– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Another Inchy Failure – He got 3 in 60 seconds! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Not so Good This Week – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Another day of ineptitude. My time-consuming, managed brain, meant terribly vexing periods of mistake-making, finding, and still not correcting properly – thus, I spent far too much of the day in grammatical investigations. Intermingled with getting so involved in my blogging, I kept forgetting the 4-hour leg-up, and then 4-hour stood-up as a routine treatment, as the nurse explained being essential if we have any hope of the now ulcerated, wound to be effective and will ever heal. Not that this was the worst of things today… Oh, no! It’s being so cheerful that keeps me going,you know! Oh, no… The , or to be more precise, the tube that is slowly dismantling poor, painful and the flesh around it, is far more bothersome. Not to mention now being supported in her “Let’s Make Inchy Hurt & Fall-Over” mission. Now backed up by a new ailment, a sister, . They are easily outdoing the old regular, in the pain stakes. At least this morning, they are. I’d give 6/10, the new girl an 8/10, and the old man, a mere 3/10… things can change! ———————————————————-
A bit clearer this morning in the nocturnal pouch
Why? What? I know not!
Day pouch filled up with darker urine?
The compression bandaging was looking good. I like having two-tone coloured toes! Hehe!
Into the kitchen to check the taps.
The floor was disgusting from being mopped and the things that I had spilt love the last few days. I must try to give it a mop job, but first…
You’d not believe how long and the mess it took me to get the pad on the mop. The ‘Speed-Mop’ – Huh! It didn’t move a lot of the dirt and stains… Just about worth the effort & pain it cost me. Of course, I spotted patches that I’d missed altogether, the next time I went to the kitchen. Spit!
Finally got a brew of tea made. I made it carefully, cause this is the last of the three china mugs I bought. Last week, I mourned the passing (and shattering) of the second mug this year. I do think that tea tastes better, imbibed from these mugs. Well, mug, now!.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The delivery arrived as my beloved Nurse Christina was taking the blood sample for the INR level testing. She kindly took the bags through to the kitchen for me. What an Angel of Mercy &Beauty she is ♥ I thanked her, and was suddenly slightly stupefied as she departed; When I realised (or thought) that the order was ordered for 8 days later? I shan’t go any further into that, as this sickenly often-repeated Whoopsie with the food, was getting me into a self-loathing mode. Household items. Treats, luxury fodder! A mixture. A crammed-to-the-hilt fridge & freezer.
The rain had been coming for ten minutes or so when I went, as I often do, due to the memory-distorting qualities of , to check that I’d not left anything on the cooker or taps (faucets) running. I saw that the mudslide had started at the end car park, took the above photo from the balcony. The rain was pouring down heavily as I took this photo from the kitchen window to the North. Then one straight ahead… all taken through the window A final one towards the City Centre.
I’ve tried to explain these blanks to the lady at what was then, a Dementia counselling meet. But it was taken casually and she moved on to other areas, as if she did not believe me, or didn’t want to discuss the subject. There are flakes of partial memories in there, (my head), but dirty great blanks at the same time. I don’t seem to have done any computer work during the approximate five hours of the mental vacuum.
.I realised later, that a Carer had called; the log had been filled in. But who and what took place is mega-blank. I’ve not got the foggiest!Yet I do remember cooking and slicing the potatoes, and pasty, that was about to take out of the oven, to serve up for myself. Another carer called as I was eating the meal. But memory is patchy of even that. By the time I was washing the pots up, things seemed to clear?
Sleep was a no-no on my first try. So, I wandered into the kitchen, with my, and … Took this shot of the evening in Night-Scene mode using . It came out much brighter than it looked. Which helped give an impression of the houses, few with any lights on. Mind you it was late.
During the day, Domestic Denise called with some bad sad news. She is leaving the job and going back to her old one. All I can say is;
I think that Riahanna was one of the callers. Of course the fact me forgetting or getting it wrong, are picayune… but not impossible, of course. Hehe! Victor was one I reckon. Think, maybe, perhaps…
I’m finishing this blog off now – and it’s taken me until 11:00hrs on Thursday to do so.
Woke a little light-headed and pondered the time (04:05hrs)…! Then I felt the wet, warm blood trickling down through the Protection Pants; they had never let me down before. Assuming that the tube on the catheter bag must be leaking, I rose from the c1966, £300 Oxfam charity shop bought, second-hand, wincingly grotty, beige coloured, crumb-covered from my nocturnal nibblings, itch-making, uncomfortable, positively unhealthy & dangerous, no longer operational, virus-breeding, easy-to-fall-out-of, Catheter-tube-trapping, recliner, and placed my hand on the wet area… only to find out it was blood! I went to the wet room and adopted my Sherlock Holmesian mode to discover the problem was down there… I soon found the blood flowing close to the tube’s entry point. The PPs were removed, and new Depends were readied to use. I then tried to stop the flow of blood. The Fungal lesion on the little chap appeared to have increased to four now! Argh! No doubt due to the presence of the deadly catheter that has been inserted for over a year now! I did take a photograph of the area… well, the blood on the pants, but decided not to show it, as it looked pretty gruesome. But at least I can show it to the nurses who are due today. But not on the web. Cleaned myself up and daubed masses of the Sudocrem cream on the lower regions of little . A mite too much, mayhap… I almost slid right off it when I had to get seated on the Throne. Hahaha! That was another Trotsky Terence-controlled evacuation – what a smelly mess! Off to the kitchen to make a brew of tea. I was having more trouble this morning from my leg. I took a fetching photo of the car park below the kitchen window. Eerie or not? What do you think?
Added another bag of sorted rubbish to the one not taken last night.
Oh, heck, back to the yet again. It’s been a hectic day up to now. I anticipate it will get worse… my EQ has just given me the nod to expect ructions, unexpected disappointment, or of that nature? He’s never been wrong in his tips, yet. I’m afraid. The evacuation was another Trotsky in-charge affair, but the content came out differently this time. It’s a sort of sludgy with flaky bits around the edges; I’ve had this type once before, a few months ago. I think! I went off to the kitchenette again, only to find I’d left the damned kitchen hot water tap (faucet) running yet again! I keep blaming all these faux pas on , as I used to do with the now apparently absconded … there is something within that is crushing, obliterating my plans, thoughts and abilities to pieces lately. In particular, she loves toying with my short-term memory. I’ve thought about it a lot recently. It erks me!
Later today, I realised that the most cock-ups come when I’m trying to concentrate on something, and a simple thing like a phone call coming in a Carer or Nurse coming in will leave me open to forgetfulness. Even with talking, if someone changes the topic, alters a question… I’m lost! Not only to the new subject but what I was doing before the chinwag started. I’m amazed that I can still do the odes? But everything is error-ridden and takes far too long to get written as I originally meant it to… I often lose the plot in mid-typing!
The blood papules on the left leg had increased a bit. I’ll mention it to the nurse when she arrives later on. He says with an air of fallacious, blind confidence. An odd hue in the flat this morning. Some of my photos seem tinted with a bizarre shade, looking almost as if they are old? But not to fret. Too much! I took another shot straight away. And that came out a different shade altogether? All a part of the mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the ghosts, wraiths, spectres, cacodaemons, apparitions, and other grotesqueries that haunt the hallways and lobbies, searching for Inchy to curse with lousy luck, create ambiguities, abstrucities, perplexities, misfortunes and botherations, to scare. Worry and confuse me! Hehe!
Aha, the Iceland order has arrived. So, I left the computer so I could forget where I was up to and what my next move would be. I admitted the driver via the intercom box and opened the door for his arrival. The kind young man carried the box and bags to the kitchenette for me. I had to almost insist he took a can of his choice from the visitor’s drinkies and nibbles shelves. I thanked him much for his help and set about checking the items sent and dates that I could read, anyway. Here on the left is the first bag emptied out. Then, the tasty bagful was sorted. The new cookies from McVities were tried later, and I had high hopes of them being tasty… They were not! The LU bikkies and soft bakes are delicious! The lemon puffs are for Jenny’s other half, Frank. Nice chap, and lovely Lady, they are. He does love them Lemon bikkies so. I hope the nurses finish the leg so I can deliver them later to the lad. But my hopes are low after EQ’s earlier warning. The last carrier had cleaning things in it. Putting these away in the drawer, I proceeded to give myself a tear-prompting against the server-trolley wheel. Naturally, me being a brave, almost heroic, man of courage, grit and gamely pain-tolerant, there was no groaning, moaning or Arghs! The intercom lit up, and I went to investigate. It was two of the District Nurses, who were soon up and in the flat, checking the legs first. They took photographs of the new blood leaks to show the Doctor when they returned to base at the Community Centre. Then, one of the Angels got her computer out and started asking many questions about my medical history, who and where each one was diagnosed when the various ailments first, what treatment I had, and when started. Well, that did not go too well! Instead, I feared she’d ask me for my date of birth because, cause for the love of me, I couldn’t recall it… It came back to me later; she didn’t ask for it. One nurse was training the other. And the young nurse (they were both socially minded and laughed at my ailments, all having been given names) They explained what they were about to do. Take off the old bandage & patch. It was a shock to me when it hurt so much, especially in my right leg, which seems semi-immune to pain at times when the are off-line to the brain. Unfortunately, they were getting through at the time the patch was taken off. Hahaha! The nurse said, “This is my first time putting a diabetic wrap on a leg!” They then had a look at the catheter scabs. Naturally, I forgot all about mentioning . ! As they departed, I insisted they take their choice of drinkies and or nibbles, and I thanked them. One said they would be back on Friday to check out the state of . But this has been said so often, and no one turns up, that a pinch of salt was tasted. Har-har! They did warn me that it would be more painful than the last dressing, as the diabetic wrap is tighter, to keep the fluid higher up in the leg to give poor a chance for the wound to heal. Also, if my toes go blue, I’ve to call them ASAP and for me to take off the dressing straight away. Bless em!
My precious nurse Hristina phoned to let me know she would call in the morning, between 9> and 10:00hrs, to take blood for the anticoagulation DVT department ♥
Unbe-rotten-believable! Not the right, known as , is the one that can give me problems, but the left one (she’ll need naming now); Gave way, and down I went in the kitchen onto my left knee – which, as you know, is the one currently having attached to it! The pain from the fall was of little bother; I was more concerned that the bag may have burst. I checked and thought; well, that was a bit of luck! I thought it an opportune time to make the second brew of Glengettie tea of the day in celebration… Cleaning up milk from the dropped milk carton took me ages and a lot of pain. However, I did so and finally got on with this blog. Talking of lasting, I didn’t get to kip until well-gone 02:00hrs; I just had to get some blogging done after the kerfuffle with the medical things and cleaning up the floor in the kitchen, then the bits of fluff and bandage on the carpet near the £300, second-hand, most uncomfortable, decrepit, Haemorrhoid Harold-testing, micro-organism-microbe-bugged, easily-fallout able-from, unfit-for-use, not working, recliner, that I sat in, for the treatment from the nurses.
I’m addicted, you know!
So I Did! I was so hungry. Sitting there in the £300, second-hand, musty, Haemorrhoid Harold Testing, cringingly beige, crumb-covered, not-working, rickety recliner, I slowly peeled back the outer skin, and my mouth was watering at the thought of munching into it… As the top part of the flesh broke off and slid down my overly proportioned belly, via Little Inchy and over the , and as I tried to catch it and missed, I trod on it as I lost my balance, and I squelched over the carpet…
The darkness began to fall. And I had a spell at the kitchen window. With… Just caught the end of the sun setting. Zoomed in a little… Moments later, she’s gone! Nightie, night!
Then, I industriously set about preparing the simple evening meal. Just potatoes baked, emptied out, causing a few burns on the fingers. Then, even more, I scooped out the flesh and mashed it with No-Butter, butter, Leicester cheese and sea salt in the mixing bowl. Ran a fork over the top of each skin to create ridges so as to crisp up the finished product, and back into the oven, arrived as I was putting the nosh back in the range to crisp up. Medications were given. We managed a little nattering session and laugh.
After the lad had left, I checked on the cheesy spud’s progress, cooking-wise. They needed a little longer. So, I put the TV on to see if anything worthwhile was showing. Not half! Two episodes of ‘Cracker’ with Robbie Coltrane started at ten o’clock (22:00hrs). I knew, of course, it would be the same as last week, and I’d fall asleep when the adverts came on and most likely wake up wide awake as the credits were rolling at the end of the programmes.
I was right!
The last three nights’ differences were phenomenal, unique, and welcome. I slept for over seven hours! Great!.
An improvement on yesterday with the being on the verge of becoming an almost, practically smooth-working, but terribly slow service. Of course, getting it to go in the first place took the usual hour-plus to get a signal at all. Humph! Yes! Only eight times, much better! ruled the day. The 4-hours-up, 4-hours-down routine with the leg, got all muddled, and the brain befuddled. The Mind-Wanderings were a permanent feature of the day, and they flourished, worsening as the day went on. Errors, mistakes, and were their peak of non-performance. How I didn’t sink into the expected , is something that puzzled me at the time, and still does. Through all the mental mayhem, frustrations and mistakes made, I poddled along with them, as if they were a daily issue to just put up with. Well, they are, come think of it!
Just a mess today, sorry.
Back to being dark… Tsk!
Morning kitchen view.
Spuds for the later nosh in the crock-pot.
Four Visits Today. Each one was in a similar fashion.
The waste bag is sorted. Note the China mug within? I poured the boiling water into my favourite mug, and low & behold, it flowed out of a crack that ran from top to bottom of the beloved, now deceased mug! Not only that, but ran over the counter, down the lower cupboard doors, and onto the kitchen floor. Luckily it did not upset me… a bold, brave sort of chap, who took it all in his stride!
Finally made a start on this blog. I later felt the slipping down the leg. I took a decker at it, and it was fairly full, and the urine was an even deeper colour now! I do wish they would give up on this problem. Obviously, the Finasteride Tablets are not working, no help at all. Why can’t they decide to give me a permanent catheter operation now; instead of another month with tearing bits off of poor , and causing so much pain and bleeding? It may come as a surprise to them, but I’m not getting any younger.I really would like to have the procedure now, because it will get a dodgier thing to have done as I advance into my dotage, surely?With is getting worse with every visit by the nurses. Not the mention the s giving me agony and making walking a nightmare! , , , … I’d better stop here, I Depressing missen! Hehehe! It’s not going to get any easier is it? Here Endeth the Rant!
A bit of sorting out, in the fridge and freezer, produced an extra bag of waste to be made up.
This often happened to me recently. With the annoying failing, there are times when the finger ends lose all sensitivity… which can be a help, if you’ve just burnt banged or cut a finger? But not when one is typing on the keyboard. I’ve no idea which buttons I caught in error, but in Corel Draw, the activity arrow, would not work at all. After a good hour, of trying different combinations of the caps, control and alt, things ended up worse than ever… All off and back on again – lost some work!
Simply Wonderful!
Later on…
Veg soup with added spuds, & a little chilli! Taste-Rating: 8.3/10.
Broke their own record for Internet Black-Outs!
Amassing this Sunday, a massive… Eventually, I stopped counting them.
Since which, many more arrived.
Gifted me by . The , smoke and mirrors, thaumaturgy, number-crunching, figure-shuffling, hocus-pocus, mumbo-jumbo, pecuniary, money-mongers, blithely unconcerned about customers, with their sham, bogus false interest in offering a workable internet, or genuine help for the poor demented souls that innocently joined Virgin Media; Back in the days when it worked, before which operates through the following subsidiaries and shareholdings, they own or have shares in All3Media (50% ownership with Warner Bros. Discovery), ITV plc (United Kingdom) (9.9% shareholding) Platforma Canal+ (Poland) (17% ownership), Sunrise UPC (Switzerland) (100% ownership), Telenet (Belgium) (58% ownership), UPC Broadband, UPC Slovakia, Virgin Media Ireland Limited, Virgin Media Television, Virgin Mobile. Virgin Media O2 (70% ownership), O2 UK, GiffGaff 65% ownership, Tesco Mobile (50% ownership). Virgin Media Limited (UK), Virgin Media Business Limited, Virgin Mobile (UK), Vodafone (8.9% ownership), VodafoneZiggo (50% ownership), Vodafone Netherlands, Ziggo, Ziggo Sport, Ziggo Sport Totaal, and Telefónica, and purchasing and destroying the only semi-trustable internet on the market at the time, , for about $234 billion! RIP to Virgin Media Reliability
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Aha, this is a better shade!
Potatoes with sea salt added.
Balcony shot of the end car park. It was not a very good shot as the shower started.
The mini-seconds-long shower stopped!
The tree copse. East end of the car park.
Back inside from the balcony.
Three spuds that took longer than the rest of them? Left them in a bit longer. Cut up some pots, tomatoes and carrots, and added them to the veg soup. Added some beef flavouring. Stirred it in… Then, I added some gorgeous tasting… to the saucepan and gently heat it so as to get the flavours in all the veg. Made a brew and left it warming up gently.
Starting to eat the not good looking home-made Borscht soup, which tasted gorgeous, arrived. I continued nibbling away as we had an excellent two-way nattering session. It filled me up, and I could eat it all. As Joanne said, I put it in the fridge for consumption tomorrow. The medications were done, and off went Joanne. A nice gal.
The sky looked worth photoing.
The bin bags were belatedly sorted out.
Taking them to the front door for collection, I felt the dropping down the leg… It looked like wind more than liquid? It may have been from the Borscht? Hehe! Emptied it and later got the night bag attached to the day bag, ready for head downing.
Checked the taps and stove. The view had changed dramatically. Where did the sun come from?
As I was about to sink into the c1968, tatty, scruffy, unkempt, uncomfortable, virus, microorganism, bug, bacterium, bacillus, germ, parasite producing, and disease-fermenting second-hand, eyesorely-horrendously grungy beige-coloured, £300, charity shop bought, crumb-retaining, moth-eaten, non-working, bacillus encouraging, incommodious, Haemorrhoid Harold testing, recliner; in search of Sweet Morpheus. But the need arose… off to the wetroom, with the in one hand, and in t’other!
I banged my shoulder on the door frame going in.I dropped both and the … tube gave such a pull as it fell, it started ! This left me in a quandary, as kicked off, and the need for the rear-end evacuation felt more urgent! Blood trickling from Little , I decided to get the pants down sharpishly and seated on the WC. Nothing but wind escaped! Leaving emitting and leaving a putrid pong! To stop the bleeding from , clean up the bloodied tubing, and treat, of all things, bleeding. How come, if I only passed wind, the piles bled? Powerful Wind? Another problem arose... I had to empty and remove the night bag, which has a once-only valve for draining, then hobble with the stick to get another night pouch and back to the wet room. (It looked like someone had been stabbed to death in there. Hahaha!) But first, before attaching the night bag, I had to get the fresh PPs on… Then I got the nocturnal pouch back on. Then, the task of cleaning up the mess… With no cleaner to help, the place was already looking even worse and dirtier.So, I just used the picker-upperer to soak up the blood spots as best I could and called it a day… well, morning, which it was by now.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SMUG MODE– – – – – – – – – – – – Inchy’s Carers Health Checks Returns – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The four-hour leg-ups and then-down again routine, is a little tiring and disconnected, thanks to Who is back to her customary, well-practised habit of installing unwanted, , frequently activating deep-routed moments of .
The day, time, and activities that were being performed; were being lost into the ether, repeatedly, and frustratingly.
A mild dose of blitheness crept in at times.
Traces of the flu vaccine lingering?
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Photographic Prompters…
Morning kitchen window view.
Made a start on blogging catch-up… Within the first half-hour!
Carer Sam, then the Iceland delivery… Bags were taken through to the kitchen. The first bag was emptied, and food was put away. Freezer full! Fridge loaded. None foods & treats. Refilled the Carer, Nurses, & delivery treats. All the bending has set off .
I selected two large potatoes, to be turned
into Baked Cheesy Treats, later on.
Four-Hours-Leg-Up-Time
Four-Hours-Leg-Down-Time Back on the computer, taking a hobble to the wet room…
Got the blog for Friday finished off.
Four-Hours-Leg-Up-Time Four-Hours-Leg-Down-Time
I got the potatoes in the oven baking. Got it back on, and made a start on this blog for a couple of hours’ worth of mistakes & errors to be made.
Had a wash of sorts, no shave!
Got the meal served up. I was pleased with how the potatoes came out! A no-fish fish stick, a bit of the tomato cob, and a mouthful of the tasty, soft, potato… with sea salt & no butter, butter! A Worthy 9.4/10 for flavour!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Back to the humdrum misery! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – BACK TO NEAR NORMAL Which is not necessarily a good thing. In fact, the loss of the Flu Vaccine’s unique side-effect of removing my guilt and self-hatred, thus giving me an air of “Sod-it!” to all my physical and mental problems, granted me the best, most peaceful 22hrs of the year to date! The pestering-browbeating, doubts, fretting, frustrations, apprehensive, distracted, distraught, nervous, on edge, stressed, self-despising, muddled brain, constant forebodings and depression have all returned! Sadly! Tsk!
Today was not a good one… but no disasters as such. Not a single visit to the .
Managed a new record, I think…
Ah, a betterer colour this morning!
Another not-so-good photo of the morning view.
I had not seen her for ages; nice gal.
I got on with blogging for a few hours. All the regular anticipated mistakes and errors were committed. More than usual, really, with… So often.
arrived for the PM call. She did a kitchen and bathroom check on the taps & stove and took the waste bag to the chute for me.
I took two piccies of the afternoon clouds later. One to the left… ‘Tother to the right!
No seepage from .
Then, when I took my four hours with the leg up on the chair, I turned on the TV to see if anything worth watching was being broadcast… that’s when I drifted off. Five hours later, I woke up with a nervous twitch and tic. I lay there all distorted on the c1966, £300 Oxfam charity shop bought, second-hand, wincingly grotty, beige coloured, crumb-covered from my nocturnal nibblings, itch-making, uncomfortable, positively unhealthy & dangerous, no longer operational, virus-breeding, easy-to-fall-out-of, Catheter-tube-trapping, recliner… I recall knocking the remote control thingy off the recliner’s arm, thinking about retrieving it, and… Zzz! Another three hours of heavenly, if broken by mini-wake-ups, sleep was enjoyed.
I think it was who called to wake me.
I was not exactly with it, but I got the potatoes from the slow cooker and mashed them with some not-butter butter, sea salt and a dash of Pryprawa seasoning.I put them in the oven to keep warm and added some no-meat sausages in a saucepan with more Pryprawa seasoning. Tomatoes, pickled beetroot, and some chunky pickles as well.
Took this shot while waiting for the cooking of the meal.
caused the hand to wobble, so I had more salt than planned. Hehe! A taste rating of 8.2/10 was given.
I stayed awake long enough to get the pots cleaned, do a safety check, and then back into the recliner.
Now I plan to sleep. Which initially went well, straight off into dreamland almost instantly. With the absence of last night, it annoyed me when he kicked off non-stop all night. I got fed up with waking up!
I’m not sure if it was the flu jab, but since having it, I’ve lost some memory periods, Slept on & off, involuntarily like a tot! I’ve been changing from knackered to almost having short periods of euphoric energy! Up & Down! Sometimes, I am practically logical in my thinking, only rarely, mind you; then back to the stunted, dithering, not knowing what I was and am doing! (i.e. Normal). I’m not right yet… but I’m also not complaining! I wonder if they’ll let me have a few more flu shots? No wonder they were so busy with so many in the queue at the chemists. Could I wear a disguise and try to book in for another injection… or two? Hehehe! Since being jabbed, there have been some of them quite long-lasting, when I adopted a sod-it-all, apathetic, couldn’t-give-a-toss attitude! I couldn’t!
The complete opposite of my usual stance of dithering, worrying, self-pitiful, guilt-ridden, shamed, humiliated, ignominy & indignity of my plight. I’ve missed entering a room or opening a cupboard and wondering what I was doing this for. Of course, it was the drugs, but I didn’t care what I was doing anyway. Even my ailments seemed less painful, or my mind ignored them. But not this morning: I fear signs of a slow but definite return are in force of both and getting a grip on me, and thus – back to normal! If such a thing exists. (It doesn’t!) There are so many mini-blank spots in the day’s memory… maybe I dropped off, putting the leg up. Four hours up, & four down, as instructed by the Obergrüppenfürer nurse. She was lovely; I didn’t manage to get her name, a shame! I bet the drug gangs are targeting chemists to get their hands on some of the flu vaccines. I can understand why now. What’s the word? Psychedelic? It may be with and his it could well have affected me differently, with the brain not understanding the messages sent to him? I enjoyed it! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
00:15hrs: On rising, an early, early-morning view.
Onto the computer to get on with the blogging… An hour later, I got it back on… Half an hour later, back on… Off again… Did a complete reset and waited to see if this worked for me… hopefully…
Took a still early morning snap of the view through the balcony windows. It appeared to have a new leak higher up; this one was bleeding blood?
returned online. It does that sometimes – it works! Back onto the blog.
Went to make a brew of Glengettie. Taking this shot of the lightening sky.
Arrived. Lovely to see her again. She spotted the blood on the bandage. Kara rang the Community Nurse Department and reported the issue to me. She’s off on a well-deserved holiday shortly for a fortnight. I shall miss her.
I assume the position on the c1966, £300 Oxfam charity shop bought, second-hand, wincingly grotty, beige coloured, crumb-covered from my nocturnal nibblings, itch-making, uncomfortable, positively unhealthy & dangerous, no longer operational, virus-breeding, easy-to-fall-out-of, Catheter-tube-trapping, recliner.
It now has the air cushion granted by Falls Team Lady Sarah. And I started the four-hour right-leg-up position routine as instructed to do. I put the TV on, and a Gordon Ramsay Hotel Hell programme was showing. I fell asleep for five hours!
Woken up by the District Nurse arriving. Lovely lady, she was. Taking off the bandage and pad off made me jump a smidge when the congealed pad parted company with the leg; I remember that clearly enough! Haha! Before… After.
I can’t get the slipper on the right foot at that moment, but when the bandages settle in the morning, I imagine things will be fine and dandy.
Back on the computer… I fell asleep while working on CorelDraw. I woke maybe an hour later, in a somewhat rejuvenated state of mind, still feeling a fool for falling off like I did.I continued the blog, finished it, and posted it to WordPress. Then, very early, I got hunger pangs, fancying a nibble; I investigated what food was available. I chose some frozen pork ribs and felt like having a few. Which I knew would not do the decaying teeth any good; I didn’t care at that moment.
Just a snack. I imagine you’ve noticed in the photo below that the ribs were somewhat overcooked? Too right! I’d sat in the recliner with the leg up, of course, while waiting for the 40 minutes it said to cook the pork to pass. I woke an hour and a half later to the gorgeous but panic-making smell of burnt pork filling the flat! I think someone should make air freshers with this scent!. Haha! getting out of the aged, grotty-looking c1966 made, charity-shop-bought, horribly beige-coloured, £300, Harold’s Haemorrhoid-testing, non-operational, acne-giving, virus-breeding, rickety, easy-to-fall-out-of recliner, and hastened hobblingly to the kitchen. A thin smoke filled the place as I opened the oven door! But it did smell nice, Hehehe! I opened the windows to clear the air and prevent the fire alarm from activating. Glanced at the oven tray inside and decided the ribs would still be edible… Mmm!
Took this picture of the view from the window.
Left the oven tray in the sink filled with hot water, washing up liquid, baking soda and bleach! And settled again to gnaw as much as my teeth would allow me, with some roasted onions aside at the so flavourful ribs. I thought they tasted great, but the teeth and gums bleeding afterwards took the edge off of the enjoyment of eating them! It took me a long time to eat what was probably no more than four ounces of meat on the plate. I washed the bloodied plate and cutlery after amazingly easily cleaning the oven dish that had been soaking in the baking powder bleach! If anyone has not tried it, please do. It raises the burnt bits to the top of the water. I’m glad whoever it was that told me to try it did! Great!
When I’d cleaned things up in the kitchen, I decided that one ice cream would be a good idea. Soy ice cream. I scooped some into the thermal dish and sprinkled the Lowicz Raspberry syrup over the ice cream. Lovely!
arrived. I was still sitting with my leg up. I felt too drained to work on starting this blog; I was buggered! Which is like being back to normal. No more spurts of mystery energy now. Back to the routine, tired and weary from here on in. He did the medication and took his own BP on the Boot’s sphygmomanometer. I must remember to add it to the list in the morning to go on tomorrow’s blog.
The sun came out for a while, giving the thin, moth-eaten curtains a different glow with the light on.
I couldn’t move from the recliner. Such was my sudden fatigue – I fear things were returning to normal. The drug in the Flu Vaccine is wearing off, Humph!
However, after the last call from , I got the hunger pangs again. I opted for the Frikadellens (two) in wholemeal cobs with sliced tomatoes, the same as yesterday, I think? But on their own. I fell asleep watching the TV and eating these. A right mess that I found when I woke up… The £300, second-hand shop bought nine years ago, c1966, discomfiting, alarmingly beige-coloured, TV remote-hiding, not working recliner, containing crumbs from the cobs, shreds of some cheese curls on it, me and the floor, and I couldn’t remember eating any of them? The three empty Cheesy Curl packets found in the bin later seemed proof enough that I had.
MY FLU JAB Well, I had my belated flu vaccine… It heightened my self-esteem!
Once it got into my bloodstream. I was ready to run my own harem! I was living life full-screen! There were problems, unforeseen, Depressions, then a sunbeam! Up & down all day, it would seem, My mind raced, leaving a slipstream, One moment, in the Caribbean,
Then I felt like a circumforanean.
Next, Yodelling like a Tyrolean, Dimness, alertness, a fog in between! And I craved for ice cream!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Today went most oddly… Embarrassing, demeritoriously, Medically frustratingly, At the bus stop. Indignity! The Catheter Pouch Calamity! Sorted with great difficulty, The Boot’s man helped me, Given the flu jab, lifted me? For an hour, I spent distantly… Free from life’s reality… During this, I experienced jollity, Then things turned confusingly!. Contented, but bemusingly, Suddenly so knackered, sleepy… The rest of the day lost me… Barely any vague memory… Nothing customarily, or wontedly, Slept for so long, uncommonly… Woke up almost bouncily… Mind & thought, vagariously... Full of self-vilipendency! Yet the day started so decently…
The pouch evacuation was too dark.
Off to the ablutioning & of course… A cut shaving on the cheek that took ages to stop. I was still
in mid-body washing, and Carer Richard arrived. I shouted my apologies through the door and hurriedly got dressed. (This may have been a reason for the later embarrassment at the bus stop?) Richard looked really tired this morning. I tried a natter, and he seemed okay, almost back to his usual self. A lovely lad is Richard. I went back in to check on it. & the Two-Tone-Toes. Hehe!
Sorted the bags.
Booting the computer, I took this view of the morning.
Within an hour, their fourth failing!
The hearing aids were inserted.
I’d got the template made up, and nothing else. But didn’t have the time, as I had to prepare things for the trip to the Boot’s Chemist for the Flu Jab appointment.
Got the clobber on, and checked things needed were done: Bus Pass in pocket – Flat Keys in the pocket, camera in pocket, card for Boots taken. Checked the taps (faucets) and the cooker was not left on or running. A final emptying of my And off!
I got in and into the lift, accompanied by , and thought I’d take a selfie in the reflection of the wall… But no! I’d left the SD card on the computer! Back up after getting to the ground floor, to the 12th, and en route to the flat to get the card, ! against the trolley wheel as I got into the flat door. (Yes, I swore!) Got the SD, and back out again. To and down in the lift. Through the link passage to Winwood Court, then to Winchester Court. And out to the bus stop on the front of Winchester Court.
Three or four other residents were waiting, and I started having a so-much-missed chinwag with them. After about five minutes of enjoyable nattering and listening…
I felt dropping down my leg! Arrgh! The trouble could not be investigated at the bus shelter; it would mean removing my trousers to see if the leg grip had broken. That would mean me going back up to the block and the flat to find out; that was a no-no cause if I did, I’d miss the appointment for the flu jab? Then it got surreal… I could feel that the pouch was well full of urine? How’s that, I thought? I’d emptied it half an hour ago and had purposely not been drinking as I knew I’d be going out? Oh, dearie me!
The bus arrived, and someone helped me get on the bus with . Thank You, Sir!
I Got off at the bottom of Winchester Street with many others; there must have been about eight or nine of us. I walked down with Mary to Mansfield Road. I limped, frequently adjusting the catheter bag, not knowing if I was doing right or wrong, to the Bott’s store with Mary. She got her prescription. She was going to Arnold on another bus.
I booked myself in. I mentioned my problem with the catheter, asking if there was any area I could use to investigate things. She said she’d ask someone. I thanked her and took a seat, as instructed. Constantly fearing the bag would drop further or burst, I sat there fiddling and feeling uncomfortable! A lady arrived with a form for me to fill in before the jab could be done.
Sadly, I could not remember my date of birth – can you believe that? Telephone number or name of my Doctor’s surgery! The lady returned to collect the paper forms. She understood, I think, my problems, departed and returned a few minutes later to ask if they could use my online medical record to find out the details. Naturally, I said yes. This was the lowest point in the day for me… embarrassment +!
A young chap arrived and went into a tin room to have flu-jab given. He asked about the problem with the catheter bag, saying “Just what do want me to do about it?” Fair question! I said, allow me a room somewhere that I can investigate things and empty the catheter?” He said he’d give the jab first, then leave me in the room to look into it. Just knock on the door and I’ll be outside if you need help!” Again Fair Enough”! Couldn’t ask for better, and thanked him. He gave the jab, no bother. Then left me and fetched a container for me to empty the urine into. Very kind! I’d noticed some de-clogger spray while waiting in the shop earlier, and I remembered to buy one.
NOW FOR THE MEMORY BLANK! I can recall leaving the Boot’s store and getting onto Mansfield Road. My next memory was walking up the hill to catch the bus… With a bag of food hanging on the handle of ! I stopped to have a look; it had obviously been bought from the Ozan Food Shop on Mansfield Road, just up from the Bott’s Chemist. There was even a till receipt in the bag. So at least I know I wasn’t shoplifting during my blank period. Haha! I checked to see if my cash card was still in my pocket. Phew, it was. Oddly, I seem to remember buying the jar of beetroot from the shop, for some reason?
This is about the fifth time this has happened, a period of complete memory loss. The last one was about a year ago in Bulwell. I know that one lasted for about an hour. This one I have no idea the length of this one, but know that getting around in the Ozan store takes ages as there are steps I have to tackle at the far end of each aisle.
I seemed to be feeling a smidge perky. Mayhap due to having the flu jab? I made my way to the bus stop and found that the sign said the next bus due was in 1 minute. Great! As I got on the bus, there was Mary sitting in a side-saddle seat. She’s been all the way to Arnold and back.
At the flats, we all alighted. I went last so as not to keep folks waiting.Mary and I trundled along through the link passageways into Winwood Court, the social area. Where a company were giving samples of their ready meals out. We approached hoping for a free treat… but the food had all gone. Tsk! Never mind. Wiltshire Farms, I think it was. Took a of Mary.
Up in the lift with Mary, departed as she got out, and up to the next floor, mine, and into the flat. Checked the pouch, it had not mysteriously filled again. And I could feel the weariness coming on, so suddenly. so was checked.
My purchases from the Ozan store. Shows I must have been aware of what I was buying, even though I couldn’t remember doing so? Large potatoes, beetroot, Frikadellens, tomatoes, pickle, Borchst, seasoning, sausages, all in my mind to get… the can of aubergines must have been an impulse buy? I knew I was about to drain into a tired, watery creature soon, so got the potatoes in the oven straight away. Put the TV on, hoping I’d not nod off while watching it, and viewed, on and of, with the little short kips, two hours of Gordon whatsits Hotel Hell. Then, I got the potatoes out of the oven, scooped out the flesh, into a basin, started to put the shredded Leicester cheese, sea salt and non-butter butter in and gave it a good mashing up!. I spotted the blue mould on the cheese! I picked out what mouldy bits I could find and dished them. Put the four halves back in the oven to brown off. Back to watch some more TV; I was just not up to using the computer now, so tired I was fighting to keep awake, but the thought of the cheesy potatoes being eaten kept me awake with the gorgeous smell coming from the kitchen.
Got the meal prepped. Two Frikadellens in cobs with sliced tomatoes. Four baked potatoes. Beetroots, and a lemon dessert. Flavour Rating: 9.2/10!
Two Carers called, I think it was each time, but I’m not sure. Being woken up twice in the state I was in, wasn’t memory-inducing. Not poorly at all, just so tired out and drained. In the morning, I seemed to recollect the same thing happening after having the last Flu Jab? I think…
The last period with Sweet Morpheus was a deep three hours, without any interruptions from .
I bounded back awake at… 00:30hrs and made a start on this blog update. Feeling Great! Fit! In Fine Fettle!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 02:40hrs: I wriggled about in the c1966, £300 Oxfam charity shop bought, second-hand, wincingly grotty, beige coloured, crumb-covered from my nocturnal nibblings, itch-making, uncomfortable, positively unhealthy & dangerous, no longer operational, virus-breeding, easy-to-fall-out-of, Catheter-tube-trapping, recliner; assessing the various ailments pain levels. Much to my surprise, was easy going with me! Wonders will never cease. Mind you, she did kick off later when I dropped the walking stick and unthinkingly bent down to retrieve it. Tsk! , were the worst. With a little occasional stinging back-up coming from . The pain behind the eyes is now coming from lower down, near the left ear? But not anywhere near as bad (He says with crossed fingers)
I wonder where the happing of crossing fingers for good luck came from? I’ll Google it now! I know now:
Why is crossing your fingers a symbol of good luck? Crossing fingers dates to a pre-Christianity belief in Western Europe in the powerful symbolism of a cross. The intersection was thought to mark a concentration of good spirits and served to anchor a wish until it could come true.
I tackled the nocturnal pouch removing it.
A much better colour today!
I was summoned to the wet room to use the Throne. The indications acting as a warning that came from the rumblings from the innards, that this was going to be a controlled evacuation… it was!
The mess made was the worst this year! 1½ toilet rolls were used on this visit! Had to change the PPs, and spent ages cleaning up the splattered, watery, phooing product. The stomach was rumbling away for ages, after the evacuation! I feel a little delicate after this one.
Added the sorted bag of waste to the one that I forgot to ask the Carer to take with him, in the hallway. As I was hobbling into the kitchenette to put the kettle on for an early morning mug of Glengettie… The bowels send another dollop of liquid to the back passage… I failed to get to the in time! It took me over three times as long to clean myself, the wet room floor and furniture up this time! And two more rolls of toilet paper were used in the process! Where’s when you need him! I walloped down two Galpharm capsules when I eventually made the mug of tea… well, it was Thompson’s Punjana. And I took one last night as well. Humph! Darned good job I got up so early, with the nurses due to call on me today. One to rebandage. And the DVT to take the deep vein blood from a venous vein. At least I think it was from a venous vein; it may be from a tibial and poplitaeal vein. Looked it up on the paperwork, Venous!
My Goodness! I’ve been up for hours… admittedly spending the bigger part sorting out rather vicious attacks from . I was surprised to see the view from the kitchen was still dark. I eventually got the brew of tea made again.
Later, Carer Marie arrived. No eye drops are needed now; the course is finished. All gone. I’m doing the eye cleaning myself. Medications issued. Thank heavens she noticed that I’d dropped two tablets when taking them. One went in the dressing gown the other on the floor. She rescued them for me. We managed a little natter too. As the gal was leaving, the door chime rang out… It was the Asda order I’d forgotten was coming. I know, it’s hardly believable that I could forget anything, innit? Hahaha!
Treats and essentials! The fridge & freezer were full again!
Worked away on the blogging for a good few hours. Mostly making mistakes and errors, mind you. Mainly because of the I lost yonks again trying to get the signal back. Also lost time and work done when it kept coming back and off again within minutes each time! After an hour or more, it seemed to be working again?
Carer Kara did the midday call. She asked about how the audio clinic visit went. A short visit, but I liked it.
Well into the afternoon, about 16:30hrs, The District Nurse arrived to remove and put on a new dressing on . .
A nice Nurse not seen before. She had a look in the spare room to see if there was room for a bed to go in. Listened to my amusing stories of the ailments.Lovely gal. Someone is calling on Friday to redo the dressing. Be nice it was her again. But I love them all! Hehe!
Carer Benjamin came for the heavy-medication evening visit. I also managed to drop a tablet then as well! Painkillers and Peptac were issued with the regulars. On his mobile a lot so not much talking done. Slipped a Rum bar and drinkie, as I did for all of my visitors today. I took this through the balcony window. Moments later the rain stopped, and the sun reappeared, although was not there for long.
I selected some tomatoes. Got the pots sliced and in the oven.
The view had changed dramatically. As the Sun rapidly disappeared.
Got the meal in the microwave.
Carer Joanne brought up my washing; bless her.
Pots into the dish & added the meal & tomatoes. Desserts on the tray. Flavour Rating: 8.8/10. Nice!
The period spent in the c1966, £300 pound, second-hand charity-shop bought, crumb-containing, odour-retaining, Harold’s Haemorrhoid-testing, nauseatingly beige coloured, non-working, virus-breeding recliner; searching for sleep was a success… But only for a few minutes at a time. made sure of that!
The night Catheter Pouch was far too dark! Fancy that? Inchy having lousy luck!
Before leaving to get the lift to the clinic, I suffered three of these types of visits. Hey-Ho!. Then, the problematic stand-up ablutioning session! Couldn’t put the papule leaking let in water to wash it; it was a solo job with the left foot. The shaving seemed to go pretty well. Getting dressed was farcical.
Put some spuds in the crock pot. I try to remember to turn on the low setting as I leave later… I then proceeded… to do the waste bags and the one I was putting the others into split open! Huh! A right mess to clean up and , and all joined in with the right and spoilt the day!
Carer Richard was not his usual self. Tired out, I’ll be bound.
I did get the Sunday blog finished & posted off. Because I stayed up so late working on it. Many mistakes!
A final call to the Porcelain Throne.
Then, off downstairs to await my lift. Had a go at the crossword in the lobby. But it was hard work with these terrible new glasses.
Kept looking outside in case the minibus arrived. . Not here yet, so I took this snap of the local weeds. Yet they look beautiful to me! A selection of nub-ends caught my attention in the end car parking area.
The minibus arrived, and I got belted up and grabbed from my pocket. Taking snaps through the window en route to town and the Audio Clinic. Up The hill to Mapperley. Mapperley Road. New student accommodation is being built. Town and Parliament Street. . Multi-screened cinema on the left. Up Derby Road and down onto… The Ropewalk from the top end.Many years ago, there were all posh houses with servants and butlers. Lawyers, private detectives, and many shops and offices have been converted into student apartments.
THE CLINIC The driver dropped me off in front of the building. I hobbled limpingly and painfully into the big hall. The receptionist recognised me and indicated by pointing for me to sit down. So, I did! After a while, I got the crossword book out. A chap behind me mentioned, some 15 minutes or so later: “I talk to myself when doing crosswords, as well!” Haha!I didn’t realise I was nattering away, but the lady to my right said: “I understand!” Hehehe!
THE RIDE HOME: I was called in to see the Technician. Who at first was patient with me stuttering and forgetting things. She got the hearing aids off me and gave them some routine maintenance. She looked in my earholes, declaring she had never seen so much compacted wax before, as she checked the left lughole. She’ll make an appointment to have the wax eased and removed where safe, then another meeting for an Audiologist to test my hearing. She thinks they will not be on the same day, though. She was laughing when she was talking to the receptionists, and they both looked at me as I returned to the waiting area with the refurbished aids in situ. I could hear a muffled noise of talking.
Excellent job the lady technician did on the hearing aids! Not good on the phone, though.
I did sneak a photo of the waiting area. But it was not on the SD card when I got home. Snagknangles!
As I walked out of the clinic, the man was arriving at the optimum time. Getting settled in the seat, out came my beloved , for more window shots on the way back.
Up along the Ropewalk. Down towards the City. Right onto Woodborough Road. As we stopped near a bus stop, next to the recently built student flat complex. Tsk! Bottom of the hill… To the top and down towards the flats. This shot of the flats came out decently. I paid the man, gave him a choice of nibbles, and got myself inside the Woodthorpe Court lobby. I walked through the link passage to Winwood Court and informed Warden Deana and Julie of my arrival home. On my way back, I took a few photos of the shrubbery at the back, through the windows. Can you see the buried sitting bench on the right, below? It took a wider shot showing both benches. I may try to have a kip out there?
Thought to the lift, and in and up… I took this sad selfie!
I could feel , the pain from the nearly full Catheter, and blood trickling down my inner legs from poor .
Got in and rang Meridian to advise them I had returned. But still had the hearing aids in… I could hear nothing, I didn’t even know if anyone had answered my call? I gave up.
Had a look at the leg. Looks like some blood has gotten mixed with the water? Still, the nurse is coming in the morning.
I got on with this blog update start.
came, I didn’t realise how late it was. By the time he’s gone, I had suddenly sunk in a weariness.
I got the spuds out of the slow cooker, halved some and got them in the oven. Turned off the computer. So tired!
Got the nosh made earlier than usual, partly due to me feeling so drained after my little trip out to the clinic. I dined well! A vegetable hotpot (ready-made) with the extra boiled and baked potatoes added. Nice! Taste-Rating: 8.5/10.
Arrived for the last visit of the evening. Eye drops medications, and I took his BP. And it came out just fine! SYS 123, DIA 70, Pulse 77, Temp 36.6°f Fit lad! He took a snap of . The nurse in the morning. It’d been leaking again, of course, and occasionally stinging like mad. The Community Nurse may have to stick more of the padding back on.
I fell asleep the moment that departed.
But it only hasted for about 4 hours; I woke, rose, and took off the pouch automatically, thinking it must be gone by 07:00hrs at least… I was wrong, it was 02:45hrs. Tsk!
Farewell, friends, and have a festively fun future!
