Caught out..........

No posts for over a week. Yep! I've been caught out............. but I'm not the only one. I seem to be in good company, because my daily visits to favourite blogs have also produced very little reading. I have an excuse........... if only I could think of what it is!!!

We have had problems. My recovery has gone very well. Still a little sore at times, but I can live with that. I wish it were the same for Cag. I knew there may be difficulties if our routine was disrupted and sure enough Cag has re-developed an eating problem. She has 'gone off' food.

It's happened before, several times before, and there's very little one can do about it. Her appetite will return, usually in a few weeks, but it can be quite worrying when it happens. She's been living off a grilled tomato, half a peach and about four cups of coffee a day. Thankfully, in the last two days, we've been able to add a ham sandwich, eaten in two sittings to the fruit, so I'm hoping the little progress made will grow.

I think it's a combination of swallowing difficulties due to M.S and the mind. She has so little control over her life that the one way she can control what is happening is in eating. A temporary form of Anorexia perhaps? On previous occasions the doctor has prescribed tablets, which she won't take, and special high calorie drinks, which are ghastly. So it's progress in small steps for now, and fingers crossed that every thing will be back to normal soon.

We watched with interest the programme about Mary Whitehouse the other night. We were very friendly with one of her nephews when we lived in Brixham. I met her husband, a very quiet gentleman, and her youngest son, Christopher. He contributed to a 'write up' in the Mail this week, and is portrayed very much as I remember him from all those years ago. It brought back happy memories of a happy and less complicated time of my life. It's good to have these little nudges on occasions.

Wednesday 20th........

They planted a neighbour today, or rather took him to the Crematorium for re-cycling. I felt more than sorry for the family. They had arranged for the few who attended the service to come back to the house for a glass of something and a nibble or two, but today was the day workmen chose to start hedge trimming and shredding right below the house. The noise was horrendous. I expect it will be a day they all remember, in more ways than one.

We have been struggling for the past week. Cag has had catheter problems, and it's not been fun. She really didn't want to have it changed, it's most uncomfortable, but there was no other choice. Luckily we had a nurse who know what she was doing and it was all over in a flash. She didn't have any Instagel, a numbing gel that also lubricates, so I asked her if it would be a problem? "Not for me" she replied, "You'll be at the shouty end!"

New credit cards arrived this morning, to replace the 'compromised' ones. Cag can't wait to try them out, just to make sure they work. I bet she means mine!

Thursday....... nearly a week.

It's been nearly a week since I hit the 'create' tab............ and I don't feel very creative. There's been plenty happening around, but I seem to have been playing catch-up, trying, but unable to get ahead of the game.

We've lost a neighbour this week. He's been going down hill for months, with a series of complications caused by old age. The funeral is next week, but it looks as if it will be a private affair, close family only. I look around, and most of our neighbours are in their 70's and 80's so I suppose we had better get used to losses.

Speaking of losses, one of my Credit Cards has been compromised. I must praise the Bank. They picked up the problem within 24 hours, phone card top-ups in different parts of the country, then rang me straight away to querie the transactions. So I'm card less for a few days, probably a good thing!

I have managed to get Cag out this week, before the weather changed and the wet stuff returned. We went shopping and she saved £60! Now I have difficulty in understanding the logic of being able to spend money and yet save £60. This has got to be another example of the Mars/Venus syndrome. If I dwell on it for too long the pain in my head will return.

We are planning another trip to see Cag's sisters at the weekend all being well. They might have grandparent duties to take care of, which will mean a change of plans, so it will be a last minute decision. They usually make trifle for us, and I like trifle, so hopefully the trip will go ahead. I'll have to remind them................... about the trifle.

Friday........ the weekend cometh

I knew this would be a difficult day when the perforations disappeared on the toilet roll.

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I had twinges yesterday but was it developed into neuralgia today and has been hitting me every few minutes for most of the day. It has begun to ease now but usually takes about three of four days to disappear completely. Just what I needed.

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I don't know if it's the pain, but I've had some strange thoughts today. Juggling only becomes difficult when you use more than one ball.......................... silly things like that. I've even thought about applying on Cag's behalf, for her to become an astronaut in the European Space Programme. She has always wanted to be a star. This way, she would be half way there!

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The one sensible thing we've managed today is deciding on a new car. The choice is very limited. Cag chooses the colour and I chose the engine size. The make and model is already decided by the fact that the Citroen Picasso is the easiest car to do wheelchair transfers. It's high, has no foot wells and plenty of room in the front seats. It will be our third Picasso and probably not the last.

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The change is not due until October, but the order has to be placed a good 12 weeks before, and that's not all that far away. It also gives Cag time to change her mind. Women and colours!!!

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Nearly midnight, and I'm going to have an early night. Cheers!

Wednesday 7th May

Tuesday, and the day went well. It was a rush, an early start, to get everything done before the hairdresser arrived. Then get Cag back to bed, and get myself ready for the trip to the clinic. I arrived with minutes to spare, was called straight in, and was out in about five minutes. Easy!

The surgeon was very pleased. I coughed in all the right places, and promised to ask for him again if I even needed to have the other side repaired. He said there was about a 30% chance that I would, and I thanked him for that good news!

The weather is absolutely wonderful today, so I took Cag to our favourite Garden Centre. I thought we may return with another orchid........ and I was not wrong! The day also gave me time to see how Cag was coping, now things are about back to normal.

The news is not good. It always happens after a set back. Other times it's been because of something happening to her, but this time it's been my little problem. There are things she could do a few months ago that she just can't manage now. Little things to help me with lifting, or being able to steady something with her hands. Being able to hold an item tightly has long gone, but I now have to move her fingers even for her to have a tissue in her hand.

She quickly gets tired, and will drop off to sleep at odd times during the day, something she would never do before my operation. The problem is that once a step back has been made, it can never be caught up with again, at least in Cag's case. 'Don't use it, lose it', comes to mind, but it's so true with her form of progressive M.S.

Anyway, summer is a'coming, and we shall do what we can, when we can. We are not looking too far into the future, just taking it a day at a time. The serious thing is, we're out of custard tarts, so it's shopping for me tomorrow. That's far enough to look forward.

May Bank Holiday.............

I hate Bank Holidays. They really mess up the week. I shall spend the next few days wondering what day it is........ and it won't be because of a senior moment!

Tomorrow is going to be a little hectic. An early start to get Cag up and breakfasted before the hair dresser arrives. Just enough time to get her back into bed before I have to leave for the Clinic for the surgeon to check his handy work. Then to the Post Office and Bank in the afternoon.

There wasn't going to be a trip to the Bank, but a slip up on E-Bay has made the journey necessary. I've bid for three pencils (Druckbleistifte) on German E-Bay and didn't realise that the seller didn't take PayPal, only Bank transfers. It's times like this that I wish I could speak another language............. but it would probably be the wrong one. I won them for a silly price and now fear the Bank charges may be more than the items and postage............ so we will see.

Gott sei Dank für Google Übersetzer (that really messed up Spell Check!))))