I woke after what I believed was a six-hour dream, and the memory of the ‘Gone-Missing-Laundry’ came to mind; as I was getting depressed and morbid at the prospects of having no dressing gowns, spending a fortune to replace them and the throws that may turn up, or likely will never will, and the email from the bank asking for confirmation and why I have bought the same things that I~~ did three months ago…
Then the real worry came to me. Wearing trousers for the Brain Scan at the hospital which is going to produce at least agony to poor Little Inchy as the catheter tube pulls and tugs again his fungal lesion. Next, the thought of having no dressing gown to change into and get out of the pain-giving trews when I get home to relieve the pain hit me… Argh!
A Mild Depression Dawned!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – When I forced my tormented body and mind to rise from the depths of the second-hand, £300, charity shop bought, crumb-retaining, microorganism-microbe producing, gungy, moth-eaten, beige-coloured, non-working, bacillus encouraging, incommodious, Haemorrhoid Harold testing, c1968 recliner, I found that the Catheter punch contents were…
. At the highest level of colouration on the chart. .
I think there may be a slight chance, remote possibility, hundred-to-one shot, that today may not be a good one. Then again, when was my last good day? was not too hopeful of finding my ‘taken-away-to-be-laundered clothing’. The chances, must be slim, but she did say she’d have another look around for me.
Found my laundry. But no throws in there.
Morning: CorelDraw not letting me add any photos. Trouble getting into WP. Mousee taking me left & right, not up and down? Fearing the worse here…
The laundry, containing three nightgowns, I have another that I’m wearing at the moment that is getting a smidgeon whiffy, appears to have been lost or returned to the wrong client. I’m scared to send any more stuff to the laundry. The value of these dressing gowns is infinitesimal… no, sorry, I meant inestimable; Purely for the pain relief they give me from wearing trousers with the tube inserted into Little Inchie, thus causing agony, and . So, when indoors, I do not wear trousers at all, just one of the now sadly gone missing at the laundry dressing gowns. Tomorrow, I must get the trews on again to go to the QMC for the first brain scan. Lift arriving at 12:30hrs – lift home at 15:30hrs. Easy-Link confirmed this on a telephone call today. Bless them. The thought of having no dressing gown to wear when I return is galling. I dare not go around with just a gown on when someone other than Carers is due. I can almost feel the pain from trouser-wearing already. Argh!
There may not be a blog tomorrow – I’ll see how things go, time-wise.
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With no larger night bags available – I came close to having an explosion of urine showering this morning. Talk about overfull!
The ankles were a smidge swollen, and the ankle ulcers were more prominent than they usually are. No pains, though.
After a pot of porridge, onto the computer.
Two photos of rare morning glimpses of the sun. Not good ones, mind.
An absolute pleasure doing some pareidoliaing Especially with these cloud-creatures in view.
In the afternoon, the sky became almost of an oh, so pretty Sepia colouring.
Bootiful!
At last, the urine had cleared on the third emptying. But, on the seventh one… Oh, dearie me!
Silly me got these out of order. These ones are from the waking half-hour when. I wandered around the rooms in the dark taking pictures. Why? No idea! But here they are…
Tatters in the slow cooker.
Suddenly not feeling very well. I’ll pack up now, don’t want to be unprepared for the Brain scan tomorrow.
AMAZING (To me) SUNSET SHOTS Early in the evening, ghost-clouds, Awesome. Back to the brown beauties!. Gone from view sun, the sky goes back to blue? Nightie-night! What a series of changes in colour. Never seen this before.
came again. No signs of the laundry being found. This could be costly; three dressing gowns, a bath towel, woolly hats, the Carers’ chair throw, and likely more stuff that went into the bag and will have to be replaced. That is if I don’t mysteriously find the bag hidden somewhere… and if they cannot be located, of course. There is always a chance they may come across them. I kept thinking maybe there were not taken and searching the room… repeatedly; but I never found the bag. I’ve had to order some more dressing gowns, but can’t get them delivered before next week, cost me well over £100 quid. Not much goes right for me… You might have noticed? Huh!
No meal tonight as such. Had a pot noodle, made and added some gravy, and dunked a bread roll in it. Nice!
Got my head down. Nodded off pretty quickly, and it felt as if I had a dream that went on all night. I didn’t wake up once! But the dream, that was of my journeying on a bus somewhere, and it kept getting lost… things seem to be in the 1950s, a conductress in the Bristol Lodekka bus.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Heck of a shock here today! The NHS input site advised me to ring NHS 111 starlight away, So I did!
But they were too busy and told me to visit the NHS 111 site. So, I did.
An hour later, I filled in the questions asked & guessed at the choices made.
Sent it off and was told someone would contact me later. They are very busy, and this may take some time, be patient. So, I did!
I went to make a brew, and the telephone rang – I was surprised I heard it in the kitchen, but, there you are, I did.
Answered many questions and had to guess at a few. The nurse had an accent, and the kine was not good, so it took a time to review all the needed details. Ultimately, she decided that the SYSs 128, and 119, with respective DIAs 57 and 59, were okay? This despite the NHS monitoring site telling me it was Too Low and to ring 111?
Don’t feel too confident about this. But then again, it’s unsurprising; they are the lowest readings I’ve ever had?
Well, the lowest B~P readings ever, advised to ring 111 – told to go online, spent ages sorting required details. Told it was okay. And earlier, this above when I woketh up. Similar farces these two. If the blood in the wee is level 6 or 7, I’m supposed to ring 111 – Ha!
I was woken up (Didn’t get settled until around 04:00hrs) and was woken by the arrival of Carer Sam. I was half out of it, having just been stirred reluctantly back to life. Think we had a chinwag, and Sam took the washing nada waste bag on her way out. Thank you.
Porcelain Throne visited, cleaned up the kitchen, dropped the milk bottle, and stubbed my toes again. The brain was not too interested in being creative and went on strike a few times when I got nothing done whatsoever; just seemed to sit here thinking but not knowing why or what of?
The yes were still bad, and concentration as well.
Dizzy Dennis, The Kathleen Catheter tube, and Anne Gyna all gave me bother of some sort. I really was only half here for many hours. Scary! Sort of light-headed, I suppose… mind you, I still am now seven hours later.
Lost the camera but found it a few hours later, hidden in front of me to the right of the computer – How the hell did I miss that?
Liberty-Global Virgin Media went down.
I made a brew and fell asleep for a while…
A while? Four bloody hours!
Carer Jo-Anne arrived; I was still a bit vague about things.
After the gal left… Ah, it was Jo-Anne I think that tool the washing? I could be wrong; of course, it has been known.
No sunset tonight. Boo!
Found the camera.
Lost the eye drops.
Sadly no chance of any sunset tonight… Sob!
Took early evening shots.
A couple of hours late, these…
Very little snow left now
Then got the soup and put the potatoes and soya bits in with it, then the seasoning. But could not find the mint sauce? Are a lot of things disappearing today?
Looking okay to me.
Blogging for another hour or two. Got about ten minutes’ worth of work done, Huh!
Carer Ayowoke arrived. The first time I’d seen him. Nice lad. He gave me a roster for next week, no Carer Richard in it! I asked if he knew anything about Richard, but he did not know him.
Did some more effort on this blog, but I still can’t get my head around the NHS telling me to ring NHS 111, and then eventually, telling me to log onto the web with NHS 111. After having to log in all my details, telling me that the Blood Pressure figures were okay?
I got the nosh on and served up. Another part-canned meal. A can of Asda Chunky Lamb & Vegetable soup. Couldn’t find the mint sauce to add to it, I think maybe it may have gone out of date? (Spit!) Added vegetable stock and some Pertranic, Cooked & sliced potatoes, just one finger knick!. Soy bacon thingies added; the final bit… Wholemeal rolls for me to dunk and dip! And soon, I’d demolished it! Eating every morsel and bit! Flavour Rating: 705/10.
The late Carer was Carole-Anne. Still no . We had a mini natter & laugh. Refreshing!
I woke up as my ginormously flabby body hit the floor! Landing conveniently on my bottom, but rather, unfortunately, the burst open . It was the mess of sorting things out that got to me rather than the bleeding itself. Handily, it was almost easy to get me back up on my bloated feet and legs… The first job was to check . I placed some paper towels inside the Protection Pants first, then looked over the pouch, grippers and tubing. All seems to be still attached.
Off to the wet room, giving the door frame a mini shoulder-charge as I went in. That hurt more than anything else did. Hehehe! I didn’t fret about this being half asleep; I expected that , Â and would cause me some problems. Even joined in with an . Only a little one, but enough for me to knock the Germoloid, Daktacort and Savlon creams off of the floor cabinet. Then after the haemorrhoids were treated… the always ‘Painful-Job’ of Cleaning up and ointmentationing !
 After a multitude of Argh! – Ouches, curse words and loathings, and a moment of ‘Why Me Mate’ emotions, it was done.
REFLECTIONS
I was amazingly calm and physiological about things… at least, I think I was? That’s probably not the word I should have used? It could have been a sign of my acceptance of the circumstances or my rotten luck? I may have been sick to the back teeth (mind you, there’s only one of them left in the mouth now) of hearing myself moan and whining on about my inabilities, ailments, frustrations, Accifauxpas, Whoopsiedangleplops, eyesight, hearing, Cathy Catheter pains, shortage of pouches, and the seemingly never-ending Bladder-Infection. Being bald, overweight, Duodenal Donald, Little Inches Phimosis and fungal lesion, Peripheral Neuropathy, having two strokes, being shot twice, scared shit of going in water. Now, there’s the , and the . The palpitating of the mechanical ticker. The almost persistent No help attainable for things like the computer and letters that are either too small or complicated for me to hear, see or understand? This will, I assume, be due to the attention gleaned of… .
I woke at about 06:00hrs. The pains in the sole of the right foot were agonising. I tried to stand up, but the pain was so tender I had to sit down again. After a minute or two of ponderisationing, I decided to press the Wristlet Alarm. For I could not even get back up on my feet, let alone get to the Porcelain Throne (I don’t think I need to tell you what happened, very embarrassing indeed!) or unlock the front door.
I was having great difficulty hearing what the nice lady in Nottingham City Homes Control on the monitor was saying. This was hurting more than Mystery Rib Pains Petunia, Shaking-Shoulder-Shirley, or even Catheter Kathleen’s tune had been! It was only about, last a guess, 20 minutes before the Paramedics arrived, and the pains were already reduced to a level-5 rating as they arrived. But walking, or rather hobbling, took me a little longer to tackle. There were three of them, one I think might have been a trainee.
They did the usual ECG Temp etc. But could not even guess what was causing the pain in the foot. The lady had a close look underfoot, declaring that she could see nothing that might be causing the pains? However, they put a pad around the foot that should ease the pressure of standing up.
I just had to go to the Porcelain Throne, which I painfully did.
The pad fell off on my way back to the room.
They asked many questions, many of which I could not answer. The Carer not turning up for the medicationalisationings concerned them. I said they had probably had someone not turn in for work. And they were only about an hour late. Pressure on those at work today, methinks. They came an hour or so later; not their fault, no blame attached.
I told him about the Brain Scan due today and the lack of transport to get there. He assured me that the NHS transport would collect me. The man in charge, wrote a note for the carer to ring the number he’d circled on the QMC letter to ask for a lift for me. During their attendance, one asked me if I usually speak the wrong words. I said others had mentioned it, but I was not aware, pointing out that Dementia Doreen is to blame.
I remember ringing Meridian, but I could not hear properly. I went into a Mind-Blank-Mode for a while. A Carer arrived, Adele, I think. She medicated me. Then, I tried to get the blog for yesterday done…
I seemed in and out all day, mentally. Finally, at about 23:00hrs, the pain in the right foot became bearable… what the heck is it?
Carer Jozef and Carole Anne called. No idea if any others did. The pan had left me terribly confused… which, of course, I always am. But this was more acute in handicapping me.
The day flew by all the same. I’ll get the photos from the camera now and see if any memories ate prompted. I think they will be in order… Huh!
The day is now a blur to me. (Saturday A.M.)
The level of pain from the Mystery-Underfoot-Pain varied throughout the day, I think. From bad to chronic, Tsk! Yet some bits I recall in detail, others not at all, or vaguely. Then again, maybe I just think I remember? But do I? I sense I was laughing and joking with some Carers? But was I?
I’ve had a painful lump or bruise on my neck this morning. Mayhap, I had a tumble or walked into something. But did I?
I’ll get the photographs from the SD card and see if they help. I can recall the sunset being stronger… I think. I’ll get them loaded and onto CorelDraw to sort out and post here. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Woke in agony with the right foot underfoot pains.
Pressed the wristlet alarm when I realised it was too painful to stand up, let alone hobble around. Controller called the paramedics. Three arrived. (See above, please) Man left a note for Carers in their log book. Asking them to ring the QMC to try to book a lift to the Brain Scan job.
The District Nurse, or the Warfarin DVT nurse, or both (I think) arrived. O~ne rang the QMC for me, but I could not get through. She rang their main switchboard, and they tried but could not get through, (Leave a message each time). The lady will ring back as soon as she knows.
She did ring back. No lift was available, so she cancelled the appointment and rearranged it for March.
I got through to Easy-Link, and the kind lady accepted the booking for Wednesday, 15th March, at 13:15hrs for the brain scan. Bless her!
I was not in a good state, panic-wise and mentally, by then.
I thought it would be a good idea to let the Carers know that I am not going out this morning. So they do not get confused like what I am. Haha!
As I dialled Meridian, I suffered a Stuttering Stephanie Attack, and Dizzy Dennis joined in. I must have been waffling on intelligibly cause I was told I was talking rubbish. Which I naturally assumed I was, no doubt about that. I apologised and rang off.
.
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Feet-Leg
Paramedics notes View from the computer chair Hear perfect Urine Colour.
Getting late… Possible sunset brewing? Not made it, but beautiful all the same! Loved this one… Nightie-night!
Horrific Day I would have topped myself… But I didn’t have time. Hehe!
I really cannot remember much about yesterday. But I’ll try to decipher the notes and use the pictures in hopes of working out the chronological bits I can be prompted on.
Throne, unblocked WC. Something about the cancelled Asda order, no idea what, the writing and eyes are so bad. Carer Richard called. Did the first BP reading.
And urine colouring. Not good at all
Getting the paperwork together for Friday’s brain scan…found a letter, but it gave the date as Thursday, not Friday? The Warfarin nurse arrived – and did not have time to help me sort out the problem. The pain, no, agony from Little Inchie was getting worse and worse, as time moved on. Carer Carolynne arrived, and could see the agony I was going through, and rang the District Nurse for me, they told her someone would call to tend to me. Bless her!! I am confused so am going to have to guess at the timing and names over the next four hours. The nurse said there was a blockage in the bladder. Squirted something down the tube, and reconnected the pouch. When I mentioned the appointment for the scan having two dates on them, and needing to know which is the one to go to, she kindly rang all the five or six numbers on the letterheads from the QMC, and could not get through to any of them. I’m sure she then rang the QMC switchboard, and they could not get through to them either. The operator said she’d ring me back later. They did; the Carer told me it was for Friday. Of course finding the letter with the Thursday one on, I’d rung Easy-Link to see if they could cancel the Friday one, and move it to Thursday. No! But they will try Thursday to let me know if they have any cancellations. My head was spinning now. Got the yesterday’s blog, and didn’t get around to starting this one until about 21:30hrs! The eyes, as usual, were failing and blurred now, by balance was all over the place. And the new pouch was got being pee’d into. What tiny bit was there was bloodied! Don’t know when or why I took this one above.
Found this one, Richard.
This shows how well-coloured and heavy-flowing the wee had been the first thing.
Then this one is what it is like now…
Another earlier shot.
The yopo two notepads are mine, so you can see why I am making a mess of this blog? The bottom one was what Carer Carolynne wrote to remind me after. Carer Jozeph. Calls from unknown people as well, a con here, methinks was being tried. Took what I’d hoped would be sunset photos, but the clouds were not playing.
A little later… I did the last wee check…
Then the nearest thing to a sunset…
Carer Richard told him about the horrid day of disasters and asked him not to put the night pouch on tonight. I been up all night, no sleep. Fretting, worrying and fed up.
Now suddenly, the wee-wee is flowing again, and the pain has begun to ease after about eight hours of just the odd bloodied trickle. Oh, dear, it’s a bit bloodied again now.
06:00hrs, I’m going to make a meal. Well, a pot noodle!
Worked all through the night on this blog. Fell asleep around 04:00hrs.
I woke and had to force myself not to nod off again. The ablutionisationing just had to be done early today. So as to try and get the Sunday blog finished and get through the marathon shower[shaving and shi…, erm Porcelain Throne Sessioning done. get dressed and all the paperwork etc., ready for the trip to the hospital done in time. A challenge? Yes! But for a man of my calibre, brave, sophisticated, on the point of being heroic. Such a challenge is welcome. Yes, a two-hour-plus struggle, yet I relish such things. Indeed, I crave them! Please bear in mind I have not yet taken my medications.
On fumbling my way free of the clutches and crumb-containing 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…
Signs of much nocturnal nibbling having taken place were found on and around the waste bin at the side of the chair. Ahem!
I tackled the night bag detached.
A smidge dark, traces of some blood in there?
The bag was filling up quickly, but it looked a slightly better colour. I was planning to shower, so I thought I’d get rid of some urine in case it came on again while I was in the shower.
The teggies were done, and I got my feet in the bowl on the floor soaking in Dettol and was about to start shaving… the was suddenly needed. So it was to be – But what a messy affair! Of course, by the time I’d cleaned things up, the water in the bowl had gone cold. No problem, I’ll empty it down the WC and refill it… Did I say No Problem? I dropped the bowl. Had to clean things up again, but I was undaunted. Little did I know what dropsies lay in wait for me later in the day, as well! I got the shaving done with only three little cuts, I reached up to close the shower curtain…
I felt a little discomfort in the armpit… I got the camera to try and get a photo of it… A right red mark in there, and all the hairs had disappeared???
Was dried off with paper towels.
All looked well with the contraption.
I got things medicated, dropping the ear-holes olive oil and spilling much of it on the floor. Got dressed and off to the kitchen to get the kettle on. I knocked the saucepan off of the stove top when I dropped the milk bottle… I have to report that; There’s more to come later… Tsk!
I took a reasonably decent photo of the blue morning view.
arrived. Got the medications done, but he did not look very well. I felt guilty asking him to help in putting my socks on. Poor lad looked proper poor;y to me. Fingers crossed for him. He a grand chap.
I got the paperwork checked, including the times of the lift. Got myself downstairs to wait for the Easy-Lift minibus. Jenny was down there sorting some of her charity work to be collected, bless her cotton socks. Lovely to see her. The van arrived, and the lady got me to the hospital with no bother. Thank you. I’d not taken the camera with me, cause it’s bigger than the new ones and would be awkward to use and keep safe. I got these two photos from the web when I got home.
..
I got inside and joined the queue for the receptionist. A nice lady greeted me, and I gave her the paperwork, which she checked, and told me someone e would be down to see me shortly. I thanked her and moved into a seat as instructed. Remembered that I’d not got my mask on (Covid), so got it on post-haste. After a minute or two, Mr Mann came to me, checked m name and commanded (I’m not joking), to follow him, which was not easy as he’d got a good rate of speed on him. Into his office, sat down, and I was out and going back to the reception in… I’d estimate five minutes max. He got annoyed when I could not hear what he was saying. But he only asked me three questions anyway. I think they were; how long have you had the catheter on? 8-9 weeks! Have you had a bladder scan? Yes! He asked a third question that I had to guess. Then he said; That’s it then; we’ll see how you go when they take it off. You’ll not see me again! Very nice! Back to the reception area to await the lift home. It was due in about an hour or so. I got the pen and crossword book out and gave it a go for gouty minutes or so. It was hard work reading the clues, but I enjoyed it. Even if I didn’t get many answers, it kept my brain going.
I got the pains in Little Inchie, and I knew that the catheter bag must be full and filling the tube with nowhere to go. I couldn’t check it, because it would mean taking off my trousers. I thought I’d join the queue again to ask if it was possible for me to use the WC to empty the bag. But the kind lady who greeted me came over to me and asked if I was waiting for a lift or do I want her to call anyone. Kind! I explained my unfortunate condition, and she got two… I say two nurses who took me to the closet and emptied the pouch ♥! Not only that, but as I was about to go with them, the Easy Link minibus arrived. The kind lady said you get your bag seen to; I’ll tell the diver what’s happening. She made me feel important. Unlike the Doctor, who knew I was an NHS imposter and had no qualms about looking and talking down to me. The two nurses, by the way, I think, were in the photo from the web. Fourth and sixth from the left. ♥♥♥
The driver, chappie, was patient with me and soon had me back at the flats. I gave him drinkies from the three-wheeled-walker trolley basket.
I met Carer Carol-Anne in the lift. She sorted the meds for me..
Dropped a mug of tea!
All clean up.
SOD ME! AGAIN!
Peed off now!
Started A pan of vegetable stew. Knocked the knife box off of the ledge when taking photos.
AGAIN! Knocked the box off!!!
Great space-related shots? Hehe!
Later…
Carer Charly.
Time for Food!
Oh, no, it isn’t!
Arrived. Very tired and not looking well at all, poor lad. He got the night pouch attached to the , and he gave me some Peptac. I got him a cold drink of spring water to help cool him down. Richard was sweating and had a croaking voice. I fear he may have to rest and see his doctor soon. Fingers crossed! Hope he can get through the day; bless him.
Time for Food!
It started with a can of cheapo Asda vegetable soup and a can of tomatoes. I seasoned it with some BBQ marinade, sea salt & Oxo cubes. I added some peas and potatoes from the slow cooker. Then cooked some potato cubes in the oven until nice and crispy (the ones that Richard rescued as he arrived), crispy hard on the outside, and added them to the saucepan of vegetable delights. It was a struggle getting it prepared, what with the four-pronged walking stick and carrying the night pouch about with me. I did manage one more , spilt some soup on the kitchen floor while dishing it up.
Not that it bothered me or got me grinding my teeth, cursing venomously, encouraged self-loathing, nearly making me cry, or spitting blood…
Then, the feasting started! Somehow or other, I ate the entire bowlful, and it was a large bowlful. I enjoyed it and even went into the kitchen afterwards to wash the dishes and check if anything had been missed in my previous cleaning up. All went well… apart from I’d left the cold tap running, the hob heat on and dropped and broke the sauce pot washing up. ARGH! An irritated, self-annoyed Inchie could then not get off to sleep… well, not for ages, anyway. Grrr!