There were six visits today. All were Trotsky Terence mode. Messy!
Another mystery!
Morning views.
Food Delivery.
Noon view.
More visits…
Carer Chris.
Evening view.
Lots of computer problems again. I decided to give up and turned everything off, intending to get some food.
My plans were interrupted. As I turned on the light, the lightbulb gave a momentary flash and then died. It was getting dark, too. I got the step ladder. With my history of using this, I should have known better!.
Everything went quiet as I fell backwards off the steps and got entangled with the stepladder on the floor. Whether it was a mini-seizure or I knocked myself out, I’m not sure. Half an hour later (estimated), I became aware of where I was and the pain involved. I pressed my alarm wristlet button and had to move off my knees and onto my bottom. The pain from Cartilage Chloe & Caroles was, to say the least, excruciating. Of course, then I had the pleasure of Haemorrhoid Harold stinging and bleeding. The Nottingham City Homes lady acknowledged me. I told her my situation, and she called for an ambulance. I mentioned that the caregivers could be called, as I needed to get back up. She called them and said they had no one to respond but would get someone when the night shift started. She added that the ambulance would arrive once they had one free. Checked on me over the next hour or so, and I kept trying to get up, but without any luck. The lady said just stay where you are until the ambulance arrives. Which it did shortly. I was impressed with the two paramedics who attended. One took control, asking relevant questions, and then they used a quilt over my back and under my arms to haul me back up on my feet. They did a grand job. They even put the new lightbulb in for me after they arrived and confirmed I was okay. They also took my temperature and BP.
They even made me some sandwiches as they left ♥
Carer Chris arrived. He’d met the ambulance crew on his way up and their way down. He sorted out some medications and painkillers for me. Cleared some mess left from the ambulance visit.
I wasn’t in so much pain after the Codeines had done their job. My balance was a bit dodgy, and I had a series of mini-seizures when I tried to get to sleep. All was good otherwise!
I woke up, finding my disgustingly jelly-bellied body in the second-hand, £300, c1968, overwhelmingly sickening beige-coloured, tatty, uncomfortable, wobbly, germ-producing, falling to pieces, food residue collecting recliner. So, I didn’t make it to the bed, then. Then, I drifted off to sleep again. Waking once more at 03:50hrs. I think I started to muse over the doctor’s visit on Saturday and all the problems I’ve got to get over to get there… then drifted off into the land of nod. Waking up at 06:10hrs. I then went into semi-panic mode! Gotten-Himmel! I’ve got the Ocado order arriving between 06:00 & 07:00hrs! I fumbled out of the recliner and hastily removed the nocturnal catcher bag. Then, I sped… well, hobbled as quickly as I could to the wet room, for annoyingly, I needed a wash and freshen up, and even more botheringly, to use the Porcelain Throne. Just my luck, Trotsky Terence was back in control of the evacuation. Panic mode is stage 3 now. I was trying to get the things cleaned up to avoid missing the delivery, and I couldn’t hear the door chime in the wet room. No new pants were on, so I left the old ones on and got a fresh dressing gown. I stayed in the kitchen and hallway, got the waste bags, and ensured the return bags were handy. I took a snap of the view and checked the weather. I can hear the buzzer in there. There was no rain, but we had some more in the night. I know that because I nipped onto the balcony to check the mudslide situation in the car park. As I came back in, I confirmed that Doreen Dementia had me by the goolies. I realised that the time now was 05:45hrs!!! I’ll change the battery on the clock letter. Humph! Ten minutes later, the door chime chimed as the delivery arrived. The driver put the bags through the door for me. Asking if I was alright, Adding, You’re looking a little pale, mate; I thought I was doing okay given the panic modes, Trotsky Terence, dirty PPs on, and the lesion bleeding. Haha! I started unloading the bags. As you can some good stuff was delivered today. The cream cakes were not for me. No, really! Everything in this photo was, though. Yummy! Yellow tomatoes, Polish-cooked bacon, lemon mousse, yoghourt, and fresh garden peas—slurp! Boczek and classic bacon. They tasted so excellent!
The peas are Nigerian. I’m hoping things go well today so I can make a good nosh of small roast potatoes, some peas, and bacon before midnight. But it didn’t work out. I’ve had computer problems all day long. It’s already 21:25hrs, and I’m only up to here. To say all I’ve had come, the fridge didn’t look overfull. But it’s quality, not quantity. I’ve got plenty of bladder juice, mind you. I’ve got some cordial, a lemon and a lime for when I get sick of drinking plain water. I flavoured a bottle of Highland Spring water and put it in the cabinet near my knees when I’m on the computer. It has non-opening drawers and doors that have fallen off. It’s beginning to make worrying creaking noises, but when I remove the hearing aids, the noise disappears. I then got some of the mini-potatoes to roast later on. I’m sure I’ll get time before the early morning hours. Tsk! I cut out the cooking instructions and timing from the bag and left it on the tray with the potatoes. However, I fear it may result in me having a bag of crisps and falling asleep.
I spent hours changing things on the computer to save memory. When it started refusing to save graphics again, I used Ccleaner. Everything has to be turned off while it does a check and clean-up. This means every program I use after the scan needs to be signed into again! More time lost… but it got even better… the lousy luck, I mean! Excel does not allow me to save anything; the same goes for MS Word! So, I can’t do the Health Checks anymore; I mean, record them. Eventually, I could save again. Then CorelDraw Crashed! This time, a box came up for me to tell them what I was doing when it crashed. I told them uncertainly what I thought of their ‘miserably pathetic service I’m being charged for’. I offered them some advice, pointing out that I wish to leave, get out of the contract, and find a graphic package that may let me work and work itself! But they have never replied to the dozens of complaints I’ve made previously.
I’m going to have to cut things short. Here are my quick notes and the photos I have left. Carer Shaquille, then Carer Sam, and Carer Kara, who took a minute to search for and find the night bags that I’d assured her three Carers and I had searched for without any luck. She found them in minutes! She is good! CarerPromise did the last two calls. A JS’s order for next week was done. Photographicalisations of the changing sky views throughout the day. The sun came through for a while as if to just say ‘Hello’ to me. Hehe!
On his last call, Carer Promise medicated me and took off the diabetic socks for me.
I can’t continue for much longer. I’m tired and hungry. Making the planned meal will be complicated and time-consuming, but I hope it will also be delicious. I can hope. Haha! I asked Carer Promise not to put the nocturnal pouch on yet, as carrying it and the stick while cooking my meal would be awkward. He left it on the bed for me.
This snap is from this morning when I had my mug of Glengettie. No, it was Thompson’s Punjana tea and four dunked bikkies.
I’m going to start the cooking process now. I’ll try to read some comments while the potatoes are roasting. A flood of comments has come in, and I don’t want to miss replying to either of them.
CONTENTS: Roast Potatoes – Urgh! Garden Peas – Okay Red Onions – Good Tomatoes – Nice Boczek – Grrreat!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Well, I thought I was depressed a fair bit yesterday. The depression reached a new depth when I woke up at 05:10hrs. Not that I got much sleep, to gloominess and despondency. Getting out of the chair, which I had to kip in, the famous itch-creating, bruise-giving, catheter-tube-tugging, crumb-decorated from my nocturnal nibbling, God-awfully uncomfortable, cringingly grotty, no longer working, dirty beige, anti-sleep designed, c1966, second-hand bought for £300 ten years ago from the charity shop, recliner, due to the double day bagged catheter contraption that kept waking me up, making things bleed, and painful to boot! I was unaware, or mayhap, just not bothered about the pains from the cartilages, toothache or Arthur Itis as I got up onto my wobbly legs.
The problem that bothered me was where the nocturnal catheter pouches had disappeared. Carer Promise and I searched the flat last night for them without having any success. But my warped Congiscent Impairment Iris mind insisted before even taking off the double-hanging small day bags that I had hanging down to the floor and had caused Little Inchies fungal lesion to bleed to make another search for the night bags.
During the lengthy search, my mind wandered about many other problems. How do I get to the Doctor on Saturday if someone does not contact them to find out if I can have both injections on the same day? How do I get there? It’s probably too late to get a booking with Easy-Link anyway. The only alternative will be for me to walk there. The last time I tried to walk back from the surgery, I ended up in the hospital. Not that I could remember it, but I either fell over or collapsed on Mansfield Road near Winchester Street. Then, I went back to searching for the catheter bags. I searched the junk room and looked in the wet room. Taking off the catheter’s added day bag while in there. The hallway and then the kitchen. I went back to the front room, and the realisation that Little Inchie was bleeding came to my attention as the blood dropped on my bare feet. I was Gobsmacked when the door chime-chimed, and in came Carer Richard. I apologised for keeping him waiting as I cleaned up Little Inchy and put on some of the mendicant to stop the bleeding. I went through to the front room to see Carer Richard and apologised for keeping him waiting.
I knew this was the last job of his shift, and I didn’t want to delay him getting home. We managed a little natter after he’s done the medicals. As I have told every carer who called for the last week, I told him about my worries and lack of progress on the appointments, etc. He has this habit of just telling me what to do, which I know, but can’t do without help for the hearing on the phones and help with bookings to get a lift to and from all of the appointments in line and those that need making. This doctor’s appointment, and as Kara told a carer, the doctor does not arrange home visits for inoculations. Yet, two carers told me they had clients who were getting them. Perhaps only being handicapped mentally and physically, or I’m not old enough to get home visits, it might be best to die; that’ll please Starmer. It’d make his day, especially if, by some miracle, someone had shown him my political odes. Hehe!
After Richard departed, I did another long search for the catheter nocturnal bags, looking in the daftest places that had previously been unsearched.
Then, I had a wash and brush up and started the computer. But had to return to the wet room for a rear-end evacuation. This time it was ‘s turn to be in charge. Even more blood got rid of. Still, not much cleaning up to be done after the event.
Back to the computer, and what a shock! The door chime chimed. It was Carer Sam calling. I was still on a downer. How long had I spent searching for the pouches? I reckon it was four hours in total. And the blog had not even been started yet. I explained my problems to Carer Sam again. I mentioned how confused and worried about the doctor’s appointment, getting there and back, and now, the night Catheter Bag Mystery. She said she’d speak with the warden Deana, to see if she could help. I did mention that many carers tried to get the doctor for me, but they were all but on the waiting system, and the nearest to be answered, if I remember, was Carer Chloe, who was in position number 13! Both the others had a longer wait. None of them could afford to wait that long and had to give up. I assume that the appointment on Saturday is not going to be held. It’s going to be too late to book a lift, anyway. Most frustrating!
It pressed on with the blogging, but it was going so slowly. I kept stopping to take a photo of the rain now and then. First shots from the balcony.
Second go, from the kitchen window.
Next ones, back on the balcony.
Then, the kitchenette window again. I think I got up around 04:00 hours. And it’s now 18:00hrs, and the rain has not stopped!
Carer Christopher arrived, I think he’s fed up with my moaning. Fair enough, so am I!
It looks like Warden Deana came through for me again. ♥, as Carer Christopher arrived bearing a bag of Nocturnal Catheter Bags!
Time to get some food sorted out.
Jumping Jehoshaphat! What a fantastic-tasting nosh I made tonight! It was a simple fare: a tin of tomatoes, cheap bacon bits cooked in the oven, and boiled potato cut into cubes in a bowl. With Milk Roll slices bread, and a lemon & lime yoghourt to follow. Great! I’m in danger of cheering up here!
After washing the pots, I took a few snaps from the kitchenette window. The first one here gave out an aura of mystery for some unknown reason. The second one, well, this did confuse me greatly. Is that a planet in the sky? Indeed, is it not the moon at this time of night? A blotch on the lens of the camera? Just another of the Mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, ghosts, grotesque succubae, extraterrestrials, ectoplasms, spirits, or the Fata Morganas that have been sent to taunt, irritate and terminate my already limited saneness of mind, which is already busying away at losing its marbles & sanity? Just thought I’d mention it. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TTFNsk! Haveth a hell of a good day! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
It was scarcely credible, absurd, and preposterous that I woke up this morning in a spectacularly jovial mood! Despite a Toothache, Tiffany was giving me pain, and I had to reach for the toothache killer spray and give each of the offending teeth a squirt! I hit one of the molars with the end of the tube, and another chunk of it fell off. Also, had fallen off of the safety bar that was out of reach and needed retrieving. I found myself swinging the legs from the bed I was on top of, then getting a toe-stubbing and banging a knee against the overbed table that pissed-off … And the slipped and tugged at poor . A series of events that should have put me on a downer, swearing and feeling sorry for myself. But I seemed to accept all that had happened as part of my regular morning catastrophe-ridden life.I was temporarily the old me! I didn’t give a toss about things! I was singing to myself (not musically, but still) as I used the picker-upperer to get the stick, then took off the nocturnal catheter bag. I straightened the bedclothes and limped to empty the pouch. (A number six on the NHS colour Richter scale card) And (still singing Elvis’s songs, the bits I could remember the words to (I hummed the rest). I decided to have my morning allowance of one mug of tea early and put the kettle on. I then realised I was in such a chirpy mood and recognised that the pains for Cartilage Chloe and Little Inchie were still stinging, but it wasn’t bothering me. It might have been the weather that had lost its fog and mist after three days of it. The sun nearly got through later.
I combined the kitchen and front room bins into one and put them near the door to take to the chute later. When I returned to the kitchen, I found the tea had gone cold, so I refilled the kettle to try again. Getting the milk out of the fridge, I saw a pie with an out-of-sell-by date, so I checked everything in there. Oh, dear, I filled another bag with outdated items. Tsk! But even this didn’t phase me. I got a summoning to visit the So I did. A messier mess than I’d suffered for months!
Carer Sham called. We have a chinwag & a smile or two between us. ♥. The intercom sounded; it was the Asda order arriving. This made me realise that it was only 06:10 hrs. What flipping time did I get up feeling all perkily? I got the bags inside and started sorting things out. They had sent all the bread ordered, which was good, 3 small sliced milk roll loaves, and a bag of mini wholemeal rolls. Sorted the fresh stuff for the fridge. Some reet-treats here! Red spring onions, a tomato multi-type pack, 4 Lemon & Lime yoghourts, a lemon mousse, and two lemon curd yoghourts! Marmite-flavoured cheese, lamb patti, a BBQ-flavoured pork pie, and a cornish pastie to boot! I shall eat well tonight! I’ll have none of the meat, I’ve still got a lot of the Sokolow seasoned bacon to use, and I’m not going to waste it… I’m going to eat it! Hahaha! Oh, I forgot, I thought I’d made a mistake with the Asda order. The above medication arrived with it. Turned out it was a Freebie. Later on, Carers Sham and Sam said they’d ask if anyone was interested in having it.
Hristina (Polish, spoken as Christina), my favourite nurse, arrived, and my already well-reasonable level of contentment went through the roof. Of course, I love her. (I mustn’t get too excited but can’t help it). I can’t help that. But, being an enforced abstainer from the pleasures of coupling medically and many years too old, not to mention the catheter that ensured getting excited, is more than a rarity; it’s impossible, Humph!Now I’ve got myself all upset. Hristina’s visit was a joy, but she was in a rush. Still, we managed a natter and laughed while she took the blood. ♥
Carer Sam did the midday call. I explained to Sam the problem I’m having getting a lift to the doctor’s next week. I explained about getting my trousers on and not being able to use the bus or taxi due to the cartilages, ulcers, shakes, etc., as I have done to so many carers for months now. Sam said she’d ask Warden Deana to see if she could help me. See how hard it is to get help? Now, the frustration started to appear, and the downward spiral began! (Mind you, it’s been a different but grand start to the day) Lovely. Thanks, Sam.
I did the morning BP check rather late in the day, I know. At least the SYS was a lot lower. The pulse was the highest for ages, as was the temperature.
I found this photo on the on the SD card. I probably took it this morning. Memory? Me? Pass! Which reminded me that I’d not emptied the catheter in a while, so I did!
By gum, the sun nearly got through late afternoon.
Nice to have pretty clouds up in the sky to photographicalise again.
Hello, hello. The catheter bag needs emptying again, and I’ve not been drinking the water for a while, so I did.
Look at the time. I’ll give up on this blog. The medical call Carer will be here soon.
Oh, he’s just arrived, it’s Christopher. Medications issued, and off he trottted.
These were taken spread over an hour. Nice to see the sun.
Even only for a few minutes.
I’ll get some food prepped. I cooked smoked belly pork and beans. Two wholemeal rolls will follow. I added liquid smoke and some basil-flavoured passata to the pan. Delicious!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Inchy stirred and realised that the electric shocks from the ankle, Back-Pain-Belinda, and Dizzy Dennis had not paid him any visits overnight. He was impressed! The sore-lipped old chap staggered from his bed later to check if he had left a cooker or tap on. He had to divert to the Porcelain Throne, carrying his nocturnal catheter pouch and walking stick with him due to the possibility of not getting to the wet room in time. He did, but it was a close call! There were the usual apparent signs of his needing an urgent evacuation, including the gurgling from his innards, which he swears he could hear. And that was without his hearing aids! He sensed that the product was on its way before he opened the door, and to stop the flow, he had to sit on the plastic seat post-haste for a while to delay things. Messy, very messy! But what got to him was how much it hurt him. Good Heavens, it was almost liquid; how come that was painful? Ah, well! He cleaned everything up and went to the kitchen to check the taps, stove, fridge doors, etc., and get the kettle on. Inchy will take over now. Hehe!
Everything was okay in the kitchen. I did think it looked a little dark out there this morning. When I turned the light off for a better look, Boy, it was misty. I took some Kodak snaps of the view. The pictures came out much lighter than they looked to the naked eye. When I opened the window, I was in double shock. One was seeing myself in the mirror’s reflection and how pale I looked, and then I saw the clock. It was only 03:30hrs. So, I’d only be in bed for two hours. I’ll suffer later in the day but will try to stay awake. Tsk! It was drizzling outside, and a hazy mist lingered at ground level in the darkness. At that moment, I felt pretty perky. But that didn’t last for long!
Then I realised I’d left the nocturnal pouch in the wet room and had not emptied it as I thought I had. So, I emptied it. It did seem the logical thing to do. Not too bad a colour, but a few minutes later, when Carer Richard turned up, he said it was a five. Medications were given, and he checked the stock available. He could not ring the District Nurses about my shortage of Catheter bags cause it was too early, and he was on his last call with me.
I had a go at the blog after Richard had left, but I was soon getting all het-up again! CorelDraw was not saving anything with a new name. Oh, dear, now I’m sinking in spirit!
This soon became a Dracula Depression when the SD card reader started playing up. A CorelDraw message told me, “An IO fault was stopping CorelDraw from recognising the unknown file.” Of course, I had no idea what an IO fault meant. So I went on Google and asked. “It is usually a fault with a material connection, but it can mean anything else!” I see! Well, I didn’t really.
I gave up and started the ablutioning. Which went very well indeed. In fact, getting the diabetic night socks off was the most challenging part. No, no, it was the second most challenging part. I did the peripheries first, then the medications. Little Inchies Fungal Lesion was the most painful job. Second was getting the socks off. I stood in a bowl with some disinfectant and shower gel in hot water and started to get the shaving done. A body scrub, then the teeth were done. Rear-end Germolened, Folds of flesh acne & eczema ointmented. The nasal spray was sprayed, and eye drops were inserted and sprayed with the Mydriacyl®. The barrier cream was applied to the testicles, underarms and leg tops. Phorpain Gel is rubbed into the knees and cartilage areas on both legs. Olive oiled the earholes, and then I had a good clean-up of the wetroom… Mop , as I lost my balance and grabbed a hold of the nearest solid support available; the sink and the mop is now in two pieces.
I could not believe my rotten, never-ending, lousy luck, but it happened to me! However, up to this point, I still think today has been lucky for me. I try to explain my ailments and problems to people, and while I feel ignored, I can understand folks being disbelievers. I really can. I would not have believed myself thirty years ago. That doesn’t make sense, does it?
I’m back on the computer again. The graphic problems make it hard work, dispiriting, frustrating, and sometimes infuriatingly maddening.
Carer Chloe arrived. I meant to ask her to get the socks on my legs. It’s getting nippy in here now. The fog is still out there, and the odd fine shower is pouring down. But I also wanted Chloe to call and ring the District Nurses to order some more nappies… no, no… I mean catheter bags, nocturnal and short-leg-gay pouches. I’m on my last night bag tonight. I did ask someone last week who did their best but ran out of time, telling me she’d ring later and let me know. She might not be back at work yet. But I can’t run out of bags again… PLLLEASE!It could kill me. (Ah, I see now! Hehe!) Chloe is going to ask Warden Deana if she can help. Do you ever get that feeling that someone doesn’t like you? Fair enough, I’m ready. Well, peeved off! Hahaha!
INCHES BONUS ODES TO LIFE
The mist & rain doth fall, It looked almost anatomical, Needing rain is apodictical, But it’s unpredictable… Like Earth, it’s apocryphal, Is nature cerebral? Aren’t floods terrible? Nature, we must coddle… Humankind is daedal, Nature; extracorporeal, Life can be excrementitial… Driving us demential! What a load of doggerel!
LIFE when one gets DECREPIT
Today was more frustrating than any in the year, I wanted to be adopted: no one would volunteer, One grows grumblier, grumpier, grungier… Life gets klutzier, knottier, & crabbier, Life does not get cushier but eerier, Disabilities, we get weaker & wearier, Ever changing: long gone, it was simpler, No wonder we get nigglier, We don’t fit in; we feel lower, freakier. Never again to drop ’em. & sit on a photocopier!
A NEW HIGHEST TASTE RATED MEAL!
Three mini sliced wholemeal rolls slathered with butter, sliced tomatoes, and a sprinkle of sea salt, with some sliced, seasoned cooked Belly pork from Poland. Branston sauce in a pot to dip the food before it went heavenly into my mouth and gullet. Garden peas and potato pieces baked in the oven with a hint of liquid smoke flavouring, and vinegar and liquid sea salt added. I ate it deliberately and slowly, highly pleasing my taste buds. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Bye-Bye
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -. On the right here is an admirer of Mr Clough, ‘Cloughie’. It’s Inchy. Taken this morning… with him actually smiling! Yes! Well, very nearly, anyway. That’s a rarity to be seen nowadays for the old fart to be doing. I imagine the old man was either high on drugs or Dementia Doreen was toying with him. Either way, the poor sod did not know how the day was going to go, obviously. Had his EQ or Alto Ego Inchie warned him, there would have been no smile on his face! He may well have been spitting blood & crying, too. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I didn’t get around to this blog until 17:20hrs. I could do with some magic powers… I’ve lost hours and hours... Not though my fault; it angers! I’m sick of the bad-luck adducers, Still, I suppose it will get worse… How can I free myself from this curse? A plea for help is this verse!
Or at least see another nurse…
A short one today, on & on, he bleaters! Hehehe!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A little lighter today?
The most frustrating evacuation of the week! Sheer agony, as the moulded-together clumps of product crept out so painfully slowly. I felt sure something was going to get ruptured during this session. The Germoloid cream was clearly visible in the almost black escaped mass. I stayed seated for a while, letting the pain ease, which it did in a couple of minutes. Then, I firmly grabbed the grab bars to raise myself from the WC. My hand caught the pink spray bottle of foam cleaner on the rail. I sprayed myself, the porcelain, the cabinet and the floor as I had a kerfuffle in trying to stop it from falling on the floor and bursting open. As I stood there weighing up my lousy luck and how best to clean it and my rear end up. I got a short bolt from , followed within seconds by a few . Never had two so close before, so I was not ready for the second one. It was only for a few seconds; it was as if I’d blinked and woken to find the pink spray bottle lying on the floor and leaking! Not a good start to the day! Then again, I should be used to them by now! But for some reason, I was riled by this Accifauxpas. Even more rileder after all that bending down had got kicking-off.
I decided that an early mug of tea might lessen my woes, so I went to the kitchen and thought I’d take a snap of the dank, misty morning. I stayed that way all day. However, I took this unintentional picture of the window ledge first. Clever that, how I didn’t realise. Ha-ha! Then I moved into position, hanging out of the window to take the morning view. Getting back in, I very nearly swore!! I stubbed my ingrowing toenail toe under the heater. It still hurts!
Carer Maryham arrived and tried to ring the Community Nurses to order more day and night bags for me. But I’d given her the wrong number. She’d run out of time then, so she had to scoot off. She said she would ring them later and let me know how it went. I haven’t heard anything. She may be doing it tomorrow because I did tell her I had some left to use, but I’d like to keep the stocks up now that Kara is not calling. That was good of her.♥ She noticed me holding my arm and looked at it, taking a photo of it. More about that later.
Carer Joanne came later with the medications that had been ordered. She was in a rush, but I remembered to ask her how her visit to the urology unit went. She’s still waiting for the results from Tuesday. Nice gal. ♥
I got back to the blog work. There was a massive cock-up, which began then! I was doing what I had been doing: posting pictures taken with the camera, sized, and titivated on CorelDraw to the WordPress blog. I’d done about four of them, and on the fifth, they were disappearing. I got them in the file, but they did not appear on WordPress. At first, I was not too bothered, as I recalled last week, forgetting to convert them to JPG. So, I went back to CorelDraw to make sure… While checking on the graphics… The screen filled with so many messages about the computer being short of memory came up on the screen. The depression was instant! I then spent four hours trying to clear stuff, but after my last two manual clear-ups, when I lost hundreds of files I needed for the blog, I was nervous about doing it again. I supposed they were triggered by the tension I felt. I couldn’t continue with the manual clear-out. After each seizure, I was lost, confused as to what I was up to or had already done. Then CorelDraw froze on me. Sister Jane rang me; it seemed that the Carers had called her to tell her about the whatever it is red spots on my swollen right arm. I said it was nothing and I’d put cream on it, and it is hardly noticeable now. Then she told me I was eating far too much! I’m happy she rang me all the same. Hehehe! We had a natter, and Jane told me how things were at her end, which I enjoyed.
Then it was back to the computer problem, which caused more time loss. Ultimately, I had to pay for a CCleaner for the computer, which required another hour of downloading and installing! There was no financial help. I can’t even get on the bank’s site on my own.
By now, the day was coming to an end!. But after running it, CorelDraw started working again! Hurrah! So, I was making a start on this blog at long last, and Carer Christopher arrived. He pointed out that I had no diabetic socks on. He was right; I’d forgotten to ask Maryham and Joanne to get them on. Tsk! Another fine day! It’s too late for me to bother now.
I’m going to get the oven on. I’ve been at the problem sorting for too long. I’ve missed both Heartbeat episodes on TV. I just found out the day catheter bag was like carrying a football bladder on my leg, and I emptied it hastily. I will now turn on the oven to make some chips to go with bacon sandwiches. I hope Jane doesn’t read this. Har-har! I hope to be back to catch up in the morning.
Well, that didn’t happen! I slept for about seven hours when Carer Chris woke me up. I’ll explain if I ever get a blog done tomorrow. I’m finishing this because of whatever it was that made me; I just could not get out of bed for hours and hours! About 12:00hrs. It’s Saturday now, 15:00hrs and I’ve only just got up to start to finish this blog, let alone make a start on tomorrow’s WordPress blog. Back to Friday…
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – After a wonderful night’s sleep of about an hour, the Fire Alarm went off. Oh, I am a fool. I’ve already written about the alarm in yesterday’s blog. At the time of starting this writing (15:20 hrs), I’ve already dealt with some of the expected visitors. And must now find the stamina and desire to continue until the last callers arrives. Only the cardiac murmur nurses left to arrive. Then maybe, I think, the TV Bailiffs may come. ‘At any hour of any day’, as they put it in their letter. Mind you, I also forgot about Window Cleaner Joe coming today. Talk about being confused… well, you weren’t, but I was. Haha!
I had so many people calling and ringing up throughout the day. I think Concentration Conrad enjoyed it.
I’ll have to do another quick job. I don’t know when the Nurses will arrive, so I’ll get on with the photos. I fang You!
The urine was not so dark, but then again, I got woken up by the alarm, and I ferreted around each room to find the cause. So it was like a morning exercise for me. No luck—HAHAHA! No luck, as if I needed to tell you that!
Got the ablutions tended to. No chance of getting back to sleep… sleep? Sleep? Oh, yes, I remember it now.
Oh! Nothing has moved all day yet.
Then Window Cleaner Joe arrived. I opened the door, and the moment I saw him, I remembered that he was due today. Tsk!
Carer Christopher arrived. It got me medicated, and the diabetic sock is on for me. I told him of my struggle last night to get the lid off the beetroot jar. Carer Israel called, and he took of the cap without any bother. I can remember the times when everyone would bring such problems to me to solve. Things change.
I started working on yesterday’s blog update, which I was still working on hours later when Carer Kimberley visited. I asked her if she could call the nurses to order more day and night catheter bags, impressing the short-leg version, and ask for some of the muslin pouches if available. I gave her the wrong number; Kara used to sort everything out. Kimberley, but no one has told her, and I couldn’t advise her. They told her to ring a number. But she didn’t have time. I thought she was doing the Health & Bank (Not that she can, until Kara swaps the names with the bank). Kimberley said she’d ring them later. Thank you, gal.
I’m back on the blog, but with all the Catheter and Bank problems, along with worrying about the nurses and the TV License team calling, concentration was minimal.
The Deep Vein Thrombosis nurse came next; she was in and out quickly, taking my best pen with her! Took blood and my pen! Hehehe!
Then, the Iceland order arrived. Four items were substituted. One of them was the mini-plum top mates. They’d substituted a pack of four heavy, underripe tomatoes bigger than golfballs. They were that heavy, which indicates little juice but plenty of flesh… I took care not to drop any when putting them away. They would probably break a toe if they landed on my foot. Good job. I’ll get a drill and hacksaw. (Sarcasm) I did get ready and microwaveable beef meals in rich stout gravy. I’m having one tonight if I ever get the unstarted blog done. Head spinning, I sorted the other stuff out. After jiggling the products to make room for them, I got the bread into the freezer.
The Cardiac Nurses arrived. I greeted them with a smile and Good evening. They got me on the bed, stripped my top half, and set up the worryingly technical-looking scanner system. It only took about 40 minutes, and it was all done. I had to keep silent and not move during the process. Me! Not talk or move for all that time! shook a bit, and they had to start again. I may have sulked a little when they told me off for moving. Haha!
The print-out must have been 6ft long on the machine. The nurse with the lovely stubby legs said they do not do analysis; that’s done at the hospital. I will get the results tomorrow. They were kind enough to take a nibble and drinkie. I love to thank them that bit special.
1710:hrs: I’m on with the blogging up to here. But I need food and, even more importantly now, sleep.
Carer Chris kindly didn’t disturb me too much during his last call. He took the socks off, and no medications were needed. I think we had a little natter.
Forced myself to get up and get the belated nosh sorted out.
I did better with the earlier sunset photo, though.
Finally, I got onto the bed for a glorious uninterrupted 7 hours of blissful sleep! Waking up was the problem. Hehe!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I got two in twenty minutes. Swim & pool.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – After a three-day test of my IQ & EQ, if I passed, I would be permitted to apply for an interview with UPS at their first opening in the UK at Sandiacre. Each failed testee (one of whom was me) was spoken to and given advice on their best job opportunities elsewhere, which they thought would suit us each. I was the last one to be called into the office. Three men sat at a desk and informed me that my rest results over the three days revealed that I had the lowest IQ ever recorded by any UPS applicant, and they have been doing this method of applicant sorting all over the world for 35 years. The directors of UPS were in the building and asked me if you would mind them having a talk with you? Naturally, I was confused, but I agreed. In walked two men with deep southern American accents and shook my hand? What’s going on here? I said to myself. It didn’t take long to find out, and I was amazed at the same time. The top dog man proclaimed that my EQ was the highest they had ever encountered in the USA and Europe! They handed me the advice print-out sheets, and as they confused me more with their questions, I bluffed my way through the answers, and off they went. Then the English chaps went through the advice with me. The job they recommended to suit my skills (more like lack of) was in the Police Force! Considering that it was donkeys years ago when Nottingham Constabulary would not entertain anyone under 6 feet joining them, how the men hadn’t noticed I was only 5’3″ tall baffled me even further.But a new urgent task took over, and I thanked them and departed. I went to the roof car park, got in my Skoda Estelle, drove home, got in, and got onto my computer to look up what EQ was. My lack of education caught up with me! I wandered off of the subject there, sorry!
I’d fallen asleep last night in 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, itch-encouraging, incommodious, Haemorrhoid Harold testing, catheter tube yanking, recliner. The nocturnal catheter bag was removed, and I was shocked at the darkness of the urine again. There were little bits of something in the bag, like dried mint or oregano. (The district nurse rang up later to say that the Warfarin DVT blood test showed a deficiency. No idea what it was of. But they would call between 09:00> and 11:00hrs in the morning to take another blood sample from me for urgent testing.) This means that in the morning, I’ll have even less time to complete the blog. It’s 20:00 hrs now, and this is as far as I am with the blog! There is no chance of finishing even this one, let alone starting on tomorrow’s blog!
Why? I’ll tell yers! 1️⃣ Tomorrow, I have a food delivery arriving. A Cardiac nurse or nurses are coming to inspect the mechanical aorta valve in my chest. The community nurse or nurses will come to get another blood sample to test for the deficiency. Someone from the bank will be telephoning me between 10>13:00hrs. 5️⃣ Worst of all, the TV Licensing Enforcement wallahs are coming at an undeclared time of the day about prosecuting me, and no doubt threaten me with the £1000 fine! How can I get anything done? From now on, I will have to put snaps with comments on them. Sorry. Oh, Bother! Carer Kimberley said someone may be coming to see me tomorrow. Unbelievable! Another painful visit.
Shots from the balcony. Or was it the kitchen?
Waste bags sorted.
Carers Shaquille, Marie, Kimberly, and Israel served me this wonderful Wednesday. It wasn’t, but you can bet it will appear so compared to tomorrow’s football match. I may actually end up with 10 people here at the same time. Hahaha! Scary!
No wash, got on the computer to catch up. But, of course, I just get further behind.
I dropped a handful of paper towels, bent down to retrieve them, and Dizzy Dennis gave me a turn. I didn’t hit the deck because I was lucky enough to clout my head on the heater. Now the new spectacle frame has an arm loose. Fed Up? Me? YES!
Back on the computer between the Carers calls.
I’m not pleased with this week’s health check figures!
Two unknown what or why photos were taken today. It beats me! Then, most things do.
I did it again! Put the wrong cream on the wrong ailment. ARRGH!
Must make summat to eat now. I may be back, but with my luck, you never know! Haha!.
I wonder if I’ll ever get time to blog again and onto the WordPress Reader? I can’t believe so many visitors will call on the same day, and then there are the Caregivers to squash in.
Oh, cobblers! In fact… Oh, Cobblers! I can’t get owt to eat, and the Amazon batteries for the keyboard haven’t arrived yet! It’s dark and late, and I’m wee’d off with life’s waywardnesses and difficulties. Still, Chin-up! I suppose!
Took this snap.
Stayed up until 02:00hrs to get this far on the blog.
Then, I made a meal. Tasty! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – (Carer Israel came earlier) Got in the bed and went into the bliss of sleep. No Thought Storming-Steve, no shocks, no tingles, just sweet peace… For an hour! Then…
Frit me, that did! About 04:00hrs. I had no option other than to clamber hastily out of bed and hobble around in case of a fire. It was this flat’s alarm, so I looked around everywhere. At one point, the long nocturnal catheter and tube got stuck as I meandered around the flat. Poor Little Inchie took the brunt of the pain as the tube jerked. That was the end of my night’s (Hour-long) sleep. I stayed up and did my ablutions. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A totally different day today. Many ailments went on strike. But not Back-Pain-Brenda, Balance-Bending-Belinda, or Dizzy Dennis. These three made the day as bad as the others with their persistence and Inchy-hating habits!
The night bag of urine was terribly dark again. The BP was an astonishing 159/75!
As I was taking this pathetic shot of the view… My innards gave out a blast like I’ve never known before. I felt sure that a wet, messy evacuation was due.
I was so wrong! I squatted for what seemed to me an hour, trying to get the evacuation to start. Painfully, too! Nothing!
Started on the blog catching up. Went to make a brew, and I tried again to take a shot… Ah, This one was better.
Carer Richard arrived; he was back on the crutch again. He sorted and issued the medications and then checked on the medication stocks.
Blog progress was plodding.
Carer Chloe came. She helped me with the Liberty-Global fibre TV, which I could not get to come on. ‘No Signal’ messages each time I tried. She pointed out what needed doing and wrote it down for tonight. Thanks, Chloe!
My second windy blast extruded from the rear end… I made my way to the Porcelain Throne again. I spent a day or two doing my best, but no action! Gave up again! Had a wash & shave and readjusted the day pouch’s bag. I went into a Smug Mode momentarily. Just look at that on the left. No shaking, no fizzes when I bent down… Incredible as this was, I considered the possibility that I’d snuffed it without realising. Hehehe!
I went back to the computer and used CorelDraw. I got a call from Sister Jane, which was lovely. When I returned to the computer an hour later, Dizzy Dennis was back, joined by Back-Pain-Brenda, and misery overcame me. No depression. I took a painkiller as Brenda was vicious with it now, and as I took the Codeine, Toothache Tiffany put her oar into the equation. Luckily, I had a new pot of the £599.00 per 100 ml Toothache pain relief spray. I didn’t spare any. A good spray was applied to all the offending teeth, and after 15 minutes, the pain lessened to a capable level.
When emptying the catheter day pouch again, the colour concerned me somewhat. As a rule, by midday, the shade gets lighter, but not today.
I wondered, well, hobbled into the balcony for a look around. It was not raining then, yet a little mudslide appeared at the end of the car park.
I took a snap straight ahead. I thought I heard the door chime. No one came in, so I grabbed Metal Mickey, the four-pronged walking stick, and approached the front door. Nobody was there, so I returned to the front room… I discovered that in my haste to get to the door, in case it might have been the TV licencing bullies at the door, I’d knocked over a bottle of partially drunk soda water. The cap had dislodged, and I had a mini-lake sinking into the carpet! Now, the depression started! I thought the day had started too well for me. I cursed a little as I dried the carpet as best I could. Another hour of the day lost. Harrumph!
The sun came out momentarily. I grabbed the Kodak, went into the kitchenette, and took what I thought would be a decent photograph of the Sun. As you can see, I got it wrong again! This new Kodak doesn’t like the sun ashing at it. I can’t find a red-spot reduction option to turn on anywhere in the camera.
Carer Promise arrived. I was looking at clocks with a date, time, and day showing on them when Precious called. I’d just found one that ran on batteries. He said he could set it up for me when he called again. Thanks, mate! So, I ordered one from Amazon.
I took a break from getting nowhere fast with this blog and took this snap of the left balcony window. It’s not too bad this time.
I looked up what to expect from the enforcement officer’s arrival. This is what I found out. I tried to make a funny graphic as a header for a laugh.
Carer Promise did his last call. He’s off for a few days now. A nice lad.
22:00hrs: Worn out, hoping Toothache Tiffany leaves me alone. I’m going to get summat to eat now.
A cold, no-cooking meal for Inchy tonight. Vinegar crisps, beetroot, tomatoes, onions, pork loin sarnies with ultra-tasty No-Butter butter.
