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Woke in the usual jerking fashion. I am concerned about getting things done in time and in the correct order for the trip to the EENT hospital and, if possible, getting the Wednesday blog finished and posted to give me a chance to make a start on today’s blog, tonight.
That doesn’t read right, does it?
Grabbed the Kodak and took some shots of the legs & feet.
I think I took this one by mistake…
A close-up of the feet showed they were still of a different colouration to each other. The ankle ulcer looks like it just might be coming back again. Nothing new there!
Removed the night pouch from the day bag.
03:25hrs: I was up and ready to take on the world… well, I felt okay compared to the last two mornings. The thought of getting out into the world from this flat possibly encouraged me, although I am still concerned about whether or not they will do the Cataract procedure. Odds at 50/50 methinks, if the Blepharitis has not cleared up. Please be cleared up! Off to the wet room to get the ablutioning done.
This took me an hour and a half. The shaving did not go well. Cuts and a terribly bad job done, too. Humph!
All done, although not successfully, I decided to take some photos from the hallway when I got out of the wet room.
Outside the wet room.
Hallway end rubbish and the three-wheeled-walker. That’ll need sorting with the things I need to take with me.
To my right, the kitchenette.
Ott he waste bag sorted and put near the front door.
Carer Richard arrived. He’s nearly done; just a few more calls to make. He looked weary to me.
Did some blogging with
Went down six times in half an hour.
Readied the three-wheeler, and got dressed, then had a quick rinse in the wet room. Emptied the catheter pouch before leaving the flat. Don’t want to get caught out!
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Awaited the Link lift in the foyer.
The day’s events…
Set off to wait for the minibus.
We arrived eventually, as we were taking a scenic route so the driver could pick up another passenger en route on Derby Road from a care home. No photos cause I was belted in and could not get at Kodak Kevin in the trolley.
Only managed to get one photo inside the EENT.
It was a busy visit this time. I started by going to the wrong reception to sign in… Someone saw me looking lost, and I showed her the paperwork, which did not mention the ‘D’ floor. I should have gone up to the ‘D’ floor, so I went up to the ‘D’ floor.
The lady took me into a waiting area, where I waited. A small room with a TV on, only one free seat, where I sat, and my three-wheeled Trolley blocked the other patient’s view of the TV. I got the crossword book out. Later, I was collected and taken through another waiting area into a room to have the eye tested for Blepharitis and signed a form consenting to the operation. Then, back to the small waiting area, where the patients were all watching the TV – but had to sit on the same seat as before and block their view again. I mentioned en route, that my catheter bag was getting full.
Next, another nurse collected me, taking me into the big waiting area. The lady reviewed the details and asked many questions about my health and living habits? No idea why, but I told her the truth. She made up two different wristbands and put them on me… She noticed the Warfarin tab, then went through all the others I’d got on
We then went through each one. She decided that because I didn’t know the last blood test INR level, she took me to the DVT Anticoagulation place, insisting she take me in a trolley seat. Leaving Three-Wheeled_Walker Walter at the mercy of the honesty of the others still waiting. I mentioned en route that my catheter bag was getting full.
The DVT Anticoagulation took the test, and it returned much lower than it has been lately. Which was good!
I was pushed back to the large waiting area and got the crossword book from the trolley, but not for long. Another nurse arrived, a lovely lady, took me into another small room and questioned me about who diagnosed the Cognitive Impairment. I told her about Highbury Hospital, Adult Mental Care, and how they changed their mind to CI from Dementia. She showed interest in this, and another nurse was summoned and asked me more questions. Where do you live? Why are you not walking soundly? Told them of the Peripheral Neuropathy. They wondered where this was confirmed and what tests were done. I told them, by the neurologists at the Mary Potter Center.
The first nurse returned and went back to the other large waiting area.
Where what was going to happen was explained to me. Then, the anaesthetist joined us in the waiting area. They told me that because the left eye had nuclear & cortical cataracts, they would inject different local anaesthetics in both regions. Oh. Good!
Back to the small waiting area. Still only the one seat available for me to use, the TV blocker! I think I heard the groans when they saw me coming back in! Hehehe! But not for long; I was walked into the operating area five minutes later.
Inserting the local anaesthetics was much more painful than when I had the other eye done. But I had been warned. The procedure made me jump a smidgeon on a couple in quick succession, and I was rightly reprimanded and told not to move.
It took a lot longer than the right eye.
A lady escorted me back to the larger waiting area, where I was given a biscuit and mug of tea. I couldn’t drink the weak, warm, tasteless tea, but thankfully, I dunked the two biscuits in it. Hehe!
There was no chance of seeing the crossword clues, so I sat and analysed those around me. There were around 12 other after-procedure patients, many with carers and family with them.
The time was getting close to the arranged pick-up from Easy-Link. So I got up and tried to work out the way back to the lifts, and a nurse asked me… “Whatever are you doing?” I’m off. I said! “You’ve not been released yet!” I apologised. She got me the needed paperwork, eye drops and instruction notes. While doing this, I suffered a rather perky but short-lived 
, which drew a lot of attention to me. Nurses came out of the woodwork to see if I was alright and were amazed when I told them I get these almost daily; they can have me over, give me a tumble, but this one was nae bother; I’d the reception desk to cling onto. The nurse rattled out instructions to me about tending to the eye. At least I think that was what she was saying. She then escorted me to the lift and the main doors. Bless her cotton socks!
Arrived as I was leaving the building. Spot-on! Following are the photographs I took through the windows of the minibus. Where memories were prompted, I’ve revealed them. Haha!
Leaving the hospital to Lenton Lane.
Towards Derby Road.
Side street off Derby Road.
Another side street off Derby Road.
Derby Road nearing Canning Circus.
I spotted that the old TA HQ was abandoned, vandalised, and very sad. Not that my memories of that building are anything worthwhile; I only visited it twice. But it brought back the days of my youth and my signing on… the best thing in my life up to then! Great fun and well-paid!
Huntingdon Street into the city.
Above & below…
The oh, so changed Shakespeare Street. The long-gone fire station and another abandoned building.
Left onto Mansfield Road.
A little further up…
Last Mansfield Road shot as we turned right into Woodborough Road. I recalled the old days with the trolleybuses. Even the blue-coloured Notts & Derby trolleybuses ran this route.
Huntingdon Street.
Mapperley Tops.
As the rain came, the chap dropped me back at the flats.
I got swiftly out of the rain and into the foyer.
Taking this selfie in the lift on the way up. With taking this in the reflection of the shiny wall, I thought at first they’d done the wrong eye for me. Hehehe!
I got inside, put the trolley in the corner, and emptied 
urine pouch.
I was sorting out what Carer Kara needed for the medical changes – the eye drops starting again, the hospital’s instruction, and a copy to go to the doctor.
Put the drops on the Carers table along with notes.
As I went to get the drops from the three-wheeler, Carer Marie came in the door. I explained about the eye drops starting over again. Then she issued the medications for me. Nice gal.
I got on with updating this blog. Up to now, the smoke & mirrors number-benders, known as…
and…
have only been down for…
I got this far and then got a nosh prepared…
For hungry I am! I took the photo with the SD card left in the computer reader slot. It looked fantastic on the Kodak screen. Carer Marie read the instructions on the ready meals, both three minutes, in the microwave, so that made it easier.
But they came out well undercooked. Horrible!
Taste Rating: 1/10! Made up for this with some bags of cheesy curls, a banana and an iced lolly.
Soon settled in the c1966, £300 charity shop bought, second-hand, wincingly grotty, beige coloured, not working, crumb-covered from the nocturnal nibblings, itch-making, uncomfortable, virus-breeding, easy-to-fall-out-of, recliner, and sleep came easily – No nocturnal Thought Storms!
Each time I shot awake, the eye was more painful. Humphs!
TTFNski!
Taken my Carer Marie for me!
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produced some action this morning. Fair enough, it was phooey, sticky, falling apart on hitting the water, khaki-coloured mini-torpedoes that evacuated with ease and no pain. Yet somehow produced a little blood to decorate the WC and my bum and legs.
my toe on the floor cabinet corner when I bent down to clean the blood from the WC. No bother, of course, not for the hero of my sturdy, manly-pain-bearing capabilities. No arghs, cursing or swearing, spitting, growling or self-pity. Well, just maybe the odd cringe and wince. Hehe!
Night Pouch removed
Washed the plates, great!
Doing the day’s blog, I came across a notepad page that was only partly completed; let me spend, wait for it… over 6 hours doing the ode page words! And it’s not finished yet! I simply plodded on uncaringly until the Carer arrived… Tsk!
Photos were taken while Carer Benjamin was here.
Caught Benjamin taking a selfie on the balcony. Hehe!
The first one.
Above and below from the balcony
Getting darker earlier now.
Looking almost scary now…
Still Bootiful, though!
Nothing special, but So-Tasty!
can be a bit hazardous. In fact, using Metal-Mickey, helped me avoid a 
when I 
and down to the houses.
. But he was in a stubborn mood, and it took me a couple of hours to nod off. I noted the time, 03:00hrs, when I knocked a bottle of soda water off the ottoman tray. Used the torch to check it had not burst open and saw the big battery clock. It seemed that seconds later, I was in the land of bliss. Ahh!
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The night catheter pouch colour was better today!
Nice morning, a little windy.
Telly on to watch the news. Of course, I didn’t; I began to get the things ready for the trip out to the medical thingamabob.
Glad to see the treats on the carer’s table had been nibbled at…
or 
maybe both of them had removed the memory of what it was I was going back up to the flat to fetch!
Caught the bus alright. I planned it all out – I should know better that I am capable of making arrangements that work.
Still, I did think at the time how clever I was to work out where to get off the bus, to make it far less distance for me to walk to the UCC building. However…
. I did feel like a fool!
Hell of a trek to get to the traffic island. To make things worse, as I approached the bend in the road, there were pavements blocked off, road and pavement works and men spraying words of instruction for the location of telephone wires, gas, etc. Having to go on the roadway to get by was sometimes a little hairy. Little did I know what lay further ahead for me!
Anyway, these flowers were beautiful. During my hobble, I stopped many times to look at nature’s plants forcing their way out through wasteland, cement, concrete and paving slabs, but these were special to me. Why? I’ll tell yers…
I accidentally took a snap of the shadow of my bulging torso and the trolley. I was about to try and take a photo of some beetle or other that lay there on the pavement, with people walking by, and seemed unconcerned? I took its picture.
On Thursday, I got more information about these, and why it was alive but not moving. .Carer Richard, always a font of knowledge, told me they were ‘May Beetles’. The males are born, (May to July) and set about breeding, but only once, then they settle down and die. And I complain about things.
Lower Parliament Street
He got a wheelchair, and the student pushed me to the X-ray room for a check to see if any of the three brown toes had been broken. None had. I was student-pushed back in the wheelchair (catching my wound on the edge of a doorway) to the first room, and we had a few words, which for some reason I cannot recall or even guess at, now I’m typing this. 
A contented Inchie makes his way to the chemist to have his prescription filled. Unaware of what will happen, en route!
At the end of the access road, it was blocked off to pedestrians where the new Student Flats are being built. So this meant a marathon diversion for him and Willie, his Three-Wheeled-Walker. Up London Road…
Where the uneven-broken pavement nearly had Willie and Inchie over a couple of times. 
To the traffic lights, over the road and down Station Street, which was ever taking him further away from his targeted Boot’s Chemist!
The old shopping centre was now demolished in Auf Weidersehen style. A walk through gay to the left of the picture led me through to where Woolworths once was, on Chapel Bar.
Every closed-down shop, and there are dozens of them, had several rough sleepers, asking for cash. I felt uncomfortable about this, as I know of some people who make a living doing this, then go home in the morning – one of them is sadly in my family! He makes a lot of dosh, even more now; he’d moved to London to do it and lives in a hotel or youth hostel when not scrounging. His baby face helps him, I think.
Maid Marion Way. More flats were being started for 500 being built! Next to one with 240 already built.
Down to the Slab Square, a once restful, peaceful, pleasant pacifistic, phlegmatic place, of contentment..
It’s not so busy nowadays, with all the murders, muggings, gang fights, Escooters, yobboes and closed shops.
Although the mortgage needed to use coffee shops still do a roaring trade. The unemployed use them a lot.
King Street, or is it Queen Street?
I got up on Upper Parliament Street, feeling a tad drained. Made my way to the nearly bankrupt Victoria Centre, and the Boots Chemist shop appears when I got inside to be getting ready for closing when I got in. Big gaps on the shelves. Getting the prescription made up,. (It will save a carer having to fetch it, and as I was in town anyway.)
Chris shot off to get to work. I poddled in and up to the flat.
Penicillin, it said on the box. Then decided that sleep would be a grand idea, so after the Carer calls, I’ll try to nod off until the 22:00hrs Carer calls to medicate and put the night pouch on for me… then enjoy some proper sleep. That’s the plan, anyway!
Mind you, the good Doctor did tell me they would have no effect on the pain for 48 hours. So, no complaints, I have, after all, been doing some walking this week. 
eye drops in. Then the medicationing. Followed by the 
eye drops were done. 
A nice wide shot.
Then a glorious close-up for me.
.
Feet up – kip!
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on the right leg was leaking fluid and occasionally a little drop of blood.
I got the 
night pouch freed from the day bag. 
on the Ottoman en route.
Apparently, accidentally taking this photo?
from the door. It was the Asda delivery arriving. Who took the food through to the kitchen for me; I thanked him profusely.
Got the crackers and sour cream delivered, to have a try at the ‘Caviar’ later. Well, imitation caviar!) Plenty of soda water to satisfy the needs of 
. Anti-Diarrhoea tablets, etc., but the swine of a company had 
not got any pod peas. Grrr! 
The Gaviscon, which replaced the Peptac, has the worse of flavourings that I grossly dislike. Aniseed! Bad as my taste buds are at the moment, it still tasted horrible. Hehe!
The Zoflora left the surfaces smelling sweet.
Took this grim-looking picture.
Hours later, a mug of tea. Even that had a distorted taste. Then I went to wash the mug and heard a sort of howling noise. It seemed to be coming from outside. 
The mudslide from Woodthorpe Grange Park seemed bigger than yesterday’s was.
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For the first time ever, Colin was affecting both hands and fingers! Naturally, I coped in my usual pain-bearing way. Being the calibre of man that I am. (Cough, cough!) Any wailing noises heard by my neighbours would likely have been in my sleep while having a nightmare. 
Here is the drip tray with the night bag in it, catching the state of my water-leaking, one swollen, one not, legs. With Lymphorrhoea Leslie, Odious Odema Diana, and the ankle ulcer; leaking fluid and the odd tiny globules of 
A slightly better measure in the bag, especially for five hours.
yet, so I had a rare mug of tea and just three dunked bikkies for breakfast.
Naturally, the tea was decaffeinated. Again, 
.
Well, I knew today may well break the time taken record again. I was right! You see, I’d been walking about the flat for ages without any socks or slippers on. That is because it’s such a hell of a painful arduous task getting them on. (Pity-Search-here?)
once or twice a day… Surely whoever reported it for me, must have told them about this problem? Int life good?
As I reach up to get the shower thingamabob, my feet slipped on the bottom of the bowl…
Apart from agony from the bum, 
pouring blood, a bruised knee, 
giving me some, and the 
valve getting opened in the shuffle and merrily releasing pee all over, it wasn’t too bad.
, both 
.
.
❻ 
❼ TCP’d the Mystery chest-tummy, whatever they are.
❽ Then, the painful and impossible one! Daktacorting Little Inchies Fungal Lesion. Which is usually the trickiest of them all, pain-wise and tactically.
Having the Catheter tube inserted, and refitted so often over the last… how long has it been? It must be three or four months by now; it has and is nigh-on impossible to get the cream where it is needed to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, it is easy to get the medication onto one’s testicles. 
Getting into the protection pants!
. Many tears happen when I do this, and I have to start again, win, 
, even 
can stop any chance of using the blood-causing Glenda anymore.
and 
pool together, to somehow make me forget to ask the Carer to help me get socks, shoes, or trousers on, on the day needed.
Well, what a record… 2hrs-25minutes
Little Inchie off again, poor little mite!
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SMUG-MODE Adopted
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. Carer Richard told me later it was Grade seven on the NHS Urine colour docket. A bit dark? I’ll try to drink more water today.
immediately. So I did. Much less messy this morning. It seems that 
had made a counter-attack for command of this evacuation. I lot of effort was needed from me to get things started and moving. Painful and bloody for 
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Cleaned the backside and ointmentated the rear end with Germoloids.
I found the missing toothbrush after several days of searching. It had fallen or been dropped, of course; out of sight and landed on the cleaning cloth that was a similar colour. I wouldn’t have found it but for a slight 
(Hard to believe, I know!) I dropped the Dettol bottle, bent to retrieve it and hit my shoulder against the sink; that’s when I saw it. I took no chances and used the 
little picker upperer to get it.
losing blood, I must try to be careful. I just hope that 
doesn’t join in with them. Then, I did mayhap the riskiest job of 
every morning; getting the PPs on. Which is always a painful task and often one with 
tendencies and risks. But not this morning; the pain was there, of course – but no injuries! 
And not only, but also, I used the cheaper grey ones, which tend to split or tear occasionally, but again; Not this morning!
The sweat rash was less irritating as well this morning.
Even more good luck here; The feet, ankles, ulcers, and water papules were all looking good.
.
Even filling the bowls of water from the kitchen to The not-working or refilling W.C. water tank, didn’t bother poor old 
so much as it usually does. Mind you, knocking the shoulder against the sink earlier, did set off 
, and so I was as careful as I was possible not to spill any water or drop a bucket, and I went in slow-motion, almost shuffling my feet flat on the floor, slowly along. But 
Shirley was only giving micro shakes at this time. How kind of her! Checked the taps were off, and off to the kitchen to get the kettle on and took this photographicalisation of the view.
I took a snap of the being-done-up house near the bottom field.
Sounded from the door chime, and in came my treasured INR, Anticoagulation, DVT Deep Vein Thrombosis, Warfarin phlebotomy Nurse Hristina. To take my blood. That cheered me up! ♥ Lovely lady.
I had some brekkers.
17:50hrs: So light out there.
.
visit, and calls from Sister Jane, Carers extra calls with the medications (Fetched my Carer Richard for me, a grand chap.
– Really thick! 
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Thanks, Doreen!
First bag emptying. Not as dark as it looks. These day bags are in three compartments, with a shaded outer plastic.
. Only two (messy) trips up to now
Brrr!
This shot was a better one, got the colour as it was!
Getting dark earlier now.
And yet, the next emptying…
Much better? Not complaining like!
Oh, where did the time go?
Washed the pots, during which I felt liquid on my left lower leg?
I put a self-adhesive pad on them, check the
That was too red again. Tsk!
Yet another crap night of sleeping. I had to keep wiping the liquid away all through the night with kitchen towels. One of the lesions is still running now (at 09:40hrs Saturday). The eyes and nose are doing a good imitation of the lesions. This reminded me of a Dr Who episode. Hehe!
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was not too hopeful of finding my ‘taken-away-to-be-laundered clothing’. The chances, must be slim, but she did say she’d have another look around for me. 
Found my laundry.
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I really cannot remember much about yesterday.
And urine colouring. Not good at all
Don’t know when or why I took this one above.
Found this one, Richard
This shows how well-coloured and heavy-flowing the wee had been the first thing.
Then this one is what it is like now…
Another earlier shot.
The yopo two notepads are mine, so you can see why I am making a mess of this blog? The bottom one was what Carer Carolynne wrote to remind me after. Carer Jozeph. Calls from unknown people as well, a con here, methinks was being tried.
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One light, one dark leg and foot.
First photo of the day.
I now not what is was taken for.
Afternoon shot. As you can see above…
The lowest BP ever taken!
Only one 
visit all day…
Late afternoon Shot.
‘s. The lay said they would order some from the chemist who should deliver them to Meridian. Also, is the pains from Little Inchie continue, I must ring them. They didn’t get any worse, so didn’t need to.
Amazing sky, around 04:10hrs..
After I took this shot of the car park below, the sky captured my imagination. I started my pareidolia fixation going for the next fifteen minutes taking these shots of the changing sky – and searching for any figures I could find in the multi-coloured patterns! 
I think these are in order as I took them.
Star shop Enterprise quality these…
Beautiful layered night sky…
The sun reached weaker clouds,
Bootiful!
Gorgeous!
Still gorgeous two minutes later…
Distance shot for her last minutes
In close for a final effort.
There you are, then, proof that I am a man of letters! Hehe!
Arrived, waking me up and 
. He departed, and I finished the meal, then went and locked the front door.
rangeth the door chime? I was unsure why she had come, but it seemed she was due? Had to go carrying the 
night pouch in one hand and the Four-Pronged metal Mickey stick in the other. She asked if I wanted any medications; I thanked her and declined. Explaining that the night catheter had already been done. She checked the taps and stove for me and, after a mini-waffle, followed her to the door and bade her farewell.