Day #8 and beyond without plaster cast

Hey, how have you been?  

Seems like I've been on a hiatus.  It also seems like every blogger on the planet has a hiatus every so often.  It wasn't deliberate. It never is.  Well, that's my excuse anyhoo.  However, it was one of those "Round tuit" procrastinating times when I should have got my fingers out of the biscuit tin and on to the damn keyboard!

Just to prove such things exist, here's an image (from ebay) of ....wait for it.......drum roll please......A ROUND TUIT!!

Well, who knew?  AND they come in all manner of sizes, some ceramic, some handpainted.  Check them out here for Round Tuits, and get one as a Christmas pressie for your favourite procrastinator!

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Lately there have been a few times when something happened and I thought, "I so need to blog this!" 

So here's a few things that happened to me in the last week:

• Now the plaster cast is off I've been walking on two feet, and using two crutches. 
• Gentle short distance walks are helping and I'm getting less pain as each day passes. YAY!!
• On Sunday, Grumpy Trousers bundled me into the car announcing "We're going out!" like it was some huge deal.  I was so taken aback at his instigation of an outing, that I zipped my mouth shut and duly complied with instructions. 

• And here are some of those instructions.
• "Get yerself in the the car then". I'm in already.
• "Gimme them crutches an I'll put 'em in t'backseat"  Where else will they go?
• "Av yer got yer 'andbag?" What's that on my knees?
• "Av yer got some money?" Erm, that'll be a no. I do however, have a pack of mints, a fluffy fruit jelly from the bottom of my handbag, my uncharged phone, and a dried up biro)
•  "Av yer been t'lav?" Jesus, I'm not 6!! (Even though I can feel a tantrum coming on)

(Apologies for all the above being in dialect.  Grumpy Trousers does't speak in Queen's English.  Let me know if you need it translating)

So all this happened on Sunday as I said.  We ended up at a little shopping village out in the Peak District about an hour from home.  I like this place as its flat, has a small selection of useful shops, and a larger selection of useless ones that sell everything you never knew you wanted.  Example, gorgeous scarves, fragrant candles, driftwood sculptures, handmade cards, wooden ducks in sets of 3, and for some reason life-size painted metal cockerels - go on you know you've always wanted a life-size painted metal cockerel.  No?  Well,that's YOUR Christmas present up the spout then!

Seriously, given my obvious lack of imagination, what would you do with a life-size painted metal cockerel if you were given one as a gift? Too big for the kitchen window sill, just not quite right for the living room. Hmm, bung it in the garden then.  In a bush.  In fact BEHIND a bush, where it can't actually be seen!  Better still, pop down to the Charity Shop and make it a donation.  I'm sure it would look wonderful in their window display and encourage custom.  Just thought of an even better use - donate to local church for use at Harvest Festival time.  What a cracking idea!  It could stand guard over the copious amount of eggs that are given at this time.  See, I'm warming to the idea of life-size painted metal cockerels now.  In fact I might come over all giddy.

Anyway, that's last few days, such as they were.  We're half way through this week already.  Don't they call it Hump Day?

Bradley Walsh's giggling fits on The Chase are the absolute best

Drugs anyone??

I never was one for obeying the rules!  Show me how to make life comfortable and I'll do it.....

Days #3 to #7 without plaster cast

I had hoped to to a daily diary of life without the cast but it's not worked out that way.  Grumpy Trousers is doing a family timeline thing (to do with his Genealogy research) and has hogged the better of the two computers we have.  That left me with a laptop that not only runs at a snails pace, it also freezes for about 10 minutes at a time.  I'm sure you can imagine the frustration!

Today, Grumpy Trousers has gone out to the dentist so joy of joys, the very efficient desktop computer is free.  Apart from the cat who was enthroned on the office chair. With a little encouragement she moved to alternative accommodation.  Ok, the reality was ....."Gerroff that chair!"  With a filthy look cast in my direction she yawned, stretched, stuck her nose and tail in the air and wandered off to the spare bedroom.  In her own time.  Cats!


So this is the before pic.........

and this is the after pic.......she looks much more comfortable don't you think?

Anyway, I digress. So, days 3 to 7 have been pretty much of a muchness to be honest. Waaaay to much sitting around waiting for painkillers to kick in, but it's necessary. Working through pain in the hope that it would just bugger off of its own accord doesn't work does it? It seems patience wins the day. Combined with Paracetamol and Ibuprofen.  So if I'm planning an outing, I dose myself up, wait around half an hour then seemingly I'm good to go.  My limitations of standing and walking about seem to be around 10 - 15 minutes for now.  Not much, but better than this time last week.

Today, I'm having a lunch outing with my close friend B who is also a neighbour.  She's also retired and we enjoy the occasional lunch and shopping trip.  Seeing as she's just arrived to pick me up, I'll finish this posting later!

10.00pm
We had such a nice day!  I haven't been very far for almost 8 weeks, and last weeks outing to the mall was really tiring and had to be cut short.  Today, I survived much better so clearly I'm getting stronger.  We paid a visit to The Range, which if you live outside the UK is one of those shops full of everything you didn't know you wanted!  I came away with a bunch of silk flowers and some  wallpaper samples.  Bizarre combination of purchases I know, but I have eclectic tastes that are reflected in my shopping habits!  

I'll do a separate posting about why I purloin borrow wallpaper samples from DIY stores.

I bought the silk flowers  as my gift flower supplies have now stopped. I've kind of missed having flowers around  so for the price of a fancy bunch from the supermarket that will last around 2 weeks, I got these from The Range.  I wanted the big Hydrangea heads, and B helped me choose the rest. Looks rather cottage garden doesn't it?

So that was that.  I got back in the car with my foot throbbing and my shoe feeling very tight, and off we went to a Farm Shop for lunch.  I love farm shops; all the veg is tastier than the overpriced crap you get in supermarkets.  The meat is straight off the farm so it's not full of hormones, antibiotics and water.  It's all as it should be.  B and I sat chatting, and generally having a great indulgent time over lunch for an hour, giving my foot a well earned rest, then spent a small fortune on farm shop goodies.

I have to admit I was glad to get home.  I just wanted an ice pack on my foot but I had a great time and (almost) forgot my pain.

Day #2 without plaster cast

Slightly better day today.  Remembered to take the painkillers in plenty of time so gave myself a good start on the day.

• Had another long and satisfying shower!
• Put cream on my ghastly peeling skin.  Lumps of my skin are falling off. I'm like a shedding snake.  I've even resorted to putting cling film over the creamed areas so my skin will shluuuurp it in.  I'll try anything once!

(Not my image I hasten to add.  Credit below)

Image credited tess95.blogspot.com

• Foot and toes still swollen.  I'd post a picture, but I respect your digestion.
• Had an outing to a small shopping mall to visit the opticians so Grumpy could get his eyes tested.
• I figured I could manage the short distance in and out of the mall on the crutches.
• Didn't bargain for needing to make several stops due to people cutting in front of me while mindlessly gabbing on their mobiles.  
• Sat for an hour in opticians so my bum was completely numb.
• Grumpy took me for a coffee and a toasted teacake afterwards
• Had to use the lift to go downstairs to the Ladies.  Very kind person held the toilet door open for me.  I was well impressed with that small act of kindness after being cut up earlier by ignorant mobile-users.
• Headed out of the mall but every step was agony (painkillers were wearing off)
• So happy to get into car and let out a loud squeal of relief.  If anyone else had heard that they may well have been confused with the scene from When Harry Met Sally.

So folks, that made up a big part of my day.  Oh, and I just discovered the cling film that I forgot to take off.  It's been on 10 hours, so a bit overdue for removal.  Nice!

Day #1 without the plaster cast

Oh dear me....where do I start??  I had great hopes for today such as:

1. less pain
2. more mobility
3. stable mood
4. a long and satisfying shower!

So one out of four wasn't brilliant.  In fact it was No. 4 on the list that worked out fine. In fact it was utter bliss.    No's 1-3?  Not so good.

It was probably my own fault for not taking my painkillers soon after getting up.  I left them until mid morning for some stupid reason only known to my sub-conscious.  Result?

1.   Crippling, searing hot pain in my ankle area on both sides, so couldn't put my foot down.
2.   The ortho-sandal from the hospital wasn't helping as it kept coming loose, and the walking stick wasn't keeping me stable,  Reintroduced the zimmer frame, so slightly better.
3.   Mood dropped like a brick due to the pain and spent a good half hour in floods of tears, being a right mardy-bum wondering if I'll ever be able to walk properly again!  

I had to buck myself up after a while as I could see Grumpy was getting a bit upset.  He's not used to me caving in.  I'm the strong one.  The one that keeps everyone else glued together.  So today, he had to be strong for me and it doesn't come easily for him.  I felt drained afterwards, and couldn't concentrate or be interested in very much.  The mid morning painkillers eventually kicked in and I needed to sleep again for a short while.  So having learned from that mistake, I've kept them topped up throughout the day at 4 hour intervals and don't feel in so much pain now.

My next door neighbour kindly loaned me his crutches as his knee is better and he's not using them much now.  I test drove them this afternoon and all was good.  I have them on short term loan now until I get some of my own.  In hindsight, I realised that the hospital never asked me how I was getting around at home, and what I was using.  Neither did they ask to see me walking in the ortho-sandal to make sure I was OK with it.  So what's that all about then?  Reflecting on this has made me quite cross and unhappy.  I need to stop thinking about it now, and just bloody well phone the fracture clinic tomorrow and ask pertinent questions!  You never think of these things at the time do you?

However, I found this fabulous cartoon that I need to conclude my mardy piece of writing with, if only to show that I don't stay down for long.  It appealed to be as not only does she look a bit like me, it's also the sort of daft thing I'd do.  Eventually!

I found the image on https://abodyofhope.wordpress.com/tag/funny/

It's off......Hoo Bloody Ray!!

So the plaster cast came off today!!  Two feet back on the floor, albeit with some weird velcro sandal and not a boot.  No crutches either.  I'm really looking forward to  having a shower in the morning after 6 weeks of topping and tailing.  My foot looks like some old tortoise, and trust me when I say it's absolutely vile.  I've slathered cream all over it and put a sock back on.  I hope it looks more socially acceptable in the morning.  Bluuuurgh!!

All the way through having my cast on I've had no pain whatsoever.  Take the cast off and guess what?  It f*cking hurts now.  And then some!  I've been assured it will settle down.  It better.

Grumpy took me out for my tea to celebrate, just to a local pub where I promptly ordered a very large Pino Grigio in lieu of a starter.  Priorities, fellow Waddlers.  Priorities - they must be got right!  I enjoyed my food a bit too much and now have indigestion.  A small price to pay after being under house arrest for the last 6 weeks.

Tomorrow's another day.  Night all x

The cast comes off tomorrow!

At last, after 6 tortuous weeks my plaster cast is coming off tomorrow.  On goes the sartorially elegant velcro boot, together with the crutches that will turn me into Bambi.  For another 6 weeks.

Still no driving, but at least I will have two feet on the floor.  Grumpy can watch out for himself then!!

Blogs to follow in short supply

Folks, I've noticed that all the blogs I used to follow are a bit like Penguins Waddle, updated sporadically.  It seems like all the stuffing has gone out of us in terms of writing, or writing anything of interest.

I've taken a good look round and it seems blogging comes in waves of whatever is of current interest. The most prolific bloggers have taken to doing reviews of clothing and cosmetics which makes me think there's something it in for them.

OK, so if that's the case I'll stick my hand up for the following:

• Reviewing Caribbean cruises.  I always fancied doing something exotic.  It's not Grumpy Trousers thing, but I don't mind going on my own.  For research purposes you understand.

• Or maybe a couple of weeks holiday in The Maldives? Oh, but then again, Grumpy wouldn't want to travel even that far.  Looks like single room then, again for research purposes.  I could do a cracking review on lone travel to The Maldives. Right?

• Oh, come on, a Monday to Friday in Prague?  Nice little city break, getting ratted on a bar crawl.  I could do a great review on that!  Please note, the image is  not me - I'm not that greedy.

• Not even that?  Oh I get it, nothing short of a whole weekend in Skegness.  In a caravan.

• I can hardly wait.  Bingo anyone?  Oh and it's your round - mine's a Sex On The Beach!

Sick of Sitting Around!

I knew it wouldn't be long before I started getting twitchy.  I need to be moving around, doing stuff, clearing cupboards, mending things, housework, whatever.  After two and a half weeks, the urge was distinctly getting the better of me.  Now my lower cupboards have never been so clean and tidy.  Or the bin so full.

It takes a bit of thinking about but stuff is doable even with a cast on my leg.

Things I can do -

• Get myself from room to room using the wheelchair.  Not without its drawbacks noticeable by the missing chunks on the hall skirting board.  Oh and the wall scuffs caused by the wheelchair handles.  Grumpy Trousers swears I have eyes in the back of my head except when I'm reversing out of the bathroom
• Wash my hair in the kitchen sink under the mixer tap.  I kneel my leg in cast on a dining chair and stand on my good one.
• Peel vegetables - same process or sit at the kitchen table
• Mix and bake a cake - same process
• Make coffee and tea providing people will carry their own out of the kitchen
• Vacuum, pushing myself along in the wheelchair with my good leg
• Dust but only with a short reach
• Fill and empty the dishwasher
• Fill and empty the washing machine
• Do some ironing.  Ironing board brought down to wheelchair level is equally comfy as standing up to do it.
• Stand on my good leg to hang clothes in the wardrobe.  Leg in cast is no excuse for tardiness.  Well actually it is - I just do it when I absolutely HAVE to!
• Manoeuvering the wheelchair in tight spaces.  I have to say the tight turns and shunting back and forth has to be harder than reversing an articulated lorry (OK well that might be a bit of an exaggeration but quite honestly it will turn on a tanner).  This apart from the night when I got wedged between bathroom doorway and hall radiator.  Expletives?  You've never heard the like!!)
• Water my pots and planters in the lower garden

Things I can't do (but I'm working on these!)

• Actually walk, or even put two feet to the floor
• Take a shower - topping and tailing just doesn't cut it for me.  I still feel a bit manky.
• Get in and out of the house my myself.  Currently a logistical nightmare involving precise positioning of wheelchair at outer doors, and zimmer frame ready on the outside.  The process works in reverse to get me back in.  Definitely needs another person. For some bizarre reason known only to himself, Grumpy Trousers gets confused by this process and I end up directing operations
• Water the higher part of the garden.  Grumpy will do it if I remind him.  Then he has the hose on full stream and blasts the heads off the flowers.  No amount of me knocking on the window and gesticulating deters him from this sport!
• Hang out the  washing as the line is in the higher part of the garden.  Grumpy has a rather unique way of hanging stuff but I don't care so long as it gets dried

So clearly, what I can do far outweighs what I can't which I am very chuffed about.  This posting has been a good exercise in itself and stopped me from being negative.  There's enough of that with Grumpytrousers.  That's a posting for another day.

Signing off for this evening due to having a numb bum.  I told you I was sick of sitting about!

Getting Stronger By The Day

I'm rather chuffed to report that I'm actually feeling a little stronger as each day passes.  I'm still at odds with the zimmer frame that they sent me home from hospital with but it's OK for steadying me as I move from armchair to wheelchair.

I met up yesterday with Mick my neighbour who is equally as incapacitated as me, having had a knee operation a few days before my foot op.  We sat like two old-timers in the sun for a short while, him on one of our dining chairs brought out on the driveway and me in my wheelchair. We laughingly discussed ailments, how we're getting around, the stupid stuff we've done (read that as stupid risks taken) etc. then suddenly we were joined by Beryl another neighbour who is also my close friend.  She sat cross legged on the hot concrete and it was like we were having a party.  Shame there was no beer!

Trying to demonstrate  my wheelchair prowess to Beryl I didn't take into account the camber of the driveway and suddenly found myself rolling backwards with no way of stopping myself before I ended up in next door's rose bushes!  Thankfully she was quick off the mark and saved me from being stabbed by thorns.  See what I mean about taking stupid risks?  It was kind of funny though, although not as funny as Grumpy Trousers letting go of the wheelchair a few days before as it scooted down the slope of the driveway and headed for the kerb on the other side of the road!

I honestly thought the silly old fart was behind me so rather enjoyed the ride as it gained momentum. But that damn kerb was advancing a bit too quick and panic set in.  Just in time he realised what he'd done and raced to catch me before I ended up head first in someone's garden!

Loud sniggers and guffaws followed from Beryl who'd witnessed everything from her own garden.  Grumpy was doubled up out of breath (and laughing) and I was completely bloody confused.

I'm such a numpty!

Me and the wheelchair are getting to be best mates now.  Until tonight that is......I ran over my own foot while propelling myself into the kitchen.  No, before you ask, I haven't a clue how it happened.  It just did.

Good job it was my good foot, otherwise you'd have heard the expletives wherever you are!

That is all.

This is the view from my armchair, except Elvis Costello has now been replaced by something unwatchable, so the TV is off.

And eight months since my last post.........

Well whaddyaknow, the foot operation to fuse my joint finally happend!  Almost three years since it was first scheduled, I was admitted as a day patient at our local hospital, but ended up staying overnight due to the lateness of my place on the operating list.  

I had a spinal anaesthetic which, when taking hold made me feel drunk and sober both at the same time!  Losing feeling in my legs normally happens after a few beers or a bottle of wine (you realise I'm exaggerating, don't you?) but then my head will also be mush.  The anaesthetic however, left my brain working perfectly well, so see what I did there?  Drunk/sober?  No? Oh well, you needed to be there........  They asked me if I wanted a sedative too so I gladly took all that was on offer and kipped through most of the operation.

It was too late to send me back to the day ward so they found me alternative accommodation in a side ward off one of the main ones.  I had a great roomie called Dorothy, a lady in her 70's and after a quick natter found we had mutual friends.  That made the experience more bearable.  I'd been starved of course all day, in fact going beyond endurance so when the nurse brought me a cuppa and a sandwich I was so grateful I almost cried.  Anyway, it saved me from chewing at the bed-frame!

Once the feeling came back into my legs it was rapidly followed by the most appalling itching, especially round my tum and bum.  It went on for hours!  I was given an antihistamine which seemed to settle it down a bit, but it began all over again and kept me awake.  Seemingly it was a side effect of the feeling coming back into my nerve endings.  Small consolation since I'd just scratched myself sore in my sleep.

So here's my plastered leg and foot while in the hospital.

Later in the day the physiotherapist came to see me armed with a pair of arm crutches.  Sadly I couldn't use them as my balance is bad and I'm quite weak down my right side.  Off he went and came back with a zimmer frame and all manner of aids for the bathroom.  The zimmer was marginally more successful than the crutches in that I have 4 points of contact with the floor instead of 2.  All good you'd think?  Yes, while bobbing around in the little side ward in straight lines.  Not so good at home having to negotiate corners from room to room.  I got so tired and weaker still with my hands and shoulders taking the strain of hopping on one leg with the zimmer.

Thankfully my lovely friends have loaned me their daughter's folding wheelchair and it's fine going through doorways and will turn tightly so that has been my saviour.

As I write this is the end of the first week. It's definitely been a rollercoaster ride, but I've had visits, cards and messages from family and friends and that has lifted my spirits no end.

Tonight I've booted Grumpytrousers out to the pub.  We've been cooped up together all week and both need a well earned break and a bit of peace.  So while he's propping up the bar of the local, I'm in my favourite chair, with the wheelchair in nearby reach, watching cheesy music programmes instead of the Olympics, and having a read of Rita Marley's life story.  Aaaahhhh!!