– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I rose singing out loud at 0325hrs. Took off the nocturnal Catheter pouch, got up and ran with it to the wet room, emptied it and returned for my morning exercises. Stripped off the nightwear and naked, I went onto the balcony, where I keep my weights. Grabbed a 240lb barbell and did a hundred waist-lifts. Got on the sit-up machine for 600 tugs, touched my toes 200 times, dived down for 400 press-ups. Then 250 squats, 300 planks & lunges. Opened the windows and yodelled out my greetings to the world, followed by a Tarzan Talk with the crows. A robust “Aah-eeh-ah-eeh-aaaaaah!” Jogging in place, jumping jacks, high knees, splits, then launched into ten minutes of shadow-boxing, with some neat left undercuts thrown in. Knee raises, one-leg stands, and leg extensions. 15-Min Beginner Cardio Circuits, including chair squats and 15 downward squats. Abdominal crunches, bent-over-rows, then nipped out and down in the lift and ran back up the fire-escape stairs, eleven double floors. Back in the flat, drank a gallon of carrot juice and made a banana-and-garlic puree. Well, alright, I only did 300 press-ups. I’ll start again… – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I jumped awake at 0325hrs, this was thanks to who had been having a go at me about so many things I’d done, failed to do, lost, done wrong, forgotten about, or misunderstood. I usually cope alright with these attacks, but today was critically different. He was digging up memories not from years ago, as he usually does, but having a go at me about fresh stuff! The Git! But as it kicked in, of took away my concentration; heavenly, I nodded off back to the land of nod. Annie was having none of that, and she kept giving me a good twinge of pain to wake me regularly. At around 0500hrs, I moved to a different position and banged the ingrowing toenail on the bedpost. Swore and cursed and joined me. I don’t think I did anything for a long time, just lay there, sadly feeling sorry for myself. Slowly, I came to appreciate that the Catheter Flow back was pain-free, and I almost cheered up. Freed the night bag, and as I did so, an involuntary escapage of wind from the rear end infused the flat, and probably others as well. It was putrid! My timing in getting sat on the porcelain this morning was perfect. Just before I got seated, the evacuation started of its own accord, and kept coming for a good while. I think I coughed as the aroma filled the wet room. And it did, too. However, I’m a little confused about what happened, for I had a seated seizure mid-flow. When I came out-of-it, the usual acidicness upflowed into the throat and mouth, yet the disorientation seemed so mild compared to normal. As I rose and started to wipe and wash the rear end, I realised I could no longer smell the pong that had permeated everywhere; it seemed to me to have been there a couple of minutes earlier. Cleaning up, I knocked the battery clock off of the shelf. It showed 0635hrs? Impossible, I must have caught something when I used the picker-upperer to retrieve the AAA battery clock. Finished cleaning, grabbed 4-legged Wally, the walking stick, and casually made my way to the kitchen to get the kettle and make a brew of Glengettie tea. Spotting the clock on the window ledge, telling me it was 0650hrs. Where did nearly 2 hours in the wetroom disappear to? I had to check I was not going bonkers… well, no more than is usual, and got the mobile phone to check the right time. It was indeed 0655hrs. I think I’d had a second seizure, because there was no acidic taste in my chest, mouth or throat. I returned to the kitchenette and found I had not switched the kettle on. No big issue in itself. But I felt certain, positive that I had done so. Is it going to be another one of those days? My EQ has not mentioned what to expect or given me any warnings.
I made the brew, let it mash for a while, and went to the fridge to get the milk. Flippin’ eck! The fridge had a load of water slopping about at the bottom! Had to take out or move about the stuff and used a whole new roll of kitchen roll to dry it up. I checked the cans and bottles for leaks, but found none. Then found I had a few items out of date. Cheese and yoghourts. Of course, with my eyesight problems, I may well have missed some. Like last week, when I checked a jar of pickled mushrooms, thinking I must eat this soon. I thought it said Use by May 28… well, it did. But when Mizra checked it on Saturday, May 28, it was confirmed, but the year? Well, that was verified as 2025! The mysteries of Woodthorpe Courts hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, grotesque succubae, ectoplasms, Whoopsiedangleplops, ailments, extraterrestrials, spirits, Accifauxpas, and the Fata Morganas strike again! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I got the computer going on the second try and started updating the blog… then the Carer arrived. Hard Work. He cleaned the testicle area, but not as the nurse told him to. Disconcerting.
By the time midday arrived, I’d been to the toilet for a rear-end job four times. Each one was of the same or a similar type. Phooey, yellow and soft, but not liquid.
The extra-Carer call for 1330 > 1430hrs (cleaning) did not happen. No one has contacted me. Which is disappointing to say the least. When I did mention this to Carer Rachid, he offered no advice, help, or even a response, as far as I can tell. No apology (not that it is his fault), no support. No help with letters or emails.
Maybe they want to lose me from their books? They have taken E and M off of my daily rota, which is heartbreaking. The two best, I lose. Two hard-to-work-with replacements. There may be something in the air with this action. That I will not like, just a message from EQ. Could be an ulterior motive, surreptitiousness, clandestine, perhaps. Or it would just be my usual bad luck.
bleeding & sore. We’ve run out of Anusol Cream yet again. Carer informed, no reply, or signs of interest given. Asked him to order some. No response received.
The INR blood girl called in and out in six minutes.
Oh, yes, she’s quick on her feet. Hehehe!
THE FEW PHOTOS:
The filthy gap between the now non-working cooker and the corner counter. I tried to clean it a bit. Did my best. When no Cleaner-Carer arrived today. Beautiful sky But it wasn’t very warm The Tree Copse Closer, A bit of blood from the piles late on Ran out of Haemorrhoid cream. No idea whether any Anusol has been ordered. Carer E used to handle all prescription ordering, but he no longer comes in during the week. A heartbreaking loss, and no idea, because no communication is coming from the new guys. I don’t even get any information or contacted when a Carer fails to turn up. I know these things happen, sometimes out of the company’s control.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – BP AND TEMP UP
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – A mixed Sunday. Starting with my inability to move when I woke up. No medical or mental problems as such. I just felt so tired out and drained. I think I’ve worked out what the problem was, but I can’t be certain. But then, whenever could I be? Not for years. I was dreaming that I was in the porta-cabin where we used to hold the weekly social get-together for the residents. I really did think I was there, and could see and talk to the folks enjoying the meeting that Jenny used to organise. I reckon this caused my reluctance to get up… I must have been trying to nod off again to get back to the enjoyment and fun I was having again. See Gaynor, Cynth, Jenny, Joe, and the others again. I know it sounds strange, but I was asleep and was knowingly trying to reach for the dream to reappear. I part-slept for longer than I have since having my 1996 Covid jab, when I slept for 22 hours.
I was eventually forced to get up by a disgusted-looking Carer Dilan. Not amused at all.
, after the Carer departed – I farted, and near as it is possible for me, I darted, well, hobbled swiftly to the wet room and Porcelain Throne… I’m sure my regular readers will know what happened next… but I’ll tell you, I didn’t make it in time! Then into clearing and cleaning-up mode.
Next: After a long battle with the computer, and not knowing what I was doing, I
rather miraculously got it to boot into action.
Then spent hours and hours doing the one-off blog of Mr Starmer’s reaction to the disastrous local election result for Labour. I enjoyed doing that, but did not get it done until very late. And I was so tired again. Possibly, I thought I might get back to the Wednesday Social in the porta-cabin, if I got my head down? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Snaps of the day Bootifull! Amazing skies Accidental photo, Hehe!
Attempted wide shots, erm, failed. Plates of meat status A better effort – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sorry, no Ode today. Just A TALE OF WOE… Maybe later? After removing the night bag, with only 500ml in it, and taking some photos, sorting the wast bins, having a wash, shave and shit, doing my teggies, and getting the dressing gown on… the Catheter Flowback started again. And this time it was worse than the last two occasions. Carer Rachid arrived and saw the pain and heard the bad language each time the stabbing, stinging pains hit me. I’ll call the nurses later to see if they can attend, too early in the day yet.
Rashid called again. I was in a lot of pain from the return of the Catheter flowback pains. He said he’ll phone for an ambulance. I explained that I’d called the District Nurses, who will be calling on me, so no need. Adding, if I go by ambulance, I’ll have another nine-hour wait in a corridor to be seen, and I didn’t fancy that again. He picked up the phone to dial 999. I said, “Do not use the landline; if you use your phone, any problems, they will phone you back, and then you’ll keep in touch with what is happening. He carried on using the landline. I made sure what to do when I took the phone, in case of it was not needed. The lady asked me to ring 999 to cancel. Which Rasid later did… on the landline. When he made his next call, the Nurse arrived. She got me on the bed, and he came leaning over me to see things. I asked for a bit of privacy. The procedure took a long time, and the Nurse handled it well. She got the tube out and showed me the black on the inner end of it, with a lot of gunk in it, like last time. Saying this can happen when we get older. So it might not be an infection. She asked Rachid to do a proper job of cleaning the testicle area. She is ordering some foam spray to clean the skin before applying the Barrier Cream. “You’ve made a right mess here.” That didn’t go down well! Inserting the new tube was almost painless; she first used a lot of the pain gel.
The Nurse took a urine sample to test for infection—the new pouch filled in seconds. The Urine was almost red. The only thing was, after she had gone. I found that the new pouch had a butterfly release valve. I’d stopped using them when I kept catching the clip and opening it. Peeing on my legs, slippers and on the carpet. Fingers crossed. Haha!
Photographs of the day This one was taken when I woke during the night. Why did I take these? Anyone’s guess, Tsk! Ah, the not-working Catheter. The Catheter started working again seconds after, thanks to the nurses’ skills. The Sun kept disappearing. All-Starmer on the News. The first flow after the initial torrent.
A bit bloody, as was anticipated. A high shot here. Seems the Sun was losing
the battle again. Lower down, it was getting through. But, another mystery here; Why did the shot of it
not get on to the SD card? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Despite being overjoyed at getting the Catheter agony removed, I am now feeling very queasy, and not at all like wanting to eat anything. Another Mystery 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: which is now losing its few marbles it has left. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The last late snaps… Late sundown. Late sundown, closer Help was needed from the Carer to
get this one ready. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – All the regular pains returned later on. The Ingrowing-Toenail-Titus, Back-Pain-Brenda, Lymphorea-Leslie, Colin-Cramps, Shaking-Shoulder-Shirley, Kidney-Pains-Kitty, Fractured-Knee-Frank, Duodenal Donald, and even Anne Gyna threw in her pennorth of pain. But, with the memory of today’s chronic Catheter Flowback Pains, I almost welcomed the return of my regular ailment, which had been overshadowed by the more vicious, cruel Bladder-Blockage-Beryl agony that no medication could counter. Thank heavens the Nurse came. 🤎 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Woke at 0635hrs. Took off the night Catheter bag, noting my aches and pains were minimal. Then the summoning from the innards to get to the wet room and Porcelain Throne with all the alacrity I could muster arrived. So I did! The first sitting proved to be a total failure; apart from escaping wind with each effort to start the evacuation, nothing else moved. Being as I was in the wetroom, I had a stand-up wash, did the teggies and had a shave. Just the one knick. And was much less painful.
I was certain that Constipation Conrad had me in his grip. I had the same thing three times over the next half-hour. I was telling the Carer about it and decided to take a Senna tablet to help move things along. Another ache in the stomach developed; I was sure it was Constipation Conrad, solidifying my waste in my rectal ampulla. I made my tea & breakfast. Feeling smug at taking the Senna, I bade the Carer farewell. Minutes later, I felt the same rear-end and stomach feelings that I had before. Knowing full well that Senna tablets could not be affecting things so soon, I ambled to the wet room. Very luckily, I took off my dressing gown first. But fear not, no floor, wall or furniture splashed! It was me and the porcelain that coped with the liquid splash-backs. I made a mess on the floor, but that was only from bits of the one-and-a-half toilet rolls I used to clean myself up. I asked the Carer to Hoover the bits from the mats up for me. Found much later on my next trip to the Throne, they were still there. Maybe he didn’t understand my request or thought it wasn’t his job. Not earth-shattering. I managed to do it safely.
The computer had to be restarted twice more today. Restarting it took three tries each time. Fed-upperness dawned.
I think the flowering shrubs around the flats are so beautiful. The Nurse who came later thought they might be called Spirea? I certainly have no idea. Being born into brickwork, a massive London Line railway viaduct, not a garden in sight. Outside loos and coalhouses. A tin bath hanging on the soot-covered brick viaduct wall didn’t help my education or understanding of plants. But I love these.
Two medics, one a nurse, came in the afternoon to give me my Covid shot. Nice couple.
The clouds looked even prettier to me today. Now, we did have clouds in my young days in the bricks, railway viaducts and high-rise station. The cobblestoned streets were for the horses’ safety on the ice. But our views of the sky from Brookfield Place, a terrace of six British Railway 2-up-two down houses, were limited. The height of the viaduct, much higher than the houses, limited the view.
I keep getting flashbacks. I can’t say I was happy back then… but I just accepted that that was how things were. Like scrounging food or 2/- from a neighbour for Mam. Having no TV. I was amazed when I saw that the next-door neighbours had not only a TV but also a gramophone, a telephone, a refrigerator, and a hot-water geyser.
Although I’m certainly not happy with life today.
Catching this snap brought to mind One Man & His Dog, although I had to look up where I’d heard of it before. Oh, yes… It was a BBC programme series about a Shepherd and his dog and Sheepdog trial. 1977, I think. There goes another flashback!
A fellow blogger told me that Pluto TV were showing the original Mission Impossible series on TV. I looked at the channels available on Virgin, getting all excited about watching them again. But Pluto was not on the list. I almost cried! Hahaha!
I managed a couple of teatime shots of the sky, clouds, and sun. I’ve never known the sun to be hidden so quickly by the clouds. The darkness lightened a little later? Flashback due… Reverend Salmon, 1956ish. Telling our Boys’ Brigade Company that when the Lord returns, the world will go dark, yet the sun will shine. Now, did I dream this? Where did it come from? How the Hell could I remember it if it did happen? How come I’ve never thought about it before? And another thing: I forgot to publish the blog today. I emailed a request for the Doctor and sent it to the District Nurses! I lost my reading glasses, can opener, TV remote and forgot about the Doctor’s appointment. That is, of course, up to now, plenty of time for me to make more .
Then I found I’d made another cock-up. I came across the meal snap from last night and feel I didn’t put it on the blog for yesterday… or did I? I’ll check later.
Waiting for the same last Carer to arrive. Hard work. Makes me nervous, actually. And the company have made this Carer my regular one.
My bad, someone else’s good.
The meal, prepared before his arrival, was potato and vegetable soup with extra spuds, seasoned with a drop of teriyaki sauce. Two bread rolls for dipping.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Cragnuts – Testicles – & Cobblers! Late Wednesday morning now, and I’ve just found out that all graphics & photos for today have been deleted in Tuesday’s panic over the memory, after I’d spent hours deleting as much as I could to free up the memory to start, and hopefully save this blog later, I foolishly deleted Tuesday’s! At least the two above had been inserted into WordPress before I proved my need for mental help.
Oh, I found I’d left just one more photograph on the card, the meal, taken after the mess deletion session. Thankful for small mercies. Everything is going wrong again! The Catheter problems and the forgotten tasks are building. Book with the Chemist for the Covid and the flu jab. Call the bank as requested.
The British Gas Meter farce has not been sorted in three years now. Despite three attempts by Carer Ejaz phoning them, nothing has changed. The threat is that the meter may stop working unless I send a meter reading. We have requested and been told that an engineer will call to resolve the issue… but the oligarchs did not send anyone, nor even email a reply to my request.
Finally finding out that my chest pains were not from the rib cracks, as the Warfarin DVT blood collector said she is taking an extra vial today, for the Renal Department. Kidneys? Anne Gyna’s visitations return with venom.
Still have not got a list of the Carer’s call times. I’ve never been so far behind with my, to me, precious blogs. I’ll see if any photos are left on the Camera SD, but I’m pretty sure I deleted them all after putting them on file, only to delete them again. Luckily, I had not deleted them all; I have the grand total of two from the 15 I had. Grrr! Every time I go on the computer, I do not know if the memory will cope, uncomfortable, frustrating and demoralising. P’s me off so much, and I get angry with myself, which instantly brings on self-hating and loathing at my patheticness.
I’ll have no enthusiasm after another idiotic mistake that could have been avoided. If only I did not panic when things go wrong… which seems to happen several times a day. Everyday.
So, a graphic-less, and sparseness of photos, and again, the memory-pad writing is terrible and often means I ignore what I can’t read, and sometimes I do have a guess if the word seems to fit the scribble on either side of it. But this gets me even madder, ’cause it takes so long that I end up even further behind on the blog, and no other problems get sorted. Then either Anne Gyna, Duodenal Donald, or Shaking Shaun joins in the discomforting emotions, and usually, a decent length of time to add to my mental mayhem. Writing this is such an occasion, so I expect that having to redo work already done & lost through my own over-anxiousness will not help at all. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Tuesday 13th April 2026 At 02:00 hours, I woke up in agony from the urine flow-back. No urine in the Catheter Pouch again. I went up and walked about slowly for around two hours, as for some reason, this lessened the pain a smidge. I tried pushing the Cather tube further in, to no avail. But when Anne Gyna and then the kidneys kicked off, I could not take that much pain. So I pressed my Alert-Alarm button. Explained to the controller, and she said she’ll ring the District Nurses for me. I then started doing all manner of things to try to put my mind off of the agony from the bladder within. Vaccumed, had a stand-up wash and shave, visited the toilet twice, and weighed Trotsky Terence results. Hoovered, sorted through a drawer… dropping it on the floor! You wouldn’t believe the amount of crap that tumbled out! Upsetting , and I had to bend down to retrieve the scattered assorted garbage from the floor.
06:20hrs: Not long after, two Angels of Mercy arrived. Got me on the bed (I can’t say that very often, Hehe!), and could find no reason for the Catheter failing. The nurse jigged the Catheter tube and inserted it a little more, and suddenly the urine flowed again! Once more, I felt a fool!
A page and a half of ungrammatical, undecipherable scribblings had to be ignored. And that’s yer lot from the notepad help. However, I think there may have been a possibility that the kidney pain started at a higher, more severe level. With no Oxycodones left to use, I had to take several Co-Codamol tablets to reduce the pain to an acceptable level. Although still painful from Kidney Kid & Anne Gyna, they eased within 20 minutes, but only temporarily. I’m sure I remember recording the Carer’s visits. But if I did, I might have written them on any of the three pages I was jumping between as I moved from page to page over two days’ blogs. Or, the pain was so much that I didn’t record them at all. Not in a good spot today.
Ah, the found meal photo.
Got it done by myself tonight.
I really did make a mess with my notepad recording.
I can now recall… Jenny, my Angel, who did the laundry for the Carer, who put it in the wash, and she collected it, and Robin Hood Frank returned it all folded. Much appreciated. Bless them both, thanks, X. Jenny phoned me later; she is coming to see me with her friend, who is visiting Jenny and collecting for charity.
,
In the next blog, I’ll try not to delete things from.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3:15hrs: I woke very reluctantly indeed, to be greeted by Mind-Mangling-Malcolm, Shuddering-Shoulder-Shirley and Rib-Pains-Rupert were in angery moods.. As I was taking off the night Catheter, Grip-Loss-Gloria ensured I dropped the nocturnal pouch, and Dizzy Dennis nearly had me topple over as I retrieved the pouch. Made a dismal effort to straighten the bedclothes. Off to the Porcelain Throne, Trotsky Terence fashion, sorted the bins and got the Health Checks done. With some poor results again, see the photo above. I searched for the Four-Pronged-Percy. Failed to, but I’ll find him later, of course, I may have left him in the kitchenette with the Wooden-Willy-Walking-Stick. Got the computer on to record the HC results. Google loaded second time, then had a right farcical eight attempts to get CorelDraw to load. I then ended it, which was loaded with missing pages, and it gave me a warning that my device’s memory was 96.5% full. You cannot save any changes made to this graphic. Try saving it with another name. ‘Save As’ in a different name. Remember to delete what you can to ensure there will be sufficient room to save. That cost me over an hour to sort out, and I think I may have deleted some unintended files.Cumudgeon-Mode-Adopted! Third visit, same mode, to the Porcelain Throne. And found Wooden-Willy-Walking-Stick.
07:15hrs: The Carer arrived. Jenny, my Angel, sent an email, and I responded. Hubby Frank is coming up to see me later. A nicer, kind pair of people and I could not ask for better. Always willing to help out, despite Jenny’s own problems. 🤎
In the morning, lateenalenal morning on Tuesday, (Another bad night & morning involving nurses visiting me and lots of hours of excruciating pain), I found this photographicalisation on the SD card. It took me a while to see what it was of, the reminder notepad on the desk, I think. Then I launched into ‘Wandering-Mind-Mode’ for a few hours. Concentration Konrad had me starting jobs, and at the first interruption to my thoughts, I found myself in another room doing something unrelated. I kept doing this so often today. But many tasks were never returned to, and that ‘Haze’ was in charge too often, too.
Rashid made his next call. I was pleased with his increased attention, and to me. Not a bad lad, and seems to be improving each call. He checked and loosened the Catheter straps and medicated the leg scars. After he’s gone, the bag fell down when the straps broke. After another Porcelain Throne visit (Trotsky Terence mode), I went to empty the Catheter bag… and there was nowt in it? I wasn’t too worried, with all the fuss and bother today, I hadn’t drunk so much water. So I got a few bottles out and started to gulp it down. After three litres had been swallowed, as I checked the pouch, I felt the bad backflow pains start. The pains were terrible and persistent. I decided to call the Community Nurses to ask for advice and help if needed. The AI robot kept repeating, ‘We are very busy. If you are calling in an emergency, please dial 111 for advice.’ After half an hour, another AI voice, female this time, said, “You are number 18 in the queue. I was walking around to take my mind off of the pain, and the door chime chimed. I had progressed to being 9th in the queue and went to the door.
It was the Falls Team, lady. As I was saying about the lack of urine flow, it started flowing again out of the blue. All good. Slowly, the pain eased, and the flow continued while the Fall’s Team lady was here. We did some Q&A’s. Kindly adjusted the c1968, tatty, scruffy, unkempt, uncomfortable, virus, microorganism, bug, bacterium, bacillus, germ, parasite producing, eyesore-horrendously grungy, disease-fermenting second-hand, beige-coloured, £300, charity shop bought, crumb-retaining, moth-eaten, non-working, itch-encouraging, incommodious, Haemorrhoid Harold testing, Catheter tube yanking, recliner, for me. Thank you. Looks better now. Some no-sores cushions were arranged for me on my recliner and computer chair. Bless them. I was still in some pain and got the shakes and dizzies while she was with me. I lost a lot of what was agreed. But there was something else, I think. When she’s gone, I increased the water intake to be on the safe side.
I got back onto the blog and made so many mistakes again. I was doing reminders for Monday and using the Sunday blog to catch up, and got slightly confused between the two.
So, from here on, I realise there may be more errors between the days. I hope not, but it’s so late in the day now; my eyes are fading fast, and my cognitive attention and recognition are worse. I, well, my EQ can sense that my conditions, physically and mentally, are getting to me more, and things will get worse in a short space of time. Along with the lack of a good painkiller, the computer and related problems were getting worse, and later on, scarily, I had to shut it down before I was ready, blue-screen, shortage of memory warnings, and the frustrations developed again to keep Dark Dank, Depression Darius company. My wandering mind does not help.
The Catheter problems are returning, no sleep at all tonight, and backflow agony, and my responses to the problems and failed corrections are that I think I’m getting a smidge more resigned to them. Accepting them… what else can I do? Then I think of the help I get from Angel Jenny, and feel ashamed. I’m getting all morbid and self-pitying, aren’t I? Writing this codswallop, and knowing now what was to come overnight, I should be ashamed, too.
Another mystery snap found on my Kodak-Tim-2 camera. Not a mystery of what it is of, but a mystery of why the heck I took it in the first place, possibly not meaning to? All part of the great mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, ghosts, the grotesque succubae, extraterrestrials, ectoplasms, & spirits. Receptive Aphasia Phyllis, Paroxysmal dyskinesia, Episodic ataxia, Ménière’s disease, Dark, Dank Depression Darius, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), Brain with TBI, Toothache Tiffany, Nicodemus Neurotransmitters Dying, Cataract Katie, Fractured Knee Frank, Glaucoma Gladys, Anne Gyna, Stuttering Stephany, Lymphorrhea Leslie, Premordid Cognitive Impairment Inchie, DVT, Diabetic Polyneuropathy, Reflux Roger, Mind Wandering Malcolm, Blood-Levels up & down, Duodenal Doanld, and the damned seizures. With Fata Morganas that have been sent to taunt, irritate and terminate my already limited sanity of cerebrum and body. High Blood Pressure & Cholesterol. Did I mention getting shot twice and my mechanical aorta? My faith & hopes are on the wane. Not to mention my bank account, which is at its lowest it has ever been! Just thought I’d mention it, like.
This photo, I’m not sure when I took it, but I think it was Monday, and I have no idea what it was of. A work of unintended art? No, a shaking Inchie. Haha!
Mizra made his only call of the day, following Ejaz’s. WE hope to get the showring and laundry done on Tuesday. Fingers crossed there is no hassle to stick its nose in… There was, tell you next time. 🤐
Got the meal prepped and done. Mizra spread some bread and buttered it with no-butter butter and some soft cheese, to have with my nosh. Smashing!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sorry, but today was a nightmare. I was so far behind on the blog and made such cock-ups with the graphics and photos; there are a few on here from when I was going through the blog and saved the snap graphics to the wrong date. What a pickle. All I can do is try to get them sorted, but I need the time. Busy day Monday, nurses called, Catheter problems, Carer unwilling. And the pain from the lower left chest came on again. With my arithmaphobia ever-present, more mistakes were made, and the quandary got even muddier and slipperier. Then, like a twit on Monday, I deleted the wrong day’s snaps. I did an Ode for Monday and carried on, forgetting I’d not done Sunday blog yet.s. The confusion is worse, with mt doing the day’s blog often two days later. I’m in a mess and have had to move the date to Sunday. Thinking I’d been getting somewhere, I then deleted loads of Sundays, thinking the date of the blof date… Now, Monday, trying to sort and save what I could… the chest is playing up, and no Morphine left, I got very angry with myself. I phoned the District nurses when the Catheter stopped working… I’ll explain this in Monday’s blog, if I ever get around to it and don’t find any more mistakes I’ve made with my ‘brilliant’ idea of deleting old graphics to save memory and keep the computer going… I’m waffling. A short Ode. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Up at 0610hrs. Ejaz did a full-body check, medications, and creaming and foaming of areas in need. I’m missing tons of, as per usual, my eyes are even worse now. The notes I made… maybe 10% are readable. Grumph, Moan, with a touch of pathetic self-pity in there somewhere. CorelDraw froze again. Photos saved that I did not delete, not many and of the views from the windows.
Managed to save the meal show, but not sure from what day, I think it’s Sunday’s. Now I see it, it could be for Saturday, I’m fed up. Oh, it might be Sunday’s.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I was woken by Rib-Pains-Rupert, and this made me lie there worrying about whether I will get the Morphine tablets replaced, on the prescriptions. Knowing I only had two left put me in a not-good place mentally. These OxyContin are the first painkillers they gave me that countered the pain from the knee, back, shoulder and whatever it was in the rib cage that was giving me such sharp surges of pain this morning. Nothing would ease the pains before these. Definitely, they were working and easing the agony. I fear they will not be a regular pain medication, due to all the side effects. I can just cope so much better with these. I dread the thought of them taking them off me, after several days of inner joy at so much less pain to cope with. I can’t get through to the Doctor by email, get to the surgery, or use the telephone… When I tried, I had to go through the AI Robot’s questions and was told that they do not accept prescription inquiries over the phone. I would have waited to be put through, in hope of getting advice about the tablets, but the last time I was put through to a semi-human, Customer Activator or whatever the snob-bag is called, he cut me off when I was struggling to get my words out. Someone claimed that Herr Starmer is cutting their allowance for email and telephone usage? Can you imagine that the country’s biggest liar and Prime Minister, Herr Starmer, would, like I did on my last visit, leave me in a corridor for hours before seeing a Doctor? Then, after being moved to the City Hospital, I had to wait in a cold room for nine hours for a lift home. Sorry about that veering off the subject, but my ever-increasing hatred for back-hander-taking, farmer & pensioner-hating, ex-Barrister and Faux Prime Minister, Sir Keir Rodney Starmer, just got to me.
I forced myself out of bed, took off the nocturnal Catheter pouch, and went back to the front room. I then started worrying, will I ever get caught up with my blogging? (Answer, No!) But I had no time to blog, as Carer Mizra is taking me to Sherwood this afternoon for some shopping. I needed to make a list of things I needed to take with me so someone could help me put on my socks and clothes. I decided to get the cleaning up done first. Waste bins, pots to wash, and me to wash, etc. I took a second shot, this time of the kitchen, and felt appreciation for Jenny’s help sorting out yesterday’s calamity, then went to take a shot of the morning view… But, No! The batteries had run out, and I also noted that the kitchen clock battery had run out. I thought I’d better get the Health Checks done next. Not only was this BP session the worst in many a month, but I tried to take the BP levels again later to see if it had come down… the 4 AA batteries in the sphygmomanometer had run flat. I wondered if this was really happening, or if I was in a seizure or dreaming and still in bed. Hehe! When it came to taking the temperature, yes, this really did happen: the battery in the ear thermometer had run out!
Carer Ejaz arrived and asked if he could use my internet number & code to top up his mobile. We could not find the details. Ejaz went through the Virgin folder, every sheet, and there were dozens of them. I searched through my reminder book, but without any luck. I asked him if he had a Helpline available; he tried that, and we were both over the moon when he got it done. I think, in our excitement, I jumped up to dance with him in celebration. Stupid idea. Now the ribs and right shoulder are kicking off again. Haha!
On his next call, I asked Ejaz to put the long Kaghoule, outside shoes on for me, to make things quicker when Carer Mizra came to take me shopping. He did a full-body check, barrier-cramming all areas in need, and there were a few. Phorpain gelled shoulder and back. Put some Germolene on my face and head injuries. Then changed my socks for me and foamed and sprayed under the toes as he put on new socks for me.
I felt there was time to have a bash at the blog after all. Oh, Dearie me. Google and CorelDraw were both acting up again, and started asking me to sign in each time I used them. I gave up. Went on the first call of the day to the wet room. Oh, heck! I hope things don’t start while I’m out shopping… I dread the thought. As the time approached for Mizra to arrive, I checked the list of things needed and added AA & AAA batteries. I forgot to take the dead battery from the ear thermometer with me. Hey-Ho!
I was taking out the SD Card from the Kodak-Tim-2 camera, and the card fell to bits. Huh, have to add one to the shopping list!
Mizra was pleased I’d got so much done already, so we could avoid missing the bus. He got my big coat on me, and we hurried, I was playing catch-up (all day as it happens), to the bus stop. I showed him a quicker route through Windwood and Winchester blocks, We arrived at the bus shelter, and of course, I could not take any pictures until I’d bought the batteries. Mizra had left his bus pass in the flat, so I gave him the swipe and keys, and he nipped back to collect them. He was back in time to catch the bus.
The short bus ride down the hill to Mansfield Road was a bit painful, as I had to sit on a side-saddle seat with the walker. But this time I got off the bus without falling over. Hahaha! We hastened down to the computer shop. I bought a new reminder notepad. The batteries and a new SD Card. Out and across the pedestrian crossing to Ozans Continental store. Where I bought: Lemon Wafers, some Croissants, pickled beetroots, brown tomatoes, one extra-large potato, chicken pieces, Sokolow sausages, Boze Okopcony Paskyck (Smoked Bacon), and cheese triangles. Snap taken, not by me, of Mansfield Road. Looking up the hill, after just leaving the food store.
Another at the Junction of Mansfield Road and Winchester Street Hill. We walked up to the Co-op store to use the machine to get some money, so I could pay for the toenail cutter and Window cleaner. Then up to the top bus shelter, I’m chasing behind Mirza, cause I can’t walk as fast as him. When we reached the bus shelter, where I’d had a seizure and walked into the traffic, it made me a little nervous. With Mizra walking ahead to encourage me to speed up, it meant that if I did it again, this time a Carer would see me going into the traffic. Luckily, when I did do this a few months ago, I was pulled back before walking slowly and calmly in front of a bus. At this bus stop, I borrowed the camera to take a shot of the darkening clouds that caught my attention as I was sitting waiting for the 40 bus to arrive. As I was taking the picture, a bus pulled in. I may not have caught the clouds, but I caught the bus’s weird logo on the side of it. 🤗 Not to be defeated, I tried to get a snap of the clouds again. Not a bad effort considering the sudden darkness, which dissipated in a minute, and the sun returned brightly. We mounted the bus and were off on the way back up the fierce Winchester Street Hill. How I kept my bum on the tiny side-saddle seat was amazing. Haha!
Back to the flats, through the corridors to the lifts in the end Woodthorpe Court block. I was doing my best to keep up with Mizra, but got further behind, my chest wheezing now. I could see he was anxious to get to his next call on time. We got inside the cell… I mean flat, Used Kodak 1 to take this shot of the computer desk and my ‘Cool’, clock, calendar thingamagig. Looking forward to getting Kodak-Tim-2 up and working again. Mizra asked if he could put the food away for me, but I said thanks for the offer, but I don’t want you to miss your bus to your next client. I have two nice men, Carers in Ejaz and Mizra. Both nice lads. I’ll mention anyone else.
I gave the razor a trial to see if it was still working after dropping it yesterday, and it ended up in four pieces. Carer Radhid had got it back together. Opening the SD card’s box was a job, and I thought I heard something fall out of the casing. I was doing this over a drawer, but could see nothing in there. Mind you, it is a rubbish-filled drawer. Then I tried to get the SD card into the camera. A message showed each time I inserted it, and I had many goes at it: ‘Faulty Card’. Reformat it? Reformatting it will lose all the photos. Or turn off. I kept trying, without any luck. For so long, Carer Ejaz came on his next visit. I resigned myself to going to the Computer shop again next Saturday for guidance. Ejaz issued medications and did his report on his mobile. I had an epiphany of sorts. I recalled the noise of something dropping in the drawer when I opened the SD plastic thingy. I checked the card, and it seemed to have a wide gap in its lower end… Aha! Thought: something was brewing in my mind… and I then reclaimed a memory from years ago. I felt the old SDs needed a tiny one sticking in it; I was getting surer of this. When Ejaz had finished on his mobile, he came to have a look at the card and camera. So I went into the kitchen and had a deeper look in the drawer. I emptied out the things, and eventually found a miniature plastic sort of SD card in there. I returned to the Kodak-Tim-2, and sure enough, the mini card fitted into the bottom of the main one. Getting excited now! I inserted them and, low & behold, the SD card didn’t need formatting, and it worked! I wondered, surely it must be a few-year-old card that needs two pieces?Nevertheless, it worked ! I’d actually worked it out and mended a problem! On my own! I was feeling a smidge proud of myself.
Ejaz left, and I went to close the kitchenette drawer, and Nizra had put the food away anyway, bless him. So I searched around and took a photograph, just to show off, Hahaha! I couldn’t find the jar of beetroot, the large potato, or the Croissants, but I found Sokolow chicken sausages, Boze Okonkowy Paski (Smoked Bacon), and cheese triangles. I must get the lemon wafers and Ferraro-Rocher to Jenny & Frank tomorrow. A little late to bother them now. I took this snap earlier, but forgot to put it on. darkening clouds. But still beautiful to me. I had the idea of looking in all the crannies on a glass-detecting plan. I’d done the far end, finding and bagging some, and I got the long picker-upperers into the kitchen. As I was bending down to get between the woodwork and the no-longer-working stove, I lost my balance. I didn’t go all the way over, but trod on my picker-upperer, and a section fell out. My own fault for bending, what a plonker I am!
Carer Mizra did the late call. He issued the painkillers, but no morphine tablets were left. I bet you, I’ll suffer in the morning. (I did too!) I was beginning to get tired from the rushed walking I’d done, and Fractured-Knee-Frank was kicking in. Mizra did not need to do the meal; I told him I’d got it all planned. He did spread some cheese & no-butter butter sarnies for me, before departing. Bless him. Bade him farewell and thanked him for today’s help. Then got an inspiration to get some Hoovering done. I emptied the box and put the Hoover on the recliner… I’d gone again.
was back. (and boy was he in the morning, this was just the start of his mind-bending onslaught, Saturday morning was much worse). Compared to the morning’s episodes, this was nothing, but it seemed so at the time. WEIRD! I seemed to have been transported, without any knowledge about it, eerie! To the wetroom, and I was sitting on the toilet with all my gear on. Finding a packet of crisps that had been burst open in my dressing gown pocket? But no crumbs on the wet room floor or my clothes? I genuinely struggled to grasp what was going on. I did not panic, although I was confused. After a few minutes of trying and failing to know how or why, I was sitting here, as I gently stood up, there was no upsurge of agic reflux, so I don’t think I had a seizure. Then I saw that I’d taken three walking sticks into the wet room with me. Four-Pronged Walter & Willy, and Wooden Stick Stephan. How, why… Then I had a sense that I might have been wandering around and left a tap running or the stove on, so I returned two sticks to the main room and checked the kitchen. All looked fine. Then I hobbled along the mini hallway to the door, and all seemed the same. As I was on my way back… Unbelievable, the vacuum was there in the hallway on charge? I went to the bed where I thought I’d left it, all looked usual in the main room, apart from the computer, which had been turned off. Had I been hallucinating? I eventually became aware that I felt zonked out, intoxicated. I still managed to make a meal; the bread that Mizra had spread for me was quite hard. Had I visited La-La Land again? No, I vaguely recall eating this, and also washing the dishes and cutlery this morning… then again, do I, or has my ever-running waffling mind convinced me of this?
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – A quick intro to explain the reason for the poor quality of this blog. I realise that my thousands of followers may be a little disappointed. But I felt I should inform and apologise to both of them for the reason of the crap, shortness of explanations & quality.
Not in the case of the Whoopsiedangles & Axifaupas, of course; they will get my full attention, even if scribbling about them brings back the frustrations and embarrassments and introduces some acrasia. Hence, I wish to tell of these bits, well, many events, possibly in a desarcinate manner.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – I woke up around 06:30hrs, reluctantly. The only real pain givers of the morning were Fractured-Knee-Frank, Fractured-Ribs-Robert, & Shaking Shoulder Shirley. For handicapping, it was undoubtedly Cararact Cathleen & Glaucoma Gladys. Later in the day… I leave that there. Made a brew. Hoovered the place, and decided to try and get on with this blog. Waste of time, I’m never going to get it done today. I might stand a chance to get some done now, and then again at night. I started at 18:00 hrs on Saturday. In twenty minutes, I had to utilise the Porcelain Throne twice, both identical in nature. Hehe! Trostsky Terence Torrents! Google took 3 times to load, then I had to sign in. CorelDraw, well… it took 12 minutes to load. Feelings of impending doom computerwise lingered. But I knew I could not spend too long on it. Carer Rashi called as I was making a brew of Glengettie tea. While I remembered to, I used the toothache spray and did my earhole olive-oiling. Medication were given, and the Shaking-Shoulder-Shirley and Fractured-Knee-Frank. Then went on his mobile for nine minutes. I mopped the kitchen floor in the meantime. A delivery arrived from Iceland. It contains only items that I couldn’t buy anywhere else. Rachid put the items into carriers and put them in the kitchen. He asked if I wanted them put on the counters. Kind of him, but have you seen how much I have not got in the kitchenette? Haha! Said our farewells. This is when things went Whoopsiedangleplop Style. I’ll show you this photo taken by Rashid on his next call, after he’d medicated my right cheek and the top of my head, asking if I needed Nurse or ambulance… I just bet this has got you thinking? Hehehe! I’ll tell you of the
Nottingham Lads Tale of Woe: I was placing various foods into the fridge. My head was in the fridge, moving things about to make room to rotate with the new stuff… With my head almost in the fridge, I heard a Hell of a crack as the glass tray burst, sending food into the bottom of the fridge, knocking bottles and other foodstuffs all over, including the kitchen floor! I admit I was in a panic, and at first did not see the glass cuts on my cheek or head. I could not fully close the top door, and glass fragments covered 80% of the floor. My first instinct was to get help; there was no way I could get away with all that bending, and I could not find the brush and dustpan, unbelievable! I called the flats’ Warden, but there was no answer; she may have been on holiday. Ashamedly, I phoned Angel Jenny. Who took charge from a distance; she told me not to go into the kitchen, and she would be up shortly. And Jenny can’t stand for very long because of her bad back. She arrived and investigated the situation. I thought I’d checked for anything stopping the door from closing. Jenny had to keep stopping to sit down. I felt a little helpless and guilty at the pain she was going through for me. She even fetched her brush and dustpan to get what glass up she could. No wonder I love her and call her My-Angel. She is! Jenny even got the fridge door to close, and it is working okay. I got the food sorted. A lot had to be thrown away. Packets with glass in them, burst bottles, glass and plastic. Jenny put the food back into the fridge for me. What a treasure, all done in great pain. Bless her. She knows. I kept finding glass for the rest of the day. I used the long picker-upper, so hard to spot. I used my slippers to slide the odd bits together for an hour or so. Jenny emailed me later. She had to sit down in agony with her back for a while. Shame & guilt.
Just look at how she left the fridge looking, what a woman! Thanking you again, so much, Jenny. 🌺💗🎀💟
I got lots of bits of glass stuck to the bottom of my slippers. And was finding glass for ages, until Carer Rashid arrived. He found many more. When he left, I took the electric shaver into the kitchen on my way to the wet room. I managed to collect some more of the glass still hiding away in every nook and cranny. Then I knocked the shaver off of the tray I was keeping the latest glass collection in. Boy, what a pickle I was still in. But thanks to Jenny’s help, I coped, and only due to Jenny. I used the long picker-upperer to retrieve the four pieces of the shaver. But could I get them back together? No! When Carer Rasid returned and set about getting the razor back together with me. It took us a long time to work out which way the plastic insert cover should go. But Rachid sorted it. Before leaving, he put the cream on the photo above on my cheek and head. It was the first time I noticed it when I went for a shave and brushed my teeth. Ejaz did the next call. The medications were issued, and he checked the kitchen and found even more bits of the glass on the kitchenette floor. Still no work done on this blog, although I did manage to get the blog’s Ode. done, before getting something to eat.
BBQ Chicken, green tomatoes, and a couple of sandwiches of sliced Sourdough bread, with no butter, butter and soft cheese triangles. Not a lot, but a flipping tasty treat for a change. I may have some more of these tomorrow night.
Here are the photographs taken after the calamity, the afternoon after the calamity, approximately 18:00hrs to 21:00hrs. The last one during Carer Mizra’s late call. HE issued painkillers and reminded me to be ready early for tomorrow’s shopping trip to Sherwood. I shall make sure I am. Oh, a touch of confidence? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – A busy day, with perhaps more than usual computer worries, and the worst day (later in the day) for physical pains, this year. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Bad night’s sleep, mainly due to the returning chest pains, and Didn’t get out of bed until 07:15hrs, and it took a lot of willpower. A messy, very messy, Trotsky Terence visit. HC’s taken. (See above). Then I did my teeth and had a wash. 08:40: Carer arrived. I had to ask for my , to be Phorpained. Gave medications. I found two dirty tablet cups and cleaned them. Carer on mobile again. Stood up and said, “I’m going to use your toilet… Okay!” More of a threat than a question. Haha! As if I’d say no. Asked him to make sure the HC readings were recorded correctly. All was okay. I had to interrupt him as he had abandoned his mobile and was taking his BP with my sphygmomanometer. No body check was performed on this visit. He departed.
Now my notepad reminders are barely, some not at all, readable of the next few hours. Not going to guess. Words and lines, I know and can read, with a slight degree of uncertainty, follow.
I: He stopped texting, stood up and put his gloves on, issued the medicine, porpaine gelled my right shoulder, all without talking… 2: Rachid’s attitude improved after being told…
3: Ejaz, no body-check, but texting… Shot off. 4: Cather staps adjusted, then Rachid 5: Tabs. Balcony photo. These, mayhap on the left, I assume. 6: Placed an order with Iceland for tomorrow for items unavailable elsewhere. 7: Rachid showed far more awareness than on his first call, I’m pleased to report.
8: 8:40 to 8:56…
9: (unreadable)… I use your toilet, okay. …wrong syncing here, methinks…
10: Eyes are getting worse as evening dawns…
11: ? any worse, I’ll phone the District nurses or 111.
12: Nomadic Clusters (side note)
Ah, my scribblings are a little clearer now, so the photos make sense. (To me). Waiting for Cara Mizra to arrive, I made a rare mug of tea, and got the second doses of medications ready to save the lad time when he arrives. Toothache spray, Olive oil for the earholes, and Germolene for my delicate areas to be ointmentated. Hehe!
Then I got the bowl, microwave, prepared, and marinated vegetable mixture, stirred in a little Tiryaki sauce, and gave it all a good stir. Ready to go in the oven when Carer Myzra finishes his late call.
This dish looked like a tasty treat to me. Bombay potatoes, with added water chestnuts, pineapple, and a splash of soy sauce.
So tired, but semi-contented, with this Thursday’s reasonably acceptable amounts of hassle. Despite my being warned by my inner voice not to adopt a single Smug Mode. As Friday will bring fears, frights, and frustrations, that will take even you, the El Unlucky one, towards the end of your tether. Admittedly with was in a dream overnight. What’s the point in warning me if these things are going to happen anyway? Ha! I laughed at this omen. Naturally, I regretted saying this. “I’m writing this on Friday evening”. As Friday will bring fears, frights, and frustrations that will take even you, the El-Unlucky-One, to the end of your tether, it was a spot-on piece of prophesying from . Those of an uneasy and nervous nature might like to give Friday’s blog a miss. It’s not pretty, just true!
Carer Mizra arrived an iota late, and I was, as usual, pleased he did. We spoke of plans for the weekend as he issued the medications. He wants to check the mail, if we have time after doing the shopping trip to Sherwood. I must ask him for a list of the arranged rota calls. He had to rush, but I fear he may have missed his bus to his last call. My fault, waffling. Sorry.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ 06:40hrs: I stirred reluctantly, as more visuous winds were already emanating from my rear quarters. Convincing me that I was going to have another chronic Constipation-Conrad struggle to free a gigantic torpedo, just like yesterday.
I was wrong! I got the Catheter night pouch removed ASAP, grabbed Willy the Wooden Walking Stick, and off to the wetroom. What A Mess!
Being so far behind with the Blog again, I didn’t collate any bins, didn’t make a brew of tea, didn’t wash the pots from last night, or even make the bed! I was fully dedicated. Committed to getting on with the blogging work.
Things did not go to plan… How Surprising!
Booted up the computer. 15sec. Got Google to open. 12mins.
Opened CorelDraw….. 1hr 50mins. Yes, I’m not joking! After about ten minutes of working, I opened the import tab. Nothing happened. The mouse commands went unresponsive… Then, to add more mayhem, I tried to press the CorelDraw close button and instantly got a blank screen!
Mavellous… great! Sarcasm here.
A pandemonium of the sickening, depressing morning was not going well at all. I assumed that CorelDraw had shut down because the working light was off, so I pressed the icon button to try to restart it. I t started and brought up the bare workdesk. After about an hour of waiting for it to start, another opening started, then the first working one showed up on the banner. Yes, I admit it, I swore and cried at the same time. Good heavens, I’ve got three CorelDraws trying to open at the same time on a computer with so little memory that just one struggles. I decided my only option was to turn it off at the plug again! Then I thought no, I tried resetting when the desktop suddenly appeared as I was about to remove the plug… I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I took a chance to load via the bottom bar and see what happened – I was so deeply into this problem, and the intercom chimed out… to let the Carer in, I thought I’d pressed cancel, and went to let Carer Rashid in. Getting back to the computer, I was totally lost as to what I’d done and not done, done wrong, or what to do to get CorelDraw back working. The icons have disappeared from the screen, and all I could do was kill it at the plug. Carer Rashid did not seem bothered. He gave me my medications, I asked for Porpaining my shoulder, and he got on his mobile, toyed with the hoover, and his time was up.
I left the computer to rest for an hour or so, before warily trying to start it again. During this period, the much-belated arrival of you know who fell. And I remembered that Carer Mizra will be calling this afternoon, to help me with the showering; a smidge embarrassing. But a necessity nowadays. A mug of tea, and I got a Kaugoule and a dressing gown on the bed, ready to save time later. Amazingly, I think I expected the computer of die and did not lose patience or try restarting it too soon. But then Carer Rashid was back for the midday call. And I’d still not started on the Blog at all. Rahid seemed in a more helpful mood, ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~
AFTERNOON: Things take a turn for the better! I got the computer to open, with the usual time-costly refusals and delays from Google, and… wait for it… Honestly, CorelDraw opened! But it was so slow and jittery. Still, I finally made a start on the graphics, & rare photos I’d taken up to now. At last, I was getting on with the job.
I made a brew for a break and checked the emails and texts. Jenny had emailed me, and I got carried away and waffled a little in my reply.
Sorry, Jenny, my Angel. 🎀
~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ Carer Mizra arrived. I felt a breath of fresh air enter the room. Mizra & Ejaz often give me this feeling. Their ability to be more communicative than others is always welcome.
Yet again, I forgot to ask Mizra for a list of the new call times and days. Got an excuse this time, today was a busy one. Mirza really got stuck in with the plan we made. I’d remembered to get a kagoule and dressing gown ready for after the assisted showering session. Mizra cleared the thing out of the wet room to make space and, when I asked him to, shifted the carpets into the hallway without any problem, explaining that they get wet during showers because of can’t fully control the showerhead. He sorted some socks out that I’d forgotten to do, as I had a quick shave & teeth cleaning. Mizra moved the shower curtain to a better angle. Which was all helpful, and he realised that with the shoulder, back, Peripheral shakes, the possibility of a seizure, and Lost-Balance-Belinda, he made sure he did not leave me alone in the shower. I noticed and appreciated it so much. He washed the areas I have difficulty reaching. Never complaining, always asking how I felt. This was the best thing to happen to me for months. Embarrassing, of course, an old fart like me now needing help to shower. He helped me dry off the wetter areas, and as I assembled the medications needed for the body check that followed, Mizra cleaned up the wetroom and brought the bath mats back in from the hallway. He changed the Catheter Contraption’s lower sections, then helped me into the PPs, after the new Catheter was completed. Then got my slippers put on. We started trying to get help with the showering many months back, last year it was. Thanks to support from my Angel, Jenny, and financial checks, I’ll now have extra time on some calls to get this done without Jenny. Mizra, and Ejaz, I’m sure I could cope very well at all. XXX
Mizra explained he will take me shopping next Saturday, and I could get some cash from The Co-op, Ozrans, or the new food store, I can’t recall the name of, that begins with H, I think. Me being me, naturally, I expect the toenail cutter and window cleaner to call before I get the dosh. Hehe!
He will also check my stack of unopened letters that has been building up for about three months.
I thanked him muchly as he departed.
Somehow, apart from Jenny’s help, of course, without which no extra help would have arrived. 🤎 I felt a surge of satisfaction and felt semi-contentment for the first time in years.
Ah, yes, I just remembered, the store in Sherwood with the cash machine is called Herons! Jenny tells me the Post Office one is currently not available.
returned, along with a slightly, no, much more worried-about-things attitude.
With a rekindled enthusiasm, I got the potatoes out of the slow-cooker. Doesn’t it look weather-beaten? Hehe!
I cut some thick slices and put some of the Leicester cheese on them, ready to use. I covered them with foil, and when the oven heats up, I’ll cover the spuds with the cheese.
I’ve got green tomatoes to slice and have with them, and I can open the jar of Salatka green tomato salad. With shredded carrots, red peppers, and onions, in vinegar.
I’ve also got pickled mushrooms to add.
I’m beginning to feel hungry now.
Late-afternoon views taken through the open kitchenette window.
Immediately after taking this, and thinking I’ll check if the oven was hot enough to put the sliced spuds and cheese into it… that much I can recall. My next recollection was the upsurge of acidic reflux coming into my throat, nasal passages, and mouth. And, I was sitting at the computer? Another of the mysteries from Woodthorpe Court, with the hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, ghosts, the grotesque succubae, extraterrestrials, ectoplasms, & spirits. Receptive Aphasia Phyllis, Paroxysmal dyskinesia, Episodic ataxia, Ménière’s disease, Dark, Deep, Depressing Darius, Nicodemus Neurotransmitters Dying, Glaucoma Gladys, Stuttering Stephany, Lymphorrhea Leslie, Premordid Cognitive Impairment Inchie, Fractured-Knee-Frank, the damned seizures, or the Fata Morganas that have been sent to taunt, irritate and terminate my already limited saneness of mind. My faith, sanity, and logicality were already on the wane. Not to mention the deteriorating state of me physically and mentally. Just thought I’d mention it, like.
As quickly as I could, I went back to the kitchen to check the condition of the oven, fearing I might have left it on high. Carer Mizra arrived as I was checking it. All was okay, and he helped me add the cheese topping and told me not to forget about it, check it every ten minutes. Which I did. Thanked Mizra.
Got the meal served up; my overall rating was a 7/10. This is due to the potatoes being tasteless. The cheese was alright, the fresh green tomato delicious, the pickled veg fantastic. The Polish sausage and pickled mushrooms were both the highlights of the nosh. ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ = ~
