If Only Being Positive Could Help We Would All Be Cured.

John Wotipka.

http://www.slowart.com/articles/wotipka.htm


http://www.slowart.com/limner/htm/gall-art/wotipka/index.htm

It was excellent meeting Heather yesterday, she was here for three hours in the afternoon, and she is a delightful young woman, a credit to her parents and to her country.

She is very intelligent, calm and self assured, I think she would be an excellent person to have in a team; she struck me as being a practical and capable young woman.

It is a shame that I am so handicapped; otherwise it would have been a pleasure to have had her stay here.

Mind you being young and adventurous as she is I am sure she prefers the hostel and her independence.

I enjoyed Heather’s visit and felt good after she left, her coming by gave me such a boost.

Glad I did not chicken out and instead invited her to come by, glad that I did not miss out on meeting my friend Jeannette’s daughter.

It brought back many happy memories of Heather’s mother Jeannette and our lives in Reading in the 1970’s.

After Heather left I got Richie to put me back in bed, not longer after I was ensconced in bed I got anxious and quite sad.

Think that was probably because Heather’s visit brought back memories of Reading, and a time when I was healthy and fit.

Not like now where I am so aware of the progress of this stinking disease, think yesterday was also difficult because my hands were so painful and difficult to use.

Did not feel good at all, got the usual early evening hot feeling which I recognised as one of the signs of a bladder infection.

Decided to take antibiotics last thing, this is a better time for me as I always feel nauseous if I take antibiotics during the day which makes eating very unpleasant.

When Richie emptied my catheter bag he agreed with me taking antibiotics as my urine was very smelly another indicator of a bladder infection.

By the time the light went out I was not so anxious, but still enough to keep me from sleeping for hours.

Kept my eyes closed and was convinced that any moment I would drift off to sleep, but that did not happen.

Finally asked Richie for some THC vapour which instantly did the trick and the next thing I knew I was waking up having finally slept.

Pleased that despite my anxiety about the progress of my MS, the THC helped me to sleep.

It was difficult to get myself to stop worrying, kept telling myself to stop as there is nothing I can do to change my situation.

That in a nutshell is what makes this and other incurable progressive diseases so difficult to live with.

If only being positive could help we would all be cured.

Exciting Visit This Afternoon.

Edouard Manet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89douard_Manet

Have been asked by my physiotherapist for information about Sativex, she goes to someone else with MS who is interested in using Sativex.

This is not available here as we have access to weed both from the coffee shops as well as via a doctor’s prescription.

As all I know is that Sativex has extracts of cannabis in the spray and you spray it in your mouth.

Would have thought that vaporising weed would give you all the effect you would need, wonder what the other components of Sativex are and their effects.

Think I will suggest that this other client of Mathilde tries making weed cake or chocolates as eating weed has a different effect.

Yesterday it rained all day and all night, during the night there were huge gails, it sounded like all the vegetation was being blown away.

Our windows rattled and it felt like the building would fly away, made me think of Toto and whirlwinds.

This afternoon is going to be very exciting as the daughter of Jeannette, a good friend of mine, who now lives in New Zealand, will visit this afternoon.

Looking forward very much to meeting Heather, have heard so much about her and have enjoyed the annual family letter which she wrote for a number of years before going to University.

Hope For A More Peaceful Night Tonight.

Alfred Sisley.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Sisley


Really noticed that the Fijnhout theatre was open again as after the performance they partied until around 04.00.

Around midnight it was quite quiet but the later it got the louder the music got, every now and then the theatre door was opened so people could no doubt smoke outside.

They all shout at each other and being involved with the theatre their voices carry, more so because it was late.

It is amazing what alcohol does to people, guess in the past that included me too, as alcohol makes one louder and more prone to arguing too.

Shame the people from the theatre can’t be more aware that they are not in the town centre but right in the middle of a residential street.

Right opposite people’s bedrooms, horrible trying to sleep with people sounding like braying hyenas at 02.00 in the morning.

Perhaps they would not be shouting to each other after midnight if they were more aware of their surroundings, but it seems not.

Amazingly this theatre is a nice middle class enclave, if it had been working class the police would be there issuing them warning, but they can get away with their ‘artistic exuberance’.

I can see that we will have to endure many more disturbed sleepless nights like last night, makes me hope for torrential rain.

Be good on the nights the theatre is open so no one can hang on the street after midnight, shouting at people next to them and shrieking.

I feel abit like a killjoy but surely it is not too much to ask for quiet certainly after 02.00 at the weekend.

Had to take half a sleeping tablet which sadly did not get me off to sleep as quickly as I had hoped it would.

Eventually it worked I know it did because I woke up and it was mid morning, we are both still very drowsy, hope tonight will be more peaceful.

Enjoying Any Independance I Can.

Claude Monet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet


Slept well last night did not wake this time in the early hours calling for an extra blanket as I have done since the beginning of the week.

It is already cold enough at night for us to start sleeping under duvets again; this was quite a shock last night.

Amazing to need duvets on the 27 August, because of the hot weather last year it was end of October last year before we needed extra warmth.

This morning started well with beautiful sunshine which soon made way for dark clouds and thunder and lighting and lots of rain.

This cycle has been repeated several times; Richie went out around the block with the dogs and said it was cold despite the sun.

Oh well the end of our summer and the start of spring in New Zealand and Australia, heard from my good friend Jeannette from NZ telling me about the first signs of spring there.

Sadly when they came to install the software on Tuesday they left the back of my wheelchair open.

This apparently is exposing wires which means that going out in wet weather could affect the wheelchair badly, it could actually stop working.

Richie has rushed around getting the shopping done before the next huge deluge which the gathering dark clouds seem to promise.

Despite the weather and lots of spasms and pain I intend to enjoy today very much, my darling Richie is making chicken curry for me tonight.

Looking forward to dinner later and watching some good football, watched a DVD on Wednesday Little Miss Sunshine which I enjoyed very much, especially switching the DVD player on and off.

Enjoying any independence I can and hoping for more with the intercom for the front doors of the apartment and the building.
.

Pink Roses.

Myrtille Henrion Picco


This afternoon a great friend, Anja came by to visit, she brought us a delightful bunch of lovely pink roses which unusually for here had a gorgeous delicate scent.

It was great to see Anja, one of my best friends, someone who knows me well and someone I trust 110%.

She is a wonderful woman, lovely to think that I have had the pleasure to know her now since 1984.

Amazingly that is twenty six years ago now, how wonderful, shame she no longer lives in Amsterdam.

Now she lives an hour and a half away, today she came straight from work to visit with us and was here until 17.00.

We had a very pleasant visit during which Anja helped me with a couple of admin things, which are sorted now, a relief and now there is nothing for me to worry about.

All set to enjoy the weekend now, whatever the weather is like I intend to enjoy it tremendously.

While she was here there was a brief glimmer of sunshine, seems that the weekend will be dryer and brighter and next week will be nice warm weather.

That’s what Anja said and I really hope she is right as a brief return of summer would be an unexpected treat for us all.

Looking Forward.

Constance Stubbs (1927-)


Spent all afternoon until 19.45 this evening, sitting in the front room with Richie and the dogs which was very pleasant indeed.

We were all feeling slightly dozy and not our usual lively selves I think because it was such a grey day today.

We both got woken up a few times during the night by heavy rain, it rained all night and most of the day.

Sadly the heavy rain seems to have wrecked all of our very pretty flowers that Richie got last month.

They have been looking so lovely and now most of the flowers are either smashed or squashed.

Shame was hoping to enjoy them for awhile longer, with no prospect of sun the plants won’t revive and perhaps will not be alive for much longer now summer is so clearly well over.

Today really feels like an autumn day and looking out of the windows in the front room I could see that the leaves on the trees are starting to look like they will drop of very soon now.

Looking forward to our friends Gareth and Paul coming Amsterdam next month be good to see them.

They will be staying here with us for a few days during their visit as well as with a couple of other friends.

Be brilliant to have them stay here with us, nicer than them popping by for a few visits, Richie is going to tidy up our spare room and get it ready for our friends visit.

We are going to have a party on Friday 17 September while they are in town; the party is exactly six months after my birthday.

That is not the reason for the party; we are having one to celebrate me being able to sit again and also because we have not had one since my birthday party on 17 March 2008.

Also nice to do while Gareth and Paul are here, really looking forward to having the party very much.

A Positive Appointment.

Gareth's Photos of Wales.

This afternoon Marianne came by to visit me at 14.00, she looked lovely as usual, it is always so good to see her.

Soon she is off on holiday; she and a friend of hers are going on a group holiday to Vietnam for three weeks.

Looking forward to seeing her photos when she is back and hearing what she thinks about the country.

She left just before 15.00 when Harm, an engineer from Welzorg, the mobility aids company came by with Michelle, my mobility aids advisor to take measurements

These are for a Perspex table over the wheelchair; it took ages to measure and work out how best to place it.

Harm told me that when he had been here for the last time,on the 31 May, he had done everything he could to get my arm support organised as quickly as possible.

But he had not counted on other departments within his company messing up so badly so that the arm rest did not get sorted out until the end of July.

He wished that he could get the table made as quickly, as possible for me, but this was sadly not in his power no matter how much he would like to do so.

They were here for two and a half hours and left once Harm was happy with the measurements he had made, it was tiring but a very positive appointment.

Some Independance Now More To Come I Hope.

Eva Gonzales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Gonzal%C3%A8s


We were both awake at 08.00 this morning, first Richie had a shower and then he showered me.

We were both ready for 10.00 when we were expecting the two people who were coming to install the remote controls.

They arrived at 10.25 and worked through until 15.15m when they left I had a new gizmo either on my wheelchair or when not in the wheelchair dangling over my bed.

I can make calls with a hands free phone, at the moment only in the front room, there I can open the front door and in the hall the balcony door.

Richie seems to have solved the problem and now I can make calls from the bedroom which is good.

From the front room I can open the main entrance gate sadly there is no intercom so I can not find out who is at the door.

I can adjust the bed and I can turn the light one in the bedroom and several in the front room and I can turn on the TV and DVD player.

So some pluses and some minuses, hope that any other little bugs can be sorted out as quickly as Richie sorted out the phone.

I immediately sent a mail to my occupational therapist and my case manager asking them for intercom so that I can open the door safely.

Typically they have spent a lot of money on this system but saved on the intercom function.

Which means it is not safe for me to open the door unless people can phone me and say they are at the door.

So still a way to go before all is 100%, no worries just like our terriers I do not give up easily.

The Work Will Give Me Some Independance.

Mary Cassatt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Cassatt

Autumn seems to be here already, the weather was briefly sticky and muggy on Saturday and Sunday which made it very difficult to maintain a good sitting position in the wheelchair.

Rain was forecast for 4 days from Saturday, it did not happen it just looked like it might happen any minute.

There was never very much sunshine though it was bright not like today which started with pouring rain.

Marleen hates seeing rain she does not mind being if the park in a downpour but going around the block in drizzle is not acceptable at all.

Think she will be very happy today as Richie put on his waterproofs and took Marleen and Spike to the park first thing despite the rain thrashing down.

Hope he gets back real soon as I think that I need to get to the toilet and shower real quick, just had an enormous spasm that went on for minutes.

A horrible intense spasm which had my legs banging against the bottom of the bed table, luckily Richie has wrapped some foam around the base so my legs are protected.

Tomorrow two men will arrive at 10 am and will be here all day putting sensors up for my new gizmo.

I will be able to do things such as turn on the lights, turn on the TV, the DVD player and open the doors as well as open the front gate.

All can be done with a little control box which is either by my bed or on the wheelchair it will also enable me to make phone calls without any problems.

It will be very good for me just dread the idea of two men being here for two days putting up sensors.

Oh well sure the reality will be a lot better than the prospect of the event and the result will be good for me, it will give me some independance.

My Very Favourite Auntie Sigrid.

Auntie Sigrid, my Dad and her dogs, Senta and Duchess in Trinidad.



Marie Bracquemond.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Bracquemond

My post yesterday was the story of my life and the situation and constrictions of the past two years in bed

It has been very difficult being in one room all day and night; lying down so much has been extremely bad for my torso muscles.

The way it happened is horrible; it is a catch 22 as I had to lie down because the wound could not take the pressure of being sat on.

I have a mattress a Nimbus 3 which constantly adjusts the pressure so I am not lying on a static bed which would also cause pressure sores.

The mattress’s noise is a very low humming noise that does not disturb me at all in fact it often helps me to sleep just by listening to it and not thinking of anything.

Not sitting was bad for my torso muscles which became inactive and no longer hold me up; the adaptation of the wheelchair seat has made a mould for my body which holds me in place.

Richie has to place me in the chair just so otherwise I need lots of adjustments; some days he gets it right first go.

Yesterday it was quite a sticky muggy day with thick clouds and no sun and all day the threat of a downpour.

It was very close and for awhile I thought it was just me but turned out that Richie was also quite wiped out.

Because it was so sticky it meant that I needed constant adjustments in the chair and in bed too, this got to me yesterday.

Richie explained that it was the weather knocking me out not my MS doing nasty things to me.

Once I realised this was all influenced by the weather I felt much better and could enjoy the day and evening sitting in the wheelchair.

Got a call from my auntie Sigrid in Canada, lovely to hear her voice so full of life in her late 80’s.

When I told her that I was out of bed and in the wheelchair she was happy and asked when I would be walking again with a cane.

She just does not want to accept the truth that I can not walk and will never do so again, she knows people with MS that walk so why can’t I ?

Been trying to explain this to her since 2007, sometimes she understands but then the next time she will hopefully ask if I am walking again.

I try to keep patient and sweet with my favourite auntie but its difficult also for her, I am her favourite niece.

She came to Trinidad in 1952 on a goods steamboat, when I was just becoming one to help my mother who had a tough post birth depression.

Auntie Sigrid became my happy mum the one who took me around and helped and encouraged me.

She so wants her favourite niece to be well, I think she is frustrated that she can not do anything to help me.

Because of this my, only option is to answer all her questions gently and carefully and let her know that I love her very much.

My favourite auntie Sigrid is a priceless treasure, she always has brought sun and fun whenever she visited.

Even now it makes my day hearing from her.




The singer Charles Haddon jumped to his death after a concert in Belguim on Friday.

Celebrate Sitting Again.

Eva Gonzales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Gonzal%C3%A8s

Here it is the 21 August; it is two years ago that I had to stay in bed because of a huge pressure sore.

It is hard for me to not feel deprived of two years of my life, two years that could have been different.

If only my electric wheelchair had been the right size for me, I told the burocrats but they would not listen.

When I tried to get something done to improve how I was sitting I was told that I should give the chair abit of time.

Well I did and look what happened within two months had the first little pressure sore that healed quickly.

Only for it to happen again three times one after the other, action was still not taken even when in June 2008 the Rehabilitation Clinic told them urgent action was needed.

They finally got moving end of July beginning of August but by then it was too late as the pressure sore was too deep.

And I had to stay in bed 24/7 until end of November 2009 when the wheelchair seat and back had been adapted.

I sat briefly until beginning of January when a new cushion for the shower chair caused friction which removed the skin over the healed up wound.

This took three months to heal; those three months caused a lot of additional damage to my torso muscles.

It has also increased my spinal problems because my muscles are no longer working well enough to counteract.

Now I am very crooked indeed all thanks to the inaction of the burocrats whose job it is to ensure the welfare of handicapped people.

Oh well enough of that today I am going to celebrate sitting again on the second anniversary.

It Is Only Business.

Berthe Morisot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthe_Morisot

Today the cloud cover lifted to reveal blue skies and gorgeous sunshine which makes such a difference to the day.

Was told by several people that tomorrow, Saturday will be lovely weather with a temperature of 25 c

Today Richie looked at the weather forecast and it says that from tomorrow there will be four days of rain.

Richie has had to go out and get some shopping as the fruit he had for my fruit shake had become mouldy overnight.

He had made a shake but as soon as I took a sip I tasted that it was not ok, at first Richie did not taste it.

When I took a second sip which again was no good he tasted it again and agrees with me that I was right.

As there was no more fruit Richie has zipped off on his bike to get more fruit and vegetables.

Hope he won’t be to long as I would like to go outside at 15.00 today, really want to get to the market this afternoon.

Especially if instead of a glorious summer day tomorrow it is going to be rain all day, need to enjoy what we have today.

Today I was rung up by Michelle, my mobility aids advisor to make an appointment next week Wednesday.

This is for Michelle to come here with Harm, an engineer from Welzorg, mobility aid supplier, to measure for a wheelchair table.

Am always amazed how many times they have to come by and how many measurements are taken before there is a result.

Trying to stay optimistic and hope that the table saga which has been going on since the end of May will son finally be resolved.

Will be at my best when they are here next week, I always keep in mind Richie’s good advice to at all times remember it is only business.

This does help me to not get too upset and invest my time and energy in such an enterprise which would only succeed in draining me.

These days I would rather put my energies into making my life better rather than worse because I have let their business get to me.

For me it is very personal for them it is their work, hence it is good for me to remember ‘’ It is only business’’.

Happy Days.

It feels very good indeed.

Mary Cassatt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Cassatt

Yesterday was a good day; Marianne visited which was lovely, excellent to see her and to hear her news.

After she left I did my leg and arm exercises with the Motomed and when I had finished Richie and I sat talking and playing with the dogs.

The weather was not too pleasant although there had been a brief moment of almost sunshine when Marianne was here.

As soon as she had left the clouds looked unpleasant but luckily no rain just gusts of cold wind; cool for Richie cold for me.

Decided that I needed to buy a fleece lined rainproof cape so that I can get out and about when the weather is not nice, which it is here most of the time.

Have not managed to find one yet on the internet also want to find a fleece cape and a jacket which will be useful also for indoors.

Be even better if the sleeves had zips up them for ease of putting on and getting off again I am surprised how many sites that do clothes for handicapped people do not provide this.

Amsterdam always has very changeable weather it is a combination of all the water in and around the city, we are living on reclaimed land here, plus the fact we are close to the sea.

Last years wonderful summer was quite extraordinary for Amsterdam, the last such gloriously hot and dry summer was 1995.

What made yesterday extra special was that I sat for six hours without any problems whatsoever.

That is quite a milestone for me as Ton Peeks said once I can sit for six hours with no problem then I can sit for even longer.

The cherry on our cake which made it an even better day was that our tickets for the Drive By Truckers concert ni Paradiso in November arrived.

Feel like finally I am back right in the middle of life no longer just in bed trying to make the best of things.

It feels very good indeed.

Ever The Optimist.

Gertrude Abercrombie.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Abercrombie

Dreary grey sky again this morning without even a tiny glimmer of sunshine to be seen anywhere after Richie did my leg exercises.

My legs were not too stiff and tense this morning which was good, Richie picks up each leg in turn, he holds my ankle and lower leg and supports my knee.

Then he lifts my leg towards my head as if I were cycling, he does this once with both legs, then he massages both legs from foot to top of thigh.

After that he lifts both legs in turn, then he carefully places legs in a good position and puts feet up against foam bolster at the end of the bed.

This stops my feet from collapsing to the sides which results in my feet pointing down in the wheelchair.

Which also causes problems with footwear; it seems that if my feet are not braced against the bolster, it would increase the time my feet slip off to the side.

Feet hanging or pointing down is not good, the other thing Richie do is to reposition the long cushions I rest my arms on while sleeping.

He squashes them up and use them to keep my knees from flopping to the side which is not good either as it stop my knees being flexible.

I had done most of my arm exercises before Richie did my leg exercises, the only ones I had not done was the one with the handles over the bar over my bed.

Enjoy that exercises as it helps me to stretch out my arms, excellent thing to do not long after waking up.

Especially good to counteract the cramps and the feeling of having a strait jacket around my arms and shoulders.

After the exercises and my calcium/vitamin D tablet I sit up using the beds handset, once I am sat up Richie uses a small long cushion to prop me up on the right.

This stops me slumping too quickly to the right side and it has been very effective, but it does need to be regularly checked and adjusted so it gives me the maximum support that I need

Briefly the sun came out and the thick cloud cover lifted so the blue sky became visible, this did not last for longer than 30 minutes before big clouds drifted by and massed up to form a big grey cloud cover once more.

Hope the sun and the blue skies happen again, for a short time it was so pretty outside makes me hope for more sunshine today.

Ever optimistic.

Leading Doctor Urges Decriminalisation Of Drugs.

The Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/16/drugs-decriminalisation-doctor-ian-gilmore

Leading doctor urges decriminalisation of drugs.

Former president of the Royal College of Physicians says blanket ban has failed to cut crime or improve health.

One of the UK's leading doctors said today the government should consider decriminalising drugs because the blanket ban has failed to cut crime or improve health.

"I'm not saying we should make heroin available to everyone, but we should be treating it as a health issue rather than criminalising people," said Sir Ian Gilmore, former president of the Royal College of Physicians.

Gilmore put his position on the record publicly today after telling fellows and members of the college last month in a statement that he felt like "finishing my presidency on a controversial note".

He gave his backing to Nicholas Green, chairman of the Bar Council, who recently suggested individual use be decriminalised.

"This could drastically reduce crime and improve health," said Gilmore, who added that drugs should still be regulated.

He praised an article published on 13 July in the British Medical Journal by Stephen Rolles, senior policy analyst at the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, which, he said, clearly made the argument for decriminalisation.

Rolles pointed out not only that criminalising drug use had exacerbated health problems such as HIV, which can be spread by the use of contaminated needles, but had created a much larger array of secondary harms, including "vast networks of organised crime, endemic violence related to the drug market, corruption of law enforcement and governments, militarised crop eradication programmes (environmental damage, food insecurity, and human displacement), and funding of terrorism and insurgency."

Decriminalisation in Portugal in 2001, Rolles said, had led to a fall in drug use among young people. A study by the World Health Organisation, he added, has shown that countries taking tough action do not have lower levels of drug use than countries with liberal policies.

The editor of the British Medical Journal, Dr Fiona Godlee, gave her personal support to Rolles' call for decriminalisation.

"He says, and I agree, that we must regulate drug use, not criminalise it," she wrote in the journal.

Danny Kushlik, head of external affairs at Transform, which campaigns for legalisation, said the intervention of senior medical professionals was significant.

"Sir Ian's statement is yet another nail in prohibition's coffin," he said. "The Hippocratic oath says: 'First, do no harm'. Physicians are duty bound to speak out if the outcomes show that prohibition causes more harm than it reduces."

He added: "With a prime minister and deputy prime minister both longstanding supporters of alternatives to the war on drugs, at the very least the government must initiate an impact assessment comparing prohibition with decriminalisation and strict legal regulation."

Nicholas Green, chairman of the Bar Council, made his comments in a report in the profession's magazine, in which he said that drug-related crime costs the economy about £13bn a year.

There was growing evidence that decriminalisation could free up police resources, reduce crime and recidivism and improve public health.

Last month, Professor David Nutt, who was sacked as the Labour government's top drugs adviser after saying ecstasy was less harmful than alcohol, said the UK needed a radical new approach to drugs laws, which may include the regulated sale of some drugs.

An Evening In The Front Room.

Rene Magritte.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Magritte

Richie got me out of bed at 11.30 this morning and showered me using the delightful rose shower gel from Weleda.

He put me back in bed at 13.00 which gave him 30 minutes to sort himself out before setting off for his dentist appointment.

Richie got back from his appointment which went well, after giving me my drink and some food he took the dogs to the park.

Not long after they left I started to need urgent help.

I am waiting for him to get back from the park with the dogs and rearrange me in bed, hope he comes real soon.

As I am leaning very badly to the right which is hurting my neck and making it extremely difficult for me to type.

Hope Richie is here real soon as it is getting very unpleasant right now very painful and I can do nothing about it.

Anything I can do just seems to make my position even worse and not better at all, far from it.

Richie just got back and laid me down and rearranged me gently pulling my spine straight and now I am sitting better again.

Sadly it affected my right hand which I can not use right now, probably the stress and tension of trying to stop myself toppling over.

Look forward to sitting in my wheelchair in the front room as soon as the dogs have their dinner.

Lovely spending the evening there with Richie and the dogs.

Feeling Better Every Day I Sit.

Dorothea Tanning


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Tanning



Enjoyed sitting for four and a half hours yesterday, for the first day of the English premiership football season, Blackpool back for the first time since 1971 beat Wigan 4-0.

A brilliant start for them and all their wonderful fans who were up at Wigan’s ground three hours before the game started.

That is keen of the next weekend they will be playing against Arsenal, while I always want them to win this time I would love Blackpool to draw with Arsenal.

What a boost that would be for their first time in the Premiership in years, very much enjoyed the football games.

Found out yesterday that Marlon Hare wood who has just signed for Blackpool has a Barbados background, his dad is from the Islands.

Two of my other favourite footballers are Bobby Zamora at Fulham and Kenwin Jones at Stoke both are from Trinidad, funny to discover this fact.

Every time I said that they in they seemed like boys from home and they were, there are quite a few Trinidadian players playing for English clubs.

Hope that all this experience will stand them in good steed and they do well at the next World Cup.

It was incredibly exciting that they were at the World Cup in 2006; I was quite hoarse after the couple of games and practically inconsolable when they lost against England of all teams.

Since then there are alot more Trini players in England and other European countries and who knows what could happen at the next World Cap Tournament.

Very optimistic about the chances of the Trinidad and Tobago team and of mine that I will be sitting alot more.

Here is my favourite Trinidad curry, you can substitute Tempe or Tufu or fish or vegetables for the chicken.

Trini Chicken Curry:

Make your spice mixture garam masala, use some for the marinade keep half for cooking and always keep some for adding near end of cooking.

Garam masala;
Make your garam masala, your dry spice mix

Grind up:
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon ground up black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 cardamom seed
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
Half a teaspoon black mustard seeds
A piece of cinnamon bark if possible
A touch of mace better than nutmeg
2 cloves
Any leftover spice put in a jar and use next time.

Garlic 4 cloves
Ginger root chopped
Lime juice
2 small onions chopped
Scotch bonnet chopped, remove seeds, and put gloves on for this task.

Marinade chicken with
Garlic
Ginger (chopped)
Lime juice
And some of the garam masala mix
Thyme
Grind black pepper
And
Marinade overnight or for a few hours.

Heat oil when hot add sugar and cook until brown
Turn heat off briefly to stop burnng black
Turn heat back on and add chicken
And hot pepper
When well browned add a cup of water
Cook for ten minutes
Remove chicken
Then add chopped potatoes and tomatoes
And cook well until potato cubes or slices are soft and tomatoes also
Then when sauce is thicker add chicken cook for a few minutes and add
1 teaspoon of garam masala
And
Fresh chopped coriander
Pinch of salt if needed
And serve with dhal, rice, fried plantain and roti

And enjoy






.

Sunny Day.

Eileen Agar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eileen_Agar


Having a nice relaxed day today, the weather is good, the sun is shining and the sky is blue with a hint of wispy clouds.

Heard on the weather forecast that there is extensive rain in England which they say should be coming over here.

Hope it does not reach here today, well not until tonight, around midnight would be acceptable to me.

This would stop any happy drunks from sitting on the bench across from us and keeping us awake with their ‘’dulcet growls’’ to each other.

Not had my shower yet as Richie has only just got back in from shopping, luckily he visited the Pakistani Shop as when he got there he saw they had a stack of boxes of Pakistani mangos.

As he was loaded up with shopping he only bought one box today, he will get more on Monday.

Today is the start of Premiership Football, Blackpool are there for the first time since 1971, which is brilliant for the club and its wonderful fans.

Looking forward to getting into the wheelchair and having a look around the apartment and going out on the balcony and around the neighbourhood too.

I am enjoying the day today.

As Ever The Optimist.

Man Ray.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Ray


Went to sleep pretty easily last night, especially after the two drunks finished their tins of strong beer and moved on, one went off on a moped, hope he got home safe as did anyone he passed on the road.

Today started very promisingly with gorgeous sunshine and blue skies which lasted an hour when thick clouds obscured the beautiful blue sky.

Not long after the rumble of thunder announced yet another thunderstorm and lots of rain which rather put a dent in the day.

Was really hopeful that today would be the day to go out and visit the market, I am not so keen in a thunderstorm especially one that has drifted off and come back again.

When will it be over and do I want to get halfway up the road only to have to rush home to get back in the dry.

Guess that I shall have to work that out for myself and soon too, going to discuss this with Richie, see what he thinks.

It does not look like the clouds are going to drift away again and reveal the beautiful blue sky and sunshine that I know lies behind the thick grey cloud cover.

Tomorrow is the farewell party for our lovely neighbour Willes at the Fijnout theatre across the road.

It starts at 16.00 so think I will go over then and have a chat with Willes and check out what the theatre looks like.

Hope they will have made it look very nice for her, especially as she worked so well as a volunteer for them.

Shame that she is no longer living in the neighbourhood, especially when it is so much heir’s.

Still hoping for sun, as ever the optimist.

Great News.

Kazuya Akimoto.



Sadly no sun yet of sun today, as was predicted on Tuesday, shame but no worries as we have plenty of sunshine indoors.

Ton came to see us today; he called me yesterday just after I had posted to postpone his visit until this morning at 11.30.

He was here precisely on time and after greeting the dogs he came in to see me; Richie told him that the skin looked good.

Then he closed the curtain and rolled me towards the wall and pulled my leggings down so Ton could see the skin over the old wound.

When Ton inspected the site of the old wound, he was very pleased with the condition of the skin, he said it is excellent best ever and looks like the rest of my skin.

That was wonderful news for us both, news we have been hoping to hear for ages and now finally we have heard it.

Ton was very pleased and approves that I am building up my sitting time slowly, everyday an extra 30 minutes.

Yesterday I sat for three hours and today it will be for three and a half hours if all is well it will be four hours tomorrow.

And by next week Monday it will be for six hours, Ton says once I can sit for six hours then I will be able to sit for longer.

I am over the moon at this news as I had not expected to ever be able to sit for most or even all day once more.

So Ton telling us that once I can sit for six hours I can sit for much longer was truly wonderful to hear.

Unbelievably wonderful, so today I will take it easy indoors and sit for three and a half hours and if all goes well I should be able to sit for six hours next week Tuesday.

I shall still increase my sitting time by 30 minutes a day as I am convinced that is the best way for me to go.

It certainly is the most sensible course of action and one I hope which will keep me safely sitting for a long time.

Feeling very happy about this news, it is the best news for years, very happy that I will be sitting on the 21 August on the day two years ago when I had to stay in bed for 24/7.

Sunshine Today.

Old Gipsy Woman, 'Granny Smith'

Dame Laura Knight
[British Impressionist Painter, 1877-1970]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Knight


Well for all my optimistic hope that there would be sunshine yesterday it did not happen, instead it started raining heavily as soon as I had posted and carried on all afternoon.

There was not even a glimmer of sun in the late afternoon as there so often does happen after a whole day of rain.

Today is a much better day, it is warm and sunny and the sky is a pale blue with wispy clouds drifting around like fragments of silk scarfs.

Ton will be here at 1.30 to check that all ls still well with my bottom, and to see how the healed skin looks like.

Then it’s off to the bathroom for a quick shower so that I am all ready for our dentist who is coming around at 14.00 to clean my teeth.

Something that I have not been looking forward to, this is I am sure because I have had a month to mull it over.

And to imagine all sorts of horrors, right now a few hours before he is due I can’t remember any of the nightmare scenarios I had imagined in the last month.

Which is good, it is often like that with me I have all the angst and worry beforehand and when the day comes I am calm and alright about it.

It is brilliant that our dentist is prepared to come here to clean my teeth and I am sure my mouth will feel much better once it is done.

All in all pretty fortunate to have such a good people who will visit me at home really do make life so much easier.

Looking forward to catching some rays after our friendly dentist Systse, a name from Friesland, has been, I have been going to him since 1984, and he is an excellent dentist and a fine man.

My only problem is I am scared of going to the dentist and today he is coming here oh well sure it will be ok and once it is done I intend to get some rays outside.

Please visit this blog and leave supportive messages to a mother who has lost two of her children in a fire.

http://amidlifescrises.blogspot.com/2010/08/one-of-our-own.html

Hoping For Sunshine This Afternoon.

Paula Modersohn-Becker
German Painter, 1876-1907


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Modersohn-Becker


Slept well until we were both woken up at 02.00 by Spike, who is obviously feeling better as every day or so he starts to walk around again at night.

Richie took quick action and put him straight out of the room and we both slept once more which was good, could hear that Richie was asleep just before me.

Actually quite enjoyed waking today as my arms did not get as cramped and did not feel like they were as tightly folded.

Mind you it still felt like my arms were bound up in a straightjacket but without the cramps and feeling like the straps were getting tighter.

I could stretch them relatively easily by holding on to the trapeze handle over my bed; I pull my shoulder off the mattress 12 times x 3.

Then I get Richie to loop the trapeze over the metal bar it hangs from and hang the two handles on a plastic cord.

Holding onto each helps me stretch my arms well, I do that at the beginning and end of each set of exercises by stretching my arms.

It feels really good to do these stretching exercises, now I have the handles on the plastic cord I feel my arms can stretch easier.

Much better to have the handles to hold onto, I did try and stretch my arms without any props but now it is more effective with the handles to assist me.

Sadly there is no sign of the sun yet today, all I can see is a dense grey cloud cover which
does not seem to be lifting right now.

But you never know what will happen as the day progresses, the cloud cover could lift and drift off very quickly.

Once this low weather front has passed over us a high is following behind which will bring sunshine and warm weather.

I am going to be optimistic and hope for a sunny afternoon today and pleasant warm weather.

Exciting Perspectives.

Nell Blaine
American Abstract Expressionist Painter, 1922-1996


Sadly the weekend was not pleasant, a real shame especially because of the Gay Pride Boat Parade which took place on the wettest day of the year.

This is an event that is eagerly awaited by many, costumes and boat decorations are planned a year in advance and a lot of hard work goes into making it all happen.

Glad that it still took place despite the rain, which got less before the start and luckily even stopped at times during the procession down the Prinsengracht.

I was very happy that the weather did nothing to diminish the event; I read and heard from friends that the party went on regardless of the weather.

With lots of happy people in skimpy clothes dancing on the boats and thousands of spectators taking photos and enjoying the colourful annual spectacle.

Very glad that the summer weather seems to have come back today; it was good to see blue skies and sunshine once again.

Makes me extremely hopeful that my trip to the market at the end of the week will be pleasant and the weather is warm and sunny summer weather.

I really needed the sunshine today, especially as I was suddenly feeling down, I even cried abit and told Richie I felt pointless.

He cuddled me and comforted me by telling me that this was not true, that I was a lovely woman who he adored and who made lots of people happy.

That was good to hear and of course I do not really feel useless and without any point, but occasionally being so handicapped really gets to me big time.

It was lovely sitting in the front room until I started to feel frustrated that I can no longer say ‘’ I am off up the shops’’ and go there independently.

Feel like a caged bird, I am well looked after and life is good but I am no longer free to come and go and be independent.

It really is not easy to deal with glad I told Richie and cried and did not try to keep the tears and pain hidden.

Now I feel better, feel like my usual optimistic self once more, now the tears are gone I am looking forward to seeing friends and having trips outside.

Richie wants us to have a party as soon as I can sit for long enough, I love the idea think it will be lovely to do.

Hope we can do have a party when Gareth and Paul are over visiting Amsterdam in September.

That would be glorious, an exciting perspective for the near future and exactly what I needed.

New Plans Again.

Myrtille Henrion-Picco.


My recent skin damage is healed once again; luckily it only took 6 days this time, so only b.6 days in bed.

That was good as I would have hated to spend even longer in bed as it really is not good for my body.

I have been sitting since Friday, the first time for 40 minutes; it was very nice being in the front room in my wheelchair.

Yesterday I sat for 1 hour and 30 minutes with no problems; it was wonderful to be in the front room with my darling Richie, we watched Leeds v Derby, a good game

No wonder that I have been so depressed; really not surprising after so long in bed, thius month it is two years on 21 August.

I do my very best to stay optimistic, which mostly works well, really have learned to stay here and now.

Have to confirm this everyday, so I do not forget, gradually lit is happening automatically, what I am finding difficult is to stop reproaching myself for things I supposedly did not do or not well enough.

It is not productive and only drains me of energy I could use for other things; hope to get out of that habit soon.

It is a real shame that 3 lots of skin problems, skin torn open in January did not heal until April, then another incident in May which took two weeks to heal, luckily it only took 6 days to heal this last time.

That plus the slowness of ARCA/Welzorg to press ahead and get my arm supports properly adjusted have I fear cost me the summer.

They took 3 months to finally glue a longer arm support on to my existing but not useful arm support.

Now it seems like the summer has gone and an early autumn has started already, plus we noticed that it is slowly getting darker earlier at night.

What a shame had hoped for a warm summer like last year can see now that it was pure luck last year.

Have lots of plans now my arms and shoulders are well supported to go further than our street or the top of the road to the Kinkerstraat.

Planning to go to the market this coming Thursday or Friday, will be brilliant as the last time was 19 August 2008.

Who knows we might even get to the Paradiso for a concert in November, maybe to the Basjoe.

Wonderful to be planning things again, hope to have a life outside of my bed.

Gay Pride Boat Parade

It is the annual Gay Boat Parade today, when when imaginatively decorated boats parade down the entire length of the Prinsengracht.

Today it has been raining for hours and has just stopped now, normally thousands flock here xto see the boats and to party all weekend.

100,000 visitors would not be unusual, think it will be less especially as the Gay Games are happening in Cologne, Germany this weekend.

Also four well known gay bars have closed, amazing to think that April and the Cockring are no more, their boats were always good.

Now thdere will be lots more company boats, and banks which are all very sober boats not really the spirit of the paradqe which is a flamboyant festival.

Shame about the weather, glad for me it is not nicer otherwise I would be so sad that I can not gro out.

Shame though as sun is always nicer, will keel this short off for a shower and to sit in the front room with my darling Richie and the dogs.

Great Sitting Again In My Wheelchair.

Hibiscus and Orchids in my bedroom.


Today Richie confirmed that the skin had healed so I wanted to sit immediately in my wheelchair.

Which I did for 40 wonderful minutes; while I did my leg exercises with the Motomed, it was great sitting in the wheelchair.

Much better than desperately trying to sit up in the shower chair, which causes enormous strain to my arms and shoulders and is very painful afterwards.

While I was doing my exercises we talked to our general practitioner, Doctor van Wijngaarden who popped by to see me.

She waved happily at me as she came down the road on her bicycle, and expressed her delight at seeing me out of bed for the first time since 2008..

She was very happy to see me sitting again, as she said she had been very concerned as to whether I would be able to sit again after such a long time lying down.

It was excellent being n the front room, it looks great now Richie has moved the table closer to the kitchen area.

It gives me more room to move, my Motomed is at the window by Marlene’s bed, she likes it too.

Great looking up both the roads and enjoying the new plants Richie bought yesterday on th e window ledges.

Brilliant that my skin has healed again so quick, just like Ton said, sadly I forgot to talk to Ton on Wednesday about the length of the time that I can sit.

Remembered this yesterday afternoon but only asked if I had to build up the sitting time again.

Ton mailed back yes and then must have gone home as I could not get him either by mail or on the phone to ask how long I could start sitting for.

It will be very tempting to go out tomorrow to the market especially if the weather is good but I will build up the time again.

Guess we will play it safe, feel abit disappointed that I can't go to the market this Saturday as I so want to go there as soon as I can.

Richie says that as I sat for 40 minutes with no sign of any problems that I could try double tomorrow or maybe even one hour and thirty minutes

And then if there is no signs of redness or damage gradually increase it so that I should be able to get there by Thursday next week.

I will check with Ton on Wednesday just to make sure, but think that seeing as I had recently built up my sitting time to four hours that this will be possible to achieve by next week.

Feeling very happy today now I have had forty minutes in my electric wheelchair.

An Experience Wiser.

Dendrobium Orchids.

Would like to warn everyone about a website called Serenata Flowers http://www.serenataflowers.com .

I found the site on Sunday, they claimed to send flowers, chocolates and vases to International destinations.

This was a wonderful discovery as we wanted to send flowers to a dear friend in Edmonton, Canada.

I placed an order for pretty flowers, chocolates plus vase and paid via Pay Pal, after I placed the order I thought that was it, until we heard from our delighted friend on Wednesday.

Sadly things did not go so smoothly, as various problems happened, such as the flowers I had chosen were not available in Canada, despite being on the page for Canada.

I had to choose again and again, each time my choice was not available in Canada.

This happened 5 times all with links sent to me by the Customer Service Representatives.

The next disappointment was that the chocolates and the vase I chose were also not available to Canada.

Because all this took most of Monday and none of my choices were available I was offered a more expensive bouquet at no further charge plus a clear glass vase.

I got the final confirmation on Tuesday that the flowers would be delivered on Wednesday with vase.

Wonderful result after a lot of stress on Monday and 25 mails sent to Seranata Customer Service.

Yesterday I assumed that all was well and the bouquet of roses and lilies would be delivered and be a pleasant surprise.

The only surprise was the one that I got at 20.00 pm last night when I received a mail from Serenata that my friends address was not in their Canadian partner’s delivery area.

I could not believe this after all the stress and seemingly endless mails, trying to get a result on Monday, to get such an unpleasant surprise last night when it was too late to do anything was horrible.

There was no mention of a refund or apologies just that my order was cancelled, end of story, but not for me.

I sent a couple of mails requesting the immediate repayment of my money and expressing my disappointment at the non delivery of flowers.

This morning I got a mail from one of the Customer Service Representatives I dealt with offering his excuses and a 30% discount on my next purchase:

‘’ Dear Herrad,

I am so sorry for ‘the disappointment of the florist informing us they could not deliver. Not being familiar with the country ourselves we would not be aware of this, but I am in agreement that we should have been informed sooner to give you the opportunity to make alternative arrangements.

You will of course be refunded in full - my colleague is actioning that now for me.

I would also like to offer a discount voucher off any future orders you may place. Please enter the discount code ND30PC0802 for 30% off any order.

Once again, my sincere apologies.


Customer Services
Serenata Flowers
http://www.serenataflowers.com
0800 047 0310 (from UK)
+1 866 563 3212 (from USA)
+44 207 100 5825 (international) ‘’

Here is my response:

Hello,

Thank you for your mail, this has been a truly horrible experience, the only good thing after all the stress on Monday was the confirmation on Tuesday, that our friend would get a lovely surprise on her birthday.

You do not need to know the country, but it is of paramount importance that you know where your partners in Canada can deliver to, so you can provide a good service.

Which certainly is not the situation now, I will not be using the discount voucher as I do not feel confident to use your website ever again.

I think it is a shame for you and your excellent colleague Charmaine, you have my sympathy for having to work in such a disorganised environment.

I will be letting all my friends and acquaintances know of my experience and will blog about it later, as I would not want anyone else to be so disappointed.

Regards,
Herrad
ps The refund has been received on my PayPal account.

So I have my money back would have rather have had a bouquet delivered for our dear friend’s birthday instead.

Ah well at least I have learned something, which is find out if the address can be delivered in the first place.

At least I got the intelligence I needed to know, I won't go there again.

I am looking forward to sitting again at the weekend.

Jeannette's Frosty Pictures From New Zealand.



Woke up from a deep sleep I took a low dosage sleeping pill so that I could sleep without thinking about my bottom and what Ton would say.

When I was awake I was extremely cold, for the first time sleeping under a duvet cover was not enough usually when the weather is good I build up quite a lot of warmth but it seems not last night.

Not surprised as the blue skies and sunshine has made place to dull leaden clouds and torrential rain.

So no wonder that I was so cold when I woke, without the sleeping pill I would have woken up in the middle of the night asking for a blanket.

As soon as I was fully awake I realised that there was no shred of warmth under the cover my whole body felt like ice.

Now I have a fleece blanket over the duvet cover and a shawl around my arms and I feel much better.

Ton Peeks has just been and reassured me that it is not a new wound which would indeed require months of healing.

It is he says where the skin around the old scar was recently damaged and a little piece of that skin has been removed.

Both Ton and Richie think the strapping for the hoist caused this when he pulled it down around my bottom.

This confirmed what Richie thought on Sunday that the action of pulling the strapping under my bottom caused the skin to be pulled off which explains why it was bleeding so profusely.

If the injury had been caused by sitting the day before Richie would have found dried blood in the bed and that was not the case.

Ton says this does happens sometimes and requires even more care; Richie has already adapted how he puts the straps on me.

Now he lifts my right buttock and gently slips the strap under me, this is ok in bed and in the shower chair but there is no such option in the wheelchair.

Hopefully Richie will find a way to achieve the same result, which I am sure he will as he has found a way around every problem

I am so relieved by the news that t is not a new wound but the result of another tiny piece of previously skin being removed.

Healing has already happened but it is not totally healed over there remains a two millimetre gap, the size of a small nick in the skin.

Ton even reckoned that I could sit today but I told him that I would rather wait until it has totally healed.

Ton approved that and said he though that it will be healed by the weekend and I could sit then.

What a huge relief this is for all of us even the dogs who had noticed the atmosphere being different since Sunday.

Yippee!!! I will be sitting this weekend and I do not have to be back in bed for months, hated the idea that I would be in bed on the 21 the 2nd year since I first had to stay in bed.

That was a terrible thought glad it is not a reality, glad it won’t be too long before I sit again, glad Tom approves that I wait until it is totally healed over.

I would rather wait a few days until it is totally healed, as I do not want there to be any reason for anything else to happen.

I remember 2008 when I got problem three or four times and each time it healed quickly and I sat again, without any problems.

Only to be told on 21 august that I had to stay in bed, when Ton discovered a new bigger wound.

While the surface of the wound was small the wound was very deep, in total it was ten cms deep.

That took from 21 August 2008 until 7 October 2009, 14 months of lying in bed and seeing and feeling my torso muscles turning into pudding.

There is no way that I want this to happen again, it is reassuring to hear that this latest setback is skin damage of sensitive skin that was damaged by excessive moisture.

Ton thought it was a combination of sweating due to 30+ temperatures for more than two weeks and the catheter leaking.

I am looking forward to sitting again at the weekend.

Still Very Optimistic About Life.

Wheelchair Adaptation.

An interesting article on pain relief through cannabis.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/up-in-smoke-cannabis-gave-me-my-life-back-2041640.html

Slept surprisingly well last night, much better than I had expected seeing as Sunday night was such a very bad night.

It was almost as if all my worries had been reviewed many times over and from many angles on Sunday to Monday that I did not have to do it again.

Perhaps I am also being practical as I realise that I can do nothing but keep optimistic and hope healing happens quickly and well.

As it is August now the chances of getting healed and back outside are pretty slim nevertheless I still hope it happens.

Ever the optimist glad that I am an optimistic person, think if I were not like that my life would be worse.

Tomorrow Ton Peeks will be here at 11.30, glad he will come round but also sad as we said goodbye last week we thought for at least a few months not one week.

I am well aware that once you have a pressure sore the skin becomes very fragile indeed; my sore in 2008 was very deep so took ages to heal.

Took from 21 August 2008 to 6 October 2009 for it to heal, I got the adapted seat end of November and sat until 14 January.

When a new cushion on the shower chair caused bad friction which removed the skin this healed end of April when I had my first trip outside, it was 25 to 26 degrees lovely and warm.

The next setback was 16 May when I sat briefly on the catheter tube this healed in two weeks.

The next time was 18 July and it healed on 25 July and Ton confirmed this on the 28 July and the latest was this Sunday just gone the 1 August.

20 day before it is two years that I have been confined to bed, pressure sores are terrible and something that everybody needs to be vigilant to stop getting it.

Once you have had it the skin is fragile and it can and will keep happening, basically I will need special care from Richie to keep me healthy and stop the wound becoming infected.

Heard that it was an infection of his pressure sores that killed the actor Christopher Reeve,
Richie is doing all he scan to prevent infections.

I have a healthy diet of lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, and oily fish: herrings, mackerel, anchovy etc and the occasional chicken curry.

Plus laughter and exercises all of which plus all the tender love from my darling Richie helps me to live and live well despite being in bed.

I am still very optimistic about life.

Still Looking Forward To Good Times.

Drive By Truckers

Sadly I have another open pressure sore so had to stop sitting right away yesterday until it heals again, hopefully before the end of summer.

My estimation is that this, like in January will take a few months so I guess summer will be well gone by then, but of course I still hope that it will heal before then.

Richie saw it when he showered me yesterday afternoon, we are both shattered by this discovery.

We are trying to regain our optimism which is difficult to do under these circumstances, both of us had a very bad night last night.

Every time I was nearly dropping off to sleep I would find myself thinking about this new wound and how it had happened and so quickly too.

This happened every time I woke up, each time I woke and each time I would try to focus on something else, would try to visualise a flower or a favourite place.

But each time I woke the first thing in my mind was the horror of another pressure sore in the same place.

What we both find very worrying is that we do not know how it happened; this is very worrying especially for Richie.

Had hoped to sit longer this time but after just three days I have to stay in bed until it heals again.

Sat exactly three times, the longest was four hours on Friday, each day there was no signs of there being anything wrong.

Hope that it heals up again soon and that I can sit for long enough to get out to see the market and other favourite places in Amsterdam.

We have plans to go to a Drive by Truckers gig at the Paradiso in November which would be brilliant for us both.

Really hope it can still happen, feeling very down today, what a difference a week can make, last Monday Richie confirmed that the skin damage had healed.

We were both very happy, looking forward to getting out of the apartment together and having a life outside.

This Monday I have an open wound and have to do my best to stay in the here and now and be optimistic.

Anything else would be not be good for either of us as we need to get through this with positivity.

Still looking forward to the good times that I hope are still to come.

Looking Forward To More Fun.

Kirstine's London Canal Photos.


Today started off with a pale blue sky and sunshine which has gne now and been replaced with cloud cover and the threat of rain.

At least we had some sunshine today not like xyesterday wshen wse woke tp a dreary rainy day, so dreary the kight had to bed put on otherwise I could not csee the keyboard well.

Woke up this morning early hours in great pain which was helped by thc which was good as it helped me get another couple of hours welcome sleep.

Shame the sun has gone it looked so pleasant, our lovely neighbfour Wikkes moved yesterday and already miss hearing vher voice outside under my window.

Hope she is settling in to her new place and will be very happy there, it will be odd not having her downstairs anymore, but as she said she will come by often.

Feeling very achy today lso it is very sticky warm weather does not have a good effect on me so my right hand is useless for now.

This could change again later and by this evening may be able to type with my right hand again.

The dogs are quite knocked out because of the weather so it is not just my MS that is so wiped out today.

Hope tomorrow will be a pleasant sunny day and swe can go down to the market, be good tob get there again.

Been such a very long time ago since 19 august 2008 when I was last cthedre xwsith Marianne on our weekly trip together.

Used to go every Saturday with Richie and get our big weekly shopping done which was always good fun.

Hope to have more good fun soon really looking forward to taking every opportunity to make and have fun soon.
.