23:30hrs: I woke, and assessed the aches and pains that were rampant all over my weak old overweight torso and limbs. Even an enormous headache and toothache joined in the vexing ‘Let’s Annoy-Inchcock-Assault!’ I expected this might happen. (Well, not the toothache and headache) With whatever occurred at the After-Stroke Physio session, and the Victoria Centre yesterday. But it could have been worse I thought, it has in the past.
After a few minutes ruminative thinking and considerationalisationing, I was about to tackle the freeing of my onerously flobby-flatulent body from the second-hand, £300, rickety recliner. I noticed a rather large amount of debris scattered about from the nocturnal-nibbling! Oh, dear! Guilty-Mode-Engaged! I’ve got some cleaning up to do here. I recognised some of the crumbs on the stomach, chair and carpet; walnuts, flaky puff pastry and a couple of chocolate peanuts, that made their presence felt from within the folds of tummy-flab when I tried to move my mass. The Phlebotomy Nurse is coming today as well! Tsk! How come, I cannot remember getting out of the recliner to fetch the tubs of food, bringing them back? And, the walking stick still in the place I left it leaning against the Ottoman? I’d had a nibble-feast, and cannot remember anything about it?
I edged the flobby-bulk-hunk body from the recliner, and as I stood-up to gain some balance, I found out that I was wrong about not using the stick, in fact, I did use the walking stick on my overnight food search, the four-pronged metal one. I just stubbed my toe on it, as it lay as if in a booby-trap mode, half-hidden under the foot of the chair! Now I am getting worried about myself!
Having caught my balance and started to move off, two things happened at the same time. The need for the Porcelain Throne became evident, and Dizzy Dennis had me swaying about clutching at anything solid enough to support me. But the need to get to the wet room, made me foolishly proceed in that direction at a fair rate of knots, with some knocks! By the time I reached to door to the Throne room, only perhaps fifteen or so paces, I’d banged my right elbow, shoulder and leg against the door frame, then the elbow and shoulder again on the wet room door, and hastily downed jammie-bottoms and nearly missed the Porcelain Throne as I sat down! It was a close thing, I nearly ended up on the floor, and that would have been terribly messy, for the evacuation started on it own accord again! Yes, the Peripheral and Polyneuropathy was playing up, and trying to send me to my right (the last movement before the nerve-ends failed) my the neurotransmitters not telling the brain I wanted to go straight forward! (Yes, I looked it up. Haha!)
However, the evacuation was swift, not too messy, and no pain at all!, Got a wash-up, and off to get the kettle one and took the medications, with an extra Codeine 30g, to counter the tooth and headache.
I tackled the updating of the Monday blog. Got it all done in record time considering the photographs that needed to go on. Sent it to WordPress. Went on the WordPress Reader.
I got the ablutions tended to, as the Morrison delivery is due twixt 06:00>07:00hrs. One of least accident-prone ablution session for a long time. The dropsies were only two, no bleeding from Little Inchies lesion, I won the sock-glide struggle and no toe stubbing! Smug-Mode-Assumed!
Got the handwashing done, rung and hung. Just the one mishap, the nerve-ends lack of messages to the brain, made me drop the bowl while I was emptying it into the sink. 06:50hrs: As I was cleaning things up, the Morrison delivery arrived. Substituted Braeburn crap apples for Cox’s. Money-off Voucher not valid, they say the wrong number! Crabs and Grobblecrap!
The Phlebotomy nurse has not let me knew what time she is calling. So, I might be in all day again! Crabs and Grobblecrap! Will I ever have another decent day before I clock-out? Grrr!
I went on CorelDraw to do some advance graphicalisationing. I was doing reasonably well. Two hours later and: Crabs and Grobblecraps!
So, not being able to go out with the refuse and recycling gear for fear of missing the Phlebotomy nurse, or the Medicine Management lady, nor get through to the surgery to find out if the appointment has been cancelled or not. I made use of the time now spare thanks to Mr Fires pathetic service. I called the phlebotomy team to make sure someone was visiting me today, just in case I had to scuttle out to the surgery for the blood test. The lady investigated and told me when she returned that someone SHOULD be coming today, POSSIBLY before 13:00hrs. Marvellous! I think this all part of this weeks NHS plan, to either drive me crazy, make me commit suicide or just plain vindictiveness on the part of the Lord. And his wanting to apply as much as possible frustrations, mental and physical, then do an autopsy on my body. Possible that it might be a punishment for a previous life? Oh heck. I hope I wasn’t Stalin in my last existence! I might be losing it again here! Haha!
Well gone 13:00hrs, no one showed up yet. Stuck inside again. I started to mope over this week’s cock-ups:
Mon: I had to go down to beg the ILC Deana to phone the Police for me about the Pegasus form, then sort the envelope out for me.
And she phoned the Medication Mangement people for me, about a double-booking. Well looked after I was.
Then I nipped out to post the police letter.
Back to the flat, and I’d missed the Phlebotomy nurse, who according to the note called at 09:30hrs, and it was then 0934hrs, talk about bad luck! The letter said I have to ring the surgery for an appointment.
So, after many attempts, I got through to them. I was told I had to go to the surgery for the blood test on Thursday at 11:40hrs.
The phlebotomy team called later on and said they would make an appointment again and will come Wednesday (today). I asked if she knew what time, so I could make sure I was in. She said: ‘I’ve no idea, the nurse will ring you before coming’. She didn’t!
Tuesday: Worra day. Got up and collapsed in a heap, landing entangled with the walking stick and swivel chair! Dizzy Dennis.
Got soaked in the rain going to town. Nearly fell off the bus getting off.
Had a Dizzy Dennis attack in Tesco.
Then I found myself on the floor in the shopping mall as I was leaving, people all around me, and no idea how or what happened.
Trod on a loose paving slab on Goldsmith Street, and got the foot and socks drenched!
This made the After-Stroke session hard physically and mentally, and I have many blank spots about what happened in the Physio hall?
Got up this morning, no nurse arrived. I was bewildered, had the tumble.
Accifauxpa with losing grip and dropping the bowl of handwashing.
The Morrison order gave unwanted substitutes, and the apples were all bruised.
Morrison did not take off the Voucher for £10 saving.
I rang the Phlebotomy to check that a nurse was coming, told she should be here by 13:00hrs, it is now 13:25hrs, no show.
So, with the last INR reading of only 1.6. Point .01away from the Red level. Christ, that is so close to having to use the Anoxaprin injections, but what can I do?
I then lost the internet again.
A headache and toothaches have been with me all day.
And I’ve just hit my knee of the sock glide when I went for a wee-wee!
I’ve felt cold all day, although the thermometer reads 20°.
Following on later: The nurse rang, she’s not coming today, but (supposedly anyway) in the morning, well not morning, twixt 10:30 to 12:30hrs. Crabs and Grobblecrap!
I must remember Thursday’s much-rearranged arrangements: 08:30hrs: Podiatrist st Sherwood Health Centre – City Care. Leoni Mee has been Cancelled! Rearranged for Wed 4th @ 09:30>12:00hrs – Phlebotomy Nurse sometime after 10:30hrs.
Forgive me while I top myself… no, I’d better not! If I did some miraculous event would take place that was lucky for me; Hang on, how would I know anyway… if luck or even nothing going wrong took place, the shock of it would probably see me-off!
I need some help here. Depression and confusion are winning the battle for life, and my resilience is on the wane. I’ll try phoning the Doctors again… That was wishful thinking.
Ah well. I’ll make a mug of tea… Ah, the landline is ringing… Guess who it was? Fancy that and Crabs and Grobblecrap! I’ll stop communicating shortly, no need to say why is there. Gawd I’m pissed off! She is now coming on Thursday Crabs and Grobblecrap! Blimey, I’m feeling cold in here. Toothache getting bad, the headache still here but no worse.
Had enough now, turned off the computer. Spat, swore and tried not let myself get angry at my hopeless, helpless situation.
Got the bags made up and to the waste chute, the made-up a recycling and glass bag and took them down to the caretaker’s room. I was actually angry now, with life’s tribulations increasing, and my ability to sort them, none-existent.
Got the nosh prepared. Baked beans flavoured with malt vinegar, sugar, Texan BBQ sauce, three wholemeal cobs with a Cumberland Sausage square in each one, and a bonus one in with the beans. Excellent! A tasteless unordered foul Braeburn apple and a Lemon yoghourt to follow.
Taste-Rating 8/10, I’ll just have to hope the next Porcelain Throne visit isn’t too adventurous or runny. Haha!
This was the highlight of another frustrating day.
A short Ode to Inchies life!
How much, can one man take?
Before he finally does break?
Good lucks, unknown to him and fake,
He awaits the Earthquake’s arrival,
Not bothered about his survival,
Eating his out-of-date, burnt pigeon steak,
And spots coming down, a snowflake,
He’s losing his grip, for heaven’s sake!
So he has a mug of tea and a lemon-curd cake,
In his recliner, picking over life’s connotations,
And falls asleep, missing his medications,
Wakes up, needing a wee-wee, and having the shakes!
01:05hrs: As I stirred into a pretend life, the mind was starting to go off on one of its fear-storms; Luckily the need for a Porcelain Throne visit saved the day, and the brain was diverted to the urgent need of getting out of the £300, second-hand, c1968, rickety recliner! This morning, my freeing of the gargantuanly-flobby body and onto the feet, was probably on a par with sorting out Brexit! I’ll not go into the embarrassing reasons, but it took me the best part of half-an-hour to get to the wet room – by which time I was too late!
The session was messy, the wee-weeing took an age to stop, Little Ichies fungal lesion needed attention, and the sanitising and medicationalisationing afterwards, has never taken more time to get done! I managed, although my spirits were low now, with the discomfiture, self-consciousness and mortification of what had just happened! Guilt and shame were in there somewhere too!
I took the medications, made a brew, and got on with updating the Thursday blog. At least the myasthenia gravis was a lot easier than yesterday, so even with so many photographs to sort and get in it, it took me far less time today. I seemed to resist my iracundulous thoughts and actions today, and this was a good thing. (I hope I’ve used the right word?)
I went to make another brew and took three photos out of the new, mostly unwanted, unliked, thick-famed, light & View blocking kitchen window. I took each one in different settings: Night Landscape, Aperture Priority and Landscape.
I then got on with Pinterest posting, and on to TFZer Facebooking. After which, I went on the WordPress Reader section.
Ablution time, so off to the wet room – which was another bit of unexpected good-luck for me. Within seconds of stripping off, the Porcelain Throne needed attending! Talk about miraculous timing! This concerned me, with my plans to get out shopping in Arnold for some bread, milk and another thing on the list, which I can’t recall at the moment. I hope nothing untoward happens in the rear-end-exiting stakes while I’m out!
I made up and took five small bags to the waste chute, then returned to the flat, and went through the double-checking routines. Seeking substantiation, validation, verification and confirmation that I had not left something on or off, that shouldn’t be. Lights, taps (faucets), doors etc., and not entirely convinced that I had, (and in a dilemma, positivity and confidence never having been my forte for many years now) I garbed up warmly and departed. I met Malcolm on the way down.
I visited Mary’s flat on the way, I’d not seen her for a while. Just to see if she’s alright. But she was not in, so she might well be at the bus stop?
Met the lady, whose name escapes me, I can never remember. Tsk! As I got out of the lift. A natter and the nibbles came out.
I called at the ILC’s (Independent Living Coordinator’s) holding and interrogation office, where I handed a worried-harrassed-looking stern-faced Catwalk Model and Scharfhureress Warden Julie and handed her a nibble. The EQ told me to get out of her way, (I’m no hero!) into the big Winwood Social Room.
I sat in a high chair for a while, musing, stewing about life. Which did me no good at all, everything, (and a lot did fleet-through the mind), that went through the brain-box was of a negative nature I’m afraid. Perspicacious, logical, commonsensical, reasoned, coherent or even insightful ponderations, they were not.
I pulled myself away from the gloomy thoughts and poddled out to the bus stop. Aha! There was Mary, with Penny, Dot and Malcolm. I joined with a “Good morning, each!”, and handed out the nibbles. I enjoyed listening to Malcolm’s entertaining well-presented story of his visit to a theme park with the Grandkids, and the general moaning, laughing and grumps. Hehehe! Penny looked twinkling eyed. Mary was in good form and well.
The L9 arrived for Bestwood, and by then Cindy, Chrissie, Welsh William, Dot, Bill (William on Sundays), and others had joined us. I got on and in the corner Side-saddle seat, and snuggled in the drop board – for I had recognised the driver, and anticipated my having a battle not to be dislodged from the saddle at every corner the bus took. And so it was to be. Hehe! I did try doing the crosswords, but it was too dangerous, with having to cling on the bus furniture and hold the trolley from rolling away, despite the brakes being applied.
I dropped off of the bus in Arnold Front Street and had one of the worst Dizzy Dennis attacks ever. I was genuinely concerned and leant against some pedestrian crossing railings for a while. Everything around me felt like a dream, and not connected with me? As people walked by me, they almost looked like ghosts! This amazingly didn’t last long, and within ten minutes or so, I felt confident enough, to gingerly venture over the crossing to the other side of the road, towards the Fulton Food store. By the time I reached the store, everything was back to reality, and no signs of the dizzies? I can’t deny being concerned so, that I thought for a moment “Hello, this is it!”, but not so.
I was soon in my element, shopping, and finding things that I did not need or want. Dropping items, not being able to reach some. And having to struggle to get the three-wheeler around the place. I ended up getting some bargains, though. Roast turkey slices for £1, Pork Farms Pork Pies, and Beef trimmings each at £1, and two bottles of Sterilised milk.
Paid the lady, and made my way to the High Road bus stop. The timing worked well, I had ten minutes before the bus was due and only had to walk up the Asda (Walmart) alleyway to the top to the bus shelter. As I was reaching the top near the car park, the L9 bus belted passed! It was five-minutes early! That’s if my charity-shop bought £2 wristwatch with its £10 replacement strap, was right of course! Grumph & Grobbleclogs! Grr!
So, I went back down the alleyway and went into the Asda (Walmart) store. To have a meander around while waiting for the next bus, from Front Street, that will take me back 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 spacetime continuum, illusion, delusion, & hallucination!
It was a struggle to get around with so many customers, it is a Friday, so I suppose I should have expected it. I ended up at the self-serve-tills with, beetroot, fresh vine tomatoes, Milk Roll loaf, Sliced Wholemeal cobs, Potato cakes, and some mini swiss rolls. I paid-up, bagged the goods, and out to the bus stop on Front Street.
Passing near where I had the Dizzy Dennis spell earlier, made the goose-bumps come up. But I didn’t have any more of them.
When the bus got to Sherwood, it picked up some of my Windwood Heights fellow-tenants. My being st in the side-saddle seat, I greeted each one as they got on the bus. One even acknowledged me. By the time I got off the bus, last as is usual, and assisted down to the pavement by a Winchesteronian waiting to get on (Thank you, Sir!), all the others from the bus had disappeared inside Winchester Court. (Gawd, they’re quick! Hehehe!)
I went in and through the link passage to the big social room, and passed the Winwood Lobby, through the next link-passage into a cold, gloomy Woodthorpe Court lift lobby. Up in the elevator and into the flat, no wee-wee or Porcelain Throne visits needed, now that is a rarity!
I got the kettle on, then unloaded the Asda (Walmart) and Fulton Foods. Realising I had forgotten to get the toilet cistern cleaner blocks. Well, fancy that, me, forgetting something! Haha!
I decided , after considerable ponderisationing, on having frankfurters, gammon steaks, tomatoes, beetroot, apple and mini swiss rolls for my nosh.
But decided to get the handwashing done first. And worra mess I made doing it! During the rinsing-out stage, as I was emptying the bowl, the bloody Sensory nerves went on the blink, and I ended up dropping the bowl, with water over the sink and draining board, me and the floor! As luck would have it, I’d stripped off beforehand, ready to get the sleeping-gear on. So drying me was no problem at least. The floor was more of a struggle. No ululations, mind. I was almost pleased that my run of unnatural good luck had ended, and I was back in the real world.
I got the jammie-bottoms and the dressing gown that is too small for me, on. Finished the washing, freshening, wringing and hanging up to dry the shirt and socks.
Then got the meal served up, settled in the £300 second-hand recliner, and began the unfortunately very unpleasant task of eating the plate of evening fodder. Although it did look good, a few ingredients let me down tastewise and by my bad cooking! The gammon steaks were not my cup of tea at all, far too sweet! The worst of my errors was cooking the potato cakes with the gammon, the sweet fat soaked into the cakes, and they were uneatably sweet, too! Eurgh! The tomatoes were so tasteless! The frank’s, apple, beetroot and mini rolls were all fine. I had a couple of the wholemeal cobs as well. Flavour-Rating: 3/10.
I put another old DVD on to watch. Liam Neeson in ‘Taken’. I thought that a goodie-winning film might cheer me up a bit. I tried several times to take a picture of the box, but the nerve-ends were still playing up, and this was the best of the five efforts I tried, and not a good one. Huh!
I started to watch the film, drifted off to sleep, woke, rewound it and watched again… repeatedly! So I gave up after about an hour, and having only watched approximately ten-minutes worth of it! Ah, well!
23:50hrs: I woke in a confuses state of mind. Fair enough, I needn’t have written this, due to more often than not I do wake up muddle-brained. But this morning was an exceptionally disordered, unconnected, rambling, uncoordinated mishmash than usual. Attaining a level of logicalness, took me a few minutes, and then it was only partial! Fears, worries, and a nagging certainty that I had forgotten something important, or instead failed to remember. If it was not for the sudden urgent need of a wee-wee, I might still be laying there determined to find out what I had forgotten… I think.
Anyroad, I soon had something else to fret over. I escaped the warming clutches of the £300, second-hand, c1968, rickety recliner, grabbed the stick, swore silently at Arthur Itis’s knees, and limped ASAP to the wet room. I felt the blood on my fingers as I prepared things, so stood for the session above the porcelain bowl, trying to limit the spray. The wee-wee was blood-free (Phew!), but a few drips from the fungal lesion kept my attention. Only an RBPDD (Reluctant-But-Painless-Drip-Drip) mode. Most of the time was spent painfully applying the Clotisol cream and cleaning things up afterwards. The reluctance of the flow to stop for such a long time caught me by surprise, considering that the Warfarin INR level was down to 1.6 on Monday. Still, not to fret anymore, I got it plugged at last. And luckily this Whoopsie had caused me to forget about the earlier mind-blast, so that worked out well!
That was until I started to exit the wet room. I managed without any bother to give the toe a really first-class, toe-stubbing against the metal leg of the shower chair! I stemmed the natural verbal outburst, worrying about the neighbours and any noise. I made do with (I thought at the time) a heroically restrained, stifled, low-muffled sort of ‘Eragherruffhooagh!’ Hehehe! Then getting in a position to put Phorpain Gel on the toe, kicked Arthur Itis’s pain up to Defcon Two level. Grumph! And to think, a while ago all I was concerned with was the complexed brain-storm. It doesn’t matter so much now! Although the confusion in the head lingers on now. Tsk!
Off to the kitchen, got the kettle on, took the medications and made the tea, Glengettie. I was aware that I had not needed a Porcelain Throne session yet, which was something out of the ordinary for late. But, up to now, this morning has been a different one than usual.
Neither arrived!
I got to the computer and checked the Google Calendar first. Two health visitors today. I think they may be about the same issue, but I’m not certain. The Warfarin INR being so low might interest the Anticoagulation Haemostasis Deep vein Arterial Thrombosis Clinic. And the Medicine Team nurse cold be about the same, or maybe the not being able to recognise the water-tablets in the blister packs, and are only taken when needed, so I might well be throwing away the bisoprolol (also called Cardicor or Emcor) beta-blocker in mistake? Ah well, I’ll soon find out.
I started the updating of the Tuesday blog, a mammoth job with all that went on and the many photographs to sort out. But, I got it done and posted off in the end. I started sneezing during the process, and have not stopped since.
Eight hours since getting up, and still, I have not had the call to the Porcelain Throne!
I went on the WordPress Reader, and put some pictures on Pinterest.
Time is flying by, I’d better get the ablutions done, so as to be ready in case any medics arrive early.
Marvellous session. Only three dropsies, one cut shaving, and all done quickish. I got the pressies and box of recyclables, dropped them off on the way down. Doris held the door open for me. Got to the Obergruppenfureress Wardens holding cell, saw Deana and back up to the flat. Got the computer back on and did some photographicalising of oneself (I know, but I’m bravish!) Trimmed them to use as Whopppsiedangleplop support.
The intercom went, and a medical worker was admitted, but she did not arrive at the flat. I went down to the foyer, but saw no one anywhere? Then returned to the flat and waited. No signs of her. I thought she might be seeing someone else first, but it is the tie she said she’d arrive. Another
I have still not had the call to the Porcelain Throne? Another of 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!
While I was waiting, I kept hearing noises, like things falling over, and rattles, I could not tell where they were coming from. Then the hearing aids batteries ‘bleeped’ as they both ran out of power. I got some replacement batteries in them. Still no signs of the prescription medical lady? Oh dear!
I made a start on graphics for the templates for the blogs.
Ah, off to the Porcelain Throne! By-golly that was a monster session again, but no pain and no bleeding!
I am now stuck indoors. Because the lady who rang to be let in has not appeared and the Anticoagulation Haemostasis Deep vein Arterial Thrombosis Clinic member has not arrived either! I dare no go out in case they do arrive. So, I decided on a marathon session of graphicalisationing. Then, if one or both does come, I’ll be here ready!
After a long session that took me hours and well beyond my usual head-down time, Arthur Itis’s knees didn’t like me getting up, and I had a close to toppling over moment. (Tsk!) I went to make a much-needed mug of Thompson’s tea, got the medications out and ready, and had a wee-wee, of a DAAOJ: Drip-And-All-Over-Job! The sink hot tap is now leaking – I’m fed-up!
I got the walking stick holder from its box and went onto the balcony to see about fitting it to the new three-wheeler-walker. What a farce! I’ve no idea how or where it can fit?
Had a wash and did the teggies, keeping the door open all the time, in case the intercom went off. It’s getting dark a bit quick now, so I should see it when it lights up. That’s if it doesn’t break down again, of course. Grumph! I did a peek at the legs, got a couple more veins bulging and a new whatever it is (Glopidogrel?) above the left knee. Well, it makes a bit of interest dunnit!
I took a snap of the red sky from the unwanted, unliked, unpopular, light & view-blocking, can’t get to clean nor look down to the roadway for ay emergency vehicles cause I can’t hear the fire-alarm, thick-framed new cleverly designed kitchen windows. It is getting really dark now, so I took another picture for xyrophobia-suffering Brother-in-Law Pete, of the house being done up over the way. I was amazed at how light it came out, but I’m not complaining about it. The lads will have to pack-up working outside soon. A bit like Pete did when he won the lottery and had a fortune left him by an unknown relative. Still, he says he misses the few years when he was actually working for a living. Not that I’m jealous or anything, just surprised he had to steal my valuables while I was in the hospital after the stroke. Hehehe!
I went to the front door (well, it’s the only one innit) to make sure none of the expected visitors who hadn’t turned up had not been and left a note for me. But a letter had been delivered, from Liberty-Global Virgin Media. The service will be going down on 12th December for approximately five hours (they say in the letter). It gives us orders to: If your services are not back to normal (Does that mean crap? Cause that is normal for them!), try resetting your set-top box (which I do not have?) and modem, This might not work, if so, give our team a call on 0800 052 2137. Thanks in advance for your patience while we improve your network. Hahaha! I had another heart attack when I read this!
I still wasn’t up to doing the templates, too tired. So I went out on the balcony and took some shots:
To the right, towards Arnold and Hucknall
To the right, towards Arnold and Hucknall
To the left, towards the City, and Basford
To the left, towards the City, and Basford
Straight ahead
Chestnut Walk
A lousy effort, of towards Sherwood. Sorry!
1 / 7
I came in out of the cold, and did a tripping-over of the inside step runner. I fell against the swivel chair, and spun around onto the recliner. Which worked out very well, cause I missed the cabinet and floor altogether, saving a prospectively nasty knee-banging incident! But I was well-pleased with the outcome.
I took the medications and made another brew, and could not put off getting at least some of the templates made up any longer. Or could I? Yep, enough was suddenly enough. Another change of mind, I decided to make some sarnies for eats. This was when I realised that the rice lead had not arrived as well as the anticoagulation, and medicine woman. Combined with all the Whoopsiedangleplops and Accifauxpa, the long day with the graphicationalisationing… I went from having been cheered-up with the tumble-luck, to knocked down in spirits again! I just can’t win, can I?
Got the sarnies made up. I hadn’t realised how bad the myasthenia gravis was. On closer inspection, it seemed the hands and fingers were like; if there is such a thing, were suffering a sort of micro-shivering? I had problems with the lids on the beetroot jar, struggled in cutting the tomatoes and apples, a close call or two to slicing a finger, and spreading the bread was a comical affair! The photographing showed all this up, and the blurriness disappointed me. The ingredients of what should have a simple nosh varied greatly. The cooked chicken and sliced on the slicer tomatoes sarnies were alright. The mushroom, cooked for ten-hours in the crock-pot with #Sukang Puti vinegar were fine. The Marmite cheese disc was a little out of date, but tasted marvellous! The mini-side tomatoes were truthfully tasteless! The sliced Cox’s apples, nice. The Baxter’s cooked beetroots, although dangerous to slice, were cooked to perfection. Overall, a Flavour-Rating of 5/10 given.
Got the pots cleaned. Then the handwashing wash washed, wrung and hung up.
As I got into the xyrophobia-suffering Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, second-hand, used, £300, c1968, second-hand recliner, and was feeling a tad sorry for myself.
I do recall feeling sad and frustrated, that things beyond my control, and beyond my powers to solve or prevent, had happened. Perhaps this is meant to be? In my last existence, if I had one, I must have been a right ‘#-*%Zµ⊗]’d! Perhaps, it’s a way of easing departing the earthly life, as it gets less and less appealing? Well, it’s working!Humph!
00:05hrs: I woke, with instant lachrymose thoughts of having to go to the physio torture-session this morning! It’s not supposed to be like this, is it? Not feeling in good spirits, and confusing messages from the EQ. The pain on the top of the left foot was a mystery. (In fact whatever was causing this dissipated over the next four hour, to nothing less than a tenderness?).
Up from the recliner, and off to the Porcelain Throne, noticing that Arthur Itis was not too bad at all. (Thank you!) The session was just the same as the ones earlier. Massive, a bit of blood and not painful or messy at all!
I moved the handwashing onto the airers, and made a brew, and took the medications.
The annoyingly irksome neurotransmitter problem was a bit bad this morning, and my grip on things might well have caused a few Accifauxpas, but they were all near-misses. Smug-Mode-Adopted!
Industrially, for me, I got on with the updating of the Monday post with a certain determination, and a lot of effort, considering the typing difficulties I was having. Having got the post finished and sent off, I needed another Throne visit! This throne visit was betterer. No bleeding at all, but still messy. Went on TFZer Facebooking and then got the ablutions tended to, a stand-up job with it being so early.
Ablutions were done with a few dropsies. Only one shaving cut, but a bugger to get it to stop bleeding. Got dressed and made up some black bags for the chute later. I set off out into the bitterly cold morning and struggled to the bus stop on Winchester Street. Realising I had not got the hearing aids in! What a Plonker!
Along Chestnut Walk...
On to Winchester Street...
Down the hill on the part-frozen leaves, and just caught the bus!
Only just got to the bus stop in time, in fact the driver waited for me, before pulling off as I was settling the side-saddle seat, and a lady stopped me from going over on the floor. Bless, her!
Off in town and walked through the Victoria Centre (Mall) to the Tesco store. Where I bought hand-washer liquid, biscuits, gin & Tonics for pressies and mushrooms and apples. Then had a hobble to the Poundland shop on town on Wheeler Gate.
Wheeler Street & Poundland
Mangled driven over bike on Milton Street?
Reversing lorry on Long Row, in the Slab Square
I really lost it in the Poundland store and got so much stuff, I had to stop after paying at the self serve tills, to get the things to fit in the strong carrier and the wheeler bag! I’d got two diaries for handing out, a bag of croissants for the Physio nibbles, birdseed pellets, a can of pork and ham, and orange biscuits. I did notice when adding these photos, the amount of discarded chewing gum everywhere. Tsk!
I made my way up through the slab square, up Market Street, over Upper Parliament Street and onto Goldsmith Street. I spotted a card had been dropped near the tram stop, and with some difficulty, retrieved it from the floor. It was a female student’s Union ID card. I could not get up the steps at the Trent University to hand it in.
The session, I’m not too keen on describing and will keep it short: Pointless, as I could not hear much that was said. Only six Strokees today, including me. The young Asian girl had bought some Chinese individual nut-brittle type nibbles, and I tried one, very nice! Then took the empty bag to use as identification, to try and get some later. The Session Kommandess was in, superior-snide comment-mode, Put-Down-looks, and Never-give-a-direct-answer-divert-it-with-a-comment-mode (Mind you, she is so expert and persistent at this!) – reading from her leaflets to us. I left early. Said my farewells and off to get some hearing aid batteries. Nuff said about that!
Out into the still bitterly-cold weather. It felt like I had been released from penury! I made my way to the Asian shops in Hockley, is a search of the nuts that the young lady kindly supplied for us all, at the Torture (Physically and Mentally) Session. Going through Trinity Square.
I thought I’d take some photographs, and spotted a female crouched down near an advertising board, as I viewed for the first shot, I recall thinking I hope she’s all right, and as the lady quickly got up and walked away, I realised what had been taking place. Oh, dear! She must be suffering.
Now I know what the building works were last week. Erecting another booze-den for Christmas. With bars, restaurants and pubs closing down all over the place, I think we could have done without this Danish delight of a Lager-Shed? The prices being asked might be keeping away Nottinghamian’s, though.
There was a Canadian Foodshed there as well. I thought of Chris, TFZ treasure Pattie and Andy in Canada. I must get some shots of the food on offer next time I go into town, to show the TFZers. This cabin had only just opened by the look of it. They do not have much room to work in. I detected no smells?
I got to the first Asian shop on Heahtcoat Street, called ‘Asian Mart’, and was lucky enough to find a similar product after asking an assistant and showing him the wrapper. Then I went down Hockley to the Asian Express store and asked an assistant there, but got a definite no, with a shaking of her head.
I made my way back to Nottingham’s Slab Square, down Victoria Street. A grim baron place at the best of times. Although they tell me it comes to life at night with the binge-alcoholics, druggies, and the dance-shakers out and about.
At the bottom of the road, I took a snap to the left, down along Bridlesmith Gate. Another so sad place. Since they closed down the Broad Marsh Shopping centre for the redevelopment of the mall, bus station and car parks, so many businesses have gone bust on this road. Sob!
At the back of the Council House on High Street, I came across a rather fresh looking piece of Nottinghamian Street Art.
I got around and on to Long Row, where there stalls and rides for the Christmas con-artists,
The Helter-Skelter, still have to find anyone using. I’ll be surprised if they try coming back again next year. Well, I will be if I’m still here. Hehe!
I poddled on in the cold to the bus stop on Queen Street. And when it arrived I got on, sat in the usual side-saddle seat, and got out the crossword book. Which, I flabbergasted myself with when I ran through the uncompleted puzzles and got about four answers! Swank-Mode-Adopted!
I walked back from the bus, helped off of it by, as well, the Sweet Lady form the Fourteenth Floor, or is it fifteenth? We had a jolly good laugh and natter on the way to and up in the lift. Said my farewells, and into the flat.
I almost went for a wee-wee, until I realised I didn’t need one. Hahaha! I got the purchases stored away, the pressies and nibbles too. The tomatoes were Spanish, so they went in the fridge. Which I would never normally do, but these are so tasteless to start with, it won’t matter. I didn’t realise they were from Spain, or I would not have bothered getting them.
The Poundland items also held a bit of mystery. Why did I buy a can of Pork & Ham, that I do not even like anyway? I pondered a few minutes over my lack of concentration, forgetfulness, vagueness, vulnerabilities, ambiguity, ailments and addlepatedness, and how these affect and redound on everyday living. My conclusions were inconclusive, mainly due to my lack of concentration, forgetfulness, vagueness, vulnerabilities, ambiguity, ailments and addlepatedness!
The usual afternoon weariness and fatigue arrived, later than usual for once. I got the handwashing done, wrung and hung. Nice phrase that! Haha!
I took a shot of the view from the unwanted, light & view-blocking, thick-framed window.
I got the meal prepared. Not that it took much in the way of cooking, only the battered onion rings needed any heating up.
I settled down in the £300, second-hand, near-dilapidated, gungy-beige coloured, c1968, sometimes working recliner. The one that my Xyrophobia-suffering, crooked Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, while he was flat-robbing, when I was in the Stroke Ward, and he fitted new CCTC cameras and searched for my valuables, which he found and took, (I still haven’t got them back yet five-months later), rickety, rinky-dinked, rattling, rusty recliner. And masticated and swallowed everything edible on the plate, plus the evening medications! Taste-Rating: 8/10.
I put on the ‘Auf Wiedersehen Pet’ tape to watch the last episode on it. I don’t think I lasted until the end of the introductory music… cause the DVD and TV were still on when I woke up around midnight! Ah, well!
01:35hrs: I woke up, but somewhat reluctantly this morning. For there were small imprints of a dream memory floating about in my electroencephalographically-challenged brain. I tried to access them without any success. All I could decipher was that I was enjoying the experience, but no details at all. Most aggranoying!
I surrendered to the impulse to get free of the xyrophobia-suffering Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, while he was flat-sitting. When I was in the Stroke Ward, and he fitted new CCTC cameras, and searched for my valuables, which he found and took, (I still haven’t got them back yet five-months later), recliner. Mainly due to the need for a wee-wee. I got up, slowly as the grogginess was lurking about in me again, and utilised the GPWWB (Grey-Plastic-Wee-Wee-Bucket). Which, incidentally, I find it so much easier nowadays, with using the four-pronged walking stick, it being stand-supportable and within reach, while I perform such activity.
It was of a disappointing PWWDIB (Pathetic-Weak-Why-Did-I-Bother) mode. And almost a best-guess job as to when it had finished! Tsk! Washed the dandies, and got the handwashing moved about on the airers. Put the kettle on, took the medications, and it was time for a Porcelain-Throne visit.
Off to the wet room, nervously expecting another massive evacuation and the system getting blocked up again, which is just what happened! But the proportions were even more substantial this time. How? Where from? How come it was gurgled away this time? Humph! At least the bleeding was only light, and it could have been messier, I suppose.
Had a good cleaning session and wash up after the evacuation. The legs I noticed, were a lot less pot-marked and not so affected by the Myasthenia gravis and Vasculitis, so, fewer lumps and growths are showing! Which is good, if an intermittent thing. But they are still somewhat bombycinous and pale, mind.
As I was taking the mug of tea to the computer desk, I noticed the readings on the Nottingham City Homes supplied for free, monitor thingy, was showing out of sync a smidge. It indicates that the heat is getting too high – well I can’t feel it? Humidity is in just off the green markings on the rankings. It’s cold to me, and the fog may be having an effect on the moisture.
I took a couple of shots from the unliked and unwanted new kitchen window, with its thick, light and view-blocking frames. The first one in Night Scene mode, and the second in Auto.
I got on with the Saturday post updating. It took about four hours to get all done and posted off. So many photos to get right, and the fingers with their Peripheral neuralgia and dysaesthesia problems, were making things increasingly worse for me when typing. I was spending more and more time correcting things.
When it was done, I got the mushrooms in the crock-pot. Added some of the Puti vinegar and onion granules. I think I may have put in too much of these, though. Judging by how the picture looks in the dish? But, we’ll see later on when I taste one of them. A big day with cooking, I’ve got Josie’s to do first, and mine later on. I want to get the gals looking right.
I’ve just realised, I think the droning, whining noise from outside, is getting a bit less now? But, maybe with all the coughing and blowing of the nose, what bit of hearing I’ve got left has temporarily been made worse?
I took three shots of outside again to show you the misty morning.
I went on the WordPress reader for a while, then went on the TFZer Facebook page, to try and catch up and put the newer pictures on the albums.
I set about making neighbour Josie’s dinner. Smoked haddock, tuna in mayonnaise, gherkins, tomatoes, cheesy mashed potatoes, a Limoncello dessert, lemon wakers and a gin & tonic. I took a photo of it as a last-minute thought – but realised much later, that the SD card was not in the camera! Grr! I got it all served up and the tray on the mobile server and delivered it tp her door. But no answerer. I waited about for ten minutes while the meal got colder, and Josie came in the hallway to the flats, she’d been doing her laundry. Still, she seemed content with the nosh. No time for a proper chinwag, else the fodder would have got too cold to eat.
I returned to the flat and completed the washing up. Heck of a job when I’ve made instant potato cheesies, they cling on to everything, forks, spoon, mixing bowl, Hehehe! But I mastered them in the end. Thoughts on what I might have for nosh came to mind, so I looked at what was available, and there was plenty to choose from. I opted for chips, bacon medallions, the rest of the peas and mushrooms. But, I could not cook chips and the bacon at the same time, so another thinking session. I opened a tin of potatoes and put it in with the mushrooms and peas, so now all I have to do is put the chips in. Cushty!
Did some updating on the diary, and went to check on the saucepan. All was okay.
I saw the cleaned empty jars on the side, ready for going down to the recycling bin. But sudden fatigue and weariness had arrived again.
I decided to turn off the computer and get the nosh ready before I flaked out. Haha! The thought of the pretty, highly desirable Polish phlebotomy nurse coming in the morning cheered me up a tad.
I stripped off the clothes and got into the jammies. Shattered! I got the meal prepared, and served up. Into the rickety-recliner and ate the nosh while watching the England v Kosovo match.
Which I didn’t last until half-time. 0-0 when I nodded off; and my hopes for this messy England side did not bode well. Imagine my surprise when I woke up in the morning and saw a 4-0 win for the three-lions!
But I must have needed the kip methinks, I’ve never fallen asleep during an England football match in my life, well, I have now! Shame-Faced-Mode-Adopted!
23:50hrs: I woke up in need of a wee-wee. The sensation was so strong and demanding, so without any other thoughts, I battled-free of the £300, second-hand, near-dilapidated, gungy-beige coloured, c1968, sometimes working recliner. The one that my Xyrophobia-suffering, crooked Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, while he was flat-robbing, when I was in the Stroke Ward, and he fitted new CCTC cameras and searched for my valuables, which he found and took, (I still haven’t got them back yet five-months later).
Off to the wet room, and faffled about a bit panicky, to free Little Inchy in time… The trickle was over in seconds! Ah, now I’m back to the INHBT (I-needn’t-have-bothered-trickling) mode! Yet yesterday morning, I had jets oozing out? Ah-well, at least it was blood and pain-free.
No dreaming last night, that I can remember, anyway. The RAI (Rheumatoid Arthritis) in the knees seems to be on strike: I’ve never had them less painful than they are now! A risky, Smug-Mode-Adopted!
Got the kettle on, and off to the Porcelain Throne. A hard slog, this session. A bit of bleeding and a long time spent again awaiting movements to start, then to finish!
Cleaned up and to the kitchen, where the medications were got ready, and the brew made. I tried to take three photographs and joining them together to give an idea of the panoramic view from the building, but it didn’t come out too well.
I got the tea and medications to the computer and started to update the diary.
But soon had to change plans, some bleeding from the Little Inchy area needed checking out, and I did the Ablutions afterwards.
And a highly successful session it was! Not too many dropsies and the sock-glide battle won. The shower head was not dropped once! Mind you, I didn’t have a shower, but a stand-up wash. Hahaha! Go on, have a laugh! The toothpaste and brush were handles with a certain dexterity, that has not been present for a long, long time! (Things changed later, Tsk!)
Back to the computer and cold tea. Took the medications, and pressed on with the Sunday post updating. This cost me four hours, then another hour and a bit, to amend and correct all the mistakes I found! The reason for the delays were not the shakes, or computer playing up, but sheer carelessness, laxity, inattentiveness and barratry on my behalf!
Serious Point, or Fault I’ve found in me after the stroke: When something new arises, that is of concern of any sort, lost item, forgotten arrangement, something breaks down or fails to work, since the stroke, I get fixated on trying to correct, amend or find out why things have happened. Whatever I was doing at the time of realising the worry or problem, fades into oblivion, the new problematical issue, taking over priority in the brain. This often annoys people who are incapable of understanding my situation, as it must seem to them, that I am ignorant! As soon as the new issue is sorted (if it is), I start to panic over the forgotten earlier difficulty or task not being done again. I have mentioned this to the Speech Therapist lady, who said she would try to get me to see someone who might help me. Being aware of this strait causes self-hatred for doing it, but does not offer any solution in itself. Then the depression at my own actions and inabilities arrives.
I got the blog finished and posted off, then went on CorelDraw to make a couple of Thoughts graphics up for later use.
Then, on the advice of my Cyber-Buddy, Tim, I ordered a small rice cooker, from Amazon.
I phoned Sister Jane & Pete, and the battery on the little-used and hated mobile phone was showing critical! Pete is still awaiting his appointment for the hospital to have his brain-cells ‘Stealing-Brother-in-Laws-Valuables’ removed. Haha! No, no, no! His inner growth further inspected. Fingers crossed all goes well. They were happy I think, at Nottingham Forest’s beating of Derby. And their shares and investments rising by 8.4% so far this year.
I got Josie’s nosh prepared. Smoked haddock, cheesy-potatoes, tuna, gherkins, beetroot, mushy peas, mushrooms and tomatoes, with a gin & tonic and limoncello dessert. Delivered it to her door, had a quick few words and back to make my dinner. Cheesy potatoes, beetroot, gherkins, tomatoes, smoked haddock, mushy peas, mushrooms… Yes, almost a carbon copy of Josie’s. I had some fresh orange juice and an apple for afters though.
The fatigued feeling came after I’d eaten the nosh. But the washing up still had to be done, so off to the kitchen and sorted it out. It took a longish time, and things were dropsied a few times, as the finger-ends started to lose responses to touch. Fact is, it was a nightmare!
I dropped the washing up bottle, that needed the floor cleaning and making safe again. Various pieces of cutlery, some back into the bowl, others on the floor. The washing-up brush made several trips out of the hand! But I got it done. Then I stripped off, got the jammies and dressing gown on, and did the hand-washing.
No accifauxpas in doing the washing, but the rinsing-out was a challenge, and my losing grip caused water to get on the floor, several times! Good job I have (well, had) a good stock of kitchen towels in. Hehe! The wringing out after using the fabric softener, again cause problems, the water flowed down the front of the sink and even over me, thus more drying up was needed. And the dressing gown needed drying out then! Grumph! On the bright side, Arthur Itis was not too upset with all the knee-bending, and no Dizzy Dennis visits, surprisingly! A slight Supercilious-Mode-Engaged!
I got the shirt and gown hung up, and the socks and towel on the airer, and was amazed at my ability to cope with the things I’d just done – but the weariness won, and I settled into the £300 second-hand c1968 recliner, in search of rest and peace. Incapacitated!
The Hustle DVD was put on. For which I stayed awake for almost a full episode, before the nodding-off, waking and rewinding, then falling asleep again cycle started.
01:30: I opened my runny eyes, coughed and felt the throat sorer as I did; and spotted the pages from the scribble pad scattered around my mountainous-like body, on the recliner, the chair, the carpet, between my legs, and even one crumpled into the folds of my stomach-creases! I cunningly used the remote control to turn the TV on, so I could get some light to investigate what had been going on.
I recalled having a dream, and it came to light that the notes about the nightmare were written, but most were calligraphically incomprehensible. I don’t remember actually scrawling the reminders, but do retain some bits of the dream in the grey-cells. There were so many pages with a high amount of writing on them, how long had the dream lasted for? After going through them, I dished them into the bin because they were so alike and reminded me of a Doctor’s script, unreadable! I was taking a driving test on a bus, AEC Regent V (approx. 1965) A man behind the window at my rear, kept telling me to turn off the air-conditioning, and I was telling him, we don’t have any air-conditioning! And that is about the best I can remember about this part of the dream?
Representation wot-I-dun, of the dream
Later, or in another dream that followed, I kept throwing myself off of a roof, getting mangle when I hit the concrete pavement, then getting back up on my feet, and climbing dozens of flights of stairs back up to the rooftop, and lunging off the roof again! Repeatedly!
How it all ended, I’ve no idea.
I sensed the need for a visit to the Porcelain Throne. Out of the recliner, stick in hand and off the wetroom without delay I went. Oh, ‘eck, a painful session this one was! Things started off as usual, but half-way through, everything ground to a halt! Eery effort to get things going again nearly brought tears to my eyes. (They did actually!) Moving motion on slowly, the evacuation was completed! Ahh! The assuagement, the blessed relief! I was sure that things would be bloodied and messy in the rear-lower quarters, but no mess, and no bleeding either! Smug-Mode-Engaged!
To the kitchen and was cheered up a little more, when I realised there was no handwashing to be sorted. Smug-Mode-Stage 2-Adopted! I took the medications and a swig of the cough linctus and made a brew of Glengettie tea.
I concentrated on getting the graphics sorted on CorelDraw then, ready to go on the templates. This took a couple of hours and three mugs of tea.
Then, a pleasant surprise, I needed a wee-wee. But was not ready for the violent nature of it, after going two days with barely a trickle, the LHLB (Long-Hosepipe-Like-Blasting) wee-wee, must have been really ready to come out. And boy, did it! Haha!
I washed and returned to the computer, the ever-present humming, droning noise was getting more and more annoying! How anyone who has normal hearing can cope with it, I can’t imagine! I persevered, and another couple of hours, three blasting wee-wees and a neuropathic right-leg dance or two later, I got it finished and posted off.
I went for another brew and wee-wee (Yes, it’s flowing again, now!) I saw the moon had moved to the front of the building and took a few pictures of it. The shakes made it hard to hold steady, but I managed to get a couple of half-decent for me, close-ups.
4 / 6
I went on the WordPress Reader section, again some great stuff on it.
The leg cramps gave me some bother, but much more concerning was the neck cramps Likely cause I do rarely get these.
Then, off to the Throne for a second session! How such a dollop came out the size it was, gobsmacked me!
Got ready to get the ablutions done. I hope to get out today for a hobble around, and buy myself a magnifying glass so I can read the instructions on the medications and cooking ingredients on packets. Ah, well, off to the wet room.
For an amazingly incident-ridden shave and shower session. First thing, a wee-wee, that proved to me that the wee-weeing was returning to its power-mode with an LHLNC (Long-Hosepipe-Like-No-Sensation) passing. I few spots of blood from the fungal lesion, but I’ll clean and medicate things after the shower. Then:
I think the toothbrush spent more time in the sink or on the floor than it did in my hand! The fingers had suddenly become touch-insensitive, which concerned me a tad for the shaving to come.
The toothpaste and brush were lost a couple of times.
As I took a swig of the mouthwash, the shakes came on, and I’ve loosened one of my few remaining teggies! Tsk!
The shaving foam was dropped twice.
A razor went to the deck via various obstacles, like the sink, my stomach, the trolley.
The nerve-damage cause a few slicing off of the top of the mini-boils.
A sneeze joined in with the coughing, and I clouted my wrist on the sink rim. I may have said something like, ‘Oh, dearie me!’ or ‘Bother!’
Then, did the same thing again!
Showered, I grabbed the head to spray off the soap, dropped it, and it hit my head, opening the bleeding again.
As I bent to retrieve the shower-head, I clouted the bonce against the hand-rail!
I lost grip of the towel a few times.
Then the haemorrhoid cream tube, three times!
The body spray, just once.
The legs were not looking too bad at all. No water retention or as far as I could tell, or any new spots, blobs, lumps or bruises!
The knees were looking fine, with the ridges, much of the warpedness and bruising all gone now, and the veins seemed to be dying down, too, much to my surprises. But give it time, especially after the Physio session next Tuesday! Haha!
The sock-glide battle was a draw. I got dressed and cleaned the shower, and off into the kitchen to make up the rubbish bags and one of recyclables.
I got the black bags on the trolley, big white one in my hand, and was off to the waste-chute to deposit the black ones down.
Back to the flat and checked things were all safe, and out again to the bus stop, taking the big white bag with me. Chatted briefly with a lady in the lift, then with Angela in the lobby, she was waiting for family members to pick her up, and out depositing the white bag near the caretaker’s door.
Cindy came out and we nattered as we walked to the bus stop together. I enjoyed that, I do love a good chinwag and laugh! I had some more socialisationing en route to Arnold. Where I dopped off at the Asda-Walmart store, not that getting off was easy today. As usual, I let everyone else off first so I didn’t block or delay them. But I fumbled a little getting up, and the driver closed the door before I could get to it. Haha!
It (Asda) didn’t look too busy as I approached the entrance. But when I got inside, it was mayhem! Empty shelves, dangerous trolley-pushes, impatient shoppers and an atmosphere that warned me to take care!
I was a little puddled about the bus times to get home. Cindy had told me on the bus, but with the excitement of having a yackety-yak, the bus times had drifted into the ether. But I thought things would be alright. With the L09 being only every two hours on Saturday, I could always catch a City-bound bus to Sherwood, and if I miss the L9 there, I can always take a steady walk up the hill back to the flats, so I put this worry out of my head. Smug-Mode-Adopted!
I spent over an hour on a vagabondish, ambling, peregrinating wander around, with no aims of what to buy, because I’d left the shopping list at the flat. ‘Feel-a-Twit’ Mode Engaged! I ended up at the self-serve tills with: A packet of Hoisin sauce, Cox’s apples, a tin of chilli-con-carne (On offer), Orange chocolate digestives A weakness of mine, they should never have started making them again!) and a Milk Roll Loaf.
I exited the shop and walked down Front Street to the Iceland shop, to get one of their half & half Milk Roll loaves. But they did not have any in. So, after a nosey around, I left without getting anything.
Then I foolishly called into the Boyes store. Where I got well-carried away! Especially considering I only went in to see if they had any cheap Magnesium tablet for sale!
I came out after spending £27, with, Lemon Toilet spray, Two Thermal long sleeve shirts, and a fleece Pajama set! And a considerable dollop of guilt!
I walked along to the Fulton Foods store, to see if they had any bargains on offer. En route, I decided I must ring Sister Jane and Pete in the morning, to how they are and if Pete has his appointment with the special specialist yet at the City Hospital. It might be a chance for Pete to see an ‘I mustn’t Steal all the monies and valuables from my Brother-in-law when he’s in hospital’, perhaps? Hehehe!
I had an idle meander around the Fulton store. But only bought a bottle of sterilised milk, I wanted to try it with the Thompson’s teabags. I paid the lady and plodded down to the bus stops and perused which one was for a city-bound bus that went through Sherwood, and the sign indicated it was due shortly. A number 87 was expected in ten-minutes, so I settled to wait for that one.
The smell from the Arnold District Council waste bin was not very nice.
The bus arrived, a single decker, the type with the deadly slip-offable side-saddle seating installed! And I nearly did a few times en route to Sherwood!
I got off the bus safely enough. I worked out that I had about 20 minutes before the L9 was due. Then hobbling down the hill, the three-wheel trolley-walker hit a crack in the pavement, and I all but went over! Tsk!
I had a look at the latest ‘High-Class’ Rikshaw restaurant across to the road. To see if I could spot my first customer ever seen in it, none there. It was so sad to see. The pictures of their food shown on the web are superb. The seven people working there are all young, and the photo of them at the opening, showing such enthusiasm and hopes is disheartening. Their only mistake was positioning their business in Sherwood. So many other cooked food retailers have gone bust over the last few years. It amazes me that owners do not realise this? Let’s hope for a miracle upturn in trade.
I wanted to go into the Mind charity shop to have a look if they had by chance got a DVD of The Negotiator in stock. The Oxfam store next to it. They do have a big selection for sale normally. But I could not get up the steps into the shop with the trolley-guide. Tsk! So I tried going in there, fortunately, a chap helped me out by holding the door open for me, bless him, as I climbed their step to get in. But it is not as bad as the Mind shop’s is to mountaineer. The Oxfam store was busy inside, and getting about by people and displays, decided me to get back out again. Oddly, the same chap who had assisted me in getting into the shop helped me out again.
I fumbled my way up to the bus shelter. Sherwood was a busy place this afternoon. With so many people about, an ignorant scum-bag of an anti-social Nottinghamian Pavement Cyclist, road in front of the bus stop where people were standing and sitting, to avoid being delayed by pedestrians who filled the pavement behind the bus stop shelter!
He certainly made me jump as the git of an animal shot by, two feet away from my face! If you are reading this you slime-ball – please come round and we can discuss your atrocious, menacing, objectionable, offensive, bullying, unacceptable, antagonistic, belligerent, illegal actions! If you are too scared, frightened out of your wits, or nervous to use the road, or just enjoy scaring old folks, you should not be on a bike! You invertebrate cowardly amoeba! Grrr!
The bus arrived, and I struggled on and was soon back at the flats. It was lovely and warm in the link-passage from Winwood to Woodthorpe Court’s lift lobby. But the goose-bumps came out once I was in there. Brr!
IA lady arrived as I was awaiting the lift, both of them were on the 15th floor? We had a little natter and laugh on the way up.
I got in the flat and had a wee-wee. Ah! Back to the WAOQ (Weak-All-Over-Quickly) jobs. I got the food purchases on the server-trolley ready for putting away.
Then back for another WAOQ wee-wee?
Full of enthusiasm, I planned my cooking of the expensive Chinese sausage. I decided to cook them with the rice in the saucepan, and the smell as they cooked drove me barmy, it was so aromatically good!
No hand-washing today. My thoughts were on this meal cooking and the expected deglutition and my coenaculous delight!
My mouth was watering as I eventually got it served up in the dish. My anticipation and phagomania were rampant…
Oh dearie me! What a blunder, faux pas, and excrescence my cooking of the sausages turned-out to be! They tasted raw! In the bin they went! I could have bawled! All that time and expense in buying the links, and again a meal ends up in the waste-tub! I did something wrong that’s for sure. Well, not all of meal this time, just the Chinese sausage. The rice with Hoisin sauce and tomatoes, was actually rather good on its own as it turned out. It got a flavour-rating of 7/10 from me. I must ask my cyber-buddy Tim, what I did wrong, or didn’t do that I should have. (As it happens, in the morning a message was received from the lad, telling me a way to cook, boil the sausages, before adding them to the rice, so that’s the plan for the rest of the sausages for Saturday night’s meal)
The fatigue dawned, and I got a DVD on, the Hustle one, season Two part one on the TV. After only ten minutes or so of short nodding-offs and rewinds, the blessed sleep overcame me… blessedly also, no odd dreams followed!
23:50hrs, I sprang awake in need of a wee-wee… Here we go again, Hahaha!
02:55hrs: I stirred with the firm belief that I had only nodded off a few minutes ago, and it was still early evening, Thursday! I certainly felt tired enough to convince myself, but no, it was five-to-three on Friday morning. The eyelids were heavy and running. The coughing and wheezing started, then a nasty prolonged burst of Colin Cramps in the left leg and foot attacked me. Breathing was difficult and noisy, back-pain Brenda and Arthur Itis joined in as soon as I attempted to move.
I am still confused about the wee-weeing situation. Yesterday I must have drunk enough water and tea to float a battleship. Yet only took about three, very weak wee-wees all day, so where is it all going/gone: Have or will I spring a leak? Tsk!
Eventually, I forced myself to get out of the £300 second-hand c1968, grungy-coloured rickety recliner, that Xyrophobia-suffering Brother-in-Law Pete damaged when he was stealing my valuables. (I still haven’t had any cash returned back from him yet six-months later, but fair enough, he’ll have spent some of the money on his new drone and CCTV systems I imagine). As for the old coins and notes, I understand he’s already sold most of them on the West Bridgford market. Still, money and alcohol seem to make him happy.
I was out of the chair, on my feet, and with walking-stick in hand, rounded the twice this week fallen onto and bent misshaped electric airer, to avoid another accidental catastrophe – and stubbed the toe against the corner shelving. I silently cursed, only just preventing a loud retort from coming out.
I ventured hobblingly (thanks to Artur Itis!) into the kitchen and rather methodically for once, almost as if I was in Automatic-Pilot-Mode.
I used the GPWWB (Grey-Plastic-Wee-Wee-Bucket) for a DAAFJ (Drips-And-All-Finished-Job) wee-wee. cleansed the bucket, washed the dandies, moved the handwashing, hanging and on the airers. Kettle on, and took the medications, then made the brew. Fetched the camera and took a fairish snap of the morning’s view. Of course, it was raining. Tsk!
Then to the computer, and booted it up – Boy was I pleased when it worked! I had to make the template for this blog first, before getting on with the updating of the Frustrating Thursday Blog!
No demands for any Porcelain Throne activity, or any more wee-wee’s. I went to make another brew, for this voracious, insatiable thirst was still with me. All part of the cough & cold I suppose, oh, the cough seems to be easing off this morning, but the sore throat is persistent, and breathing still a struggle, the gasps are a smidge worrying.
Finally, at last, I got onto doing the updating. Four hours later, (and about six mugs of tea) I’d got it all done and posted off to WordPress. Time for a mug of tea (Hard to believe, I know, me drinking! Haha!)
The computer was slowing down, this worried me. But, I noticed the Liberty-Global Virgin Media liars box lights were flickering, so it might just be a poor connection, I hope it’s nothing more sinister!
I went on the WordPress Reader section. Some entertaining stuff on there today.
Then I went on the TFZer and album, to catch up. Enjoyed that, even though everything takes me so much longer get done nowadays, I love the TFZer site.
The Christmas pressies and som Chinese sausages are being delivered today, from Amazon. I’ll check the tracker, hang on a minute… Nope, they have not arrived at the depot for distribution yet. So, it’s likely that a lateish delivery will be made. My estimation would be 16:00hrs. Of course, I could well be wrong and it does say up to 21:00hrs, Mmm! I hope the yare easy to cook in the oven, or maybe in the pan with the rice, I’ll check later.
Ah-well, I must press on with CorelDrawing and get some page top political graphics made, back in a bit, well, a long time. Humph! Flaming slow going!
The Amazon parcels arrived.
The very expensive Chinese sausages and the Nasal Spray had arrived. I just hope I cook them right. Whatever the instructions are in several languages on the packet, I can’t read them, they are too small for me to decipher. Ah, well! Pot luck then!
I thanked the young man and returned to the computer to try graphicalisationing again, and the intercom chimed out and flashed as I was passing it. Wow! It (the intercom) was working again!
It was the After-Stroke six-monthly assessment session lady. We set about having a Q&A session and discussed whether I should be added to the Stroke Survivors meeting list and after the After-Stroke Physio ends in December. A very pleasant lady indeed. We managed a smile and laugh or two into the bargain. After she had gone, I felt a little sad. Poor old thing!
I made another brew, and back on the computer, CorelDrawing. Another interruption, I heard a voice somewhere in the flat! I grabbed the four-pronged walking stick and had a hunt around in investigative-mode! It was coming from the intercom, saying repeatedly: “This is an… (Word Unclear) Test – Do not respond” So I didn’t! Haha!
Fatigue dawned, and I got the meal cooking. I used a packet of ready-made meal from the freezer, Chicken in Black Bean Sauce.
Not one of my best cooking efforts, due to my tendency to nod-off with the timer at my side, which I can’t hear and is not loud enough to alert me when I’m in the land-of-nod. Thus overcooking was committed!
The chicken meal, I’d added some extra black bean sauce in it, too much really. And with nodding-off like wot I did, the cobs came out of the oven looking rather too overcooked to eat. But I put them on the tray to give them a try, and they turned out scrumptiously tasty! Fair enough, they were that hard-crusted, the mouth ulcers bled; but for flavour like that, it was a little price to pay! It took me ages to get through, but I savoured every blood-letting, ulcer tearing, mouthful! Gorgeous! Taste-Rating, 9/10!
I got the washing-up done, no handwashing tonight. Then settled into the unbelievably uncomfortable second-hand, c1968, rickety recliner and put a Hustle DVD on to watch. I only had a few short nod-offs and rewinding the DVD incidents. But the awe-striking and amazing thing was that I watched through all three episodes! (Well, in a nodding-off fashin!) Then, turned on the TV, watched an instalment of a police chase thingy! It was late on before I got to sleep properly… and the dreams started, the waking and thinking trying to remember them and scribbling down notes to use in the morning. Which turned out to be mostly indecipherable. Humph!
01:30hrs: I woke up, wishing I could recall some more of the dream I’d had. The best bits I remembered, was it all took place underground, in caves, some big some very small, and I was being chased through them. I think in amongst my many perusers chasing after me, was David Nixon and Bruce Forsyth, coffins and pianos were scattered in the more extensive caves. But it may have got mixed up with an earlier dream about me being a sort of mole trying to get up to the surface, but not being able to. Cause it was very confusing. I was confused about the dream. Hey-ho! Not very interesting but there you go.
Anyroad, I stirred into imitation life, and was soon out of the £300, second-hand, near-dilapidated, gungy-beige coloured, c1968, sometimes working recliner. The one that my Xyrophobia-suffering, crooked Brother-in-Law Pete damaged, while he was flat-robbing, when I was in the Stroke Ward, and he fitted new CCTC cameras and searched for my valuables, which he found and took, (I still haven’t got them back yet six-months later!) But, his contrition makes him keep promising to return them. Well, what’s left of them and hasn’t already been deposited in his bank account.
As I started to move, I noticed how distorted positions my body was in. Contorted in a way that I could not get the arms and legs in if I was foolish enough to try. It was close to agony getting my onerously flabby body and limbs free enough for me stand up. I gave thought to what could have been in the dream, to make my get like this, but I soon gave up worrying about it, as Anne Gyna and Arthur Itis started showing their displeasure at the movement needed to rise up, four-pronged walking stick assisted from the recliner onto my feet. Then I noticed the state of my left arm. Caused possibly, by it being around my back and sat on when I first awoke?
There were no demands being made for any Porcelain Throne or wee-weeing activity! That was a worry, really. After months of flowing wee-wees, and on waking up Throne needs, today neither? I hobbled through to the kitchen and got the kettle on, moved the hand-washing onto the airers to encourage them to dry, they were still almost wet.
The new Magnesium tablets, I thought it would be best taken on two halves, they were so gigantic in size.
The new pill-cutter was brought out to be used for the first time. As you can see by the photographs on the left here, it was not exactly a resounding success. I’ll say! Hehe!
I think it might cope better with flat tablets as opposed to rounded ones, like what the Magnesium bricks are. Tsk!
By the time I’d given up, after ending with a rather masticated tablet and even more crumbled bits of medication than actual pill all over the place, I decided another pill-splitter will have to be bought. Then I had to make another brew to replace the one that had gone cold. Not a problem for me, with the gigundous thirst I currently have on me. I’ve been this way for a couple of days since the catching the cold. Come think of it, with the sore throat, mouth ulcers and the tickly-cough, that might be why I’m not eating, and dishing food for the last two days? Or not. But the lack of wee-weeing concerns, under the circumstance, I’d have more wee-wees would need to be taken, else, where is all the tea going? Cause it sure ain’t coming out of Little Inchy… well only in dribs and drabs, at least I hope it will in consummation, none has yet today!
That reminds me, I’ll have a swig of the linctus now.
03:25hrs, I was sure I heard an alarm of some sort, and had a wander around in search of the source, which made me more aware of the pesky, most nettlesome, infernal humming or droning noise that is all around the building for the flat 24/7! Found nowt. Grrr!
I took this rather sad and poor, certainly not one of my bestest photographs, of the view out of the unwanted, light & view-blocking, thick-framed new kitchen windows, the ones with the unreachable to clean segments of glass.
I made another brew of tea (fancy that!) and used the different milk I bought yesterday, the organic one. Tasted okay.
At last, I made a start on updating the blog, must get it done ASAP if I am to get out today. Because there are many graphics that I need making and advance templates.
The sites on the web kept on crashing. I turned everything off, then back on, but didn’t take the power off, and rebooted. Moments later, they crashed again, not all together, but separately, within a minute of each other. WordHippo, Google, WordPress, and so on. I engaged ‘Panic-Defcon-1-Mode’, and felt my world had come to an end! Not angry oddly enough, just heartbreakingly sad!
Firefox asked me which tabs were in use when it went down, I told them via the message box, and hopefully rebooted, or recovering the crashed sites. But it kept repeating the process, and I had to stop and try calmly to see what I could try next.
Then the computer became unresponsive, and would not let me close or open anything, the light on the mouse was not showing. Even the Window start button would not let me close anything down safely. So, I opened the mouse, cleaned it, and put new batteries in. Somehow managing not to lose-it entirely as I did so.
Without my computer working, life is not worth living.
Got it back on, turned everything off, rebooted and reset the internet, with a prayer. But Beelzebub and the Mysteries of my beloved Woodthorpe Court. That lie somewhere between the twilight zone and a wormhole slipping through a tear in the fabric of space & the universal continuum, illusion, delusion, & hallucination, decided that this would not work, and it didn’t!
Panic had now set-in! I was near the end of my tether, at my wit’s end, in a tizzy. Corybantic and almost foaming at the mouth with frustration!
Then, after rebooting yet again, I went into my Norton and did a defrag. Nothing had changed! One more close-down and reset, then back into Norton. Which this time lit up attention needed button, which I clicked on, and it went through a few jobs and reported that it had saved so much memory, and the computer is now tuned-up. With trepidation, I started the network, which worked and then the Internet again, and opened WordPress – I could have cried for joy, as things were now working once more! I might even have shed a few tears of joy, actually! Don’t laugh! Oh, go on then!
So late in the day, but I got on with the updating of the Wednesday diary. But I was so relieved! The fact that it was gone 08:00hrs by the time I got it completed didn’t matter to me, exhilaration (and amazement) at me getting things working had not expired yet. I got the post sent off at long last!
Around 08:15hrs, I was just sitting letting the previous hours of torment drift from my worry-box, and taking pride in getting through the mayhem, when I heard a sound similar the earlier one that I couldn’t account for, it was so faint. I got the hearing aids in, lest it starts again while I’m looking for the cause.
AS I was walking the corridor, I heard the Intercom buzzing. Was it the INR nurse, I pressed the accept button, and no view came up of the outer foyer area as usually does. No pins worked at all? That’s three, possibly four times this has happened up to now. If it does not come good later, I’ll nip and mention it later, to the Obergruppenfúreress Wardens.
I went to make another mug of tea. (This thirst is just not abating at all?) While waiting for the kettle to boil, I moved the handwashing around on the airers, then spotted some marks on the upper cabinet wood near the handle. So I got the Fairy cleaner, sprayed the spots of whatever it was, and trapped a finger in the handle, ridding the wood of the dirt. But it was nothing for a klutzy, blunderous, lubberly, clumsy, uncoordinated, doddering, disaster-welcoming, accident-prone, unlucky, catastrophal geriatric like me. Haha!
About 0945hrs, The Intercom buzzed again. Same thing, no picture, no buttons working. I hope it wasn’t the food delivery or the nurse if it was anyone that is. Cause the screen told me no missed calls. I decided to pop down to the Obersturmführer and Catwalk Model Warden Julie, and or Riechsführeress and Pole Dancer Warden Deana, to let them know. As I got the three-wheeler with the nibbles in it, Josie came to me and said she was having the same problem with her intercom. I said I’m going down to mention it, I’ll let you know what transpires when I get back.
When I got in the lift, a man and woman coming down from a higher floor, said they too had got trouble with their intercom and were going to complain, not mention it. A complaint is not warranted with someone who has no power over what is happening! (I just thought of that as I was typing. I should get a mention in the Times, dictionary or something for that quote) Hahaha! Makes me sound almost educated!
As I was walking to the link-passage door, a Nottingham City Homes gentleman was on his I-pod, I-pad, mobile or whatever it was he was using. And I mentioned the situation to him. He thought they were testing or updating the system. Well, it’s never worked properly since installation, and 80% of the tenants (the older ones, like wot I am) with hearing aids can’t hear the buzzer. I asked, Would it come through if someone actually called. It was presumed so! I pressed on the Winwood Foyer and called at the Warden’s Holding cell and Interrogation Office. I mentioned the intercom, the answer was low-key, matter-of-factedly answered. Not sure how long it will be off-line. I handed some nibbles around and made my way back to the intercom-less flat. (Or maybe not, no one knows if it will work if pressed by a proper caller, or how long the disruption will last or seem bothered in the slightest) Hey-ho! I’m too happy at the computer working again, to get all hot and bothered over the intercom. I called at Josie’s and told her the non-news I had gathered about the intercom. 1) They are upgrading the system. 2) They are backing up the system. 3) They are servicing the system. 4) It will take a few hours. 5) We’ve no idea how long it will take. 6) If anyone calls, it should work, but we’re not sure. She did laugh! ♥
I finally got around to doing the graphics to let me carry on with the blogging. But it’s going to be a long job, so I had a change of heart, and started on this blog instead.
Hello, it’s looking dark early out there. Ah, it’s raining again.
Crikey, its15:30-hrs already! I got the kettle on again and tried the intercom, but it is still not working? Got on the computer to try and do some graphics.
But first, I got the mushroom and turnip sliced and in the pan, with some vinegar and light Soy sauce added to the water.
Then, finally, at last, I felt I needed a wee-wee! First if the day, hurrah! I hastened to the wet room, almost full of joy at getting rid of at least some of the fluid that must still stewing-away inside my ever-more bulbous stomach! Well, I’ve never wee-wee’d less, or so painfully in my memory! A new classification needed here. It was a DAPAO: Drip-Pain-And-Pain-All-Over job! I doubt it would have filled an eggcup! Tsk! Ah, well, it’s a start of sorts. I fear that things might well prove even more painful if it ever begins to flow again. In fact, Double Tsk!
I really must start on the graphics now. But, the sudden fatigue ruined my plans. I started coughing, and the sore throat got worse, and I decided I’ll have to do the template in the morning. I hate leaving things until the last minute, but Teddy Tiredness won the day!
I went to the kitchen and got the meal started, real-spare-ribs in the oven, and the mushrooms and turnip cooking in the saucepan. Then I took some pictures of the early evening sky.
Then got the handwashing done, wrung, and hung! For some reason, the hot water was not as hot as it should have been, but sufficiently so to do the washing. So, just in case the water heater was going on the blink, I filled some saucepans with water and got them on the stove on a low light, so as to have hot water for the pot-washing later. Did you notice that? Sometimes despite the weariness, the brain gets-it-together! I wish the body could do the same! Hahaha! The pork ribs in sauce in the oven had some Sharwood’s Korean BBQ sauce was poured over it.
I noticed the sky was reddening a bit, so I took some more shots to compare with those taken fifteen minutes earlier.
Red sky at night, shepherds delight. This saying made me thing in the morning when I was updating this blog, and I had a look at some other weather proverbs;
Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.
Red sky at night, shepherds delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherds warning.
When rain comes before the wind, halyards, sheets and braces mind, but when wind comes before rain, soon you may make sail again.
When dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass.
When halo rings Moon or Sun, rain’s approaching on the run.
When the wind is out of the East, tis never good for man nor beast.
Cows lie down when it’s about to rain.
Pine cones open when good weather is on the way.
If the goose honks high, fair weather – If the goose honks low, foul weather.
When clouds appear like rocks and towers, the Earth’s refreshed, with frequent showers.
The majority of the proverbs regarding the weather, seem to have grown into rhymes.
I got diverted there, sorry.
After yesterdays disastrous vegetarian ‘Ribz’ nosh was thrown away, I felt some doubt when I served up tonight’s proper spare rib in sauce meal. It did not look well presented, I’d put far too much sauce on the ribs, the garden peas and turnip was slightly overcooked, the mushrooms undercooked, and the tomatoes, being out-of-season were a little bitter tasting, but this was expected. Before we joined the Common Market as it was known then, I always looked forward to the arrival of new seasons Guernsey and Jersey tomatoes with great relish. We don’t even see them on the market nowadays! Boo!
In the final analysis, although and despite it looking a mess, I gave it a Flavour-Rating of 7/10. The only down-side apart from the poorly cooked vegetables was the absolute sticky-mess I made of my fingers, chest, belly and mouth, eating the ribs. But I licked the fingers dry, leaving an adhesive coating on them and my tongue, before going to wash the pots and me. Hehe!
I completed the pot washing, and moved, jiggled the drying clothes about a bit. Then took a much needed, but pathetic attempt at a wee-wee. A URPD (Ultra-Resistant-Painful-Dripping) mode. (Why I bothered, I’d get rid of more liquid when shaking Inchy after the event usually! Humph!) But things ain’t usual at the moment. I must get to see the doctor about this before the retained fluid causes my bladder to blow-up!
Despite, or perhaps because of, the day’s anxieties, problems, trials and tribulations, I found it almost impossible to get off to sleep. I was mentally worn-out, wearied and tired enough surely? The ups & downs, and my mind’s thought-blasts kept the brain far too occupied. I don’t know when it was I eventually nodded off but can remember the news coming on the TV, at 23:00hrs! My usual head-down time is around 16:00 > 17:00hrs. So, I’d been up for twenty-three hours of frustrating hassle.
And, the intercom is still not working. Not that this will bother anyone other than the affected uninformed of the situation Nottingham City Homes tenants!
