Inability Inchy: Monday 15th April 2024

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What a flipping night I had!

I’d forgotten to ask the late Carer Richard if I needed the diabetic sock taken off. I didn’t give it much thought until it came to getting into the new second-hand hospital bed. I struggled fumblingly to get in and settled. I got the over-bed table stocked with water, a torch, a mobile phone, and something else, I can’t recall what it was at the moment. I hung the picker-upperer and walking stick on the anti-fall bar and set myself in anticipation mode to get some sleep in. Ha!  Within five minutes or so, I was in bliss.

Ten minutes later, the Neuropathy Shocks came from the right leg. I’ve been getting shocks from both ankles regularly all week. They have been short and sharp, but at least I’ve nodded off soon after each one… But Not Tonight! Oh, no! Once they started this time, they went on relentlessly for half an hour, non-stop! It was terribly painful and wearying. I then realised it may have been caused by my leaving the diabetic socks on. A new pair as well, and decided to do my best to get them off and see how that goes. What a farce! Just getting out of bed increased the hurt I was already suffering. I got the torch on, it blinked, and the batteries died. Making my getting on my feet even more risky in the dark. No light switch anywhere near the bed.
The highlight of this operation, was once I got up standing, the shocks ceased! YES! I thought it wise to try and get the socks off ASAP.
I used the rubber end of the walking stick to try to pin the toe area of the hosiery to the floor and drag my right foot out of the sock. It didn’t work; I lifted the knee, and, Hey, it worked! when I lifted the foot up. Which left me with a problem, the right foot. Cause Cartilage Carole was the more painful one left to lift, but it had to be done. I eventually got the sock off… and immediately got a Peripheral Pete Leg Dance, and ended up crashing down on the c1966, £300 charity shop bought, second-hand, wincingly grotty, beige coloured, not working, crumb-covered from the nocturnal nibbling, itch-making, uncomfortable, virus-breeding, easy-to-fall-out-of, recliner, my cheek hitting the chair arm. Breaking off another bit of tooth from my second-left bicuspid! Then I bounced off it, landing on the floor. All this in the darkness, for some reason I’d not turned on the room light yet. I hauled up my elephantine-stomached body into the recliner, and from there, it was easy to get up on my feet again.
During the tumble, I hadn’t realised that I’d also knocked the knife and fork off the tray on the ottoman at the side of the recliner. I soon realised this fact as I trod on them both! I may have said out aloud something like; Well, fancy that! I recall thinking to myself, well, at least I’ll have a sympathy-worthy scratch or bruise on my cheek. Hehehe! Later, when shaving, I couldn’t see a single scratch of bruise. Very disappointing that was. Humph!
I put on the slippers, and around 03:30 hrs, I decided to shave and shower. First, though, the use of the arose, but not urgently… I thought. I emptied out the Catheter night bag. Then took a snap of the morning view, put the kettle on and gathered the ablutioning equipment needed. And off to the wetroom to utilise the .
I forgot to put stinky on this photo, I used the lesser vindictive smelly. I was aching all over, and it worsened by the time I’d cleaned up the bowl and myself of the splashes released. Huh!
The red patches on the right ankle, where the shocks come from, seemed to be climbing up the leg. The swelling had probably been acquired during the tumble. The ankle also appears to be bloating up a little again. There’ll be a good reason for this. Mind you, I have no idea what it might be.
The shaving went well again. Only one tiny cut.
The showering was also a good session. Which I was enjoying and in no rush about it. Then the guilt… what am I doing taking a shower at this time in the morning? The poor neighbours! So I came out straight away and turned of the power box the moment all the water had drained away.
I made up two waste bins and realised that the one from yesterday was still in the hallway near the corner of the front door.
Raining a little now.
Holy Cow! Was it training, or not from the South? Yes, it was. And very windy with it. The tail of the Mini-Tornado?
During the day, I had Carer Richard first call and then Carer Selina did a domestic visit. She cleaned the oven for me. Carer Marie next.

Then, Carer Christopher did the evening medications. Peptac.
All bu got caught out again with the catheter day pouch suddenly filling up.
Well over the 500ml mark full this time.
The last of the heavy rain descended. Shots from the balcony, through the window glass, left one to the right.
The second one was taken to the left.
chimed out.
It was two chaps from the fire brigade who came to see me about how I was coping. They were concerned about me setting the fire alarms off and overflowing the taps in the sinks, I think. They seemed to think I should have extra help from the carers with cooking and bathing. I can barely afford to use them now!

Blogging, CorelDrawing and making the Ode.
Hello, the sun’s appeared!
Nice shades in the evening sky. I made a meal.
I took potatoes out of the crock pot, sliced them, and put them in the oven with some cheese sprinkled on them. I added a beef pasty, which I opened the pastry and added more cheese to! I sliced a tomato up and got it on the plate. I turned off the computer.
Kept checking the oven and finally laid out the plate above. Added some pickled ketchup. Delicious!

I didn’t.

Carer Tanya arrived and took off the diabetic socks. Chris has not returned the laundry, so we left the socks in an upturned box. Medications were taken, and a night bag was attached to the catheter.

I felt shattered, weary and tired. So when Tanya departed, I got settled in the Social Services provided, bless them, old hospital bed. With no socks on, the were much less often, and although a broken sleep, I soon dosed back off after each stinging. 
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BONUS ODE -Sorry about this!
Do you feel you are an exception?
Or a hoi polloi quotidian?
To assume whether or either,
Finding the realisation needs regression,
Certainly retro-cognition…
You may never find ratification…
I didn’t, despite my concentration,
And this morning… Tarnation!
I’ve got acute constipation.
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Fare Thee All Well!