Tuesday 15th October 2019

Hungarian: 2019. Október 15, Kedd

04:50hrs: I woke up, and it was so late. I’d had a great, much-needed sleep of about five-hours. Immediately a touch of panicalisationing kicked in! So much rambled through the brain-box, I thought the bonce might burst-open. Hehe! The After-Stroke Physio session today, no time to get yesterday’s bog finished, as I had to catch the 07:25hrs number 40 bus, to get to town, do some urgent shopping (milk, seaweed, bread, and tomatoes). Hunt for bargains at the Poundland store, get to the physio session. I needed to try and clean things up a bit, from the boiler repair last night… Ah, yes! I must test it to make sure it is working as well! 

The mind, now presented with a definite plan, encouraged the extraction of my well-developed, crude, but flabby-bouncy body which the sickeningly handsome, same age as me, Xyrophobia-suffering Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, while he was flat-sitting, when I was in the Stroke Ward, and he fitted new CCTC cameras and searched for my valuables, which he found and took, (I still haven’t got them back yet five-months later), £300, second-hand, near-dilapidated, recliner. The usual need for the Porcelain Throne arrived as I was freeing my lumbering body and aching limbs, so off to the wet room

I found that the shower floor drain was blocked again, as it was last night after the fitters had been dumping water down, in their effort to empty the hot water boiler of water. It was too early for me to turn on the shower to try and get rid of the water, cause the noise would have disturbed my neighbours, so I got down on my knees and tried with the not big enough to cover all of the holes, plunger. But, amazingly it seemed to work, and eventually, the water ebbed away down the drain.

Getting back up off of the floor was not easy, but thanks to the grab rails, not as bad as it might have been without them. I must keep an eye on the clock, to avoid my pathetically persistent habit of missing the bus!

The legs looked somewhat thin this morning? Less vivid lumps, blood papsules, spider veins etc. as well! Then a reminder of the need for the Throne arrived, ann those few paces to the Porcelain, had never been taken quickly before! A good job too. Because Diahorrea Duncan was still lurking within my inner system. I surprised myself with the energy I had this morning.

I was so pleased to find the hot water back on. Not as hot as it usually is, bit I expect it will take a while longer before it returns to it’s typically lovely and shavable with, temperature.

A fair bit of cleaning up needed to be done, but I only played at it, making it look not so bad, I didn’t have much time, with the Physio (and, I anticipate, some overspending on unneeded food) session to get to.

Back to the front dump-room to get the togs ready for after the stand-up ablutions. Again, too early to use the shower, too noisy.

The rain was pouring outside. Off to the kitchen and got the kettle on, took the tablets, and added an extra Codeine 30g, cause Arthur Itis was beginning to give me a lot of stick, suddenly. Swine!

I had to go back to the wet room, get the stand-up wash and shave done. The higher than the usual amount of dropsies, along with the EQ’s warning of things to come will be medical-wise disquieting, had me concerned a little. Just about everything, apart from the sock-glide, I managed to drop, many more than once. Yet, I felt alright, hunky-dory, in myself? The ablutions were tended to, and with no shaving cuts Smug-Mode-Engaged!

I got well-wrapped up. Although the rain had almost stopped, it looked a tad threatening outside.

I allowed plenty of time for getting to the bus stop on Winchester Street. I took down with me, a bag of recycling stuff and some empty sauce jars for the green bin.

I had to call for another Porcelain Throne visit before leaving. A much easier session this one was, not so messy, and even left a less pungent aroma, as well! Just thought I’d mention it. Haha!

Checked everything was with me that was needed; Bus Pass for getting home with, The £2.20 in cash for the bus fare going. Hearing aids in. Cash card in my wallet. Camera and mobile phone too! Shopping list and I’d got the right glasses on.

The precipitation was only light, as I hobbled along Chestnut Walk with the three-wheeled-walker, and to the bus-shelter, with four minutes to spare.

I took this snap, then and the bus arrived dead on time.

A sad beginning to the day’s trip. I merrily greeted the driver, for which I got a scowl in return, and dropped my £2.30 in the payment pot thing, asking for a ‘£2.20 please’. The scowl changed into a look of utter contempt, followed by a muttered and forced through his teeth – “It’s £2-30!” Picking through all my pockets in search of the extra 10p!I managed to find it from four pockets of the jacket and trousers. And it was all in one and two-pence pieces! I did feel a right shlimazel!

I got settled and snuggled myself on the corner on a side-saddle seat. For I knew what was coming now, as I had learned from the previous Tuesday morning trips on this 40 bus, the passengers it picks up along Wells and St Anns Well Road. The dozens of Robotic, attached to their mobiles schoolkids, would fill up the bus to capacity, and the ride will get uncomfortable, to say the least.

And so it did! If any passenger had wanted to get off before the city centre they would not have been able to get through the mixture of plebian, well-heeled, foul-mouthed (the few that spoke), texting and phone calling, game playing, multitude, of comatose, stupefied, and in-another-world, reluctant to go to school ankle-snappers and  children. When they got off at the same stop as I did, on Upper Parlament Street, not one of them was talking to anyone else, as they clumsily banged into the trolley and my knees and on my feet, as they stampeded to the door! But at least I got through the journey without any serious injury this time. I’ll miss these life-threatening trips when the After-Stroke Physio Sessions end!

I walked along to the pedestrian crossing and over and into Victoria Centre (Mall). I hobbled through to the other end and went in the Tesco store in search of some liquid soap flakes, seaweed mild, pork knuckle, filtered milk, and flakey pastry fingers.

I got the handwash liquid and seaweed. They were out of the filtered milk, the pastry fingers, and, pork knuckle. At  the checkout, I put on a cheery, “Good morning, are you okay?” Oh, dearie me! I got in return a glare that said, ‘You talking me!’, almost threateningly! No spoken answer. Ah, well!

Out into the drizzle again. Along Milton Street, and called in the Little Waitrose store, which proved a mistake, financially. Tsk! I only got three items, but tat their famously high prices, and their habit of having something different on sale, I couldn’t resist things. I ended up with a packet of six mini Maryland Cookies to use as nibbles for the After-Stroke clan treat but still needed more, in case a few extra patients turn up. I weakened again and bought some Kenyan podded peas. Paid at the self-service check-outs, but a kind assistant put them through for me. That was nice, seeing someone friendly and helpful, at last. I thanked the lady.

So I went to the Pound Stretcher shop a couple of shop units away. I had hoped that they would have some more of the Ventagliette biscuits, but they had sold out! I did get a little tin of cookies for the stroke nang, and some caramelised almonds and potato biscuits for myself. Paid-up and made my way up through Trinity Square on my way to the St Andrew’s with Castle Gate URC Church. I arrived a little early so had a walkabout taking some photographicalisations.

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I got in the hall and put the nibbles in the box near the sink. Others quickly followed me into the hall, but we only had six in attendance. The session started after a little talk that I could not hear anything of. It was going well, very good, in fact, the first round of exercises was really enjoyable for me. Until we got to the bending the knees ones. I was just unable to do them, the pain from RAI (Rheumatoid Arthur Itis) was worse than it has ever been before. At times this seemed to bring the dizzies on? I felt a bit of a nuisance really, and think I either fell asleep on one of the sit-down jobs or may have passed-out… Things were confused when I did come back to reality. With a nurse above me, and telling me to sit down and not do the exercises. I did what I could, but wasn’t up to par. I refused to sit down, which annoyed a few. But sitting made Arthur Itis worse, the didn’t seem to grasp this.

We had a talk later, while the drinks and nibbles were shared out. From a Stroke Survivor. The speech was interesting and humorously read out by the chap Steven. His being unarticulate after the stroke, meant he stuttered and found it hard to get words out. Much of what he said, rang a bell. I thanked him afterwards. It was more a social thing than a learning curve. He loved doing the speech though, and good for him!

The meeting broke up, again just in time to make me miss the next bus home! Haha! We said our farewells.

I walked along Goldsmith Street, and down Market Street through the slab square, to the Poundland Shop. Coming out with a now overloaded trolley bag and carrier bag. Having purchased a ready-made BLT sarnie, Cheeselets, nuts, and three packets of Orange chocolate Digestive biscuits. Not seen them for along time. (Yummy!)

I took a few photographs in town, before catching the L9 bus home.

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Amazingly, I didn’t fall asleep on the way back to the flats! But, that was due to Arthur Itis’s giving me some stick, more than anything. Boy, the RAI is in a right-mood today!

I got off of the bus, and silently walked back to Woodthorpe Court, through Winwood Court, and only met one tenant en route. And he ignored my jolly. “How are you mate!” and gave me a curled-lip and look up-and-down in return.

Worra a funny (Not comical-funny) day today!

I got in, had a wee-wee, and the towel I washed was still wet. So I put it on the handrail in the wet room.

Glad to report that the hot water was still coming out okay, although not as hot as it used to be.

I was, as earlier, not in top condition, although the Dizzy Dennis spells had stopped.

All I could do was to make some fodder. The BLT sarnie, beetroots bullets, mushrooms and some potato biscuits for the first time. Very tasty, but a little too sweet, still I ate them all. Gannet!

I think I must have fallen asleep almost straight away! The plate was on the floor when I woke up about 22:00hrs. I got up and started to do this blog.