised that pulling me backwards, if a bit unsettling, made wheelchair progress possible

Lefty

So he has won the Labour party leader election

Confused Conference

So me and Alex had a conference about heading to The Cwtch. I thought it was starting early so there was gonna be all kinds of bath/nap issues but actually it will be s'evening before "proper" bands get on so we won't go til then

Friday Dinner

And what do I cook every Friday? AND tonight I cut the end off a red pepper so we had that too, pizza with onion, mushroom and red pepper. And garlic, with chips

And I experimented with using cling film to wrap the rest of the pepper tonight

Busy Day

So as well as my usual Friday busyness, Aardvark, gym class etc, today we have to nip down to the Dr's for a testosterone jab about nap time s'afternoon

Well we have done the Aardvarking, no problem. We were able to leave the wheelchair in the boot and walk in, it is still in't boot after we came home to put shopping away. In a bit it is off to gym, then lunch, nap, and testosterone jab in quick succession 

So we nipped to gym and again I am astonished at how much progress I am making. I am in bed for a nap but I didn't have time for a bath. Dr's. in an hour

And that was actually more scary than painful. She got me to stand up, took ages and ages to fill the syringe as the gloop is thick so I was becoming more unable to run away which I wanted to. She eventually stuck it in me and it hardly hurt at all. So PHEW

Out

So we went "out for the night" and drove around until it got dark, then we went into my local and had a couple of pints there. With no wheelchair, I just walked in etc

Sara-cising

And just wow. How much stronger is my hamstring after doing her exercises for half a week?

Gymming

So me and Timmy (who now weighs more than me BTW) went off gymwards and did some leg stretching exercises. We tried an AbCruncher machine but I really didn't get on with it.

After the exercises I did nearly 4.5km on the bike in 20 mins, my fitness is going up in nearly every respect

Fark, what's going on?

I thought I was doing well, walking 20 yards outside today but for many folk that is not far enough

Fetching

So s'morning I walked outside to get my food waste bin back into my possession. I walked out to get it, down and up the slight hill. No problem. A few weeks ago I would have done it but see it as a problem. A few months ago I would have headed out in my wheelchair and fetched it

I am getting better, sometimes it is hard to notice by how much but I am

Phew

Relief for some of us

Hooray

And we are nipping to the swimming pool in a bit......

And we did it, it went OK. Doing loads of stretchy exercises etc. I did try breaststroking a width as it was less scary than a length but no, still no

To Docs

So we had to go to the Drs to pick up my script for asthma medication today. I thought initially leave wheelchair behind but as GGtGG said "Pop to Wilko's too" I brought it. So I arrived at the Docs, walked in, got my script, walked to the chemist, got it and walked back to the car.

I was only in my 'chair when we were in Wilko buying some bleach

Buying

So I saw one of these so I felt obliged to purchase one of these

Gymless

So I couldn't be vulgar to Jane today. We drove straight past the gym, I said "Where we going?" and he (Alex) replied "We talked about taking a walk today, s'morning". Oh yes, I had agreed but forgotten, so we were out without my wheelchair etc.

We drove for about 25 minutes until we arrived at Saundersfoot. So I got out of the car and walked off. We walked around in a circle, along the beach walk then up through the car park and back along the street.

We were out of the car, walking, for 45 minutes. He said "Wanna sit here and rest?" twice but no, I stayed on my feet, walking for 3/4 of an hour

And Hooray For Getting Fit

And in an hour or so we are heading down to the swimming pool to swim

And breast stroke I just couldn't do it today

Quick Shop

Then s'morning me and GGtGGhad to head to a disabled persons shop by the railway station and pick up another cover for my in bath seat device