Yesterday Was Not The Day That We Were Expecting.

Frida Kahlo (born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón;[2] July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954) was a Mexican painter.[3] She painted using vibrant colors in a style that was influenced by indigenous cultures of Mexico and European influences including Realism, Symbolism, and Surrealism. Many of her works are self-portraits that symbolically articulate her own pain and sexuality. Kahlo was married to Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.



Absolutely shattered today, we were about to go to sleep, Richie folded the duvet over to check whether he needed to move me, if I had shifted over in the bed.

We were both very tired; I was on the verge of falling asleep, when I heard Richie say that I was totally wet.

As soon as the duvet was not on me I felt intensely cold, not surprising since I was drenched in urine, and I was very wet and smelly.

Only smelt and felt it there and then and not before, no wonder I had felt so cold all evening, even after eating

Seems the catheter tube and come out and urine had drained into the bed instead of into the bag.

A rotten surprise at 1.30 in the morning, especially as we had stayed up late to see Dizzi Rascal at the famous Roundhouse on the Electric Proms on BBC 2.

Had enjoyed seeing his performance, it was very good, we were both surprised at how good the performance was.

And then we were really shocked that sleep was not going to happen, certainly not before yet another shower.

Richie had to get me out of bed and take me into the shower, which was starting to warm up when we finally got there.

Then he removed my top and showered me thoroughly, my t-shirt had also become soaked in urine too.

He dried my torso and put on a clean dry and pre-warmed t-shirt and then he carefully showered my bottom and legs.

Then he applied cream and put on a clean, warm pair of thermal leggings and got the hoist around me.

Finally he got me back into bed and after checking that all was still ok and the tube had not come out during being hoisted back into bed.

The really horrible thing was that it was my second shower, twice the work for Richie yesterday.

Just when he was getting me out of bed in the evening, I started to have a very large poo, an upsetting experience.

One that Richie always makes it much easier for me by getting me washed and clean and dry and dressed without any additional stress.

Nevertheless it is a very unpleasant event for us both, and extremely smelly and another reminder that I do not have as much control as I used to.

Especially with such a good diet full of fibre, have been eating alot of mangos recently as well as oats and dates.

Horrible to be reminded once again how handicapped I am these days, glad that I do not cry anymore when these things happen.

I am very glad that Richie does everything he can to take the stress out of the situation, something he is very good at doing.

Today we are both very tired indeed, it was 4 am before the light was turned off and it seemed minutes later when we both had to wake up and face the day.

Despite being exhausted we still had to cope with all the pre arranged appointments like my physiotherapist and the meeting with my new Case Manager Jacqueline Janssen.

Seemed to go well, I think that she will be a good Case Manager, she certainly could not be any worse than the one I have had.

That was the woman who ignored my requests for some action is taken to give me more support in the new electric wheelchair.

And the woman who once asked me to let her know the amount of rent subsidy one was entitled to as a handicapped person.

I had asked her and she said she did not know the answer, but could I let her know when I knew the answer, as she was regularly asked this question.

Always felt like I was my Case Managers, Case Manager, think Jacqueline Janssen will be different, she will I feel be a good one.