– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sorry, but this will have to be rushed. I’m so far behind with everything after the £290 CorelDraw 2004 programme I just installed a few days ago crashed four times. As usual, a message came up after reloading each time, wanting my email and an explanation of what I was doing when it crashed, and I lost everything I’d done! Then I had more bother when the Control+I, and E did not work. The trouble is, if I do find a way around it, I forget how I did it the next time it happens.
And, when I was making some comment replying, WordPress blinked, and the comment disappeared! I turned everything off and rebooted. It was still off in the ether. But then I could not access the comments at all! This morning, it seems to be working… hang on, I’ll check again… They came up, but I’m not going to risk answering yet, until I get this blog done. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Pouch.
Urgh! Yet it took ages to get started?
Hoovered the hallway.
Balcony sky view.
The first mug of Glengettie. I let it go cold as I fought for hours to get CorelDraw working again. It was not easy; unbelievable it took me three hours! I’m still not confident.
A food order arrived. I think I’d bought comfort food. Balson shortbread biscuits, lemon mousse, pork pie, marmite nibbles, with some tomatoes (which were nice!), and sliced potatoes.
Drinkies, some for the treat shelf, vinegar and seasoning.
As the evening approached, the sky looked good.
I was fed up with all the time I wasted on computing, so I made an early meal for myself. Well, why not? Pigged the meal down. Thoroughly enjoyed it. But the sense of doom over the WordPress and CorelDraw problems would not leave.
Many blank spots throughout the day. Sorry.
Took this shot from the kitchen window. Thought it was good and showed hope that the Borealis may return later… Not that was awake, so I don’t know if it did show up in the skies or not… sky or not. I did wake up around 03:00 hrs, thanks to the , and hazily made my way to the window to take this picture. Not sure if that was the moon or not?
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I think I found two, the one at the bottom of this blog and one on a sheep to the farmers, right? Carer found another this morning below the one at the bottom of the blog, under the farmer’s hand. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
04:30hrs woke with the TV still on. Removed the nocturnal catheter. Made for the wet room without taking any view shots. It was important that I get the ablutions and dreading dressing done ASAP, just in case there were any of the usual events.
Got the shaving and washing done without too much bother. And started to get dressed… This took me over twice as long as it did to do the ablutions and the medicationalisationing! Pain, blood, bruise, bent the little picker-upper, tore the Protection pants, and had to start again. So, Normal-Status Adopted.
Nice red band on the right ankle. Photo taken after creaming it. A new spot was found on the left leg. Slippers on. I couldn’t get the left leg one on, so asked Care Joanne to to put it on when she arrived. Carer Joanne called. She is still having problems with her catheter, and I found it therapeutic to listen to other’s problems for once. We, as usual, found time for a bit of a laugh and joke. Within a minute of Joanne proffering her farewells, chimed from the door chime. It was Carer Maryham, doing the domestic call. She kindly got on with it while I took a sleep, in the knowledge that she would wake me in time for a final check that I’d collected everything needed, ready for the clinic visit, and catch the Easy Link bus. Which the gal did. I got the 3-wheeled walker, and Maryham walked me down to the ground floor, well, in the lift.
Hello, the old clock is back on the wall in the main lobby. I imagine the new clock had been stolen, along with my and other’s bags of laundry? Hehe!
It was drizzling out there, and the mud could be seen that had been walked into the building. My favourite driver was outside waiting for me to be picked up, from Easy-Link. She got the money from my various pockets to pay for the lift and we were off. Turning right down Winchester Street Hill. Sneaked this ahoy en route… But dropped the camera, and I was firmly in the grip of the seat belt, and could not retrieve Kodak Tim, which settled between my legs… until we arrived at the Riverside. I discovered that Dominic, was not there today, and it should have been last Monday that I could speak with him. Of course, these things could happen to anyone… but the odds were it would have to be me!
I decided to have a walk around Bulwell Market and the river until the lift came to fetch me in two hours… but first I had to ask where the toilets were to empty out, you know what… Flipping dark! But it was easy enough to empty today, and hot water and soap to wash with. I hobbled out into the rain and walked to the Bulwell Market and the shops. This was an expensive trip out! Not particularly busy, but with the rain? Looking a little gloomy, too! Called in the Heron store. Needed help with using the cash dispenser again, Tsk! Came out with a bag of fodder, and down to the B&M store. Left with a bigger bag of purchases. Then to the Poundland Store, got some Walkers Worcester sauce potato sticks for a pound, a pack of six and a giant bag of bird seed, and made my way across the road to the river and the pigeons waiting for me. And getting well-soaked at the same time! They must have recognised me? Bless, them… Then a hobble back to the riverside, in the rain. Getting murky again as I approached the building. The lift was waiting in the car park for me. Took these below on the trip home to the empty flat. Hehe! Exiting the car park. En route. Bestwood, I believe. Top Valley? Unknown. Sherwood. Back at the prison… I mean flats! I mused over three weeks ago when my laundry and new bag were never returned, along with a few other poor residents. The following week, I put it all in my new bag, and the laundry was returned… but in an old bag; I mentioned that it was my laundry but not my bag, and they took away the bag. Yesterday, three days after sending and paying for it to be washed, it came back damp. We pulled up, And the gentleman said his farewells, and up to the cell… no, no… flat. Emptied out the fodder from the bags. And got on with making something to eat. Had a go at the blog and finished it in a jiffy… well, maybe not. I got it finished nine hours later.
Checked on the cooking and saw that King Charlie is out of hospital but must recuperate for a week… Ha! This prompted me to write the News Snippet at third from the top for the blog. ‘Charlie is out of hospital’!
Midnight, and in need and ready for sleep… but it wasn’t to be granted. Cheers!
03:00hrs: I burst into violent wakefulness. With, or due to, hypnagogic jerking, hypnic myoclonic, involuntary twitching, shaking, and jolting. Even the teeth were jarring, and eyelids were blinking away crazily! My left leg slipped off of the resting chair, and my ankle papule hit the standing seat leg, and the fluid poured out. Over my foot, the quilt, and the carpet. This caused a semi-panic for a few seconds; I don’t mind admitting it; I thought I was having another stroke at first. But soon realised that the blood and puss escaping was hurting. I don’t think I’d have noticed that if I were having a stroke. This cheered me up a smidgeon. Then, the task of freeing myself and getting up from the £300, second-hand, decrepit, Haemorrhoid-Harold-testing, sleep-deterring, nauseatingly beige-coloured, not-working, recliner, to clean things up. Took a shot of the nocturnal Catheter bag first. Not much in it, and a somewhat disappointingly dark colouring. As I looked at the bed awaiting its safety bar to be fitted, I swear I moved! Oh course, I suppose it didn’t, really. The eyes are bad again this morning. Due, I think to and or ?
I took a shot of the early, early morning view from the kitchen window (Right). Then got a bucket of water with Dettol disinfectant and a cleaning cloth to sort out the mess, and I noticed how, within a minute or two, the change to the scene on view. (on the left) Back to try and sort out the papule’s liquid escapages. Ended up with a fair bit of bother from from the bending down to clean up. What an evacuation from the rear end this first one was! Hardly any effort was needed from me; I sat down, squelching, splashing, all done! And, no bleeding from !
This time it was for a longer period. I gave up and went to the kitchen to see what was available for a nosh later on in the day. I popped out onto the balcony first, to see what the situation was with the end car park’s mudslide. Here it is. Ten minutes later it was getting lighter, but still raining a bit. About ten more minutes. As I toyed with salvaging some potatoes Removing the eyes from them!
It had lightened quickly and I got a decentish photograph taken of the end mudslide scene. The internet came back on, then off again. I saved the rescued potatoes ready for boiling then baking, and had to visit the Porcelain Throne again. Well, that was different for a change. I took another of the Galpharm capsules, just to be on the safe side after the visit to the wet room was finished. Back on the computer, and got a call from Jillie. Not heard from her for ages, Ah, Christmas is coming. She said she’d try to call on the 20th of December, to see me. It’ll be nice to listen to what she’s been up to; bless her.
The north side view had turned to a blue/red hue. Well, it would do… But I don’t know why, do you? Then I closed the window, cutting my finger on the spring clip screw. Poetic, if nothing else… Hehe!
Off to the wet room for the third time. Slow evacuation, sticky, gooey, messy and even more stinky to clean up. That’s a full roll of toilet paper and a half up to now, used. The Galpharm capsules usually firm things up a smidge. The landline, that was so kindly killed off by the infamous number-crunching, mumbo-jumbo, slithery-sidestepping, hocus-pocus, Oligarchs of , and the none-working Severe-Frailty-Sufferers Emergency Panic Alarm were still not working, of course. I imagine that the Virgin Media O2 Owner Paid CEO Mike Fries a $62 Million salary plus a guaranteed bonus with an open-ended expense account. He must be really worried and ashamed about his failure to get a signal to Nottingham that works and then causing the landline and alarm to fail for the old folks, as well. And still charging us for the non-existent service. May he rot in hell, along with me as his cellmate! Still, he’s a handsome-looking brute, as Oligarchs go!
and a couple of in getting the meal prepared for myself tonight. Although a rescue attempt was fairly successful, as you can see in the photo here on the right. The flavour rating was 7.6/10.
❶: A scolded index finger draining the water from the boiled spuds.
❷ I dropped the stone crock-pot bowl and it hit poor little spot on target.. ❸: As it made its way down to hit the left legs . ❹: A cut thumb-end while slicing the spuds to go into the oven for baking.
❺: I dropped the tray taking out the seasoned and cooked potato slices. I’m treading on a few in my haste to retrieve them, and going close to having a tumble or banana skin-like skid and ending up my by bottom. oven. So, now you know why there are fewer potato slices in the meal than usual. Humph! Then slipped on a piece of potato I’d missed on the floor, and hit my chin on the edge of the counter.
I thought the day was going too well compared to how the previous 1,525 days had gone. Luckily it did not bother me in the slightest. Not to a man of my calibre, heroism and pain tolerance, it was nothing! Possibly? Perhaps. Maybe…
I washed the pots and had a Yodel doing so. I heard a tapping noise from the flat above, so, I stopped the yodelling straight away.
I took these photos, with about ten minutes between each one taken. First straight ahead, the last one taken further to the right, north.
I could feel the wetness escaping from the water-geyser wounds on the left leg, underneath all the plasters, diabetic socks, leggings and ankle straps. This will be fun when the late Carer takes them all off for me. But, as I said, to a man of my courage and determination, it’ll be nothing to worry about. It’s only pain.
I closed the computer. Cursed, and had to visit no.10 to the Porcelain Throne. Well, yet another change in passing mode for me. I’ve had a few of these multi-coloured evacuations before, but this was more distinct and three-coloured. Pale brown, straw and almost black. I was tempted to take a photo of it, but there are limits, even for me. Hehehe!
did the last call. A nice young lad. He took this snap of the right leg after he removed the ankle and leg strapping, then the diabetic socks for me. Oh, the wanting to scratch at the itching from both legs and feet drove me mad! I knew if I did, without any doubts, s geyser papules would start bleeding and leaking fluid. His laughter at my plight helped me resist doing so, but it wasn’t easy. He put the strappings and socks in the laundry bag for me. I did his BP & temperature. I’ll update the list for tomorrow’s blog. Now if this photo I took of the lad, doesn’t look like a younger Wesley Snipes, I’m a monkey’s Uncle! Spitting image I think? I call him Wes when he calls. Hehehe!
How did you do?
Some photos that were taken during the modernisation and updating of Woodthorpe Winchester Court, and the building of Winwood Court, 2017 > 2019 by Nottingham City Homes for us old farts.
After last night’s near disaster with the computer – that resigned me to the fate of the computer’s death. I was worried stiff, and convinced that it was Kaput! Dead, finished! Now how can I get through, with no computer to order food in, get in touch with the bank (not that I can now, will have to rely on Kara to help me out once again, bless her, in getting online with the bank. Without the computer, this is mission impossible; Thus another sleepless night. Ailments kept waking me up. Doreen’s Dementia made concentration out of the question, but did it get me panicking a little… alright then, a lot! Yet this morning, things seemed back to normal with the computer? Carer Kara arrived for the first call of the day. I do love seeing her. I was going to ask her again if she fancied adopting me as a grandad… but forgot too. Humph! She changed the catheter bag for me, gave me the medications and explained about the medication cock-up with the chemist. Then she called someone about the night bag shortages. Telling me the clinic will send me some to the flat. Super-Gal!
We had a natter, and off she trotted, taking the waste bag with her.
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I was amazed and overjoyed (Naturally, this did not last long). When then the computer came on, it seemed to be operating correctly-ish. Of course, I’d lost track of where I was up to, what I had done, and what needed doing next to the blog. Although there’s nothing new about this!
The first trip to the proved to be a slight improvement on the previous day’s evacuation efforts. But worryingly, there was deep red and thick textured blood for the first time in weeks. I’m a smidgen concerned about the lack of any haematology nurses arriving for three weeks now to take some blood to analyse the INR (Warfarin) level. Has someone told them I’ve snuffed it, so I don’t need to bother? Also, I only have a part pack of Warfarin left in the medical drawer? Only one tube of Fenbid Forte, No Codeines, Paracetamol, No Lanzoprazole, No Bisoprolol (Beta-blockers), No Furesomide (Water tablets), or any Prochlorperazine tablets. Not to mention ‘s, or rather the absence of! Carer Kara rang about these for me this morning to try and get some that the chemist says he cannot get a hold of at all! This is not good! The continence team will try an alternative bag to see if these are in stock. This drawer has never been emptier. NHS problems? Pharmacy problems? Supplier problems? I’m also on the last few dregs of the Chloramphenicol Eye Drops. Thank heavens for Carer Kara’s help.
She returned later the second call and tried to get through to the bank to ask for written statements and get me online. But it was an on-hold call that the gal could not wait for, other jobs to tend to, people to be cared for. She did her best for me, but there was no answer to the calls, and she had to go through a series of questions to get through to nobody! Thanks for trying, gal! ♥ Much appreciated!
Now I can get the ablutions tended to before returning to this blog. Put the dressing gown into the laundry bag, got a new one near the wet room door, and turned on the towel airer to use later. I’ll time it again, going on at 12:25 hours. All done and cleared up by 14:00 hours: Best time this month. Is my luck changing… , I do ask some silly questions at times! “Is my luck changing?” Tsk!
16:30hrs: Going to get the early meal started now, folks.
Changed into sunglasses. I was feeling drained, nearly blind and strained. I’ll finish this in the morning. I hope!
Good Morning! Oh, dearie me… the nosh was disappointing last night. The same ready-made meal as last night, but this one had a lot of large chunks of carrots, which would typically be welcomed, but these were undercooked! Shame! Wonder what the third one (the last in the fridge) might taste like? Still, the oven-baked potato chunks were well cooked by yours truly. And the cheap yoghourt with lemon curd put in went down nicely. The best I can give for Taste-Rating for this one is 4/10.
Tried to stay awake to watch ‘Heartbeat’, but no! Carer Josef arrived and woke me up. Is there no rest in this aged, grotty-looking c1966 made, charity-shop-bought, horribly beige-coloured, £300, Harold’s Haemorrhoid-testing, non-operational, acne-giving, virus-breeding, rickety, easy-to-fall-out-of recliner? Obviously, not a lot! Josef medicated me and got off ASAP to let me fall asleep again, Bless him. I was soon back in the land of nod. Zzz!
Two-Hours later, from the door chime. I burst awake with a jolting, jarring, buffeting, twitching, and finally fluttered back into a semi-imitation wakefulness. Most reluctantly! But suddenly, sleep was of no interest. For it was Carer Carolynne who’d arrived. She gave the medications and checked the taps (faucets), and the stove was not left on. A little mini natter and laugh were enjoyed, and off she trotted on her missions. Could I get back to sleep? NO! Despite my mind and body demanding that I get more shut-eye, the brain and/or Sweet Morpheus denied me! Hours later, I did drift off and swiftly (it felt to me) went into a dream where Grizelda and I were on a big fairground wheel – snuggling up! Great!
Then, damn it… the kicked in. AARGH! Was I ropeable, furious, fuming, piqued, irritated, narked, depressed, or fed-up? YES! Was I once again in pain? YES! Was I suicidal? NO!
I feel my future, limited as it is, could be Panglossian
In a detrimental, foolishly-optimistic, unpropitious way…
