– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –. 05:00 hrs: Sadly, after four hours of reasonably unbroken sleep, I awoke. After getting up accident-free, I went to the wet room. Oh, smug me! But it was rather messy, nowhere near as bad as it was yesterday. Difficult getting things to go down the WC. Having to flush the tank, times three! Emptied the nocturnal catheter. It had bits, sort of fluffy within. Took a snap of it here. I couldn’t help but think it looked like Irish Stew to me? How the hell did I get that lot through the Catheter tube and into the bag? Must be parts of the prostate that the Finasteride tablets have been supposedly breaking up, with a view to my being able to manually wee-wee. The specialist at the Nuffield Hospital told me he’ll recommend to your (me) Doctor that she try you (me) on Finasteride tablets for 3 months, explaining that it will break up your prostate each month. they will remove the whole thing and see if you can pass water. Otherwise it will mean a permanent catheter being fitted. That was a year & 3 months ago, and I’m still taking them. They’ve only twice done the ‘monthly removal’ to see if I can wee again. Now, lumps of fluffy matter are coming out. No wonder I’ve been in such pain with it. I did a quick wash and the teeth, aghast at how my face looked. My lips were bleeding, my nose was bleeding, and Little Inchy and Harold Haemorrhoid were too! There was blood that had fallen on my chest as well. Had I fallen while in seizure mode? I cleaned up what I could and sorted the waste bags. Then, a smidge puzzled, I got on the computer. As I was booting it up, blood came out through my lips. The teeth were bleeding as well! I pressed on and didn’t feel as if things were real. I actually thought I must have dreamt about the blood. Anyway I carried on with a certain conviction… that’s not the right word. I’ve no idea what this photo on the left was about at all. Then I found this one next in line on the Kodak Tim SD card. I did recall this one; I took it hours ago when I was starting the computer and decided to try and bet a reflection snap. I can see the blood coming from the nose again, I think. Carer Kimberly arrived; it’s always nice to see her. She was nonplussed about the blood, which I’d wiped off, but then she told me what the problem was. THE RED-EYE WAS BACK! She took this photo of it for me. Still, it’s not as bad as last time. But the vision is not good; it got worse as the day went on. So, I may have to miss some blogs if it goes on like this. I stopped and took a few pictures. I’m afraid I’m not feeling so good now as I did earlier on. Lovely little puffer clouds. Teatime Carer came. What happened to the day? It’s got to be mind blanks or seizures, surely. I thought yesterday was bad, but I’ve lost today already. Hehe! The nose keeps bleeding, as does Little Inchy’s Fungal Lesion. Maybe I did take a tumble earlier? Well, I’m all over the place mentally. I’ll get something to eat, then wait for the night carer and get my head down in the bed. I know something has happened, but what?
Carer Richars came. He was not looking very well at all, and he said the same about me. Hehehe! I gave him some cold drinks from the fridge. I climbed into the bed after Richard had attached the nocturnal catheter bag, and he’d taken off the diabetic socks and departed. And I had a long sleep, for me anyway, of over six hours, blissfully uninterrupted rest. There were no electric shocks from either ankle. That or I did have some, but they did not wake me up. But felt awful when I woke up. Why? Having just had my longest sleep this year?
TTFNski
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There are times, quite frequently lately, that I don’t want to struggle anymore with problems… well, anything. Which, of course, is an impossibility to achieve. At my age, my mental and physical condition is a smidge on the slope to depths of unmanageability. With Carer Kara about to be off for two weeks, my problem-solving inabilities will no doubt get further behind; the memory devolves into “Sod-It-Mode”, “Self-pity”, and “Confounding-Confusionability” are already at the limit I can cope with at the moment. Now, this morning, as writing, the have started again; below the knee, lumps are getting bigger and thickened for the first time ever. And started failing, in the fashion of, currently not too bad & . Just three times up to now, but on one occasion, when I was in the kitchen, it could have had me over. But for my razor-sharp reactions and cunning anti-fall skills… Alright, I was standing at the sink when it kicked off. I grabbed the edge of the sink and knocked over some plates and cutlery as I fell forward onto the draining board, having missed my grip. First Carer Shaquille. Then, I got on with the blogging. Carer Kara arrived. She checked the finances for me. She opened a British Gas Email to try and make sense of it, which I couldn’t. Then, she addressed the Demand for a Meter Reading from me. She went with me to the housing in the lobby outside the door and found that according to the meter, I was on five different rates for electricity! None of them produced a five-digit reading, which BG was asking me to fill in on their website. We were baffled by this! Kara said she’d asked the wardens if they could help. I’m not hopeful. Then again, I’ve been bereft of hope ever since having the stroke. And still, no one wants to Adopt a Grandad. Hehehe!
I woke around 0215hrs due to the ankle ulcer and electric shocks and decided to get up, as sleep was not an option as the shocks became persistent.
I made a mess of the first attempt to snap the nocturnal pouch. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but the second one seemed to come out a lot better.
Even worse than yesterday!
Rubbish bag to the doorway.
Interesting shot through the balcony door. I’ve forgotten why it was interesting now. Tsk!
First of the day pouch emptying session Bits in the urine and bubbles. Erm?
End car park later on.
A late afternoon balcony shot.
Early evening skies.
A beauty to these, I thought.
Hello, back to the Porcelain Throns. Trotsky was well in command.
Did as described earlier. It helped me settle down on the electricity billing. Not only that, she worked out how I could get the publications linked to Linkedin! I was completely lost on how to do it! Bless her! I’ll miss her when she’s on holiday, by the way I will.
I missed this one, so I loaded it out of sync. Of course, that is nothing remarkable to me, as you know. My favourite Puffer Clouds soon disappeared as the low outer clouds fell. Or had I loaded one from another day? I am not sure why I put this in. However, I also found this one below.
So, I assume the sunshine sneaking through indicates they were taken together. I’m waffling on here! As the sun passed, these may have been taken early in the morning. Or not. I’m struggling with things today, although I’m doing better with blogging. I thought! Until I spotted the new Grammarly telling me, it had 27 Review suggestions for me. I’d better get them done then. Huh! That took me ages to get sorted.
♥ Nurse Hristina Arrived ♥
Coming from the Deep Vein Thrombosis, Wafarin, INR level, and Anticoagulation blood-taking clinic session. Such a lovely lady. Always a pleasure when she calls.
The intercom rang, and it was an Asda delivery, I thought I’d ordered this for next week? Never mind; the J Sainsbury one must be coming next week. I asked the driver to put the light things into a box so that I could carry them to the kitchen, which he kindly did. I then moved them from the doorway to the kitchen. By the time I lugged the bags and box into the kitchen, I was ringing with sweat and breathing heavily. As I just got them into the kitchen, Carer Israel arrived, full of beans and feeling perky. He sorted the medications out for me and took some nibbles as a treat. I gave him a can of grapefruit drink from the fridge, which would cool him down a smidge later. Hehe! Then I got back to sorting the delivery out. Getting the things in the fridge and freezer called for some jiggling about a bit. The fridge loading was easier than the fridge was. In fact, there was still some room in it when I’d finished. Plenty of drinkies in there for the carers to have in this warm weather. On the other hand, some fodder had to be removed and dished out of the freezer to make room for the newly delivered items. It’s chocker-full now! Damned good job that I ordered J Sainsbury’s order for next week and not this. Else I’d had another load of food to store away! Hehe!
I pressed on with the blogging.
Found this mystery photo on the SD card on Thursday morning. Looks like an accidental snap to me. Why, when, I’ve no idea! Where? Balcony curtains? More blotches than ever in this first evening cloud shot. I got the last of the lens cleaner out and tried to clear it again, but it doesn’t seem to work. The blotches are still there in the second photo I took. I’ll have to see if there is any other cleaner I can buy and try. I’m not too hopeful. I made a meal – a simple bowl for a simple man. Hehe! But it tasted fantastic. I still can’t believe these no-meat vegan sausages taste so good, but they certainly do. I cooked the sausages in the oven at 190° for 25 minutes. I added them to the can of tomatoes in the saucepan but forgot to add some salt. Yet the feast tasted so nice. I used Milk Roll bread to put each sausage in and dip it in the tomatoes. Bootifully Satisfying!
I fell asleep watching the Heartbeat episode on Virgin Media, which conned me into buying a new, expensive TV package. Night Carer Israel came and woke me up. (What’s happening? Have I died? What day and time is it? Hehehe!) and took my diabetic socks off. Israel attached the nocturnal catheter bag to the day bag, treated to nibbles and a drinkie, and off he went. Looking forward to his own bed. Thank you.
Minutes later, I needed to use the. Twice in one day! And what a controlled evacuation it was! I started quickly and kept flowing and splattering for ages! A lot of cleaning up was required. Which, I’m sure you’ll appreciate, was a little painful and messy, with me carrying the attached to the day bag nocturnal night bag by the tube and trying not to get it tangled up with , or the tube trapped against anything. After finishing the cleaning, I decided to check everywhere for safety, taps (faucets) in the kitchen, fridge & freezer doors, and the stove being left on. Seeing the view, I fetched and took photos of the evening view. The fanged blotches were still showing on the snaps. Humph! So much for cleaning the lens again. A fat lot of good that did for me! Tsk!
. Naturally, a man of my intelligence, know-how, keen, alert, spot-on eyesight, educated, mathematician-like operational brain and investigative skills… I got three of them in ten minutes.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Although Putin is threatening, The West doesn’t seem to be fussing, The danger they’re not appreciating, What’s this attitude accomplishing? Is their ploy not to do anything? Is NATO not amalgamating? With WW3 approaching, Will NATO end up acquiescing? I find the whole situation depressing, The last thing I see might be Earth’s atomising?
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – MORE MURDER – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I spent so long trying and failing to get CorelDraw set up how I wanted it to be. I spent 11 hours between interruptions, Throne Visits, Mind-Blanks, and a Seizure, stopping the blood flowing from Little Inchie and nearly two hours getting the ablutions done & sorting out the Catheter Pouch. Little else got done. Carer Joanne saved the day when the Liberty-Global Virgin fibre TV stopped working. I put it on early in the day to watch the news, but a flashing red light on the TV and a blank light on the box told me something was wrong, but of course, I hadn’t the vaguest idea what was causing it. I still don’t, but saviour Joanne got it going again. What a gal! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Well, darker this morning!
Jolly unpleasant, but no bleeding.
Ankle ulcer flaring up a smidge.
The hand burn has now lost all its scabs. No pain at all. The ablutioning took me close to two hours – and that was without shaving! Getting medicated took a lot longer than usual. The barrier creaming had a farcical element to it. I couldn’t get the cap off of the tube, and I spent an unusually long time trying to. I dried my hands and tried again. That didn’t work, so I got a resin flannel for a better grip and tried again. That didn’t work. So, I got the dangerous job of getting the fresh Protection Pants on and will try the Barrier Cream cap-removing again later. How to describe the performance of getting these pants on is an opportunity for a little humour, I think. The picture that might help you glean the situation is that of a two-legged, wobbly, overweight elephant with arthritis and cartilage pains in both legs. Neither knee wanted to lift or bend painlessly, trying to get into the pants. At one stage, lifting the right leg to get it in the PPs, and I had a bad-timed involuntary kick-off. I then and tore the Protection Pants as I wobbled about, trying to keep my balance. Which, luckily, I did. During this altercation, I also knocked the pot with the Barrier, Germoloid and Daktacort creams in it onto the floor. With the aid of a small plastic picker-upperer, I got the torn PPs off and started the procedure again with new ones. Apart from being painful, all went reasonably well. I Phorpain gelled the knees. Got the catheter refitted, just the pouch to go on when the Carer arrives. Then, I returned to the infamous Barrier Cream’s unmovable cap problem. And Blow me down with a feather duster, the tube’s cap opened easily! So, in future, should the same thing happen, I’ll just try dancing about, stubbing my toe, and throwing the Barrier Cream tube on the floor to solve the issue? Hahaha! I felt like getting back into bed!
I took a shot of the morning view. It was well-lit by the time I got out of the wet room. There is a blotch on the photo again. I can’t understand why these appear at times and not at others. Mind you, it’s not surprising; there is an awful lot I don’t understand or grasp nowadays. Anything new after the Stroke is not retainable in the grey cells-well, anywhere, really. The nose marks from the spectacles were prominent this morning. , or began as soon as I started trying to sort out the new CorelDraw layout and options. My memory has lost so many things today, yet the early morning mayhem in the wet room came to me distinctly? I do know that the New version crashed twice yesterday after I’d changed some options. And I’ve lost many fonts that the program has substituted with ones that are nothing like the original ones? A bit like ordering food online, which I have to do. I’ve had some amazing substitutions. The best (or worst) was from J Sainsbury. I’d ordered some cherryade. That was substituted with a tin of Cherry Blossom black shoe polish! A close second was From Asda. I’d ordered frozen lamb & mutton burgers and got a bag of frozen chips in place for them! I thought I’d turn the TV on for the news. (Details under the date above) Carer Chris came to raid the nibbles and drink treats. Haha! He reminded me about the Vitamin B12, and got the diabetic socks fitted for me. He also took the laundry down for me with him as he left. The problem with the fonts was discovered. I’ve been bold enough yet to try risking changing them again, as last time I did, CorelDraw froze on me. What to do? A few shots of the sky were taken. I think I’ve got them in order of their taking. Not much else is pictured, as KI was constantly working on changing the CorelDraw options all day and didn’t get around to this blog until Sunday.
These two must have been the first Kodak Tim snaps taken. Early in the day they must have been photographed, I assume so anyway. I think there were a lot of distant contrails in these two pictures. I had to zoom in on CorelDraw to see them. Cataract Katie and Glaucoma Gladys, are why.
My much-missed walking through everyday tree copse. I can still recall the aroma as I walked through it. Nowadays, I can’t even walk up the gravel path. A sadness lingers over this. You wouldn’t believe the pleasure I got walking through the copse. The insects, birds, squirrels, rats and I’d stop for a chinwag to each one every morning. Took the one on the right, and remember taking these two. The end car park area. I wonder how long it will be until the trees cover it completely? Massive Memory Blanks. Until I went to make a snack, I didn’t feel the need for a proper meal. This could have something to do with my eating loads of sugar snap peas, I think. I can’t resist the tasty little crisps, but not hard things. I intend to stop eating them when these ones I’ve got are finished; I’m determined to, definitely!
So I had a quick-to-prepare, unhealthy, naughty, but very small, mini-feast of flavour. A delightful dollop of tastiness and a little guilt with it. I’m eating some flavoured potato chips from a packet, along with a full packet of the indulgent, irresistible DJ&A Snap Pea crisps and roasted peas. I also ate a tiny pot of mandarins in orange jelly. Oh, and a vegan cheese and onion pasty. Slurp, licklickingly good! But the guilt tinged it a bit.
Erm? What’s with the top corner bit top circle?
I got my head down after filling the Carers pockets with nibbles. Wanting to stay awake to take photos of tonight’s anticipated Aurora Borealis Storm. But it didn’t work out… Zzz!
Someone sent me this photo of it though, via email. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
I hope you will all get a chance to see the display for real!
Up at 05:50hrs: The wee-wee in the nocturnal catheter pouch was a little darker than yesterday’s. Well, that’s got the essential, crucial news out of the way. I am a confused fool.
I made up some waste bags and placed them near the front door for collection. If I remember, I will ask the caregiver to do the same. Carer Richard arrived. I forgot to ask him to put the diabetic socks on my legs. So, I left it until the midday call, and I hope I remember then. An afternoon view from the kitchen window. an early evening one. Which had some appeal to it. In need of the Throne again. This time, it was the turn of Rock Hard Constipation Conrad to rule the roost. Had a go at the crossword puzzle while intermittently urging the motion to begin. Which it eventually did. Lost a fair bit of blood, though.
I lost hours here to either a or . Most likely a memory blank cause I’d taken photos and made a right mess of the blogging, which needed much repairing and correcting. These on the left were taken in the wet room, obviously. Can you see the chicken leg bones sticking out? These are the old ulcers, and they were slightly more painful this morning. I hope they are not going to make me come back. TWO. Carer Marie came, returning the laundry for me and putting it away for me as well ♥. All a vagueness then, but I can recall Carer Christopher coming and getting his vittles. Hehehe!
I’m not so sure when I took this photo. But then again, I’m not sure of anything lately. During the first mind blank, mysteriously disappeared the notepad you see in the snap on the left? It’s all part of the mysteries of the Woodthorpe Court’s sinister Spirit’s master plan: to raise the devil, spread wonders, blunders, rodomontades, fears, and descenders from the comfort of sanity into gibbering wrecks! Yes, I like that. Inchy, the Gibbering Wreck! Haha! I feel an ode coming on here…
Bootiful evening shot of the sky here. Not that I can recall taking it. Yet I can remember things from back in the 1950s with almost clarity. Mostly the things I did, got wrong and failed at, mind you. Ah! This is my evening meal: beef pie, potato patties, and garden peas, with some ketchup and a pickle on the plate. I ate it all up with a certain satisfaction.
As days go by, I would not have missed this one had it disappeared into the ether. Cock-ups, confusion, worry, semi-panics, depressions, frustrations, apprehensions, fears, dejections, rejections, vexations, and complications. Making it even worse, self-pity visited a few times. More killings and stabbings. A , and the persistent today .
Still, it could always be worse. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Woke around 06:30hrs: Having slept, albeit a broken sleep, for over 6 hours! Dark urine again.
Topped up the freebie thank you drinks shelves. Much more choice for the Carers & Nurses.
Put the waste bags in one.
A hard work getting the motion to start.
The Asda order arrived. It took me some time to get all the bags into the kitchenette. In doing so, I suffered a little bit of a . I caught my ankle ulcer against something sharp in the bag I was carrying. I brushed the bag against it, but it was no bother. I didn’t howl, wince, swear, or anything of that nature. I laughed it all off and merrily carried on carrying the bags in.
Instant mash with cheese, pork pie, bacon off-cuts, Lactofree milk and some haddock goujons. Never tried these before in a light batter; it might just suit my taste buds, but …When I was taking them with the other fresh foods to the refrigerator, I dropped some stuff and then . And proceeded to tread on the goujon packet, and the pack burst open, distributing the crushed fish bit around the kitchen floor! This time, I did howl, wince, and swear a bit. Got some antiseptic cream on the wound, and carried on sorting the food out. A selection of naughty but nice desserts, seasoned potato slices and mash, tomatoes, pasties & a packet of coffee bags for the carers to make and drink in their restroom. The tomatoes were Dutch and delightful! Milk Roll soft sliced bread. Brown French baguettes, cheap kitchen towels. I think that the fridge has never been fuller. I’ve still got the pasta packets to use up. I think, just maybe, I am a little nervous from when I scalded my hand months ago. The Freezer is also fuller than ever. I will not receive any more food deliveries until next week. I even had to throw away some dated stuff to make room for the bread and baguettes, which now will fit into the freezer drawers. Carer Kara later took them with the other bags to the chute for me. ♥
Concentrating on blogging for ages and ages, I suddenly noticed that it was light now. Thought I’d take a picture of the view on offer. Such a gorgeous sky. I also realised that I’d been up for a long time, and it was now 11:00hrs… and no morning carer had been – or had they? I knew I’d had a earlier this morning and was toying with my head. Uncertainty, doubtfulness, and an unreliable trust in my own memory.Had someone been or not? That is the question at hand now. Surely someone had been by now? I could not get anything from my memory box about one. Not that this is unusual. The first clue of any positivity was that I had not got the diabetic socks on. (But this has happened often before, when I forget to ask the Carer to take them off at night or to put them on in the morning). In fact, I had wrapped a throw around my legs to keep warm while on the computer – doubts still lingered, and I didn’t want to ring about it for fear of being told that I was talking rubbish again. A lingering doubt in question… was could I be certain or not? I still couldn’t decide. I was too nervous to ring to check. I’ll wait until the midday Carer calls and check with her/him. I was baffling myself. Battling a battered brain and unreliable, failing memory-blank is not easy. I’d say the words to use are ‘Frustrating’, ‘Embarrassing’, ‘Annoying’ and ‘Hopeless! If only the social and medical helpers would read this blog, they would learn more about the problems that I will no doubt forget about within days. Humph! That’s something else that concerns me about my memory, well, more like amazes me. Sometimes, when writing the blog, I am able to press on, but once I am interrupted or waylaid by the door chime, a phone call, having to empty the catheter bag, the need to check if I’d left the taps running, a visit to the , cooker on, fridge door open, etc., getting back into it is a real struggle. I’m still not certain that a Carer did not call! Doubts linger on, and an awareness that things are not going to get any easier worry me now. Although, if (when) I do get worse, I may not be aware and stop fretting over the situation? I’m becoming a bag of nerves and fears. But only part-time, now and again? I waffled on a bit there, sorry.
I’m back on with the blogging. And shortly arrived. I was still in a state of semi-confusion when Kara came. I mentioned my doubts to her. She checked something on the mobile and then looked at the record log. (I wish I’d done that earlier, Tsk!). Kara gave me the early morning medications and got my socks me legs. She has no time now, but she’ll try to help me tomorrow with the confusing emails that I’ve received. She took the bags with her and did the Safety checks on the taps, doors, and stove were not left on. Thank you ♥!
Memory Blanks again. I assume I took these shots at different times in the late afternoon. I’m pretty certain, but not sure, of the artistic clouds in the sky. The second shot down tempted my Pareidoliaising instincts. To my eyes and mind, it reminded me of all things, of the Red Dwarf spaceship? Not so much now after I’ve put it in and looked again though. Can anyone else see it? Or is it just me? Hehehe! The well urine filled almost caught me out. What a relief! Haha! The backflow pains gave me the nod that it needed emptying post-haste.
Carer Chris did the last two calls. Nibbles and a drinkie. Night pouch attached, diabetic socks removed. He left me nodding off. Hehe!
I nodded off as soon as the lad had gone and had the best sleep I’ve enjoyed for ages. It was a short but Shock-free session, and I was soon back up again at 02:10 hours, needing the Porcelain Throne. It was another Constipation Conrad session. So I stayed up and got some tidying up done, then onto the computer. I soon drifted off to sleep after Chris had gone. But burst back into life at 02:20hrs, in need of the Porcelain Throne, despite Doing her best to have me over. Stayed up and back on the computer… It’s a hard life, full of strife, no wife, mental confusion, physical ailments rife! Still, it might get better in the afterlife?
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Once again, the wee-wee in the was not good a good colour.
I can’t say why I took two of the photos, but apparently I did so.
COMMENCED
First, a heavy-duty visit to the Throne was called for, so I sat on the Throne. It soon became apparent that was in full charge of this morning’s evacuation operation. I waited for what was obviously going to be a ginormous release to begin. I counted the cracks in the ceiling: 22. Is it funny how the total is different every time I count them? I could feel the solid torpedo as it crept agonisingly slowly and ever more painfully towards daylight. I got the crossword book and pencil from the floor cabinet and tried the puzzle. Blimey, I was doing well with it. Then the concrete torpedo started to come properly, still very slowly, making me winch at first. But at least it got out, more than yesterday’s two failed attempts. As the pain subsided, I was so glad it was not messy and needed a marathon cleaning job. I had to flush the thingy a few times, but it went down eventually, and I set about shaving. There were a few more nicks and cuts this time, but nothing bothersome. I realised I’d forgotten to call the dentist to get a toothpaste prescription, so I used an old-looking tube of paste that had not been thrown out. I don’t think that was a good idea. Eurgh! Leaving the wet room, it dawned on me how well I did with the crosswording and how clear-headed I felt compared to usual. As I went to get the kettle on for my brew of tasty Glengettie tea, I took this snap of the morning clouds in view from the kitchen. I felt appreciative of how with it, I felt. I decided to add at the end of yesterday’s blog my decision to cut back on the time it is taking me now. I can’t see, and the shakes are getting worse, which has always been expected. I had no problem finding the words needed and made far fewer mistakes than usual while doing it. In fact, a was engaged. Of course, I knew it would not last long, so I hastily got the computer on to write about my decision. Of course, now I have to prevent myself from looking a twit by actually cutting back on the thing I love doing! The thing that is keeping me going. This may not work, you know. I did tremendously well with my concentration. For the first time in ages, I felt I was achieving something on my own; that was my idea… of course, we’ll have to see how it goes. I’d got near the end and was about to read through it, and the Carer came in. I think I had him call last weekend. His name was Aliga. Nice chap. He remembered to remind me to take the Vit B12, the lad remembered from last week! I forgot to ask him to put the diabetic socks on, though. Due to our waffling throwing me out of kilt. I realised after he was gone that this essential interruption had killed my bit of unexpected clarity of mind and semi-mental alertness. or . I imagine that after the lad had gone, I must have had a mind-blank or seizure because I had no idea what I was doing until chimed out four hours later. As far as I can tell, nothing had been done on the blog at all in those four hours? It was arriving. I was back in the land of confusion. Those few early hours were so pleasant, clear, and translucently appreciated. Will I ever get another one like it? I pray so. Kimberley was like fresh air when she arrived. She noticed that I was not wearing the diabetic socks; bless her, and she got them fitted first thing for me. ♥ . Medications were given, and we had a little natter. As she departed, I sat for a moment to try and identify the differences in my mind compared to earlier on. The worries, fretting, and depression in my state had all returned; they had never left in years, yet they did this morning. I’d like to solve the problem of finding out why I was so… well it must be happy and contented for those first few hours today. All a part of the “Mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, ghosts, the grotesque succubae, extraterrestrials, ectoplasms, spirits, or the Fata Morganas, that have been sent to taunt, irritate and terminate my already limited saneness of mind?”, I suppose.
As I sat there, I felt the need to return to the Porcelain Throne. Thinking there would be no rush, I didn’t exactly respond immediately. That was a mistake, and I should have been aware of it with my changing evacuation state. I did not make it to the WC tub in time! I’d already been lifted by the early morning clarity of mind moments. Then lowered with disappointment when the worrying and fretting returned. Now, the embarrassment and shame joined in. Not to mention the washing and cleaning up needed afterwards. A 100% turn-around in my evacuations within an hour or so between the two visits. Life can be such a bugger, can’t it, when one gets older. This cloud shot on the right is possibly my best-of-the-month pareidoliaising photo. I took it through the kitchen window and had to stretch a bit to get it. Hence the external wall was caught in the shot on the left, which gave more of an impression of an angry cloud face in sky. Furrowed highbrows, eyes, and a magical nose. I thought it was great. Carer Aliyas has been, and he took a photo of the day bag on my leg for me.
Time to get some nosh. Vegetable soup will do me.
I spotted the short, sharp shower spots shimmering steadily down the window pane. I took a Kodak Tim snap of the raindrops falling down the windows. Then the rain stopped! Another selection of late shots, that are without doubt an absolute Pareidolians Delight.
I see several partially distorted faces, including one that is ‘Scream-like’. I also see a spaceship, a ghost, caves and caverns, and the moon’s surface area. Great! Oh, and I’ve just noticed a Scottie dog’s face, too! Middle photo.
I put the potato chunks in the oven. They baked up well, nice and crispy, just as I like them. This added a crunch to the soup. The soup. with its added can of garden peas.
Then, the bowl again, this time with the chunky baked potatoes added to the mixture. The gravy was made, and a splash of Worcester Sauce was also in there.
Well, I soon got that one scoffed away—too quickly, maybe, as then he started his imitation of imminent regurgitation & pains. I went to get the washing up done and found, to my amazement, that I’d left the It’s completely cold water now! That’s three times this week I’ve left the hot tap running. As Tim Price advised, I’m going to ask the Council if I can be allowed to buy auto-turn off taps and have them fitted. The bank manager might not like it. arrived, medicated me and took off my socks. I turned off the TV, and sorted getting into the bed. Not easy as things were laid out, so I moved some things a little to make more room for the Carers to get about. And more space for me to haul my legs up on the bed. Messy, but it had to be done. Moved the over be table in close, with a bottle of water, the torch and the mobile on it. Next, I toyed with the remote control for the bed movements. Not the easiest of things to read in the torchlight. But I had to turn the lights of and use the torch to get into it. I managed to get the top end lower, but now I have the end bit raised up wonder my knees. I’ll see how that goes.
Well, there were still plenty of hassles, worries, and mistakes made. There were many visits and stings from . I have never had so many during the day before on a single day. I am greedy! Hehehe!The Doctor’s surgery gave me a tinkle. To make an appointment for them to give me painkilling injections in the knees, to counter & . I’ll see if I can remember to tell them about the latest ailment craze from . She made an appointment for 09:40hrs on Thursday, 18th April. Same day as I was to be going to the Diabetes Course in Bulwell. Can’t win ’em all… Humph, I can’t win any! Haha! The replacement carpets ruined in the flood escapades arrived. I cleaned the wet room again, another mess made by yours truly, Inchy. The hallway carpet had not dried yet, so I went into the wet room, taking black bits from the carpet onto the floor! I decided to wash the bottoms of the slippers and dry them off well. Naturally, I got soapy water on the soft outers of the slipped and had to put them on the fairer to dry. Then, the need for the Throne arrived in a bit of a rush. I made more mess going in with my bare feet this time. Tried to use kitchen towels to clean it up, using my feet, but I couldn’t bend down far enough without suffering from the pain. And if I did get down, I’d probably not have been able to get up again! Then, trying to wash my feet, I got my plates of meat into the bowl alright, but at just the optimum time to cause me the worst degree of bother, as I was removing the dodgier right leg, prone to bursting into a wild dance of its own accord, I had a , and tipped the bowl over! Thus had to clean the place up again for the third time! I took the bag of rubbish and put it in the waste chute. ; not realising how early it was in the day. (approx 05:00hrs) I’m going to get it in the neck now; from those people, I might have woken up.Tsk! Finally, at long last, I set about having a shave (only one cut). I searched for the toothpaste. After a few minutes of failed investigation, I assumed it had dropped, and I’d taken it out in the waste bags. Arrgh! It was also the last of the prescription toothpaste. I think at one time, I believed I was still asleep and dreaming. The showering was okay… just one clouting of my head on the power box today. I got the medicationalisationing done. Amazing, I easily got the PPs on. No socks, of course, like a baby waiting for his nanny; the Carer will sort that out for me later. I got on the computer. Carer Kimberly arrived. Socks on, medications, a mini-natter, and laughter were enjoyed. There was a bit of mini-blank here. Hours later, the intercom rang out, and the first of the carpets arrived. Five minutes later, the second carpet (Well, rugs or mats, really). arrived. We spent a few minutes setting the world to rights. She seemed to have a sore throat. I hope she is not getting the dreaded lurgy. No idea why, but there must have been some logic in it somewhere; I made a J Sainsbury order for 14 days time. I think it may have been… no, no idea. I called back later and returned the borrowed bag of ‘s. I was pleased to be in a position to help some other tenant out with the loan. It makes a change from flooding them out, and guilt returns!
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Onwards to the photos. The urine in the night bag looked much darker when I viewed it with my admittedly poor eyes. The wet room farce was over. It looked good after three hours of mayhem and cleaning it up again… and again, and finally, once again this morning. Damned good job I couldn’t sleep and got up early. Not that the poor devils living in the twelve-floors below, would appreciate it with me using the darned waste chute that early in the day. Guilt again! This is the first picture of the view from the kitchenette that I took. The amazing blue hue was back again. Bootiful!
I forgot to tell you, when I was cleaning the wet room, I used the new lavatory brush. Can I get it back in its hub? I still can’t.
The day pouch was filling up swiftly today. However, it was getting darker as the say went on. It usually does the opposite. My first mug of Glengettie tea of the day. It really is the best I’ve ever tasted. Shame I’m only allowed two cups a day. (Sob!) The postman dropped my Anticoagulation results DVT, INR, and through the letter box. An increase in dosages. It’s a smidge low. The most amazing cloud formation this evening. Not unlike the news snippet above Mammatus clouds? I see so many things in these three pictures. I’ve put in this blog a little larger. I hope that my fellow bloggers, Tim Price and Paul, and any reader, can see what I did in them. Who is a Pareidolianist? The second mug of Glengettie was enjoyed while I was blogging away merrily. The authenticity of the last bit is dubious. Why the hell do I write so small? I know full well (at times) that my eyesight is crap, and I’ll not be able to read what I’ve written!
I got the smallest of the mats into the wet room. I decided this should be recorded for prosperity. Despite my shakes, I was determined to get a picture taken with the whole mat in it – I didn’t!
Carer Helen called, and medications were given. After I offered them, she took about 40 of my DVDs with her, as I cannot see or hear them nowadays. She’ll collect the others later. Great, a clear out at last.
Better get the nosh prepared… it’s nearly midnight. A tastier effort tonight. Well, this morning. (pork knuckle), Golonkowa, chips, a brown wholemeal baguette and a pot of naughty but so delicious lemon curd yoghourt.
I found it, but it took me 33 seconds. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TTFN
The highlights started early today… well, no, not early, ’cause I got up the latest I’d done in months. That was due to my elephantine-like wobbly-flabby stomached body getting used to the new bed and me rising with the usual complaints from & giving me some what-for pain-wise. The absence of bother was a delightful change. (Hence the smile in the selfie taken, Hehehe!) because I’d just had the best ever sleep in that bed for weeks. Six wonderful hours! And to boot, as far as I remember, only hit me twice in all that time. As I was faffing about trying to be kind to the cartilages as I stood up, rang out from the door chime. It was the J Sainsbury order arriving. I got the night bag off as quickly as I could and made my way, limping down the hallway to the door. As the kind driver put the things into the carriers I’d had ready, I bent to pick up the first one, had a mini , that only lasted seconds, and took it into the kitchen. I returned and just as gave way, a bigger, more virile joined in and I began falling to the floor, hitting my head on the wall as I did so. The pain from was terrible, but it would have been much worse if the driver, chappie, had not been nippy enough to lunge forward and press my body up against the wall. Literally caught and saved me from having a proper tumble, bless him. I want to send J.S. a message later, thanking him. The day was a slow one at times, with panicky moments thrown in amidst the confusion.
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Dark urine again.
My first effort at shooting the morning view. I did a better job on the second one.
The waste bags were amalgamated
The early morning J. Sainsbury order arrives. As explained above in the intro. I set about sorting the food delivered. But it was not easy. Got the Carer & Nurses nibble box filled.Chips, soda water and bleach. Tomatoes, milk, Leicester cheese, lemon-flavoured yoghourts, and some Jamaican Patties.
Earlier on, the wee-wee flow into the bag was very little for some reason; it rapidly changed.
Carer Maryham arrived. She was full of the joys of spring and gave me one of her dances. Hehe! I enjoyed it so much that I forgot to ask her to put on my socks.
Hours of gruelling, gruelling because my concentration was minimal; thus, mistakes were being made. Hard to believe, I know. Haha!
DVT nurse and the love of my life, Hristina, arrived and delicately took the blood samples.
I made a mammoth mess of making up the templates for the WordPress blogs! WHAT A PICKLE I GOT MYSELF INTO! I even wrote down each day’s date and wording for the month before I started. Certain that I would not make the same mistakes this month, I pressed on. With just three days left to do, I almost discovered I’d got the wrong dates on three earlier sone ones. Swear? Me? YES! It cost me another hour sorting them out and putting them into chronological order amidst the cursing and teeth-grinding (which is painful with the state of my few teeth left!) and depression brewing.
Carer Kara arrived; thank heavens she was helping with the finances, but whipped through them, and she got the kitchen and wet room floor cleaned up for me as well. She also checked the catheter and got the socks onto my legs. ♥
The catheter pouch had filled up again.
The afternoon sky.
The front car park.
Filled really quick this time.
I made the meal of the day. Smashing!
I made an Asda order for next week, and Carer Kimberley arrived. Took the diabetic socks off of my legs. A night catheter bag was attached.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – May good luck for you be blossoming, You may meet someone alluring… And together happiness will ring… Your hearts begin to sing, Work & finances are important things, So is love & betrothing, My opportunities were limiting… Suzie & Grizelda were so very loving, The other 1,124 were not so caring, – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
04:30hrs: I bounded lively out of the second-hand ex-hospital bed, yodelling with joy, got down, and did 100 press-ups. This was followed by 100 toe touches and some shadow-boxing for around 15 minutes or so… I suppose you know that the above is tommyrot, and ? Well, the 04:30hrs bit is true. The truth? 04:30hrs; I was rudely awoken by giving me grief. I lay there after they’d stopped, all warm and snug. I decided to stay there for a while longer… But no! The innards then burst into a threateningly long, gassy rumble! No choice now; I had to get to the ASAP! Which took me a lot longer than it should have. Why? I’ll tell yer! Hehe! I stubbed my toe on the bed leg in my haste. I swore briefly. Then dropped the and the tube pulled and bled away, not to mention the pain (Oh, I did, sorry). As I neared the , it became obvious that I was not going to get there quick enough for me to get the dressing gown and pants down in time! ! Tore the pants getting them down, and lifted the dressing gown up – else I’d never have made it. The evacuation, well it was the worst ever session, ever. Especially with some of it getting splashed onto me, the bowl, the lid and the floor. And wasn’t a quick one either. I felt as if someone was turning a tap on and off in my innards! Then, of course, I had to clean the mess up, which took me about an hour, I think. Next, I medicationalised the tender areas. I olive-oiled ears, sprayed my eyes, and applied barrier cream. I Germolened and Germoloided the more delicate departments. I mopped the floor as a supposedly final gesture, not knowing I’d be back in there within minutes. Oh, yes, I’m so glad I haven’t passed on my genes and chronic luck to an offspring!
I made up the waste bags into one. And realised that I was still carrying the night pouch around with me. What an absolute plonker! As I was about to go into the wet room with the intention of emptying the pouch, it was a saviour that I was where I was just outside the wet room door; an evacuation started immediately of its own accord this time. It was a rush and semi-panic again, but I did get here in time. With all the cleaning up from these two Trotsky Terence visits, I had two tubes from the toilet rolls I’d just put in the bag, and I finished another one here! Leaving the wet room, I was aware of the dangers of my habit of walking into the doorframe, so kept my good eye on the spacing, clever that I thought… …I tripped, banging the side of my mouth. Naturally, for me, anyway, I found afterwards that , and I had another broken tooth. Extra Codeines taken.
and Gragnagles! I got the computer on and was using CorelDraw, but the delete button stopped working on the keyboard! Then, the mousse scroller went on strike as well. Being the confused creature I am, all I could think of doing was change the batteries in the keyboard and mouse, so I did. Nothing changed. A Dark, Dank Depression came over me. Also, I think I had a Seizure. When I came out of it, I was on the bed?
I nervously tackle the computer again. It seemed to be working, not the delete button, but the mouse at least scrolled. stayed with me ever since. And so did , for another bash on the Throne. Not so bad this time, mind you, but had the first visit been like this, I would not have appreciated how bad it wasn’t… anyone following this cause I’m struggling. Hehehe!.
Arrived. She was coughing a bit still. She was kind enough to check the dates on the stuff in the fridge, not that there’s much left in there other than opened sauce jars, visitors’ drinkies, and the pasty I’ll have tonight. Either I’ve lost the photo, or I’m going mad.
The wee-wee is not coming so fast today. And I’ve been trying to drink more after the farcical, ridiculous, losing battle I had in the wet room. Humph! Carer Kara came. Usual visit and Domestic today. I was so glad at last to get some help. The gal set to cleaning the kitchen and wet room; both were in need, too! Kara didn’t have time to do the Banking this visit. She’s a good gal. She said she’d look at something but couldn’t remember what. Tomorrow is when she calls. Bless her cotton socks. I realised that I had made an . I took this photo this morning and forgot to put it in. Better late than wotsit? Haha! I got some potato cubes from the freezer and got them sorted out, getting rid of those I could that had the dreaded eye roots in them. These were Sainsbury’s, too, not Asda (Walmart). They probably get them from the same place. A late afternoon shot taken at great risk of knocking over the knife block (I’ve nowhere safer to put it) or catching my finger closing the window. Haha! Very tasty! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
