Tuesday 17th September 2019

German: Dienstag, 17 September 2019

01:40hrs: As I stirred into imitation life this morning, two things vied for my attention. The first being as I checked the legs for signs of last night tumble I took to the floor, via the Ottoman, and onto the electricity extension box and cables, was how amazingly little damage had been caused! A slight bruising was all that stood out. Smug Mode Adopted! Second, this meant I would, or should be little bothered at the After-Stroke physio torture session!

I extracted my cumbersome body from the Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, second-hand, c1968, cringingly being coloured, rickety recliner, and off to the GPEB (Grey-Plastic-Emergency Bucket) for a wee-wee. I think I did this was more out of habit, than any actual need to use the bucket. The so-called wee-wee was of the PWWDIB (Pathetic-Weak-Why-Did-I-Bother) mode.

Off to the kitchen and got the handwash things hung to dry.

Took a photo of the morning view.

Got the kettle on, took the medications; including last nights that I had missed, Tsk! Made the brew, and got on with the urgent job of updating yesterday’s blog. I did not want to be late for the bus later.

I pressed on with much needed to do computerisationalistical work. I’d not been at it for long when the summoning to the Porcelain Throne arrived.

The pins (legs) didn’t look at all right, to me. They had swapped fluid retention from the left to the right one, the skin was even more salid and pale than ever! Hang on, salid? Is that the word I meant? When I got back to the computer, I looked it up: Nope, wrong word, but I can’t remember what it was I meant to type? Ah, well, back to the wet room!

The evacuation was extremely long (literally), and a time-consuming exercise. But not painful and no ensanguining. The WC system coped with the flushing, but the water rose a good bit while doing so! Afterwards, I took the photo and diligently cleaned the bowl. Then washed the dandies. And the cistern tank was still filling up with water? A problem here, methinks!

I had another search for yesterday’s missing fodder picture, and blow-me-down, there it was, where it should have been earlier, in the picture folder? Baked beans, cold beef pastie (Someone forgot to put the oven on!), super tomato sliced Dutch tomatoes, and some Asda (Walmart), bacon flavoured fries. Highly delectable! – Apart from the cold pie! Tsk!

Then, to add to the mysteries of my beloved Woodthorpe Court. That lies somewhere between the twilight zone and a wormhole slipping through a tear in the fabric of space & the universal continuum, illusion, delusion, & hallucination! I found this photo on the left, of the hallway. Why I took it, leaves me bewildered! I cannot recall or imagine any reason for shooting it at all!

Finally, I got the post finished and sent off, and had to rush to get the ablutions done; to give myself time to get to the bus stop in time for the 40 bus! Into the wet room, and remembered not to use the shower this early.

The dropsies were far fewer than yesterday but were still too many for my liking. Razors, toothbrush, flannel a few times, and the sock-glide, but it missed my toes, feet, and legs today. Hehehe! I got the medicationalisationing sorted and sprayed the anti-smell stuff over me.

As I was dressing, Dizzy Dennis paid me a visit. A nasty one. Not as bad as last night’s, and I didn’t fall-over. But it was severe enough for me to consider not going out to the Physio session. I pondered on what to do. My aboulomania was tested to the full. After a while struggling with the sock-glide daily contest and losing again – I decided I would go, not wanting to let them down after they were kind enough to invite me in the first place. I must remember that there is no meeting next week, the staff are on holiday. And later on, I must phone the surgery (If I can get through!) to ask for an appointment to see Dr Vindla and tell her of these dizzies and tumbles I’m suddenly started having with unwelcome regularity.

I got the black bags taken to the waste chute on the way out.

As I got in the lift, a chap from the 2nd floor, I’d not seen him before, decent enough pleasant sort of chap – had done an Inchcock Whoopsiedangleplop! He’d forgot to take something, and wanted to go back up after he’d got down to the ground floor. He must have back in the elevator, as I pressed for it, and it took him up to the 12th. We went down to the 2nd, and I said I’d send it back up for him. I hadn’t noticed that the other lift was Out-of-Action. So comforting to know someone else has bad-luck and owns a memory like I do; of questionable reliability! Bless him!

I took the route into Winwood Court, going through the highly decorated, picturesque, appliqué, pleasing on the eye, handsomely adorned, artistically-presented, bedizened, festooned with furnishings, garnished, glitzed-up, ornamental, welcoming, resplendent, sumptuous, link passage corridor. A smidge of sarcasm there? Hehe! But only in fun, this common, bare approach is right up my street!

I poddled along to the Winwood Court foyer, and let myself out onto Chestnut Way, and walked to the bus stop on Winchester Street.

I was feeling alright as I hobbled along, hoping that the second-hand, bought from the Charity Shop for £2 wristwatch, with its £10 replacement strap, and £10.99 new battery, was showing the right time. I feared a repeat of last Tuesday, of my missing the bus! I got to the bus stop and checked with the electronic timetable…

What the heck had I done! I felt so sure that when I check the times of the 40 buses, it showed 0727hrs. Yet the sign told me it was due in 18 minutes! Or was I getting myself in a muddle again, had the falls and dizzies sent me dipsy? Haha! But I know I was so tired when I looked it up. Ah, well, a little wait won’t do me any harm. It was a bit nippy, but the sky told me it would soon warm up. The bus arrived, and I was the only passenger on it. I got seated in a side-saddle seat, as usual.

When we got on Wells Road, we picked up at every stop. Suddenly there were about 45 other passengers. Most of them were school-kids, not the nicest of people. I had to move the three-wheeler to let one sit down, and the bus became cram-packed, with about a dozen or more folk standing, sometimes on me! Humph! When the bus arrived in town, I purposely got off last, to avoid being damaged by the stampeding hoards getting off! Haha!

I made my way to the Slab Square, avoiding the many Pavement Cyclists around this morning.

I poddled over the square and to the Poundland Shop.  Where I bought unneeded, unwanted, far too many other purchases. What a schlemiel! I got: A long-dated medium pork Farms pork pie, drain unblocker, nibbles, for the hand-out bag, Cheeslets, Golf biscuits, and cheddars. A packet of twelve individual mini-biscuit packs, for the tea-break at the physio session. Dettol antiseptic disinfectant, and two ready-made BLT sarnies for my nosh later. The sweet lady who helped me as she did the Tuesday before, came over and put the things through for me. And she mentioned my looking very white! Bless her for her help.

Then hobbled, with the bags all too filled, to the Victoria Centre Shopping Centre (Mall),  and called in Tesco, to buy, a packet of the Puff Pastry fingers, a box of Vienna fingers for Josie, and for myself, a bag of the addictive and oh, so flavourful seaweed crispies. I had a ponder about the shelves but found nothing that appealed to me.

I got to the checkout and bought another big bag, so I could spread the weight of the things bought, on the trolley handles. I paid the lady, moved away from the customers behind and started to reorganise the trolley bag and carrier. I just toppled backwards, without cause or reason? And by good fortune, my back hit the next checkout, which stung a bit, and I avoided going over. For a few moments, I thought I was having another stroke! A kind lady came to me, and told me how ashen I looked, and asked if I was alright. She insisted I take a seat on the bench for a few minutes. I did feel a bit groggy and vague, but much better within minutes. The lady, who had been keeping her eye on me, approached to make sure it was safe for me to walk, and asked if I wanted an ambulance calling. I thanked her profusely, and assured her I felt much better now, which I did!

But the incident did worry me a bit.

• That falling on the floor unexpectedly and not being able to get back up – saved by the visit of the Nottingham City Homes girls.
• Then last night, I was taking off the trews to get myself settled down, and as I bent forward to place them on the rack… just at that moment, Dizzy Dennis visited, and I toppled over. Falling against the Ottoman and the chair. How I got my hands out in front of me in time to avoid further injury and damage, amazed me afterwards.
• The sharp increase over the last few days, of my dropping things?
• Earlier this morning: As I was dressing, Dizzy Dennis paid me a visit. A nasty one. Not as bad as last night’s, and I didn’t go over. But it was severe enough for me to consider not going out to the Physio session. Now, I realise I shouldn’t have gone. Tsk!
  
• The utter confusion with the bus time table?
• The Poundland lady and Tesco customer worried about me.
• Then the Tesco nasty turn, for I don’t know what caused it, I keep putting them down as dizzies, but like this one, as others like last light, they happened instantly?
• Later in the day, the Chaucer Street dizzy spell was not good!

I wanted to try and get the graphics done tomorrow, but it might be best if I call at the Doctors, and try to get an urgent appointment? My EQ is speaking to me, and it’s not good!

Then, out into the daylight and cold sunshine. A lot more Nottinghamians and folks of just about every nationality there is were about now. The vast majority were students. The street sleepers, shoplifters and muggers were few in number, it’s still a little early for them to be up and about.

I got to Goldsmith Street, and as I turned left onto Chaucer Street, I had a close as I ever have had without being hit, entanglement with two Nottinghamian Pavement Cyclists. But said nothing to them, and I had a visit from Dizzy Dennis again! I leant on the church wall to look casual to passers-by, while I regained my equilibrium. But it was not so bad, and after only five minutes or so, I went to the entrance and joined what turned out to be, very few other Stroke victims.

The 16 or so folks from last week, were now only 12, and that included a new lady! But things were not right with me. Both Jennifer and Lucy, when talking to me, were not getting through to me, they indicated. But I was determined to do the exercises and had the nous not to over-commit myself. I did the first round of them. I must have looked poorly because they let me do them sat down! Which made the knee and the piles worse! Tsk! The next round, was much harder to do, and I soon felt myself being drained of energy, and the pain in the knees was a right handicap.

The relaxation tape session was perhaps the worst thing for me. We had to do whatever the voice said, as some peaceful music played in the background. But I couldn’t hear what was being said. So I kept opening an eye to see what the others were doing. Hehe!

Before the next round of workouts, both trainers came and had a look at my knee and leg. When the movements began, the leg started one of its Neuropathic Schuhplattler dances. And they both came and pressed down hard to stop the legs activities; unfortunately for me, they put their combined weight on the knee, to stop it! Oh, the agony!

The break time came around, and a young lady from Western Energy gave us a talk, on signing up for their service. She gave us all a planned, well-rehearsed sales-pitch, but still, she needed to refer to her notes while selling the service. If we signed up today, a free goodie-bag was ours! I can’t remember it all, but a wind-up torch and other stuff were in the freebie-pouch. If we signed today or later,  we would get information about power-cuts as a priority. A free electricity swap supplier value scan. I did not want to get involved in what was obviously a sales pitch. But a few of the gang signed up straight away.

Unfortunately, I fell asleep during the ladies talk. Oh, dearie me! She said; “Am I boring you?” I replied, “Obviously!” I got a look from Jennifer, that should really have struck me dead, instantly!

All the sitting had made the RAI (Rheumatoid Arthur Itis) knee worse, and my concentration was nil! I decided rather bravely, to leave early. The Stroke ladies didn’t seem to happy about this, but I just had to go, I could really not face any more banal exercises. I explained, and said my farewells to the others, only to be ignored. Purposely, in time for me to walk to Queen Street, in time for catching the L9 bus.

A cuttingly worded “If you are really that bad, go and see your Doctor!” from Jennifer, ensured it was a miserable, downbeat, in pain both physical and now mentally Inchcock that departed. It didn’t help my spirits when a pavement cyclist came out of an alley and nearly hit into me. But at least he got onto the tram track road straight away afterwards.

I arrived at the bus stop, with eight minutes to spare.

A lady, at the stop, I knew by sight, who, I think lived on Morris Road, had a laugh and natter with me.

She’ll never know how much that cheered me up!

Back at the flats, I got off last, as is the norm, and made my ay to the Winwood Court entrance. I walked through the linking-corridor and into the Woodthorpe Court elevator lobby.

The same lift was still out of service. Not that it mattered, I didn’t see a soul indoors on the way home from the bus stop.

I got in the flat, to the tune of drilling, banging and humming from above. I assumed that the workers were busy doing the Fire Alarm Sprinkler installation work.

I took a picture from the light & view-blocking new kitchen window, of Chestnut Way, below.

Called in the wet room, and paid my second visit of the day, to the Porcelain Throne. Good Heavens! Where is it all coming from? I was really pleased when the plumbing coped with the enormity of things! Phew!

It was lovely and warm in the flat. I stripped off, all bar the PPs, and got the handwashing done and hung. Put the buys away. Made a brew, got the medications and got on the computer to update this diary.

Believe it not, but to get up to here, it took me six-and-a-half hours! Yep, it is already two hours beyond my usual head-down time! And I’ve only just noticed. (I got a bit over-involved? Haha!) But with all the hassle needing careful wording, and all the photos, it was bound to take me a while to get done. Gonna be another late night, for the old-timer!

I got the nosh started. Mashed the potato in with Leicester red cheese, butter, salt and balsamic vinegar, and got it into the oven. The rest of the meal was easy-peasy! BLT read-made sarnies, and lots of slicer-sliced extra tomatoes!

I checked on the handwashing, and moved it around a bit, so it got dried quicker, I hope.

I got the mixed cheesy spud ready to go in the oven… This would be the oven than I forgot to put on to warm up! It’s highly possible that the Purpose of My Life is Only to Serve as a Warning to Others!

So I did a couple of Thoughts graphics. Then got the pots in the oven. Tsk!

* Oh, the ‘Riddle for Today’ answer: A Candle.

The fodder was okay. I’ve had worse, and I’ve done better. But being so terribly late in the day for me, my tiredness affected my appreciation, I think. A 7/10 rating.

The evening sky looked grand, and although it does not show on the distance shot, I zoomed in to get the plane trail pictured! I might use both photos as ‘Thoughts of the Day’ backgrounds later.

As worn-out as I was, and the late hour, a silly stubborn streak made me get the handwashing done, including the oven-mitts. They should be dried by mid-Novemberish. Hehehe!

It’s been a worrying day for this old codger. I really must get to the Doctors tomorrow, to book an appointment about the scary increase in the tumbling and dizzies department. I’ll see the chemist as well, to get the Flu jab sorted.

After many false starts and waking up again, I eventually achieved the bliss of getting to sleep!