No depressions

INCHIE TODAY: Sunday 19th March 2023

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Inchies’ sorry for the bad grammar, spelling, and rhyming!
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What fantastic colouring to the sky this morning!

To the right, and the City Hospital.

Straight ahead.

Eerie?

Wider.

Odd slippers?
This was thanks to the valve on the catheter pouch going into self-determining mode – and pouring out the urine into my slipper yet again. Mor cleaning up and freshening are required. Humph!

The carer told me I was running out of medications again. Carer Josef said he’d inform the office. Weekend, of course, so nowt to be down now.

I forgot to remind him to take the waste bags and laundry bag with him.
I’ll try to remember on the next call.

Bootiful clouds were coming out when I made my next cup of Glengettie.
Going a smidge dark, though?

I forgot about asking the next Carer to take the laundry & waste bags with him. I am a prisoner of Dementia Doreen!

The new day catheter, with the ‘Dodgy’ loose valve trigger, at least had some better-coloured urine contents this time.

gave me one of his famously-hated routines just as I was opening a jar of soya pieces for later. Naturally, this didn’t irk or bother me in the slightest. No swearing, spitting, gnashing of what few teeth I have left, or questioning the Lord over my bad luck, oh, no. I took it all in my stride. even when I got a stubbed toe on the Hoover, cleaning the mess up. Grrr!

I either fell asleep for two hours at the computer… or I had a Mind-Blank (Most likely, ’cause work had been done on the Health Check listing that I can’t remember doing?)
It was obvious that there would be sunset photos to take tonight. So I did a few close-ups of the nearby dwelling.

And the car park on Chestnut Way outside.
Tow spaces are free! Blimey!

acci-whoopObviously, I had not recovered from the Mind-Blank.
I copied the latest Health Check results onto the whiteboard to use them later in the graphic… Then realised I’d erased the new figures from the board and not the old ones. This can happen to anyone; I understand that.
But why is it always me? Hahaha!
It may be Doreen’s Dementia? Another Mind-Blank? Or the agony I’m currently getting from Little Inchies , thanks to the chaffing from tube inserted in Little Inchy? What am I waffling about? Why?

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Last call from the Carer, and again I forgot to remind him about the laundry bag again!

There should have been a photograph here; of a marvellous vegan meal that I had. It was delicious! Ready-made potatoes and onion with sauce side. To which I added a can of the mixed vegetables and oven cooked potatoes lumps, done nice and crispy! I was so keen to get my teeth (although I have far left to use nowadays) into it that I forgot about snapping it.

Doing the washing up after dining, and the night view caught my attention…

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There are people out there; what are they doing?
Mayhap a little painting & decorating?
Naturally, there will be some burgling…
Or a family having a housewarming?
Is someone opening the latest Gas payment warning?
No doubt a few couples physically fluctuating?
The police, investigating and exhumating?
Gangs of yobboes, selling drugs & mugging?
Bloggers on Facebook, evulgating?
I’m just sitting here, recalling when I was dating…
Grizelda – she’s gone now; very frustrating!

Not that I could anything if she was here with the damned, rotten catheter tube stuck in me. Funny old world! Well, not funny!

TTFN

Inchie: Monday 12th December 2022

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06:00hrs: Woke requiring a wee-wee; rather urgently. Rose carefully and caught my balance, and over to the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket), and had to be patient as there was a lot of PMAD (Post-Micturition-After Dribbling); The were not getting messages through to the brain, which kept up the after-dribbling going for more than ten minutes at least. Eventually, it stopped.
Then straight away, after storing Little Inchie in the PPs, an even more urgent call came – To the .
yet again! Bum down, and the evacuation started of its own accord. But no complaints; although it was messy, it was all over in seconds.
But on cleaning up, the tissue was red with blood. Deep red, so I didn’t fret about it; it was almost certain to be just bleeding. Washed things, and I medicated the rear end with Germoloid Cream. 
Then olive-oiled the ear-holes.
Got the eye drops done; maybe 5% got in the eyes. The rest down the cheeks and somehow into my nose, down through the moustache, leaving it with brown streaks, and into the mouth.
Went to the kitchen to make a mug of Glengettie tea.

The fog was lingering outside, and I took this blue-hued morning shot of the view. I’ve now forgotten the word I was about to use to describe it. Humph!
Never mind, getting used to forgetting things comes with Vascular Dementia, Doreen’s attention.
But it’s hard to live with.
Then, after another wee-wee, I got the Health Checks done.

Oh, heck! Back up again today.

Into the Hypertension Two – Red zone.

Ah, well, it has been higher before. Maybe the tension from Friday’s cock-ups?

I was cleaning the kitchen floor near the cooker when arrived. Always nice to see him, even when he is yawning; Haha! But he wasn’t this morning.
got the medications sorted out, and Peptac was given to me. We had a chat for a while. Richard got a phone call on his mobile and apologised. No need for that, mate. He told me about his problems with his Diabetes – 2. Nice to listen to him; he did it to let me know others are suffering as well, I think. A tactical ploy? Hehe! We had a laugh about things… he has a skill for making me feel good!

Visit number three. Another good one, and no bleeding this time?

Got the computer back on… and…

Cragknangles!

I could not save the work I’d done on this blog. So dare not turn off the computer. So left it running and went onto CorelDraw to do a graphic for tomorrow’s blog.

Took another wee-wee, washed and sanitised the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket). Accompanied by Herberts
mechanical largo of noise.

Made another brew, Thompson’s Punjana, this time, and the internet came back on. Well done, Fries! Got the Sunday blog completed and posted off to WordPress.

The DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) nurse, Hristina, arrived.
She took the blood sample for the Warfarin INR testing.
Lovely gal, a treasure of patience with me, and listened when I talked.
Bless her Cotton Socks!

Half an hour later, the Carer Manager, Tina, arrived. We spoke for a while, mostly me telling her about the odd memory blanks I’d had last week. I thanked her for the extra care she had provided for me. Another lovely, patient-with-me gal.

When Tina left, I did it again, and I lost a couple of hours altogether. But am pretty sure I was working on CorelDraw… of course, when I say pretty sure… I restarted this update, but with little to add to it, really.

The doctors’ surgery rang with an updated Warfarin dosage. INR level is now 4.6, dangerously high. The man asked if I was taking the correct dosages, I told them the Carers take care of that nowadays, so it should be right.

I made a list of the new dosages and planned to put it in the Carers folder, but didn’t. (Dementia Doreen and a mind-blank?)

Later, I found I was being given the wrong dosage, but somehow noticed it? Got the new list onto the folder.

I thought I’d get the meal started; the pots were nearly ready in the slow cooker. And I’ll settle to watch a frost episode while I eat it… not the Frost episode, the meal.
An odd-looking meal this one was.
I mashed a whole boiled potato mashed with Leicester cheese. I added a blob of vegan butter, sea salt and a dollop of BBQ sauce on top. A Vegan Shepard’s pie. Three tiny oven-cooked rolls and got chomping away at it until it had all gone. Taste: 8/10. Turned off the computer and promptly .

Woke me up. I’m afraid I was a smidge out of it with sleepiness lingering, and I may have been either gabbling on or non-responsive to the lad. Had the Peptac and tablets, and he was soon gone. (I think). The wrong dose of Warfarin was given to me. (Amazing that I noticed in my half-asleep mode). Gave him the new dosage list, and Ty stuck it onto the Carer’s folder cover. All okay now.

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Woke me up. Peptac served up. Chatted about the ailments we share, and we managed a (precious) laugh or two. Took the waste bags with him after checking the taps and cooker.

. Slept with just two rises for a wee-wee and one messy Porcelain Throne.

Inchcock Today: Thursday 1st Decemeber 2022

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05:20Hrs: I woke up with the guilt of poor Carer Richard going with me today to the Hospital. It makes sense, I know; he is the only person on this planet that can answer the questions the nurse will ask. He was so kind to offer to go. Especially after he’s just finishing four tours of duty. But I know how tired the lad can get without this extra, but that’s Richard for you. Not that any of this assuages my feelings of putting on him. After stewing in my guilt and appreciation for a few minutes, I decided to get my lumbering-elephantine body out of the recliner and get the ablutionalisationing done straight away. That was the plan!

Scenario: Dark, no RV or computer on, but a strange light from the kitchen was clearly visible, even to me, as I approached the open room door… Dang, Dang… Dang-Dang!
As I looked to my right into the kitchenette, a narrow red-yellow light beam hit me from within the room!  To all intents and purposes, it was a single eye, located head-height and piercing. It was completely dark otherwise. That must have helped with the illusion, too).
I suppose I had some help in getting confused from my ailments,, and , and getting misled.
For a second or so, I believed there was a possibility of a one-eyed intruder standing in the kitchen. “Go on, have a laugh” Hehehe! I did after I got the light on.
At that moment, it reminded me of a science fiction film of old, I forget the title. An alien who had a giant robot to protect him? Not that it would have fitted into my kitchenette anyway, but it did cast a deadly ray of the same colour that disintegrated tanks in New York. Did somebody Renee or Rennie star in it?
Anyway, as I got the light switched on, I realised that it was from the fridge door that I’d left open last night.
I’d stacked some food around it (the fridge light), including a pot of orange and raspberry-flavoured jelly. The light was altered into a beam as it went through… I did feel like a fool. Nothing new there, then!

The first noticeable thing was as I was going to get my feet into the bowl. It was amazing how the left leg was tiny-thin compared to the right one? A different colour too? Erm?

Apart from losing ten minutes searching for the toothbrush (it was underneath the trolley), a couple of hardly worth-mentioning shaving cuts, and a door shoulder charge on leaving the room. All went well. Even the getting the socks on and medicationalisationing.

I worked it out so that I might just have time to get the Wednesday blog finished (not a lot to do on it) before I needed to get the things sorted out for today’s visit to the Coppice Hospital. And yes, I even got that done as well!
So, a scare of sorts; that turned out to be a humorous incident. Great ablution session and the best bash on the blog I’ve had for months? A phenomenal start to the day!

THE TRIP TO THE COPPICE HOSPITAL

Arrived, having just completed his fourth tour of duty. Instantly my guilt returned.
It was a weird sensation; I was so pleased to see him, shook him by the hand… But the lad looked like he was on his last legs.
Not that it stopped him from launching into helpful advice and checking that I was getting the right things ready to take with us. Richard rang for a taxi.

I did nearly forget the reading glasses but remembered as we were at the point of leaving. I went to get to them.
Richard had already made the checks on taps etc., so the didn’t get a chance to get me going.
We were down in the lobby in plenty of time. The taxi arrived minutes later.
The taxi driver, like so many of them, took shortcuts through the estates. It seemed to my , that all the roads and streets had speed bumps on them! One of the worst, well not worst, but most painful taxi rides ever. I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than poor SOSTH!

We arrived at the right place on the grounds, and I was helped out of the taxi. They retrieved the three-wheeler from the boot for me, and I felt well looked after. Bloody hurting in the SOSTH testicle area, though! Hahaha!

Instinct, I think, led Richard to lead me around some buildings to the required door, finding it the first time. Thank you, Richard!
Really good that Richard was there; we had to use an intercom thing to get in. Well, Richard did. It was not a long wait after Richard had logged us in with the receptionist, and the Memory Nurse fetched and led us to the office we needed, hers. A lovely nurse.
We went through the usual memory test. I think I did better than the last time at the surgery. The normal questions and a draw-a-clock routine.
Then some history, then medical questions.
A session of questioning Richard. I couldn’t hear them, unfortunately.
The nurse said I did well. (Which was worrying at the time cause I do need help!) She is going to give me a brain scan… now at this point, I had one of my blank moments and what she was saying did not get through properly. But I thought it did, now I cannot remember the details of what she had said. She might have given me a date of the first scan… maybe, but surely I’d have written it down if she had? February rings a bell in there somewhere. Mayhaps the first scan, then a second to see the changes in the brain? Oh, dear, Richard will know. I hope.
Why I didn’t say something at the time beats me.
But poor Richard was really in need of some rest by them. And we were soon told we could go. Which was a blessing for my mate Richard.
The receptionist called a taxi for us. We were soon on the way back here.
This taxi driver took a similar speed-bump route back but quicker driving, which entailed some cruel en route.

Back at the flats, all Richard wanted was to get home. And I don’t blame him one bit. I told him I had some of his favourite burgers in the fridge for him, but he was so tired he just wanted to go home. I pointed out that when he gets home, these burgers will only take two minutes in the microwave… He changed his mind and tool them. So hope he enjoys them, but he’ll probably fall asleep eating them.
Thanks again, mate.

BACK HOME

When Richard had departed, I had a feeling of aloneness, not loneliness. If you know what I mean?

The WC was used and then photographed. Funny how you miss things when you go out, innit? Hehehe!

Took a shot of the main room. Otherwise known as ‘The Tip’, ‘The Mess’, ‘Rubbish Room’, or ‘Bedroom’, although I don’t have a bed anywhere.

Then the kitchenette. A place of fear, Accifauxpas, Whoopsiedangleplops, burnt food, fridge and freezer doors left open, hob and oven left turned on, many trip-overable points, and occasionally a weird one-eyed monster appears in the night.

All a part and parcel of the unaccountable mysteries, phantoms, and haunting of Woodthorpe Court. (It never used to be like this, they told me until I arrived!)

I blame myself, like.

Arrived in good spirits. I asked him to ring EasyLink to arrange a lift if they could for tomorrow to Bulwell. I spent ages getting the details together and readying the calendar… But no chance! They were obviously either fully booked up or out of drivers again. They divert to a message when that happens. I wanted to get some food in.
Still, I’ll not starve, I’m sure. I’ve got a can of gungo beans, some out-of-date butter, manky even further out-of-date burgers in the freezer, and some potatoes that just need de-eying. Haha!
Shaquille departed with his chosen can. After which, I realised he had not issued me with the Peptac medicine.

I pressed on with doing this blog. It was incredibly slow going again. So I decided to get the Health Checks done… and this was the result!

Well, Phantasmagorical! First Time Ever!

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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NEWS SNIPPET

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18:00hrs: I put some potatoes in the oven. (After a lot of de-eying and removing green maggots). Then I took this masterpiece of photographicalisational genius of the evening view. from the kitchen window.
Well, alright, it might not be that good exactly then... But it’s definitely a little better than my usual crap!

18:40hrs: , a rare but welcome pretty visitor arrived, dead on time too! ♥ She said how much better I looked that last week. She must have called in the middle of the four nights without any sleep and averaging 80 wee-wees per night. Boy, do I appreciate Richard’s care in getting me back to near normal! I hope he can catch up on sleep now. Sinead said she could smell the potatoes when she for out of the lift – not sure if that is good or not? She selected a can of pop and a nibble in thanks and departed. Feel lost again now, Hehehe!

I checked the potatoes in the oven. During a break in ‘Heartbeat’ on the box.
Ah, now I know why they smelt so! I’d sprayed them with olive oil and dropped a blob of BBQ sauce in each one. However, at first, I could not understand why, after two hours, they were still not cooked through yet. Eventually, it dawned on me. I’d only set the heat to 150°! Being the intelligent problem-solver I am, I turned it up to 200° and got back to watch my beloved ‘Heartbeat’ on the box.

I then checked the new Meridian Carer roster. It seems I have another caller coming at 21:45hrs ETA. To check that nothing is left on that shouldn’t be, and issue a fourth dose of Peptac. Tonight it says is calling. Another nice gal.

Why, what for, I’ve not got the foggiest, but…
Suddenly burst into giving me an almost industrial-level shoulder-shaking! None-stop for a good few minutes, I was beginning to worry about this, and it stopped abruptly. Thank heavens for that, I thought to myself…
She kicked off again, even more violently, this time. But slowly, it died off, this time after a minute or two. I can do without any more of these from her; thank you!

The Meridian 31:45hrs Care did not arrive.
But fear not, I remembered to take the Pentac. Shame she didn’t come, though: cause I left the hot water tap (faucet) running again; it’d run cold by the time I noticed it. I’d not put the plug in the sink, so I had no overflow problems to sort out, at least!

I got the meal served up.
The potatoes were tasty enough, and a few too many, methinks?
I enjoyed this simple feast, ate it on my knee, decorating my jammies and the recliner with droplets of BBQ sauce and bits of the potatoes and skin. Naughty Boy!
Took me ages to clean it all up afterwards. Hehe!

I was well tired when it came to settling into the c1966, £300 pound, second-hand charity-shop bought, crumb-containing, odour-retaining, Harold’s Haemorrhoid-testing, nauseatingly beige coloured, non-working, virus-breeding recliner. Unfortunately: I plopped down into the seat from a greater height than I intended, landing joltingly, jarringly, and crushing  !
The pain left me feeling light-headed. But, of course, there was no cursing, howling, winching or feeling sorry for myself.

Thanks to the testicle-testing trauma, it took me a long time to get to sleep tonight. However, once I got off, I had a decent four uninterrupted hours of respite in the arms of Sweet Morpheus.
Grrreat!

Inchcock: Monday 28th November 2022

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An odd night’s sleep. A different style of waking ups. Not so many, and I woke more gently. But struggled to get back to sleep, so lost a bit of the benefit of getting some sleep in.  Somehow being banged or moved was not what kept waking me up. No idea what did.

I was deep in sleep when woke me up. This unchallenged diamond had me feeling so much better within seconds. Got the medications sorted out and listened to my tales of Woe over the problems with farcical trip to the Doctors and the way things have developed since. Had he not left the note on the whiteboard reminding me about booking in at the Doctor, I may well not have done.
mate!

I made three visits to the in about an hour. Apart from bashing poor old each time (He is so much bigger this morning), the other similarity in all three sessions was large rabbit pellets. I’ve not been eating much; with the infection, do you think that might be the reason?

Got the computer on and commenced making mistake after error and getting mind blanks into the bargain in my updating of the Sunday blog. I stopped and made a start on the

Another bad set of results, Humph!

Chimed, and on came the highly desirable, sweet, kind patient Warfarin DVT Nurse Hristina.
I was feeling a smidge low with all the cock-ups I’d been making on the Saturday blog; her kindness cheered me up a smidge. (Doing well today in this. first Richard and now Hristina) She listened to my tale of the infection, getting on the wrong bus etc., before and while taking the blood. Bless her.

Fire hours later, I got the mistake-ridden blog posted off.

Then Liberty-Global Virgin Media went down Again!

LIBERTY-GLOBAL
Who bought, & destroyed Virgin Media.
The $126m salaried Mt Fries makes the decisions!
But can we, the suffering customers, really complain?
Let’s face the facts, Fries, the number-crunching, smoke & Mirrors, man.
The financial wizard who plays with numbers and gets them to show what he wants them to show. What will impress his boss?
While we, the poor stupid customers, can’t even leave the company due to Fries, ingenious leaving fees and convoluted process needed.
But I bear the man no ill will.
(Well, maybe just Knob-Rot, Black Death or Palsy, nothing serious.)

A call came in. They do that sometimes) it esd from the Sherrington Park Medical Practise.
The receptionist was calling with my new Warfarin dosage. That was quick! I wrote them down and made a list, and stuck it on the cover of the Meridian Social Carers folder.

Spur of the moment job here. I went to the fridge to see what was available for a nibble, but the answer was very little. So I made an Iceland order, which to my amazement, would be delivered in the morning twixt 06>08:00hrs. Ordering: Potatoes (bag for Richard & for me), baking spuds (bag for Richard & for me), Part-baked cobs (bag for Richard & for me),
For Richard: BBW burgers, Starbucks coffee.
For me: Veg & Gravy pie, kitchen towels, sliced cobs, & spring water.
Now we’ll see if I can wake up in time for the delivery. Hehehe!

Arrived. We got the meds sorted out and had a mini-natter, Jodie, confirmed that Richard would be going with me to the hospital on Thursday. (That’s good news; I’ll ask him to order a taxi for us.) Selected a treat in thanks, and she took the waste bag to the chute on her way out.

I continued with the blog for a few more hours. Then thought I’d better close down and get my head down.

Chimed out. Who is this at 22:00hrs, I thought? I stood up painfully (It’s always painful to get up since the urine infection started) and cautiously went to the door. I was flabbergasted! It was , I truly thought I’d had a mind-blank or time-lapse, and it must be morning already!
Richard was doing a late-night safety check. To ensure nothing had been left on that shouldn’t have been, Taps, lights etc.
He confirmed that he would be going with me to the hospital on Thursday. I asked him to order a taxi, and he said he would. We had a natter, and off on his rounds, he went. I could not give him an alcoholic drinkie as he was working, but he chose a Lychee juice from the fridge. Left, saying he would collect the bag later in the morning on his usual medicationing call; fair enough.

After a time spent making mistakes on the blog, I decided to have something to eat. But the Vegan Mince Pie was out of date. ! So, I had a Vegan Pastry Slice, made up some gravy and had this with some part-baked mini-cobs. Didn’t taste too bad at all. Flavour: 702/10.
Zzzz!

Inchcock: Sunday 13th November 2022

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07:00hrs: A second decent night’s kip for the old man, then. (It’s not often I can say that!)
I thought it wise to wait for a little before getting excited; I’d not done the checks yet, and I didn’t want to bring it back to reality just yet for a while.

I went into the kitchenette, mainly to check on the taps, stove, fridge etc. to make sure I’d not left anything on that shouldn’t be. All Clear!
So, a was duly adopted!

It was a foggy morning, not unlike those we used to get every November so many years ago. The memories flowed for a while. as I took these photographs!
Not necessarily good recollections. But a few did sneak in.
Got the Health checks done.

Pulse decent at 33.1°1f.

Sorry to say that the flipping Blood Pressure came out up in the Top Red area, Hypertension Three!
But only just. Hehe!

The SYS was really high this time at Red-Risk 162.

The Dia was fine in the Amber zone.

The Pulse was creeping back up again at 78.

I just can’t understand why they have classed in the red-three zone.
When three of the four are in the Amber zone?
I expected to be well lower down on the scale. Mind you, the SYS was high.
Came in. Got the medications sorted, and the lad was in a rush; I could sense it… his being so late told me that as well. He wanted his bed, and who could blame him. Talked him into trying a cold Starbuck Coffee for his thank-you treat. Be interesting to see what he say’s about it later next week. I bet Richard won’t take a coffee with Rum & Coke and his favourite, Pink Gin and lemon, being on offer. Hehe! He can have a coffee as well.
I got the mince in the pan with the beans and added some flavourings.

I’m well known as a flavourings-adder, you know. Hehehe!

Then I got two large potatoes in the big saucepan on the boil, and I nipped back to the computer to get her started and begin updating the Saturday blog. I had to avoid getting distracted with blogging for fear of forgetting about Josie’s meal cooking.

Went back to check, and the potatoes were already done? It only seemed like ten minutes. But, of course, it was longer.
As you can see in the photo here when it came to dicing the spuds ready to go in the oven to bake them crispy… This is how one potato turned out – Bad!
So, not so many spuds in Josie’s meal today.
Got the diced and olive-oil-sprayed spuds in the heated oven.
Had a clean-up. And back to the computer.
That is not blood on the paper towel. Oh, no! It’s probably jam or ketchup, something like that. As if a man of my calibre would cut his right index finger while slicing the spud, laughable.
Did some work on the blog, mostly correcting errors made. Tsk! Bet I still missed no end of them!

Added spuds to the saucepan of chilli-stew, or whatever you want to call it. But after taking out approximately half of the stew and placing it into a separate lidded-tub
This is Josie’s 2nd meal for Monday. She heats it up in her microwave. I try to make the two meals different for her. After taking out the Monday portion, I added some basil and BBQ to the first lot and stirred it up, warming it gently. No potatoes in the Monday one, either.
I had 20-minutes or so on the blog and made up Josie’s tray.

I’d got carried away today… Just look at that pile of stew in the bowl for her. It might get her eating better, but it is bound to get me accused of trying to make her look like Betty Bunter.
Now, for the less mature whippersnappers, these names will mean nothing. But to us kings growing up[ in the ’50s, they were previously revered. For they were in comics that we read.
Possibly. In this photo, Betty’s name is Bessie Bunter, but later she became Betty; I don’t know why. It’s me mishearing what Josie was saying… I’ll have to check that later with her.

But she was for the girls, and for us lads, we had Billy Bunter.
Two overweight kids that always seemed to get the better of their parents in the story we read. Hehehe!
I think that Sister Jane was a fan of that comic. There was the Topper, Beezer, Beano, Dandy, Eagle & others. Not bad for a bloke who read his instructions from the nut-house hospital last night and can’t remember anything he read?

Note the changing times in the covers here? In those days, the girls were trained as domestics, not future wives. So, Billy gets excitement out in the woods with criminals, and Betty-Bessie battles the fight to get food in the house. Not a single person back then mentioned them being unhealthily overweight. Hahaha! I wondered off subject again there, didn’t I?

Back to the diary: I delivered the meals to Josie.
I remembered taking the Lumix camera with me in my pocket, and I’d also got it in my bag! Every little victory, you know!

Josie was looking better today; bless her cotton socks. I’m not sure who is the more forgetful between us… but my guess would be it being even-stevens! Hehehe! The deafness we also share is just the same. She didn’t notice the over twice the usual amount of chillie-stew and the larger bowl I had to use to get it all in.
About Gawd knows when… I got the Saturday blog posted off.
Carer Carolynne arrived. We got the medications sorted and had a natter. (Well, I did!) Hehe! Forced treats in thanks on her. She took the waste bags with her as she left; with a smile.

Not in the flat, though. There was a fire in Basford or Sherwood area. I took these pictures of it. Much smoke varying from white to black and a few bursts of flames.
Annoyingly, I could find nothing on the news or the internet about it.

These chronologically go from left to right as you go down.

.

Shame I couldn’t find them for a newspaper to use.

It’s 20:00hrs already! I’ll get something to eat, then my head down, I think.
♫ Food, Glorious Food ♫ Flavour-Rating 7.2/10. And I was surprised at how tasty the Adkins cobs were.
The Asda Soya lemon yoghourt was its usual tasty treat.

I got ensconced in the 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.

Sleep came quickly tonight!
But could I stay asleep? No! I woke up jouncingly, joltingly, or jarringly so often; it almost tired me out! Fair enough, I got back to sleep quickly enough, but minutes later (it seemed), I was once again twitchingly woken up!

Sweet Morpheus was playing with me once more…

Or, mayhap it was , continuing on her mission along with the other mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, ghosts, the grotesque succubae, extraterrestrials, ectoplasms, spirits, or the Fata Morganas, that have been sent to taunt, irritate and terminate my already limited saneness of mind?

Inchcock Today: Saturday 13th August 2022

/ Inchie / 12 Comments

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

12:05hrs: I was abruptly woken by the mind-numbing regulation jolt this morning.  It took me a few minutes to gather the time, where I was, and who I was! Hehehe! Most annoyingly, because I was having a dream, enjoying a dream. The nature of which may not be suitable for blogging. It didn’t do me as good as it happens; Being torn from heavenly bliss, and believing it was actually happening, is cruel in the extreme. The sadness and disappointment in realising it just being a dream is heartbreaking. However, it’s best not to have such goals in the first place. I may need an extra beta-blocker!

Bootiful moon. I had to lean out of the kitchenette window to get it. Had to take four shots to get this one that was usable for my readers. Har-har! Mother Nature at her finest! Sorry, I could not get a better photo of it; I dun me best!

Closing the window, I knocked a bottle off of the window ledge. Although it didn’t break, it landed on a soft part… my big toe that the foot lady cut yesterday! It had to be a heavy glass bottle, the Squid Vinegar.

I needed a wee-wee, it didn’t seem urgent, so I got the kettle on and nipped into the Throne Room. It was a trickling affair that must have taken five minutes to get rid of a few fluid ounces. Zipping up Little Inchies spy hole, I only just got it down again in time for the after-micturition to drip. Minutes later, the zipper was utilised likewise, and the same thing happened. Which must have been another five or six minutes! Worra life! So I decided to have a sit down as I waited patiently for the leaking to stop.

However, such matters… well, anything concerning the brains malfunctioning, mentally, like; is nowadays down to the Demoness Dementia Doreen, I’m afraid.
Like yesterday’s mind-blank in Bulwell, I think I lost about half an hour of memory. How could I walk all that way to the Poundland Shop without my recalling anything about it?
The worrying bit about this one was when I sort of realised where I was, in the shop, with some products already picked and put into the three-wheeler trolley basket; I didn’t panic at all. I seemed to feel lucky I wasn’t mugged or been run over.

Trying now, looking back, to find any other reason or cause other than Doreen. I lay there this morning musing over this incident and my reactions to it.  I know I had just had a lot of hassle with the Diabetes meeting going all wrong… The farce with the hearing aids and strangers trying to help me, well, they did, and that was heartwarming! But cataracts and deafness made it impossible for me to participate in the proceedings.
Disgustingly, I felt sorry for myself and sulked with the frustration of it all. It was immediately after my departure that the mind-blank occurred. This may be part of the causes of the blanks. I don’t get them often, but each time previously, they worried me. But this time, I just accepted the situation. I started fretting, later on, mind. Hehehe! I hope someone reads this who knows me, and friends and family… no, both of them, maybe then they’ll understand my situation better. The guilt at my self-centred actions is still fresh in my mind – I see that Dementia Doreen has not stolen that memory… Bitch!
There are bound to have been people in that room with worse ailments than I have, but all I could think of were mine. I intend to make some amends at the next meeting, and be upfront, and tell Nathanial about my needing to be facing any talker, even with the hearing aids in, and not facing any light or sunshine, to give my one semi-good eye a chance. And importantly, to apologise to the others for ruining their meeting. If they accept me back, this must be done.
Waffled on a bit there, didn’t I? Sorry!

Up A Bit More Today!
SYS 151, DIA 67 Pulse 72 (Down a smidgeon) Body Temperature, 34.3°f, excellent.
The room temperature was 81°f, and the outside one from the web information was 85f. Another warm one?
Put the numbers on the NHS DVT page and got this graph up. Not the photo of me and writing. That was me trying to be creative.

, Is kicking off early today. Blimey, it must be a big order; it’s been non-stop for ages. Nowt too loud this time, just sounding like annoying tap-tapping and scratching, scuffing sounds. Richard the Caring-Heart may have a rush job on… or not. He might be having a bath. Hahahaha! I am awful!

This on the left is the message I got back from the NHS about the test results. I offered a few comments on their comments and suggested recommendations and actions to take to lower the BP.

Got yesterday’s blog completed; it took a few hours. Posted it off, and I sent the email links. Went to make a brew of Glengettie, and ♫Oh, Susana♫ chimed out.
Samantha came in, and I’m delighted to report she was patient and listened to my tale of woe, from yesterday’s Diabetes Lesson, the mind-blank, the punch-up on the Vale, the foot-lady trying to sever my big toe, patiently! Bless her cotton socks!

I came across some more undecipherable parts of the reminder notes again. Just a line and a half of terrible scribble. Can’t work out many words, but it went like this… No, I’ll take a photo of it, and then someone may be able to read it and let me know. Hang on, I’ll get the camera…
Gorrit took a photo of it, and here it is on the left.
I think the Nicodemus’s Neurotransmitters must have been offline when I wrote some of these notes, comical reminders.

♫Oh, Susana♫  burst into life again. It was the Amazon delivery lady with the boxes of various nuts I’d ordered.
Seems like a lot looking at the boxes, but they weighed very little, apart from one.
The delightful chocolate walnuts and white yoghourt cashews were a real treat for me.
The extra unique trial crisps of a sort I looked forward to trying with a certain relishness! Seaweed crisps and Shitakka dried mushroom crisps! I shall report on them after I’ve tried them. (Lower down) Cleared away the boxes to the waste chute and started making something to eat. Using the shortest use-by dates that I could read. Any I can’t read will have to be dished.

Success! Fishless fish sticks,  chips, tomatoes and two oven-baked bread rolls. Not classy stuff, but it suits my essentially lower-class, impecunious, plebian, proletarian and bourgeoisie upbringing. I was ten before I had my first hot meal, and I had to toast that on the coal fire. I tell a fib there, not intentionally. I’d get home from school and do my evening paper rounds to find the chipped enamel off-white bowl on the homemade kitchen sink lean-to, with a couple of Oxo cubes and some mouldy bread. There would be a note left somewhere “Dinner on draining board” Happy days. So this was a feast for me. Waffled on a bit there, again. Tsk!
The eyes are getting tired sooner every day. I’m hoping cataracts can be done sooner rather than later. They played a big part in my getting into such a mess, frustrated, and in the end, having the memory blank at the Diabetes session at the Riverside.

I had the meal and drifted off with the tray and things still on my knee. Got a couple of hours in. The tray was in the same position when I woke up.

Arrived; unfortunately, I’d just taken off my trousers. But Valerie always presses the doorbell, so I had time to get behind the door, wave my hand around it, asking her to wait a while. It’s job gerrin’ owd, innit! I’m not sure when Val is leaving, but I’ll miss her. She’ll miss me too; there may not be treats for her at the care home she’s going to work at. Hahaha!
After Val left for another hour or so, I nodded again, then got up to tend to the blogging needs.
But, being so tired, the concentration and eyes not working correctly – I got into the same pickle with CorelDraw as two days ago. It took me well into Monday morning to sort it out again. So no point in getting my head down now. At least I got some sleep in earlier. Humph!

Morning All!

Inchcock Today: Diary – Sunday 6th March 2022

/ Inchie / 27 Comments

Ode To Worry…

What’s lurking, waiting, for me to be worried?
Dementia Doreen is to be considered…
Cataracts, slowly my sight will get hid…
A world war? I bet Putin’s well-bunkered
Going deaf too… that would be horrid…
Peripheral Neuropathy, that’s got to be feared!
The falls dizzies it causes has me well wearied…
My memory loses, leaving even me bewildered…
But worry in itself is not to be cheered…
Getting through each day, things need to be altered,
I’ve taken it well, I think, not been a craven coward…
Luckily life’s been crap, so I’m not too bothered…
But what really annoys me… is the computer’s buggered!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

I stirred from my slumber, almost in a nonchalant mood? I worked out what day to was, and would usually have Thought-Storms, worries, fears, on my waking up – But not this morning! I felt in a laid-back sort of mood, which is something preciously rare for me. I can’t remember the last time they were absent when I was recovering consciousness.

There are the last two days even more amazing happenings. I’d not been worrying about anything at all, taking everything in my stride, even when I had all the bother with the computer… I basically thought, ‘Well sod-it! If it goes, it goes!’ I can’t be bothered with all this worrying, sod-it. Sod-it, sod-it! I knew it couldn’t last! But things are getting back to my usual worry-guts mode again.

Had a wee-wee, made a mug of Glengettie tea, and onto the computer… The Crabnabbed computer, which had had a dreaded windows update, would not let me get any photos recognised again! This really got to me. It confirmed the return on fretting and frustration were fermenting again! Took a picture of the end car park. If the computer lets me, I’ll have to add it later on, fingers crossed.

The innards gave off a rumbling, squelching sound. I decided to get the ablutions done while I was in there. No thought was given to the can of beans I’d just taken out of soaking and into the saucepan with some chilli seasoning – it may as well not have happened as my mind was concentrating on an injury-free wash and shave! Which very nearly happened. Nae bother with the nasal clearing, teeth-cleaning or shaving… not a single cut!

I felt somewhat cocky as I left the wet room, which will probably account for how I managed to get the walking stick entangled in the stand-up clothes airer; we both ended up on the floor in the hallway! I had to go on my hands and knees into the front room, and I used the rickety recliner to get back on my feet. But, no injuries, other than a knock on the elbow. Even Cartilage Cathy didn’t complain when I clunked down on the knee? It’s a funny old life, innit?

 I suddenly remembered the beans in the pan! Like a greyhound out of the trap, I hastened to the kitchenette – well, I hobbled fairly quickly! All was well with the bean medley… I’d not turned the heat on! What a Plonka! So, I turned the heat on.

Carer Pricella arrived. A pretty sweet thing, she was made most welcome. She soon had the medications sorted. She kindly gave me a couple of minutes of waffling time and took the bags with her to the chute for me on her way out! 💜

I did the blogging in between nipping in to assess Josies’ meal. Managed to get some photos uploaded, but again, not all of them. Grungleturds! Got the WP comments were replied to and posted yesterday’s blog off.

I tended full time to prepping Josies’ nosh then.

Hope she likes this recipe. Chilli bean stew with extra beef, seasoned with the usual selection but added some black bean sauce, not a lot. The standard side treats and gin.

I proudly delivered Josies’ meal to her door, with an extra pot she could have later on.

I arrived a the prearranged time of between 5 to twelve and five past.

Josie was looking alright and up for a chinwag… well, more like an interrogation of what’s in the bowl. Hehehe! ♥

Then I concentrated on getting this blog started. After five hours, it still wasn’t anywhere near finished. Humph! Dementia Doreen, Cataract Cathy and Peripheral Neuropathy Pete made sure that my progress was so slow and error-ridden!

The day’s gone again? What happened? Hehe!

I’d better get my nosh sorted. Battered fish with chilli, BBQ chips and a can of garden peas, methinks… but anything could happen. Better get a move on, or the Carer might get here while I’m scoffing.

Dingledick! Again I forgot about adding the peas I’d left in the saucepan! I wondered why I’d got all that room to add the sauce on the plate. Anyroad up, I liked the mild chill flavour of the battered fish. Nice! Washed the pots, had a wee-wee, and I got done in the c1969 recliner. Put the TV on, and fell into a deep, deep sleep. Zzz!

Sunset photo’s

Beautiful set of sunset photos produced,
Admiration of nature induced,
Forgot about my traumatologist…
Appointments that I’d missed…
But I must call my audiologist.

As photos go, they’re not my shabbiest.
Possibly, even some of my best?
Worries were temporarily dismissed…
My Thought-Storms were vanquished,
Natures changing colours; inspirationist,
I thought I heard a harpsichordist!

I hope to see my ophthalmologist…
Cause not seeing-well makes me pissed!
Not suitable for a photographist…
My ailments thoughts were intensive…
But, these  photos were recompensive,
After a day of being at my crankiest,
A few moments at my blessedest! ♥

This Ode wrote by Inchie, Who is old!

Carer Julia came in; I didn’t hear the chimes, the ears are getting worse?

I can’t remember much at all about Angel Julia’s visitation. I wasn’t really with it much, still partly asleep, methinks. That is not normal for me cause I love this gal and her helpful, patient ways. I can recall going with Julia to the front door, but that’s about it. Another mystery?

Getting back off to sleep was not easy, as tired as I was. I put the TV back on; that did the trick. I wish I’d tried that earlier than I did now.

Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit

Inchcock’s Wednesday Witterings: 2nd March 2020

/ Inchie / 11 Comments

Welcome to my banal, funny, heartbreaking…
Pathetic, uneducated, dementia-driven rambling,
Inchcock Today… or Waffling Wednesdays Wittering,
After reading, you’ll sleep; no need for chloroforming…
In fact, you’ll be asleep before the end, I’m assuming…
This blog might be popular, by the end of global warming,
I’ve lost one of my three readers; he was from Wyoming…
It’s only my ailments and self that I can be blaming,
I make so many mistakes, some of them alarming!
I just want to make folks smile, do no harming…
But Vascular Dementia Doreen mucks me up… Charming!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I woke up and checked on the time, 0:400hrs. I wondered whether I needed the Porcelain thrown or not, mild rumblings from the innards: and nodded off again.

I didn’t wake until almost 07:00hrs. Panic Stations! At least the Carer had not arrived unless it’s one of those who do not press the chimer? The Thought-Storms rages as I fumbled and bumbled my way free of the £300, second-hand bought, c1968, nauseously beige-coloured, not-working, rusty, rickety, crumb-holder of a recliner.

I got to the wet room, despite Cartilage Cathy’s determination to have me over, and plonked my bottom on the plastic seat. Although this session was not so hard to force out, it started in slow-motion but kept on all the way through today. But I swear it was more painful than the last two days’ dolloping’s. On the bright side, it was over a lot quicker, and only a few specs of Haemorrhoid Harolds’ blood were lost.

While cleaning up and sorting things out, it came to me; it’s Richard this morning, so there is no need to panic and rush. Bless his cotton socks! He now comes to me last each morning or night, so we can have a natter.

I made up some waste bags and noticed how hazy and misty it looked outside. I thought, ‘I know, I’ll take three photos, left, centre and right, and try to get them in line on CorelDraw to make a header. Which I did, not too bad an effort, considering Shuddering Shoulder  Shirley and Peripheral Neuropathy Pete were giving me the jerks so regularly. Tsk!

I got on the computer, and this is the result: I used these to make todays’ header out of.

Carer Richard arrived as I threw away the mug of tea I had made earlier and left it in the kitchen. So, I made us both a fresh brew. Poor Richard looked well-drained. I tried to cheer him up; he was tired out and ready for bed (his!). But he still stayed a while, and we had a natter and laugh, an essential part of retaining ones’ sanity… if it’s not too late. Hehehe!

After Richard had gone, I went onto the balcony to take this photo of the end car park. The fog turned to mist later, but it stayed all day. Damned Pucking Putin! I bet the poor Ukrainians would like to have this as their morning worry.

As turned to go back into the flatlet, Oh, dear! I spotted the state of the ceiling near the doorway. It seemed to be a smidgeon more damaged than it was last week? Well, more holes!

Today, I used the other BP machine, the Chinese (Hong Kong), made by Shenzhen Relee Electronic & Technology Co. Ltd™, contactless thermometer. Just look at the near-perfect results! Above the deadline of 35°c for the first time for ages and yonks! The body temperature was the highest it’s been for weeks. Physically, fair. But mentally, and memory, well, not so good!

The hearing is a lot worse today. I think the earholes are blocked with wax again. I keep using the olive oil, to no avail. I even tried syringing them, no better.

I got on the computer again. Peripheral Pete’s neurotransmitters were frequently failing, and I had a few involuntary Hitler salutes, and Cathy Cartilage’s knee has been, is, and did give my hassle all day and night. But I mustn’t moan, it could be worse, and I might have been a Ukrainian, poor devils.

Cleaner Esther came in, spoke all the time she was going from room to room, brought the mop and bucket she’s bought for me, and as she left I caught something she said; Byeee! The ears really are bad now. Even the hearing aids make very little difference. She returned to mop the kitchenette for me. After she’d done that, she told me not to go into the kitchen until the floor had dried, so I didn’t.

I worked on the computer, it was so slow. I’m going to have to stop, I think. I keep saying that, but ith the eyes getting worse, now the ears, and Peripheral Neuropathy Pete giving me scares, losing the plot thanks to Dementia Doreen and the stroke. Can’t walk properly, think properly, memory blanks, Bladder and bowel problems, and mobility handicaps… But so you know? I’m not bothered; I’m more worried about the computer difficulties than my physical and mental ones!

Are the Hemp tablets I’m taking to get more sleep and are working fine; are they affecting me in other ways? Deep their from me? Haha!.

The contemptuous, hoity-toity, holier-than-thou, snobbish, haughty, condescending, disdainful Gentleman in the flat above has been at it with the banging, rattling and tap-tapping, on and off all day, into the night. And I can still hear him with no hearing aids and the lug-holes full of wax. But I’ll say owt, cause the management love him, he’s rich and has relatives working for… No, never mind.

Of course, all the above is written in jest, fun-loving, a leg-pulling, playful way that means no harm. The sort of thing that friends do to each other to keep up their spirits, and have a two-way game of verbal tik-tac between their associates, colleagues, relatives and all humorous, quick-witted, lovers of being friendly, and avoiding being a superior snotbag, and hating the less well off. Like someone we know!

Got the blog done for yesterday and went o Facebooking, WP reader and comments. I’ve got many ‘notes’ come reminders on my notepad here – that I cannot read. That is galling!

I thought it was getting a little chilly. Decided to make a brew and off to the kitchen. I soon realised why I thought it was getting a little nippy; Esther had left the windows open, presumably to help the floor dry. Hahaha!

She’s done an excellent job cleaning the floor for me; bless her.

I advanced hobblingly into the kitchenette, and you’ll never guess what I found! Herbert wouldn’t; he’d just offer one of his usual sneers in my direction! I’d better explain so you can appreciate the fun side of this incident.

Three days ago, I realised somehow or other that one of my three mugs had done a runner. Or, as is more likely, I’d misplaced it, like my keys, mobile phone, TV remote, my glasses or hearing aids.

There in and on the sink, were now three mugs back together again? What?

And this, after Julie, Richard and Cheeky Charley (I think), had helped me search for the mug. Not crucial, I realise, but so annoying not knowing what I’d done with it. Of course, I still don’t know? After putting on my Sherlock Holmesian head, I decided the logical (Me? Logical? Hahaha!) thing is that I’d dropped it between the stove or fridge and the fitted cupboards? And Esther had found it while doing the moping up! Or not?

I started to do the graphics for this blog, and I was going along nicely under the circumstances…

FORLORNLESS!

Peripheral Pete sent the arm right across the keyboard! Which was knocked onto the floor. But not before; key combinations must have been hit at random as the hand travelled involuntarily in an easterly direction.

I have to admit to swearing and nearly crying! The computer screen and all fonts icons were massive! I think about ¼ of the CorelDraw screen was showing, the cursor covered almost all of it, what I could make of it, four letters filled the entire screen. All the menus and choice icons had disappeared. There were no minimise, reduce or close options on screen!

I spent about three hours trying to sort it out. No idea what I’d done or how to correct it! I still couldn’t access the window buttons or the close program squares… my heart and spirits sank. In amongst the Thought-Storms; “With Hitlers’ arm shooting out, the hospital told me nothing could be done about it (Peripheral; Neuropathy), no one can repair nerve-ends! “This is bound, or odds on, to happen again…Is this the time to give in?”

I had to unplug the computer and hope for the best out of desperation. As I reached for the plugs in the socket, the screen momentarily flashed… this frit me, and hastened my lunge, and I pulled out the plug. I felt it was like committing Hari-Kari!

I gave it a few mind-torturing minutes, then replugged the computer in. It started in its usual manner… Now for the scary bit, opening the internet… Everything was fine! Back to normal with the sizing? Opened CorelDraw, the iconic on there had gone back to the small ones, but all else worked? The relief was phenomenal!

Moments later, Evening Carer Valerie arrived. It was guessing time at what she said; her voice is known for its quietness. Valerie got the medications done in record time told the story of the three mugs becoming two and then three again… I got a look of credulousness; I think maybe poor Valerie was not hearing me either. She left with her drinkie and nibbles happily enough, bless her, taking the waste bag with her to the chute for me. ♥

Worra Day! I’d had enough shocks and scares for the time being. Going to get a meal and some kip…

Carer Valerie arrived. I could only get permission to photo her from the rear. She’s probably nervous about having her photo taken; the police might have a warrant out for her? Hahaha!

Well gone midnight again when I got down, but Sweet Morpheus greeted me quickly enough, and only one jumping awake!