Category: Ode

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Another escape from the flat…
But only to the hospital at that…
Not much time for any chitchat,
 Dr’s with students, so each a pedantocrat,

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The night catheter pouch colour was better today!
Nice morning, a little windy.

Telly on to watch the news. Of course, I didn’t; I began to get the things ready for the trip out to the medical thingamabob.

Glad to see the treats on the carer’s table had been nibbled at…

Last check of the painful right foot and leg ulcer.
I have a range feeling that this visit will come out well. It’s probably EQ talking to me with one of his forecasts?
At least, I hope it is, cause he’s usually right.

I thought I’d got all I needed for the visit, (checked the status of the windows, balcony, taps (faucets), & stove. Looked again in the three-wheeled walker bag to see I had everything needed, and set off to catch the bus to the Centre.
Out, in the lift (elevator) and down to the ground floor. Going through into the link passage to inform Meridian about my imminent departure; got through the swipe door into the tunnel, and realised I’d forgotten something. Turned back through the door… and realised that either or maybe both of them had removed the memory of what it was I was going back up to the flat to fetch!
As I stood there musing and failing to recall what it was, the Domestic lady Denise came through on her way to do the flat for me. A good time to tell her I would not be there, Hehe!
No signs of any recollection, so I had to ensure to catch the bus on time. I called at the Meridian office to tell them I will not be back for the 12:00hrs medications, and if they keep me in, I’ll let them know, or, when I return.
Caught the bus alright. I planned it all out – I should know better that I am capable of making arrangements that work.
Still, I did think at the time how clever I was to work out where to get off the bus, to make it far less distance for me to walk to the UCC building. However…
I misjudged the distance by about five bus stops, half a mile. I got off the bus, with the help of passengers at the bus stop’s help, and then I realised my . I did feel like a fool!

Hell of a trek to get to the traffic island. To make things worse, as I approached the bend in the road, there were pavements blocked off, road and pavement works and men spraying words of instruction for the location of telephone wires, gas, etc. Having to go on the roadway to get by was sometimes a little hairy. Little did I know what lay further ahead for me!

Bath Street was blocked off for traffic and pedestrians. So I had to rely on my memory, to work out another route to get to the Canal Street roundabout. From there, I could see the NHS building (I thought I would). Relying on my memory is not a good scenario nowadays! However, my attention to road safety deteriorated, as I came across some wildflowers at the end of another block of student flats being erected building site. The advertising hoarding said; Now being built – available in 2024, 1210 new student flats. Singles doubles and multiple occupation apartments. One to six students per residence or per flat?

Anyway, these flowers were beautiful. During my hobble, I stopped many times to look at nature’s plants forcing their way out through wasteland, cement, concrete and paving slabs, but these were special to me. Why? I’ll tell yers…
None of the other plants or flowers had bees or wasps near them; these red beauties were snided with them. The same happened with those near the bus depot, which had been demolished and even more student flats were being built there, and the waste area near the island site. I wonder why?

I accidentally took a snap of the shadow of my bulging torso and the trolley. I was about to try and take a photo of some beetle or other that lay there on the pavement, with people walking by, and seemed unconcerned? I took its picture.
On Thursday, I got more information about these, and why it was alive but not moving. .Carer Richard, always a font of knowledge, told me they were ‘May Beetles’. The males are born, (May to July) and set about breeding, but only once, then they settle down and die. And I complain about things.
The poor little beggars!

Lower Parliament Street
I had to corrs over to the right of this photo, as they are building more student flats. (Yes, I know!) Then when I got to the Nottingham Ice Centre. They were building more flats again, a massive block with no details available, and the old bus station has also been earmarked for new student flats.
I got to the point where I was sure I’d be able to see the NHS building – But No! The land was now a wasteland, and I could not see through to the building further in the plot.
I stopped a chap and explained that with all the roadworks near the London Road island, I could see barriers and limited asses, and wondered if there is another way in for pedestrians. The chap told me, “I’m not from here myself” However, he whipped out his mobile and did a search on something and found out that if I went to the left, first right and right again, I should come to the building I needed, casual mentioning to help me follow the route, that it was next to some student flats being built. I thanked him profusely and hobbled off with my 3-wheeled walker on the agreed route. I was longer than I thought it would be, by the time I got there, the feet and toes were well aching.

I wearily got inside, and up to the receptionist. Who, along with all the doctors, had student training with them. Logged in and sat down in one of the few unoccupied seats as instructed.
Within minutes, I was called to an assessment office, DR and student within. The chap in charge was pleasant. Took my details and told me to go back to a seat and someone from the surgeries would call me; it may be a two to three hours wait. No matter what I thought, I’ll do my crossword book… then I remembered what I’d forgotten to take with me! Tsk!

I was fighting not to fall asleep, because all the people called in while I was waiting, I hadn’t heard s single name they called out.
A female came after about an hour and a half, and when she I did my usual of tipping my head to point the better of ears at them. She smiled and took me through to a room with a doctor and a student inside.
The chap was also pleasant and went into detail about my ailments. falls, and the causes, which he assumed was the big fall I had last Friday. They gave me a prescription for some antibiotics, warning me that they will start working, but not on the pain for a day or two, as they are extra strong, and assured me they would start to ease things for me.

He got a wheelchair, and the student pushed me to the X-ray room for a check to see if any of the three brown toes had been broken. None had. I was student-pushed back in the wheelchair (catching my wound on the edge of a doorway) to the first room, and we had a few words, which for some reason I cannot recall or even guess at, now I’m typing this.

A contented Inchie makes his way to the chemist to have his prescription filled. Unaware of what will happen, en route!

At the end of the access road, it was blocked off to pedestrians where the new Student Flats are being built. So this meant a marathon diversion for him and Willie, his Three-Wheeled-Walker. Up London Road…Where the uneven-broken pavement nearly had Willie and Inchie over a couple of times.

To the traffic lights, over the road and down Station Street, which was ever taking him further away from his targeted Boot’s Chemist!
The old shopping centre was now demolished in Auf Weidersehen style. A walk through gay to the left of the picture led me through to where Woolworths once was, on Chapel Bar.
Every closed-down shop, and there are dozens of them, had several rough sleepers, asking for cash. I felt uncomfortable about this, as I know of some people who make a living doing this, then go home in the morning – one of them is sadly in my family! He makes a lot of dosh, even more now; he’d moved to London to do it and lives in a hotel or youth hostel when not scrounging. His baby face helps him, I think.

Maid Marion Way. More flats were being started for 500 being built! Next to one with 240 already built.
Down to the Slab Square, a once restful, peaceful, pleasant pacifistic, phlegmatic place, of contentment..
It’s not so busy nowadays, with all the murders, muggings, gang fights, Escooters, yobboes and closed shops.
Although the mortgage needed to use coffee shops still do a roaring trade. The unemployed use them a lot.
King Street, or is it Queen Street?
With the regulation, food delivery cyclist is driving up the one-way (Down) street. Traffic on Upper Parliament Street is busy.
I got up on Upper Parliament Street, feeling a tad drained. Made my way to the nearly bankrupt Victoria Centre, and the Boots Chemist shop appears when I got inside to be getting ready for closing when I got in. Big gaps on the shelves. Getting the prescription made up,. (It will save a carer having to fetch it, and as I was in town anyway.)

As I left the store, I thought I’d nip in the Poundland Store to see if they had some of the Worcester sauce chip thingies in stock. They did, but only two packets left, so I got them.
Over the road and to the number 40 bus stop.
To my delight, Carer Chris tapped my shoulder. He was on his way into work, and helped me on and off the bus, so that was nice and welcome. He also kept steadying me each time I was thrown around as the bus braked, went over speed humps or around corners. I told him about how well the visit to the NHS centre had gone. Tired, early, in pain, yes!
But feeling much better all around. For getting out again, and meeting someone I could talk to on the home trip. Nice!

Chris shot off to get to work. I poddled in and up to the flat.
I think the first thing I did was empty the catheter bag again, put the kettle on, and took one of the 4-a-day Antiseptic tablets. No, that’s not right, erm… antibiotic tablet.

Penicillin, it said on the box. Then decided that sleep would be a grand idea, so after the Carer calls, I’ll try to nod off until the 22:00hrs Carer calls to medicate and put the night pouch on for me… then enjoy some proper sleep. That’s the plan, anyway!

Then I took a close look at the inflammation on the ankle and toes, I was pleased, not with the pain, but the swelling going down already? Can’t be that quick? After one capsule? I may not be seeing so well, but I can check this photo in the morning.
Mind you, the good Doctor did tell me they would have no effect on the pain for 48 hours. So, no complaints, I have, after all, been doing some walking this week.
I bet it’ll be easier in the morning, or, tomorrow night.

Now, I’d better get a meal made up.

What a feast! Of course, with the hobbling most of the day, I suppose I’m going to be hungrier than normal?
Flavour Rating: 8.8/10.

I nodded of while trying to watch ‘Heartbeat’ yet again!
Woken by Carer Chris calling, around 22:00hrs.
He seemed as pleased as I was at the meeting up earlier.
He soon got the eye drops in. Then the medicationing. Followed by the eye drops were done.
As Chris was filling in the paperwork, he moved the curtain, and I saw the sunset. I mentioned that I would have liked to have photographed the lovely-looking sun on its way down, but was just too tired to. He grabbed the camera and took these shots from the balcony for me.
A nice wide shot.
Then a glorious close-up for me.
He then attached the night bag to ,
and said his farewells. Bless him!.

I later found this sign of Nottingham traffic chaos, up the road from the flat, on Mapperley Plains Woodborough Road.
.
Just thought you might like to know it’s not only where you live.
Hahaha!

Feet up – kip!

Whorra Day!