Positive news.

Roberto Matta                                           .  

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

Last night I slept very well which surprised me as I had been experiencing quite a lot of pain and discomfort as well as extra spasms late last night.

This morning I slept until 09.30 then I woke up abruptly because of the pain I was having due to lying badly in bed.

Richie soon corrected my position t his improved how I was feeling, some THC vapour made me feel much better.

Doing my arm exercises with Richie’s help relieved the tension in my arms and once Richie had done my leg exercises I felt even better.

A shower, clean clothes and a spray of gorgeous Lolita Lempicka  perfume as well as a pair of purple earrings soon lifted my spirits and I was ready to see our friend Anne.

It was a most pleasant visit, she is such a nice woman, always a pleasure to see her and hear her news.

The visit was over much too quickly but while it lasted it was good, yesterday afternoon I had a visit from another lovely woman friend, Cecile.

Always good to see her too, if I could I would see a lot more of both of them and they are both such good friends who it is good to see frequently.

This afternoon I called Dagma, our general practitioner, I needed to ask her some questions.

One of them was whether Mathilde my physiotherapist still needed to wear gloves during our physio sessions.

Dagma said this was no longer necessary, it had only been important to do while we were using the lotion.

She also told me that the antibiotics were having a good effect on Richie, as the results from the last swabs indicated that there were less living bacteria.

Our doctor is very optimistic that the antibiotics are working which means that Richie will soon be free of nasty bacteria.

The news is very good and has given us both a boost which we needed. It is always good to hear positive news.

Enjoy While I Can.

cquelineJa Lamba.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Lamba

Today has been a quick day; first I had my physiotherapy appointment with the wonderful Mathilde, my physiotherapist.

Doing the arm exercises, has become almost too much for me, I used to be able to do the exercises with light weights strapped to my wrists.

Now however my arms have become too weak to cope with any weight, it’s a shame, I miss feeling the strength in my arms, miss it very much, and I hate feeling like I do already now.

I hate it, don’t like it at all, its not pleasant to feel myself becoming so weak, must try to stop myself getting sombre too

After all there is absolutely no point in my becoming anxious and depressed, I am very aware that I have a virulent strain of a nasty progressive disease.

That is not getting better just worse, my plan now is to enjoy life, while I can, I am aware that life is finite; I intend to make the most of every moment I have got left.

I am going to enjoy this Christmas very much with my beautiful darling Richie; I love this time of year.

Strange Dreams.

Enrico Donati.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Donati

Today got better after I could sit up, waking up this morning was horrible, my muscles totally cramped tight, not a pleasant awakening.

It rarely is these days, although some days are less bad, today it was bad, waking up to pain is a shock every time.

This morning I woke after a restless night, full of strange dreams, I lay motionless apart from my legs vibrating gently as the spasms happened every couple of minutes.

Lots of involuntary movement, sadly voluntary movement not so easy, it was difficult to move my arms, I waited for Richie to help me.   

My right arm was very stiff and tightly folded over my chest, it was impossible to straighten it out, so Richie massaged my shoulders and arms.

Then he helped me to catch hold the handle, after the first set of exercises I was please that I didn’t have to ask Richie again for help.

Everyday that I can do my arm exercises is a good day, even better if I can do it all myself, if not then Richie will assist me.

The important thing is that my muscles get stretched so that I can use my hands & arms, this morning I lay in bed contemplating life without arms.

Scared myself silly with my thoughts, so decided to stop and focus on today, not to waste time upsetting myself, once I could refocus I enjoyed the day.       

.

Keepng Me Doing Well.

Josef Sima.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_%C5%A0%C3%ADma

Waking up this morning was pleasant, then my body stiffened up, trying to relax only got it cramped up, very painful and my arms couldn’t move.

It took ages before my left arm begin to move, then luckily it moved, slowly but it was movement, I was happy.

Once that worked I tried to move my right arm, it wouldn’t move, so I had to ask Richie’s help to move my arm above my duvet, it wasn’t easy as my arm was very stiff and wooden.

Richie had to massage it for sometime before he could lift it up to the handle, by holding my elbow to stop my arm from cramping up.

This worked, what didn’t work was me holding onto the handle again on my own, apart from once I needed Richie’s help each time I started a new set of exercises.

Not something I like, but as long as I can do it, even with help I am happy that I still can do my arm exercises, today I needed more help,

Tomorrow could well be different, I might even be able to do more, it happens often, if it happened tomorrow I will be happy.

 If it doesn’t and I need help, I will still be happy, if I can do my arm exercises, help is not the ideal situation, but if it means doing the exercises, then that’s good.

Keeping my arms being active for as long as possible, that is my intention, keeping my arms functioning will keep me doing well too.

Feeling Very Optimistic.

 

Alma's view of the Antennae galaxies, created using measurements from 16 of the dishes installed on the Chajnantor plateau in the Atacama desert, Chile. The Antennae are a pair of distorted spiral galaxies that are colliding about 70m light-years from Earth.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/gallery/2011/oct/03/alma-telescope-opens-in-pictures?INTCMP=SRCHhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/gallery/2011/oct/03/alma-telescope-opens-in-pictures?INTCMP=SRCH

 

Today the sun only came out at the end of the afternoon; a beautiful sight, nice for people after work and the kids playing outside.

I am happy today, I could do my arm exercises again, I also had a good physiotherapy session with Mathilde, followed by my leg exercises on my Motomed.

Later this week I will get an appointment telling me when Ruud will deliver my new wheelchair seat, he was here last Friday to do a fitting of my new seat, which went well.

The new seat was so good that instead of trying it out for a week; Ruud has taken it away to make small adjustments and to get it upholstered.

After one more week of discomfort, I will be able to sit well supported and will be able to enjoy going out again.

At the moment going out is not nice, I get rattled around in my wheelchair because of lack of support, and the wheelchair rocking about.

Wednesday Welzorg will be here to show us a better steering system for Richie so that we both feel safer outside.   

All the issues will be discussed with Percy, from Welzorg and Edith, my local council mobility advisor, hopefully there will be a good outcome soon.

I am feeling very optimistic about getting my wheelchair sorted out; this will, improve going out immensely, which makes me happy.

                                                                           

Still Me.

Mimi Parent.

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

Another good day today, I could hold onto the handle above my bed again, what a wonderful feeling, its abit like getting a special present.

I have been noticing how important simple things can be, like doing my arm exercises is essential for my well being, it means so much to me.

Recently I have noticed the big effect that simple things can have, like doing the exercises, which give me such a huge boost, as well as keeping my arms functioning.

I can see now how very important it is to have something I can do, it doesn’t matter what it is, what matters is that its good for me.

What’s good for my confidence right now is being able to do my daily arm exercises; I get such a boost from them.

Really does make me feel better, I know now that as long as I have something that I can do which makes me feel good about myself, then I will be able to live with my sever handicap. 

It has taken me some time to come to this conclusion, a few years of stress, depression and blind panic, years where I did not feel like I was going to be left with anything.

Multiple Sclerosis seemed to be taking everything away from me, it felt like I lost my identity as a worker and as a woman, it was a difficult time.

Now life is still not easy but I no longer feel I have lost my identity, MS has robbed me of so much, but it hasn’t taken my personality, it has only made me more determined to be myself.

            

I Am Enjoying Today Immensely.

Diane, 1977.
Mimi Parent.

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

Today has started well, when I got my left arm out from under the blanket, both arms were cramped up, my fingers were splayed, twisted.

Moving my left arm caused my right arm to fold rigidly over my chest, it was painful, and no way would I be able to hold onto the handle, my arm couldn’t stretch out far enough.

Instead I decide to manipulate my fingers, massage them, then tried to stretch my arms, left was good, right still tightly folded.

Eventually I held the rail around the bed with my left hand, then I also tried to hold the rail with my right hand, it took me some time, but I finally succeeded in holding the rail.

Then I managed to stretch my muscles, by stretching my arms as far down the rail as possible.

As soon as I could feel the difference I reached out and held the handle, at that moment, Richie came in and shared my delight that I was doing the arm exercises on my own.

Yippee I did  it on my own, no help needed, not today, I would prefer if it were like that every day, but even once a week would be good.

I am very happy having done all my arm exercises, nice to get such a boost, especially when I thought I couldn’t do them on my own again.

Obviously I mustn’t assume anything, nice to notice that a bad day does not mean there won’t be good days too, good days like today which I am enjoying tremenously

Determined.To Enjoy My Life.

Andreas Nottebohm.

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

Not being able to lift or move my right arm, last night, after not having any problems yesterday, was a huge shock.

It was a surprise which I didn’t need right now, when I could feel again, how important my arm exercises are for me.

Tried to see if I could somehow still be able to do exercises, once my arms can’t move, that was my immediate thought.

I wondered if Richie could rig up a pulley, over the bed that would make it possible for my arm muscles to get stretched.

After a short time I had to admit that there was nothing I would be able to do, not without a motor or Richie’s help.

Feeling my arm lying woodenly and unmoving next to me was unnerving, it scared me a lot; I had been hoping to keep my arms active.

My right arm not being to move at all, was horrible, I had hoped that my arms would still be functioning next year.

Last night’s nasty shock, rattled me, for awhile my optimism was gone, and I did not want to go on, with this unequal struggle

That lasted for only a few minutes before I bounced back, determined not to waste any time fighting MS which I can not win.

Instead I intend to enjoy my life with my darling Richie and savour every precious moment that I can.

Getting Happy Again.

 

Clovis Trouille.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovis_Trouille

Strange feeling waking up and not moving, takes awhile before my left arm can even start to move, moving my left arm involves the right arm too, as if they are connected.

Moving my left arm to extract it from under the blanket, results in my arm getting briefly cramped up and the fingers painfully twisted together.

At the same time my right arm is folded tightly on my chest, my hand is in a tight fist, difficult to open, best not to do so before Richie has massaged my arms and shoulder.

Massaging helps to relax my shoulder, my elbow and eventually my hand too, then I can start to do my arm exercises which directly allow me to use my hands.

I think that the massage as well as doing my arm exercises has extended my arm/hand/finger function considerably, I am convinced about that.

As soon as massaging starts to be effective, then my fingers can be gently opened and I can finally reach out and grasp the handle above my bed.

This enables me to do my exercises, as soon as they are done, I can feel that my muscles were stretched out again.

I am now able to type and to write this post, which makes me very happy, Cyril is also happy today because marleen is here.

As soon as Richie brought Marleen home from the vet, Cyril got very happy again, it was sweet seeing him so sad because she was not here, we will know the result in a week

Small Achievements.

One Way Ticket To Hell.
Mark Wilkinson.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Wilkinson
 

I was aware of my mortality, but lying in bed this morning; I am becoming even more aware of the finite nature of my life.

Not surprising as my arms are getting weaker, my right shoulder is stiff, as well as at times extremely painful.

I can’t start my arm exercises now without Richie’s help, some days he just needs to lift my arm by my elbow.

Other days, like today Richie had to massage my arms and shoulders for about 10 minutes before he could successfully lift my arm, and I could grasp the handle above my bed.

Each time I begun a new set of exercises I had to get Richie’s assistance to carry on, he also needed to stretch my arms during one exercise

I already need help to eat, I can’t use cutlery, now I can’t hold my cup except briefly first thing in the morning.

These days I can just pull the top of my shoulders off my bed, I can also move my midriff, as well as my waist a little.

Small achievements but big to me especially right now when it feels like I am starting to lose all the functions that I still have.

It is scary feeling that things are slipping away from me, I hate it.

                             

My Pain Is Manageable During Daytime.

 

Elle Loge La Folie, oil on canvas, 1970.

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

The weather is improving, the clouds are slowly moving away and the sun is starting to shine now.

Friday and saturday were cold, grey, rainy, on both days I wore my big fleece top to keep me warm.

I think unless I am very mistaken, that maybe the last time until autumn, hope summer will start to happen.

Be nice if it were to happen slowly, rather than go from 16 to 30 degrees which is like going from cool spring to blazing hot summer.

This morning I was woken abruptly from deep sleep by my painful right arm and lots of leg spasms.

Trying to drift back off to sleep proved difficult to do; it only worked briefly, kept waking up with my right arm folded tightly over my chest.

Every tiny involuntary movement woke me; my arms were dreadful this morning, better now I have done my arm exercises.

Also better now that I am reading newspapers, e-mails and typing my post, during the day my pain is manageable because I have other things to focus on.

It’s nighttimes that can be difficult, waking in pain and trying to sleep without getting caught up in dark thoughts is not always possible.

A Snapshot Of My Life.

 
Pedro Friedeberg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Friedeberg

Yesterday morning, there was briefly no sunshine, by the late afternoon the local bar, had many people sitting outside enjoying the sun.

Today is the same; the sunshine seems to be getting brighter, as the clouds move away revealing blue skies.

Last night I felt that my arms were very stiff, so took a 2 mg diazepam, which relaxed my arms.

I slept very well, as the diazepam helped to relax me enough to stop me worrying about my arms.

Waking this morning was also relaxed as my arms were not quite so painfully cramped up, as they often are.

Doing my arm exercises, pulling myself off the mattress, even if not as far as I used to do previously is good.

These exercises are crucial; I feel that they help to keep my arms functioning so that I can keep typing.

Which is so important for me to do, writing everyday gives me a lot of pleasure, since doing this daily since February 2009, I have realised that I like writing.

I enjoy it, doing it daily has made me good at it, these days I write short pieces, each one is a snapshot of my life with MS.

Beautiful Sunny Friday.

 
Miguel Cubiles.

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

Here it is Friday again, looking forward to the weekend and the rugby and football tomorrow afternoon.

Today has been a day of two halves the morning started well; we woke up at 09.00 when the phone rang, after awhile I did my arm exercises.

Then Richie did my leg exercises and massage after that he got me sitting up with the table and laptop.

Richie had a lovely long shower, which he enjoyed very much; afterwards he made himself a cup of coffee.

No sooner had Richie drunk it when I needed Richie to get me out of bed very urgently so I could go to the toilet.

My bowels were quicker than Richie could get me out of bed, luckily the sheet was protected so did not get messed up.

By the time the hoist lifted me out of my bed the room was filled with the smell of my shit.

These are not my favourite moments, sadly we have both have had to get used to them.

So used to it now, that I do not feel embarrassed anymore, we just get on with it, as we always do and once I had been to the toilet and had a shower I felt brilliant.

Life Goes On.

 

.
Leonara Carrington

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

It is Sunday again so quickly, the weeks seem to zoom by these days; although I know that is only my perception.

That amuses me as my days are not full of activities; my days are quite similar, I wake and do my arm exercises and Richie massages my legs’

Then I take my baclofen pills and right now cream and lotion for my rash and then I answer my e-mails and I write my blog post.

Every day is pretty much like the day before, somehow they maybe the same but for me they are all different.

My world has got smaller as a result of my MS,  but because of the internet it has also become bigger too, small yet big at the same time.

My days are as good as I make them; it is all to do with my perception and my positive nature.

Glad I am so positive and want to make the best of my life.

Otherwise being so handicapped would result in a huge depression.

I can’t believe how I just get on with my life these days when all my functions are slower.

Richie has to feed me,  I can hold my beaker and just about brush my teeth.                                                      

                  

Life goes on.

                            

Yesterday Turned Out To Be A Good.Day.

Woman With A Guitar. 1913.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Braque

Yesterday turned out to be a very good day indeed, certainly when compared with the days before it was so much better.

Feel so good that despite feeling worse than the day before I had a good appointment with Mathilde, my excellent physiotherapist.

I was so happy that I even managed to do the arm exercises using the weights around my wrists again.

After the session I could actually feel that my arm muscles were pumped up because of my hard work with the ½ kilo weights.

What made the day better was the fact that I no longer felt nauseous and was looking forward to dinner, having eaten bread & marmite during the day.

Last night I really enjoyed eating the lovely dinner Richie had made for us, despite him feeling so weak from this horrible influenza.

It was so good to be able to taste the food and to enjoy it all again and to be able to eat it all was also splendid.

Richie baked two apples stuffed with mincemeat, which is made with dried fruit, and mixed peel.

The baked apples were delicious a great way to finish off an extremely enjoyable meal, I liked every tasty mouthful.

Getting Organised.

Keith Tyson.

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

Today started well, woke almost gently think that is because I am getting used to feeling everything tighten up and become painful as soon as I wake up.

Richie did my leg exercises after I had done my arm exercises, then he set me up with the table and my laptop and he had a quick shower.

I settled down to reading my mail, listening to the radio and thinking about various things I needed to organise.

Did not get as far as writing today’s post, as suddenly I felt that the catheter had moved slightly, so I called Richie.

He popped it back in and hoisted me out of bed and took me through to the shower in the shower chair.

Had an excellent shower and Richie dressed me and sprayed me with Jean Paul Gaultier perfume and put earrings in and a couple of pretty bracelets on my wrist and a sparkly brooch and I was ready.

My session with Mathilde went well, although I noticed that my right arm was much more difficult to lift up to my head.

Richie and I had some lunch after my physiotherapy session and we were all set to go out and enjoy the sunshine when I felt the catheter start to move again.

Decided right away that this was happening to often now and for no good reason, had to accept that this is the moment when I needed to get the supra pubic catheter put in.

                             

Before we went to the bathroom I called our doctor and asked her assistant to get Dagma to call me back after her last appointment.   

Dagma called just after Richie had popped the catheter back in and had got me back into the wheelchair.                              

Asked Dagma to organise an out patients appointment for me as quickly as possible to get the new catheter which I now urgently need.

Cried a lot also while talking to our doctor as I am pretty scared about any surgical intervention.

But it is now obvious that I need to get the supra pubic catheter done so I do not need to worry about my catheter popping out.

Feel worried about the procedure and at the same time relieved that it will happen soon, would rather enjoy life without having to worry about things such as catheters.

Saturday Morning.

Theo Wolvecamp (Dutch, 1925-1992) Member of The COBRA Group.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COBRA_%28avant-garde_movement%29

http://www.cobra-museum.nl/en/cobra.html#WhoaretheCobraartists

Saturday morning came so quickly one minute I was asleep the next I was awake, saying hello to Richie who was already up and dressed.

Funny to be so fast asleep one minute and the next so wide awake and right away doing my arm exercises.

Gareth just phoned me to say they were all ready and packed to come over here on Tuesday.

Really looking forward to seeing him and Paul on Wednesday, next week; it’s going to be very good to see these two dear friends again and so soon now.

Nice they want to spend some time with us during their stay here, nice to have people stay with us again.

Feels so good, makes it feel like it used to, hate the way the limitations imposed by being so disabled has stopped us having as many people staying as we used to have before my MS diagnoses.

Maybe it is not really true and just how it makes me feel, feel like we were always more hospitable before the MS, notice we very rarely have people round to eat with us.

Perhaps we will start doing that more again, I shall discuss this with Richie, think it would be nice to invite friends to join us for dinner.

Invite Anne and her son Okhai, and also ask her to come and cook here again like she used to do.

Be nice to do that, make it a weekly thing, good for us all and stops us getting too private and reminds our friends locally that we do like to see people come to visit us.

This afternoon my cousin Katrin will be here to visit, our spare room is all sorted out and ready for her to stay.

It looks so much better than the last time Katrin visited us a year ago, now we have replaced the uncomfortable sofa bed with a queen size inflatable bed.

Richie has got all our bits and pieces that were lying around the room up onto shelves he put up this week.

He also hung the gorgeous gold curtain over the double glass doors and has put a nice light in there plus a little hand made Moroccan carpet next to the bed.

He will get some flowers to complete the room ready for Katrin arriving at 14.00 this afternoon.

I Need To Concentrate On The Positives In My Life And I Do.

Joseph Stannard.

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



The other day I had a moment of totally clarity where I did a sort of mental double take as I thought that there is really no need for me to worry about what is happening and what will happen.

No need at all as I can not alter the course of my MS, so wish that I could but I can not do anything to stop the inevitable progression of the disease.

What I can do though is make my life easier by not getting panicked and not worrying both those emotions are so draining, they take away too much of my valuable energy.

Those emotions are too negative and instead of helping me focus on the moment keep me worrying about what will happen.

It was good to realise again that I can focus on the positives in my life and not the negative aspects.

This does not mean that I won’t recognise what is happening because I do; I am very much a realist.

Do not want to swap worrying and fabricate an illusion where nothing is wrong, not that I can do that as my body is a stark reminder of the effects of my MS.

As soon as I yawn my arms get all cramped up, so waking up and yawning makes for a horrible few seconds of being stuck as my arms weld themselves together.

My arm exercises help me to straighten my arms and use my hands, two very important functions for me.

Recently bee getting upset at the thought that my arms and hands will soon not be functioning well or maybe not at all.

How will I/we manage when that happens is a question that I can not answer now, I am sure we will see how to manage it when it happens.

For now my arms and hands work, typing is becoming frustrating as my little fingers constantly touch letter and numbers that I had not intended to.

Makes for a lot of editing but that does not bother me, I am glad and happy to be here, to be able to share my daily story in my blog.

The sun is shining just now and I am listening to some good classical music on BBC Radio 3, so much better than having to listen to gossip or about the Blitz on the other channels.

A sunny day like today makes all the difference to how I feel and right here and right now I am feeling good.

Going to enjoy my day very much, especially now I have clarified things for myself once more.

Why fight against myself when right now I need to concentrate on the positives in my life and I do.

Not Allow Us To Think For Ourselves.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

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


Had a good nights sleep, just woke abit earlier than I wanted to, Richie helped me to drift off again by getting me some THC when he heard me wake up moaning in pain.

As soon as I am conscious I feel everything again and it always hits me very hard, really dread those first few moments of being awake again.

I did my arm exercises right away as my arms were so painfully cramped up and I wanted to get them moving as fast as I could.

When my arms hurt me so much, as they did this morning, then I try to get the exercises done right away, doing them usually helps me tremendously.

The leg exercises are also very good for me, glad that Mathilde, my physiotherapist, showed Richie how to do my leg exercises and the leg massage.

These two things along with my arm exercises and using the Motomed to do 30 minutes of leg exercise and 15 minutes of arm exercises daily really help keep me fit.

Which is very important especially now that I can not walk or move at all, so doing these exercises is even more important for me.

Could not believe how many sensational stories there are in the press today to take my mind off my pain and discomfort.

The Sunday papers are running more allegations against the Pakistani cricket team and there is more about the News of The World telephone tapping story, which came out after a New York Times story.

There is also a story about Wayne Rooney paying for sex during his wife’s pregnancy and more about William Hague and his special advisor, who he is alleged to have taken to Afghanistan with him on a fact finding mission.

It is all go on the news front as the August silly season is over and the papers give us real news again.

Sadly there is nothing about bringing Mugabe or Tony Blair and George Bush in front of any court of law.

Would have thought that Tony and George should stand trial in Den Hague, for what now seems to be seen as an illegal war in Iraq.

But that’s how the papers report news; the really important news often is left out as papers seek to manipulate their readers.

They prefer to feed the population a mixture of scandal, titillation and fear, those stories sell copies of the papers and bumps up their circulation.

Just to balance it out every now and then there is a real news item that emerges, but generally it is all stories of scandals and celebrities and stirring up fear of crime and fear of Muslims.

We are living in much too interesting times, as everything now seems to point to the world being manipulated into war.

The right wing Christians seem to want a Holy War, a Crusade against Muslims, they seem to want to make an Armageddon happen at all cost.

Recently Tony Blair has been agitating for a war against Iran, as he tries to persuade his fellow Christians that all Muslims are a potential danger.

They do not seem to care if this kills many innocent people in the process, they do not even care I think, if this were to be the end of the world.

Not as long as they, the righteous triumph, really find it hard to believe there are so many who will preach about Christian love and at the same time want to kill thousands of innocent people.

All in the name of religion, amazing how repressed life can be if you allow a big daddy like these church and sect leaders and others like Blair to interpret the world for us and not allow us to think for ourselves.

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.