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?

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

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!!