Taking one day at a time.

 

Roberto Matta

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

Getting back into writing my blog every day is proving more difficult than I thought, especially when everything seemed to be going against me.

Last Thursday when I wrote my first post since I stopped blogging on the 11^th of December I was very happy until I tried to post it on my blog.

I had chosen a picture by Roberto Matta, however when I went place it on my blog everything froze and nothing would cooperate with me.

After a while I tried to publish my blog post without the artwork but that did not work, in the end I was so frustrated that I decided it was better to stop and try again another time.

However everything went differently to how I planned and I did not manage to get back to using my laptop until Monday this week.

Then I was surprised to see that my blog post despite all the problems had been published on my blog just without artwork and a title and labels.

After I added the missing artwork, title and labels I realised I would have to stop as my index finger was not cooperating with me.

So I reluctantly shut down the laptop and decided to relax which is not always as easy as it should be, but I did my best.

Luckily this week I've been able to do my arm and leg exercises Motomed without the discomfort I have been experiencing in previous weeks.

Because the curvature of my spine is progressing it means that the backrest on my wheelchair does not fit me well anymore and does not support me as it should.

The result in recent weeks has been the I am sitting leaning to the left which is not a pleasant way in which to do 45 minutes of exercises.

I was getting quite downhearted thinking in due course I would not be able to do these exercises which are vital for my well-being.

Luckily Richie has been able to sit me in a wheelchair in such a way that I am able to do the exercises on the Motomed without any discomfort.

Hopefully my joy will be made complete when I can successfully publish this blog post with artwork, title and labels tonight, then I will be happy.

What a relief.

Roberto Matta 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Matta 

Neither Richie now I were looking forward to the catheter change, especially Richie was not looking forward to having to do it once again.

I did not realise that he was having such dilemma about it otherwise I would not have asked him so very late on Saturday whether it could be done on Sunday.

Later on I realised that gone one o'clock Sunday morning was not such a good moment for that question.

I did not ask him again until Monday afternoon when I enquired whether I should ask is that our general practitioner or the district nurse to do the catheter change.

Richie said that when I asked him too late on Saturday night it had not been a good moment to him as he was panicking about doing the next one.

We agreed that Wednesday would be a good day to change the catheter, and today that is just want Richie did.

Last night a sleeping tablet allowed me to sleep without any worry about the change of catheter, this worked very well and I had a good nights sleep.

Half an hour before Richie before Richie inserted the new catheter I took a valium tablet which relaxed me for the procedure.

The whole catheter change went quickly and well, before I knew it was done; afterwards Richie and I were both extremely relieved.

Determined to give it a go.

Roberto Matta.

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

It was tremendous relief that yesterday's catheter change at the hospital went so well.

last night I was hoping that as a result of the success at the hospital that I would get a good nights sleep.

sadly this did not go as I wanted, because I woke up at least five times during the night, this was due to my legs being extra painful.

the other reason was that the duvet is still too warm for me because the weather while cool is not cold enough for such a thick cover.

tonight I shall as Richie to replace the duvet, with an blanket in a duvet cover which should give me all the warmth I need, without making me uncomfortable.

this afternoon I had a very pleasant visit from Anne, who visited me for two hours which was lovely.

We had a good time chatting and laughing, at the end of the visit I promise that I would be more proactive and called her regularly to ask for a visit.

On Monday I mentioned that I would be practising how to use the Seetech computer, which would mean I wouldn't be able to blog until I was Seetech literate.

When I got back from the hospital yesterday I just wanted to write a brief post using Dragon voice recognition, after which I would practice on the Seetech computer.

I did have a look at the Seetech computer together with Richie, it was even more difficult I imagined.

What confused me was not understanding exactly what I have to do, I tried opening various items and only succeeded each time in closing down the computer totally.

after an hour when I was starting to get a headache, we decided it was enough for one day.

I'm hoping that it will get easier time I tried to use it, it would be nice if it became clear to me quite soon exactly what I have to do.

Learning how to operate new software is not going to be easy and not as quick as I would like, I want to write my posts on my new computer right away.

I realise now that once again I'm going to have to be extremely patient and take things one step at a time, not easy for me but I'm determined to give it a go.

Everything Went Well.

 

Oscar Dominguez.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Dom%C3%ADnguez 

Last night, Richie and I decided to change the catheter after Milou, the wound nurse had been to check on the progress of the pressure wound today.

After Milou had taken a swab and a photo of the wound she left again not before she made an appointment for three weeks time on 8^th of August.

I was trying to remain calm cool and relaxed, but wasn't really fooling either myself or Richie that I was any of those things, nevertheless I did remain calm.

Richie got me some THC vapour which I slowly inhaled by simply by placing the tube in my mouth.

Quite soon I felt myself becoming relaxed, despite noticing that Richie had been getting all the equipment assembled for the catheter change.

Watching this made me a touch apprehensive but I managed to stay pretty relaxed despite this little wobble.

Richie had no sooner got everything he needed when he started the procedure, before I knew it, Richie had emptied the catheter balloon.

Then he removed the old catheter, which I hardly noticed except for a momentary tingle and then it was out and thrown in the bin.

When I asked if he was about to put the new catheter in, Richie told me it had already been inserted, this time I had felt nothing.

Really brilliant, the whole procedure went very well, without any problems or any discomfort for me.

Richie had to laugh because apparently I looked massively relieved and overjoyed when he told me that the new catheter had been inserted.

The news about the catheter was the best news ever at that moment, as soon as I heard those words, the tension in my shoulders evaporated away.

Now it's done I feel wonderful, it really was a weight off my shoulders, only when it was gone did I realise what a burden it had been.

After a wonderful pampering shower, Richie dressed, perfumed me and put earrings in my ears and rings on my fingers.

Then he installed me comfortably back in bed where I am enjoying writing this post and looking forward to enjoying this evening with my Darling Richie.

Keeping Calm.

 

Oscar Dominguez

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Dom%C3%ADnguez 

Today is another dreary, grey, overcast cool day which is more suitable for the end of October than the 17^th of July which it is.

This week is when my catheter gets changed again; I hope that this time Richie will be able to get the new catheter in without any problems.

The last time it took a little time before Richie could insert it, and the time before it took hours and even calling the doctor did not help.

Richie got it in that time because he changed the angle of insertion, last time it worked because he used the thinner catheter, it had been a 16 now it is a size 14.

The size is of no interest to me what really matters, is that it happens as quickly as possible, it's a shame there has been some problems with changing catheters.

As I was fairly relaxed about the whole procedure, I began to realise that any discomfort I experienced would only be of a brief duration, a matter of seconds.

But since it has been a problem twice is got me feeling quite apprehensive about the procedure, which I know I really don't have to be.

Not sure that I can really do too much about this anxiety apart from relaxing and focusing that nervous energy into other activities.

Such as writing my posts for my blog and concentrating on other things, it works to an extent but it does not stop me thinking about the change of catheter.

Tomorrow Milou, the wound nurse will visit here, to check on the progress of my wound, I hope that there is noticeable change since she was last here.

Two of my least favourite things happening in the same week, no wonder I'm feeling so apprehensive.

Now to convince myself that I really don't have to be nervous about either of these events, either changing the catheter or seeing Milou.

Seeing Richie and the dogs coming back from the park will change my mood as well as make me smile and enjoy the evening in the company of Richie.

If Only I Could Enjoy Summer Again.

Joseph Noiret
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Noiret

Today really is a day of two halves, from early this morning it has been another grey miserable overcast day, not a summer day.

This afternoon it was time to change my catheter, it was one month and two days since the last change, this time again it took ages.

I was lying on the shower chair for what seemed to be hours, Richie got the old one out with no problem which I hardly felt, but getting a new one back in proved to be a big problem.

Richie kept trying and trying various ways to insert a catheter, finally he stopped and got another catheter which went in at his first attempt, it was a thinner catheter.

Our ordeal was over and Richie could proceed with showering me and getting me dressed and back into bed.

After hours spent in the bathroom it was lovely to come back into the bedroom and find that it was looking much nicer outside then earlier in the afternoon.

At six o'clock the clouds were gone, the sky was blue and it was sunny, I hope the temperatures are not going to shoot up too quickly.

But it really is amazing because the weather has been early autumn weather since May and not at all the sort of weather you expect to get in the summer.

Today it feels like late April or early May when things are just starting to improve, instead of the 26th of June.

The trees around us have already got yellow leaves, I've been hearing from friends that flowers have not blossomed and other plants have gone yellow.

It really feels like autumn rather than summer, in some ways I'm not unhappy about this as I still have not heard when the council will finally install the air conditioning for me.

Mostly it is out of my mind and then every now and again it pops back into my mind, especially when the weather looks like its improving.

I'm dreading the temperature rocketing from 18° today to in the 30s tomorrow, it usually happens like that and I can't cope with it any more.

Sad that I can't cope with hot weather, which is dreadful for me, it really is, especially as I have always loved it being hot, being a Trinidadian I adored hot summers.

At the first sign of good weather I would be straight into my shorts and skimpy T-shirt as soon as I got home from work.

Nowadays when it is hot, it makes me feel very uncomfortable, so much so that I yearn for cool weather which surely can't be right for a Trini, how I wish I could still enjoy the heat of summer.

A Dreadful Afternoon.

Kay Sage 

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

It has been quite a day, typically what we didn't need to happen occurred when Richie took me to the bathroom for a catheter change and a shower.

The catheter came out all right but would not go back in and no matter what Richie did, he had no success.

After an hour and a half I called the doctor to ask for their assistance, once I explained, I was told someone would be there right away.

Hans, Dagma’s colleague came to see if he could help us, he too did not seem to be able to achieve the desired result.

He ended up making a telephone call to the urology department of one of the hospitals for their advice; they gave him a few tips.

Which he tried without success, then Hans went to the chemists to get a couple of catheters with a smaller diameter.

While he was gone Richie kept trying and in the end he got one of the catheters we used to use inserted without a problem.

So then he tried again with the supra pubic catheter, this time Richie inserted it at an angle and it slipped in no problem.

At that very moment the doctor returned with the other catheters, he was very pleased when he heard Richard had been successful.

Right now we both are trying to recover from spending just about four hours all told in the bathroom this afternoon.

Once I finish this I shall find an interesting piece of artwork the post this and spend the rest of the evening relaxing.

Not My Favourite Day.

Zdzisaw Beksinski
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zdzis%C5%82aw_Beksi%C5%84ski           
 Zdzisaw Beksinski

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zdzis%C5%82aw_Beksi%C5%84ski

Yesterday was the day for my catheter change, not my favourite day, but its good to have it done.

For another 6 weeks, I don’t need to think about it, and I won’t not until a month has passed then I need to order a catheter.

I was relieved it was over so quickly and painlessly Richie does it so well,  every time it gets easier.

Today I am happy it’s done, glad it’s all over and today is the best day, it’s the day after my 6 weekly catheter change

A very happy day thanks to Richie changing the catheter so sensitively, thanks to my darling Richie for his love and care.

Not Worrying Is Better.

 
Norma Bessouet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Bessouet

After a dreary start to the day the sun is breaking through which makes everything look better, despite it not looking nice it’s a warm day.

Today was the catheter change day, again it was easier, which is good, I hardly felt anything; Richie is getting very good at replacing the catheter every 6 weeks.

He puts a dab of KY jelly around the opening so he can slide the catheter out without causing me any discomfort, which works well.

He removes the liquid in the bubble; he always empties it twice as there is always abit of the saline solution left in the bubble after the first emptying.                

This can cause pain when pulled out, today I hardly noticed anything, at the moment Richie removed my catheter I breathed out.

It seemed to work well, and now it’s been done I am very pleased that I do not have to think about it until the next time in 6 weeks time.

I shall put the next date in my calendar then I do not have to even think about it for one moment, on the day I will get a reminder.

When I have posted this I will do my leg exercises on the Motomed, 40 minutes and after that I want to relax and enjoy the late afternoon sun.

This time I did not worry about it at all, which was brilliant, I am very pleased how well I am doing not spending any time on worrying.

Busy Tuesday.

Expressionism.

Slept until 10 am and then woke up slowly, felt the pain but somehow it was not quite as intense as normally.

Made my self do my arm exercises and that helped me stretch my arms and got my hands functioning by doing my finger exercises.

By the time Richie had done my leg exercises and I had brushed my teeth and washed my face I could hold the beaker to take my baclofen tablets.

It is weird that I am accepting things now as ordinary, it is clear that if I do not do my finger exercises my fingers are useless.

Could feel myself getting tense and by the time that I took the bladder relaxation pill at 12 am I was getting stressed.

Managed to stay calm and focussed and wrote a document with all the things I wanted to discuss with the doctor.

We had a very good discussion, she told me what she had found out about LDN, and it was more or less what we already knew.

Dagma is going to talk to a neurologist and then we will talk about it again, the thing that concerns her are the side effects of anxiety, depression.

That makes me pause but does not put me off, I think right now that I am inclined to try it, seems to me to be worth it for me.

Don’t think that I have too much to lose and who knows it could help me.

The catheter change went well and so was good to discuss LDN and vitamin D with our doctor.

Dagma was all in favour of the vitamins and she is going to proscribe me daily vitamin D capsules.

After the doctor’s visit we took it easy and then Richie took me to the bathroom, then I sat in the wheelchair as I have been doing everyday.

Gareth and Paul came by after I had been sitting for one and a half hours and they were here for two and a half hours.

Richie put me back in bed after I had sat for four hours which was good, am really getting used to and enjoying sitting again now.

My plan is too start moving around the apartment tomorrow and the day after and I hope go out on Friday.

Who knows if it goes well I could be getting to the market quite soon.