Ready, Steady - GO!!!!

It is wonderful to see our Paralympians walking off with a variety of medals.   Inspirational is the only word I can think of here.   Sadly, we shall not see the whole Games because we are off to Spain on Tuesday.

I thought I had covered everything last year when I bought hi viz vests, a first aid kit for the car and a set of lamp bulbs.   I already had a warning triangle.   Britanny Ferries emailed me to say bonvoyage and included tips for the holiday.   It was then I read that in France you need one warning triangle but in Spain you need TWO!!!   Luckily Britanny Ferries sell these on board their ships so I can become legal once more.   At least I don't have to carry a breathalyser set for the French limit.

When we go we shall be taking some spices, cook books etc to compliment what is already provided in the house we rent.  This time we should keep our weight from increasing.   We have just bought the Hairy Dieters cook book and there are soem excellent recipes.   With this book and regular gym visits I may lose even more than the 2 stones I have already shed.   Watch this space  - but don't hold your breath!

This year we shall be spending two days in the beautiful city of Toledo that used to be the Spanish capital.   It is know for the peaceful co-existence of Muslims, Jews and Christians in mediaeval times.   The cathedral is the spiritual centre of the Spanish church.   It possesses some of the most wonderful and priceless paintings by artists renowned throughout the world.   But Toledo's claim to fame is that it was the home of the painter, El Greco.   Seeing some of his paintings, I can see why he is so venerated.   There is also a house where he is reputed to have lived and this contains some marvellous pictures, in particular the Tears of St Peter.

It is from the main square, Zocodover, that a tourist road train called the Zocotren leaves every half hour when you can enjoy a fun way of seeing Toledo.   The ride lasts 50 minutes and is well worth the ticket!

On arrival in Santander on the ferry we shall go to Hotel La Roca where we stayed twive last year.   When I booked our stay this year via Booking.com I got an email from the owner of the hotel asking which room we would like!   Safe to say that we are expected!

If you want updates on our visit to Spain visit my other blog, the Andalucia Report.   Just use this link:    http://keithalexanderinspain.blogspot.co.uk/

Olympics and Chickens

For the past 10 days I have been the temporary custodian of a rabbit, a guinea pig and three chickens.   Each day I have popped into the village to our friends' house to feed and water their livestock.   For the most part, my granddaughter, Ellie, dealt with the smaller creatures as she has experience in keeping rabbits.   My task was to see to the three chickens.

Now, when last entrusted with their care I copied the routine from August 2011.   I allowed the birds out.   Whilst I cleaned their containers and replenished them with food and water the birds would wander round the raspberry canes and jump up to grab occasional raspberries.   Getting them back to the coop was easy.   All I did was to bend down  and they crouched whilst I picked them up, one by one.

Back in February I was asked to look after them and so let them out as usual whilst I performed the tasks of topping up food and water.   But there was one awkward bird with a red ring who ran for it every time I approached.   I am not equipped to chase birds anymore!   Eventually I did, by stealth and guile, get her back to the coop.   All this activity and tension created asthma symptoms, so I was not best pleased at having so much trouble.   For the rest of the time I ensured they never left the coop!

For the past 9 days I have followed the same policy.   But today was so lovely and warm that I dropped my guard and, being the amiable fellow that I am, let the birds out for my final day in charge.   When it came time to get them back in the coop I approached them quietly and looked for the one with the red ring.   She was the troublesome one back in February.   There was a piece of body language that seemed to separate her from the others.   But I had been there before and grabbed her before she could dive behind nettles!   After this the other two were easy and soon there were 3 happy birds clucking away in the coop and sampling replenished food and drink.

So that was the excitement for the week?   Not a bit of it!   We were watching the Olympic Games and seeing our athletes doing incredibly well in their various sports.   Last Sunday was quite unbelievable.   After hoping against hope that Andy Murray would win Wimbledon each year we went crazy when he achieved a gold medal against Roger Federer.   Now there is proof he can win.   He even beat Novak Djokovic in the semi final!   Pity that he could not win a second gold medal in the mixed double with Laura Hobson.

Last night, Nicola Adams won a gold medal for boxing and here was another joyful occasion.   It all reminds me of the day we spent at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and saw Jonathan Edwards and Paula Radcliffe win gold for England.   It was lovely weather and there was a very friendly crowd there to see the athletics.   There were no traffic problems because Manchester had such good plans to accommodate spectators and their cars.   We went early but didn't need to because everything appeared to be organised as if they had been doing it for years!

So this week ends successfully and peacefully and I forgive the chickens for previous misdemeanours and their poor record for laying eggs this time!   Our grandchildren have been returned home and peace returns to the Alexander household.   What bliss!

Highs and Lows

Last week at Amlwch English Methodist Church saw our 32nd Flower Festival and it was a huge success.   More publicity was created and the weekend coincided with the Bi-annual Viking Festival.   On the first day we sold the food we had purchased for both days.   On the second day we sold as much again.   The event proved to be extremely popular.   The Sunday saw our usual Songs of Praise re-scheduled to be the morning service with a difference.   We had a large congregation with 30 members of the family of the late Barbara Tudor present to share the dedication of the new flower stand in church.   Barbara was the one who first suggested a Flower Festival in the church.   Our theme was "The Easter People" and each display told the story from Palm Sunday to Easter Day.   It was a truly inspiring experience this year.

A few days later on 1st August (today) I was due to appear as a witness at Caernarfon Crown Court in a fraud case.   That meant being very stressed.   We (the witnesses) we were advised that it would be a long day.   Then the news came in that the case that had run over from the previous day was delayed because members of the jury were delayed getting in.   An articulated lorry had overturned on the A55 near Abergwyngregyn and huge delays were happening.   The outcome was that our case was re-scheduled for 22nd November!   I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.   All the stress will now happen again in November.   I suppose the good side was that I had already seen the court arrangements and would be better prepared in November.   2/3 years ago I was on jury service at the previous location of Caernarfon Crown Court, so I am getting some experience there!

On Sunday, 29th July, our youngest granddaughter, Emelia (Meme, age 10) came to stay for a few days.   Then yesterday, 31st July, our oldest granddaughter, Eleanor (Ellie, age 15) came to stay.   Just now we have two grandchildren (cousins) staying with us.   They have spent most of today baking in the kitchen!   Emelia goes home tomorrow, so I have a 250 mile journey to do, there and back.   The good news is I can do it in the day instead of staying overnight with my son and returning on the second day.   Never a dull moment!!!

Good Samaritans

This week saw Pauline's stress levels rise.   She had promised to paint a picture of the cottage our son-in-law's parents had once lived in whilst in service.   It is their Golden Wedding soon and Derek wanted to give them something different.   The clock was ticking and Pauline was getting more afraid of not being able to deliver on time.   It quickly became apparent that she would not finish in time for the painting to dry and be framed professionally.   The answer was to find a ready made photo frame that would fit.

I went on line and determined that I could buy a frame from Wilkinsons in Holyhead.   Pauline also needed some low odour white spirit for her painting work.   I could kill two birds with one stone if I could get some in Holyhead.   On Wednesday afternoon, whilst she went off with David and Liz to get a manicure etc, I drove over to Holyhead.   On the way I encountered a rock in the road and it punctured the front nearside tyre which was new the previous week.   The incident happened on a quiet narrow country lane.   My first thought was how to tell the RAC where I was as it is sometimes difficult to convey Welsh place names over the phone.   I was part way between Llanerchymedd and Trefor.

A car pulled up behind me and the driver asked what was the problem.   I explained and he just got out of his car and set about changing the wheel!   However, he was trying to raise the car with the jack without ensuring the jack was placed under the correct jacking point.   This meant that he simply dented the underside of the sill!   I managed to convince him to move the jack to the right place and the job went ahead.

Soon, the car was ready to drive again and I thanked the man very much.   I told him that not many people would have stopped to help in those circumstances.   His puzzled look told me he thought anyone would have done what he did.   That is the mark of a Good Samaritan!   What he did came quite naturally.

Next day I took the car to the tyre fitters in Bangor and they popped on a new tyre  and all was well.   All this was at no cost as the car is leased through Motability.   All's well that ends well.

Later today the new craft shop at Brynrefail has its official opening.   It is a venture by a new church in Anglesey called, appropriately, Good Gifts.   Once a month they meet to hold a service in the Roman Catholic church at Llangefni for young people with learning difficulties.   The craft shop is to sell goods created by people with learning difficulties and our friend, Lucy, is their champion knitter.   She makes some wonderful knitted scarves in many different colours.   Also on sale are other items from local painters and craftspeople who share the profit with the shop.

Next week is a busy time for our church in Amlwch as it is the time we hold our Flower Festival.   I am looking forward to seeing what inspirational designs are created.   This is our 32nd festival, which was the brainchild of the late Barbara Tudor back in the seventies.   In fact, at our Songs of Praise on the Sunday morning, we shall be remembering Barbara, who died last December, and dedicating a new flower stand for the church.   This is being given to the church in her memory by her family.

In the swim

Recently, Pauline has experienced a lot of pain which is rheumatism in her right wrist and lower arm.   This has made it very difficult to perform a multitude of tasks in daily life.   At one point it was almost impossible to use a knife when she was spreading marmalade on toast.   In the end I finished the spread and cut the toast for her.   Another vital activity is walking with a single crutch or walking stick.   The rheumatism makes it very difficult to place weight on a crutch or stick.

We decided enough was enough, because she was also struggling to operate her wheelchair when in a supermarket.   After checking the wheelchair today we found she could use it better.   She had been to see her doctor on Wednesday and was prescribed some anti-inflamatory tablets which are working now.   As early as Wednesday this week she came from the doctor's room to reception waving her crutch to show me she was walking unaided.   She certainly impressed the staff there!

As we were approaching the leisure centre in Amlwch she suddenly asked me to collect a programme to see when she could try swimming.   It was necessary to locate a convenient slot for "public access" between specialist sessions.   She meant me to collect a programme when I attended the gym there an hour or two later.   I pulled in and acquired a programme there and then.   Looking at it we saw she could attend the pool whilst I attended the gym an hour later.

Soon we had had lunch and changed into leisure centre clothes.   Off we drove to get the show moving.   I went to the gym and Pauline went to the swimming pool.   An hour later she emerged to tell me she had swum twenty lengths of the 25 metres pool.   Not bad for someone with a healing broken femur!   This morning she had, for the second time, gone into the shower unaided and without anti slip mats.   It worked!   The shower tray has anti slip characteristics which mean we have normally had no problem when using it.   With all the confidence in the world she went in and came out as if she had been doing it for weeks!

Now this is what I call progress.   I had, the previous day, asked the British Red Cross to exchange the wheelchair as we thought it was the problem.   Today we discovered it was not.   I tested the wheels and all was normal.   Pauline used the chair in the kitchen and it did all she asked it to do.   Where was the problem?   There was no problem!   The answer is that the new tablets are working and normal service has resumed.   Doesn't it make you happy?

Yet more progress

As I write it is a sunny day in Anglesey and I have just got back home after a Circuit Leaders Meeting in Bangor and a visit to the tyre fitters to get two new front tyres on the car.   It seems everywhere is saturated with temporary traffic lights!   I arrived home just before 3.00pm and Pauline had not yet had lunch as she depends on me for food preparation.   We are now filled and ready to go!  

In the last few days she has been able to get into the car without first sitting sideways and then turning through 90 degrees.   This morning she went to the health centre to see her doctor and walked back into the waiting room, carrying her crutch.   Now that is what I call good news!   We are off on holiday on 4th September (not long now) and she needs to be able to stand in the shower by then.   At present she uses a shower seat lent by the hospital OT department.   Tomorrow we shall remove the anti-slip mat to see if she can do without it.   If all goes well we shall progress to standing in the shower.

When we booked our hotels for travelling down to southern Spain she was recovering from her spinal operation.   After booking the same hotel in Santander as we used last year, the director emailed to ask which room we would like.   We had used a large room last year with a bath tub and liked it a lot.   On our return we stayed there again and were allocated a smaller room with a walk-in shower, similar to our own.   Each room had its benefits but we quite fancied the larger room.   Let's hope Pauline can get into the tub where the shower is located!   I am sure she will cope with a little help from her best friend!

Tomorrow we are expecting her community physiotherapist, back from her honeymoon in Italy.   I think she will be pleased with progress.   With the aid of a crutch, Pauline can walk at her normal speed and can stand for longer periods.   Mind you, I'm glad we live in a bungalow because climbing stairs would be almost impossible.   The problem is that she is restricted in what weight she can place on her crutch because of arthritis in her wrist.   If she needs strength to cope then we have a problem.

All in all I am extremely pleased at her progress.   Both of us thought it would be quicker but we had forgotten we are getting older and need more patience as the human body takes longer to heal.   Yesterday we heard about our grandson, Craig's, graduation ceremony in Liverpool.   In another year he will be a real lawyer!   From the photos he turned himself out well - not the typical student style.   Well, that's all for now.   Keep smiling!

Looking back and looking forward

The heading speaks of the last week in a nutshell.   On Sunday I went over to Holyhead to preach in the Methodist Church that shares premises with the Church in Wales on the Morawelon Estate.   They have been in residence since December 2011 and this was my first visit.   Looking at my diary, I see that I was last preaching in Holyhead on 2nd January 2011 - if I actually made it.   At that time we were experiencing a great deal of snow if my memory is right.   If I didn't make on that occasion it must be over 2 years since I preached at Holyhead Methodist Church.

I was not originally on the plan to be there but the Superintendent Minister, who was, needed to be elsewhere and so I took the service in his place.   It was a pleasure to share worship with them - after Amlwch Methodist Church, it is my favourite preaching place.   I love the small congregation there!   They originally had their own building that became too much to manage so joined the Welsh Methodists in the next street to the Post Office.   Last year the Welsh church decided to close because their quinquennial inspection highlighted some very expensive repair work which they could not afford to carry out.   So, once more the small English congregation looked around for a new home.   They eventually accepted the invitation of the similarly small Church in Wales congregation at St David's, Morawelon to share their building.   The Circuit now have high hopes for the future in partnership with the Anglicans.   The looking forward bit also includes the fact that I am again preaching at Holyhead on Sunday - two Sundays together!

On Tuesday we drove over to Ysbyty Gwynedd to see the consultant who operated on Pauline's broken femur some nine weeks earlier.   He was satisfied with her progress and confirmed that she was now the proud owner of a shortened left leg.   Prior to seeing the surgeon, Pauline had an x-ray and the radiographer remarked on how well she was walking for her age at that stage in recovery.   Apparently the rest of the patients of that age still struggle at that stage of recovery.   So here we have another sense of looking forward to a great improvement.

In another month we shall be transmitting the balance of the money for both our holiday residence in Spain and the ferry to take us to Santander.   The time is beginning to fly!   It seems certain we shall need to take the wheelchair with us so Pauline can visit the places she wants to see in Toledo and elsewhere.   As with last year, we are travellling by ferry and car with a day's stop in Toledo on each journey.   Seeing the vast countryside stretching away to the horizon is quite something as you drive along the autovias with almost no traffic for company.

Incidentally, Pauline is now down to using a single crutch outdoors and a walking stick at home.   What a woman!

Rochdale Trip

On Saturday I had a meeting for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) supporters in Rochdale.   It was in my thoughts to travel alone with Pauline resting at home.   However, as the meeting venue was just half a mile along the road from our son's family home I felt it would be wrong to come straight back to Anglesey at 4.00pm when the meeting ended.   I said this to Pauline and she agreed.   Well, the idea grew and grew until we had organised a lunch and tea with David and family for both of us.   Our daughter, Sue visited too, so it become a family meeting.

Each week we assess what Pauline has done in terms of progress with her recovery and think about what the next step might be.   (This is not a pun!)   At this point she had not been on a long car journey and we thought it was worth trying it by now.   As it happened we did a dry run by driving to Warrington and M & S to get some clothes for Pauline on Wednesday.   We now knew she could do the journey as Rochdale is only 25-30 minutes beyond Warrington.   Whilst at M & S we found a skirt we both liked but the store did not have Pauline's size in stock.   We called in Mandy, the M & S Ipad user.   She checked the stock on the website and as there was just one skirt in Pauline's size we ordered it.   We requested that it was delivered to the M & S store in Bangor and this was arranged.   Once home, I checked my emails and there was one from M & S confirming the skirt would be available at Bangor, Northern Ireland!   It was not possible to reroute the package and so, this morning, an email arrived saying it was ready for collection  in Northern Ireland.   By this time we had located another skirt that arrived yesterday whilst we were in Rochdale so we now await a refund when the item is returned to the warehouse.  

I can report that Pauline had a very painful leg by the time we arrived home at 9.45pm yesterday.   Mind you, we had enjoyed our day.   Half way to Rochdale I had met up with a woman who wished to let MAF have an album of First World War postcards to sell.   Amazingly, although we had never knowingly met, we discovered that she had been present at my first solo presentation on behalf of MAF in Rhyl and that she had grown up in Sudden just half a mile from our MAF meeting yesterday.

This morning I am driving across the island to take the service at Holyhead Methodist Church.   This is my first service in their new home at St Davids, Morawelon so I am looking forward to it.   I have not taken a service in Holyhead for about 2 years but shall be doing two back-to-back this week and next.   Just like buses when you wait a long time and they all come together!

On Tuesday we return to Ysbyty Gwynedd to see the surgeon who operated on Pauline's leg in April so we  will be getting an expert's opinion on her progress.   Watch this space!

Here comes the rain

In life every new experience adds to one's portfolio of knowledge.   With the coming of the rain we have discovered how treacherous it can be for someone depending on crutches.   The crutches have rubber ends which can slip in wet conditions.   Paths become quite dangerous to people with walking difficulties.   Each year I power wash our paths at home.   However, the one I have not yet done is the one from the kitchen door.   Pauline has found that the surface may look normal but is still on the slippery side, particularly the surface of a manhole cover.   This means that at the earliest opportunity I have to power wash the path and the lower part of the drive where Pauline gets in and out of the car.

She has continued to make progress and has walked a few steps unaided.   Today I took her to the weekly coffee morning at church.   This necessitated walking up a fairly steep slope and then up 3 steps to get in the building.   After this there are three more steps in the entrance corridor.   She navigated all these obstacles with skill.   Once inside she parked her crutches and sat down to chat to her friend, Liz.   In the meantime I parked the car and then joined her.

After my session in the gym this afternoon I came home and showered prior to going to visit an old gentleman who had offered to show me round the village church at Llanfechell.   When I arrived he thought I had come to view his house which is for sale.   I managed to get him back on track and off we went to visit the church.   As I reached the village centre I asked where I should park.   He replied, "This isn't my church, so I haven't a key for it."   On we drove to his church which turned out to be St Patrick 's in Cemaes.   It was a lovely church but not as old as that in Llanfechell.

On the way back he suggested we should call at the church warden's house to see if we could borrow the key for the village church.   I agreed to this, but when I asked him where to drive he told me to go down Mountain Road and turn left.   This took us back to his house!   He had forgotten the plan to look up the church warden to get the key for the village church!   It was quite a different afternoon today.

Another Dimension in Recovery

On Saturday, 2nd June, as I reported in my last jottings, Pauline tried out a wheelchair whilst at Fron Goch Garden Centre.   Quite some time ago I introduced the idea of using a wheelchair to give her wider access.   I think she felt it was giving in in terms of recovery and that she needed to walk more and more with the crutches.   So the idea was rejected.   I was not surprised because I might feel just the same in her place.

So I was mildly surprised to hear her say on Thursday that she had decided that a wheelchair was a good idea.   However, I had, some weeks earlier, taken her library books back which left her short of reading matter.   Pauline can go only so far without a book to read.   I have a sneaky feeling that this was the deciding factor in going for a wheelchair.   On Thursday I rang a lady a few miles away who was the local Red Cross representative for issuing wheelchairs etc.   She told me it was £40 to hire a chair for three months and we arranged for her to deliver a chair on Friday morning.

My particular interest was how to collapse and expand the wheelchair and whether it would be easy to handle it in and out of the car boot.   I was given full instructions on how to do this and also how to avoid a nasty crack on the shins from the swinging footrests.   So, on Saturday we set off for the library at Llangefni.   It was difficult to handle both the basket we use for transporting books and pushing the chair.   After returning the books I got Pauline to drive the chair herself.   She was a little unsure but the library proved a great place to practice because of its layout.   It needed lots of turns and Pauline soon got the hang of it.

This now means that we can go to more places together and lead a more normal life which is excellent for us both.   For instance, we can visit Bodnant Gardens in the Conwy Valley, a National Trust establishment, and reach just about the whole estate.   All we need is some suitable weather.

Incidentally, last week we had lunch at the Maenan Abbey Hotel - also in the Conwy Valley.   About 3 weeks ago Pauline said she would like to have lunch at a place with style.   I thought about where I could take her and hit on the idea of the Maenan Abbey where I had welcomed back our Superintendent Minister, Rev Alf Williams, from his month long walk along the Cistercian Way.   It was the perfect choice!   The place has style and the food is excellent and inexpensive.   Pauline really enjoyed her meal there.

We now enter a busy period of meetings relating to Amlwch Methodist Church and the local Circuit.   It is important that Pauline can exercise more independence when I am out at meetings.   It started this afternoon when I went over to Penmaenmawr for a circuit service.   the pressure was on me to get home in time to cook dinner.   I made it and Pauline made some lovely gravy, standing unaided at the hob.   All in all we are doing well and I think we shall be able to look forward to a successful pair of visits to Toledo in Spain in September.   We managed to see only the cathedral there last year so it's important to see more of that amazing place this year.

So I feel I can say my darling wife is doing very well indeed.   She does suffer pain from time to time but it averages less each week.

A Good Week

Pauline is now making very good progress and enjoyed a few days visit from granddaughter, Emelia (10 years) and her mum, Cath.   The week's weather has been quite good and we both enjoyed having them with us.   The word is that they enjoyed it too!

On Tuesday I drove Pauline to her art club at Llaneilian WI and she took the steps in her stride with ease.   before w set off she asked me to see her up these steps.   It was not necessary!   She is very much more confident using the steps in and out of the house.   My input is now reducing, which is a pointer to the progress being made.

Yesterday we decided to visit Fron Goch Garden Centre on the other side of Caernarfon.   They provide wheelchairs so this helped Pauline to see all parts of the establishment.   The chair I chose was a self propelled version so Pauline could drive herself and I could deal with a trolley.   However, when it came to one area which didn't have a hard surface she met a few problems.   Having got into the chair she suddenly realised she did not know how to turn it.   I explained how to hold one wheel whilst pushing on the other.   It took quite a lot of practice and when she tried to navigate the vegetable shop she twice hit the counter.   The assistant was very amused!

Today we went to buy some meat from the local butcher and then went for a drive across the island.   At Holyhead we saw that a cruise ship was in port as were the ferries for Ireland.   No visit to that area is ever complete without calling in at Trearddur Bay for an ice cream.   Anglesey Ice Cream is always of a high standard, so I bought two 99s.   They went down a treat!   Afterwards we drove back home to Penysarn and enjoyed barbecued sausages on ciabatta rolls.   Afterwards I returned to a long term task I have of weeding the drive.   My neighbour commented, whilst I was doing this, that rain was forecast at 4.00pm.   It was early!   It started at 3.30pm!!

Tomorrow I have the task of preaching at my church in Amlwch and the sermon is on the love of God.   It's always a good thing to preach on this subject because one is never short of material!

Better and better

This week has been a mixture of pain in various sorts for Pauline.   However, yesterday we had fish and chips outside the Ship Inn with David and Liz Jones.   The tide was in so we could sit at the water's edge and look across Red Wharf Bay as we lunched together.   We all thoroughly enjoyed it.   The big surprise was when Pauline found she could get both legs under the table by getting on the bench like organists do.   The weather is now helping us a great deal so that we get out more.

Today we had a visit from the community physio, Elin.   Pauline got her to show her again how to use the outside step at each door together with crutches.   She scored well on this.   Then she tried walking in the house with a single crutch and found she could do it quite easily.   She did so well that the physio doesn't need to come back for a fortnight!

This afternoon, after a fruitless search on the web for a suitable garden chair which was safe for Pauline, we decided to visit a garden centre at Pentre Berw.   When we arrived we found the place full of wheelchair-bound people!   It was an outing of disabled people and their carers.  We took a wheelchair provided by the garden centre and went to the garden furniture section.   We found just the right one (so we bought two - cheaper that way) and Pauline was able to try it out before purchasing.   After loading the chairs and Pauline, I set off for Waitrose to get extra BBQ items of food.   She really loved this experience because we could use a store wheelchair with a matching trolley.   Now she will be shopping each week with me!   So life is getting steadily back to normal and this is good news.

We had a BBQ this evening, consisting of pork chops in a honey and mustard marinade, beef truffles and a Greek salad.   It was helped down with a bottle of Prosecco which rounded off a great day.   We are looking forward to a garden day tomorrow!

Friends from Yorkshire

We looked forward to this weekend.   It was the first visit of our oldest friends.   They asked if we could cope with them in view of Pauline's current mobility problems.   No problem!   Just to see them would be a tonic for Pauline.   And it was!   I cooked them two big meals as well as giving them breakfasts and lunches.   It all went beautifully.

There was so much to talk about after an absence of nearly 8 years.   In the end it was as if they had been with us for years!   It certainly helped with Pauline's physical recovery.   By now she has started to gain confidence and moves around on her crutches with relative ease.   She is far less dependent on  me which is excellent progress.   I drove them (Pauline too) to Beaumaris on Saturday and it was a little chilly on the pier!   Ann really enjoyed being able to buy old fashioned sweets from the specialist sweet shop there.

Yesterday, after a Greek salad lunch, we drove off to the mainland where we went on a short tour of Snowdonia via Waunfawr, Rhyd Ddu, Nantlle and Penygroes.   They were impressed by the scenery and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.   Later we sat down to a very enjoyable dinner with a leg of Welsh lamb.   Now they are beginning to see the difference in food when you live in God's own land!

As they were about to leave this morning, Alan declared he had had a great time, even if we hadn't!   Just the sort of thing we love to hear.

Staples

Earlier this week, Tuesday, the District Nurse took out the staples that were holding the skin of Pauline's left leg following the operation.   Jokingly I asked, "Did you remove those at the bottom?"   She replied that she had.   There were two areas where the skin was stapled, a long one at the top of the femur and a small one close to the knee.   The dressings were left on for a day or so.   The top dressing was removed a couple of days ago but the lower one was left.   This dressing came loose overnight, so, this morning, I checked all was well.   Imagine my surprise to see the clips still there!

Carys, the nurse who called today, told me she had no clip removers and that it would be Monday before any could be acquired.   As there was an element of doubt she suggested that I could, by pre-arrangement, collect a pack from the hospital in Bangor.   So I took Pauline with me for a break and called in at Conwy Ward to collect the sterile pack.   I was happy to do this because there was always the outside possibility that the staples could infect the wound by Monday.   Carys is coming back later today to get the staples out.   She is a lovely person who works hard to give the best possible treatment for her patients.

Of course, this meant Pauline would have to use her crutches (not the walking frame) to get to the car.   I felt this was important practice for her as well as using the doorstep.   It was slow but sure and she was eventually comfortable settled in the car.   She had the usual paperback to read whilst I did the trip into Ysbyty Gwynedd for the removers, Next for some socks and then Waitrose for a few extra items.   It was a lovely drive with lots of sun shine after Thursday's constant rain.   Every day she makes better progress.

Just like buses!

Today we had our usual visit from a district nurse.   It was a different one as our regular one had the day off after working the Bank Holiday weekend.   The regular nurse arrived each day at about 9.10am so I rose early to be sure we were ready for the visit as usual.   However, the new nurse did not arrive until 11.00am, followed one minute later by the occupational therapist delivering a bed lever to help Pauline get out of bed.   During this hiatus of activity the phone rang and it was the consultant anaesthetist from the Pain Clinic following up on Pauline's operation and any pain involved.   As the nurse left the house the phone rang again and it was the community physio making an appointment to call in a couple of days.

The morning had been quiet until then and suddenly we were bombarded by help!   The good news is that Pauline has had her clips removed and is now resting for the remainder of today.   Each day brings an element of progress and I am looking forward to seeing how Pauline is tomorrow.   When I called at the pharmacy following "the visits" they were all enquiring how Pauline was.   There is a very large support network here in this corner of Anglesey!

The May Day Weekend

With Pauline back home and Sue and family joining us the weekend has been good.   It is so long since we were last under one roof together.   Everyone enjoyed it and Pauline's spirits were lifted too.   The Friday experience was hard going but once we got a good night's sleep all went well.   Sue and Derek and Ellie went all over the island and enjoyed revisiting old haunts.

The visitors left this morning and should be home about now.   I got busy cleaning the house etc and soon Pauline was up and relaxing in the lounge.   The District Nurse will remove the clips from the operation sites on Wednesday and then I think we shall see some real progress with walking.   Whilst Pauline has used crutches already the walking frame is currently the best way around the house.   Over the next few days we hope she will start to use crutches more and more.

She is relatively pain free now and can bend the leg a little more each day.   Her strides (with the frame) are getting longer and getting her into bed is much less painful.   The one thing that can cause trouble is if she tries to sit with her feet on the footstool that I bought when she was discharged from the Walton centre last December.   Bridging the gap sets off strong pain.   So I help her turn round and support her legs along the three seater settee.

We have both been on a steep learning curve since Friday!   So now we give thanks that she is progressing well.   The target is to be able to visit Toledo, Spain twice at the beginning and end of September.   If you have not been there you won't understand the importance we give our forthcoming visit.

Surprise, surprise!!!

After forecasting Pauline would be home middle or late next week imagine my surprise when she phoned to say she was being discharged yesterday, Friday.   This put my day in disarray.   I had just parked up in Llandudno outside the fish merchants!   After making my purchases for Friday and several weeks onward I drove home, put the fish in freezer bags (no time to clean the squid, so that went in the fridge), collected clothing for Pauline and set off for the hospital.   I arrived there at 12.45pm and the occupational therapist was completing her assessment of Pauline's ability to cope at home.   I got her things ready, dressed her and then took all bags and baggage to the car.   I had already collected a wheelchair from the entrance to the building.   In addition there were some things being loaned by the occupational therapy department to stow in the car.

Having loaded the boot I returned to take Pauline to the car.   It took quite some time to get her in the car and then we set off home.   Upon reaching home it took about 30 minutes to help her from the car, walk her round to the door, get her up the single step and into the lounge.   It was 4.05pm before we had our lunch!   Just after 7.00pm my daughter arrived and it was a late late evening meal of Seafood Jambalaya with my personal variations.

Last night we slept extremely well and today is turning out less frenetic.   Once the pastry is up to room temperature I can make an apple pie for tomorrow's main meal.   Tonight we shall be eating susage casserole followed by a lovely looking tart from Waitrose.   The latter is not a member of Waitrose staff!

As I said previously, the hard work has now begun and it will take a long time for rehabilitation.   Nevertheless, we shall succeed.   Now that I have purchased our local resident cards for the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog Railways, I am looking forward to the day when we can travel cheaply behind those remarkable locomotives that tackle gradients and bends that are amazing to see.

Yet more progress

Yesterday I was overjoyed to receive a text message from Pauline to say she had walked with the aid of crutches as well as a frame.   On visiting her in the evening I found her absolutely exhausted.   Going through the trauma of falling, breaking a major bone, being treated in A & E, having an operation and then having to learn to walk again is incredibly tiring to the human body.   In addition was the nausea when she started to walk and the setback that proved to be.   She has been through the mill!

Yesterday was spent, apparently, calling the nurses when a new patient with dementia kept getting out of bed against orders!   Time passes slowly in hospital, even with books and a Kindle to read.   I should think she will be home by middle to late next week and then my job really starts!   This weekend sees Sue and family visiting from Rochdale so I have to go to Llandudno to buy fish for the coming month.   Mermaid Seafoods is the only decent fish company in the area that is open for retail sales.   It's situated at the rear of an industrial estate and necessitates the negotiation of many bumps and potholes as well as the avoidance of vehicles parked here and there.   But the prices and quality are very good.

Making a start

For a week now Pauline has struggled with the effects of her operation to repair her broken leg.   For the first few days she had the greatest difficulty in making any progress at all.   One of the problems patients needing physiotherapy have is that the physiotherapists are not on duty at weekends.   This means two days in seven are lost in terms of rehabilitation.

On Monday 30th April she was struggling just to get out of and into bed.   She kept feeling sick.   On Tuesday she stood up to walk with the aid of a walking frame and in seconds was violently sick.   Another day was lost.   Following this she was given an injection to combat the nausea.   On Wednesday she managed to walk quite a distance in the ward and I received the news that she was getting mobile.   Imagine my pleasure to discover at evening visiting time that she had done this three times.   The result was that she was totally exhausted.

But this is the start of what I hope will be a steady recovery.   Even so, I have had to cancel an intended trip to our home town of Nelson in Lancashire where I was due to preach at the United Reformed Church on 3rd June.   I can see no possibility of her being able to travel for a couple of months.   I very much hope our holiday in Andalucia, Spain in September will still be on.   I feel sure sufficient progress with mobility will be achieved by then.

After being helped to walk following her spinal operation last December and then having to start all over from a worse position, Pauline will need all her reserves of strength and determination to return to normal.

Two experiences for the price of one

Since her accident on Tuesday, Pauline has had her operation to pin the femur.   My visit to her in Intensive Care on Wednesday evening she did not remember.   I cannot say I am surprised because she was very confused about many things at that point.   The following day, yesterday, she was back on Conwy Ward and by the time I visited in the evening she had, with great difficulty, got out of bed for an hour.

Despite the pain she is experiencing, the progress, I believe, is excellent.   How long her full recovery will take is unknown but I would bet on it being less than average for someone in her sixties.   her surgeon visited her yesterday and, when she mentioned the "torn muscle" following her fall a few weeks earlier at Henllys Hall he said it was very likely that the break had started then.   Personally, I think it means she fractured her femur on that occasion and broke it on Tuesday in Amlwch.

One interesting fact is that her surgeon, Mr Mel Jones, is the author of a very interesting article on the world wide web about the Anglesey bonesetters.   Follow this link to find out more:

http://www.ganapathihipkneesurgeon.com/anglesey%20bonesetters%20and%20modern%20orthopaedics.html

When we were in A & E the charge nurse told me Pauline's leg was to be placed in a "Thomas Splint" and this was what happened.   It is the same design as the originals made by the blacksmith in Liverpool who worked for Dr Thomas.   I found the story fascinating and was reminded how important Anglesey is in terms of history both for Wales and the United Kingdom.   Seeing the doctors selecting the spot to inject the femoral nerve to give pain relief whilst the splint was attached was also interesting.   They used an ultrasound scanner to find the nerve.   The femoral nerve, artery and vein are all very close, so it is all too easy to hit the wrong part when injecting the local anaesthetic.   Looking at the picture, I could see a large pulse which told me I was looking at the artery.   I am pleased to say they hit the right spot!

So, the news is that excellent progress, involving pain, of course, is being made.   I am very grateful for that.

From Bad to Worse

As you know, Pauline had a fall in March and has had severe walking difficulty since.   Yesterday I took her to the local health centre to see the doctor regarding her gout problems.   Whilst there she had a blood test to see the level of uric acid.

We then left the health centre and halfway to the car she fell and we had to call an ambulance.   The health centre staff were extremely supportive and helped us greatly.   The ambulance eventually arrived after about an hour.   Yesterday was a day when there was an inundation of 999 calls for ambulances.   Add to this the rural situation and you can see why it took so long.

An X-ray established that Pauline had broken her femur high up the bone.   Today she will have an operation to pin the bone.   The hospital will try to get her a bed in the High Dependency Unit after the op.   What the prognosis will be I cannot tell at this stage but we should know pretty soon.

In the meantime I am visiting each day and supporting in every way I can.

Watch out for an update!

A Difficult Time

By the time we had celebrated Pauline's 65th birthday it seemed that all we had to do was work on her temporary brain damage to get things sorted out.   Little did we know how it would work out.   It was not long after that Pauline began to experience strong pain in her right hand and wrist.   We put this down to arthritis from which she has suffered for a number of years.   As it didn't respond to anti inflammatories Pauline visited the health centre.   Doctor Robin, (a retired GP who does a lot of locum work for our surgery and is the father of one of the partners) suggested it might be gout.   I was pleased because I knew how quickly I recovered from gout when I first experienced it 5 or 6 years ago.   However, we are talking about Pauline in this instance. She has a track record of  not always doing things the standard way.   For weeks there was no improvement.

During this time she took tablets for which the side effect was diarrhoea, and, boy, did she spend time in the bathroom!   Back she went to Doctor Robin who immediately prescribed something to take care of the trots.   But still there was no improvement to her symptoms.   To cut a long story short she was prescribed steroids which have brought down the inflammation in her arm and legs and the gout is coming under control.

However, during this period my cousin came to visit us and asked us to visit him and his wife at the place where they were staying.   Whilst there, Pauline suggested we went out for a short walk.   Within 5 minutes she had fallen when she missed the bottom one in a flight of steps.   I helped her up and the damage seemed to be a twisted ankle.   Within 3 days it was OK again, but a pain had started in her left leg towards the top.   Medical advice was to call at Stanley Hospital in Holyhead and borrow a walking stick.   We went and acquired the stick and hoped this would help.   By Monday, this week, the pain was still bad so Pauline decided to go to Ysbyty Gwynedd A & E department for further help.   On examination the doctor found it was muscular and advised her to keep on exercising and it would take about 2 months to improve.

So now the experience is watching her struggle to stand, to walk, sit down etc.   I just hope she will be better by the time we travel to Nelson to join old friends who used to worship in the two former Congregational churches there.   In the mean time I am continuing to act in full support.   There is some good news, though.   The temporary brain damage is almost gone and the only problem is memory.   Well, I have had a bad memory for decades so I am sure we can live with it!

The Birthday

Well, today we actually got the chance to be on our own again to celebrate Pauline's 65th birthday.   Over the weekend we had a lovely time with our family in Lancashire.   On the Saturday we went out with my brother and his wife, Ann, for an evening meal at the Fencegate Inn, Fence.   They have a wide ranging menu with the majority of choices being traditional local food.   Yet they have a wine list from which you could choose a bottle of champagne for £500!   I chose a sauvignon blanc from Chile and it went down very well.

It was a lovely meal but Pauline struggled against the crescendo of sound as the restaurant filled up.   Since her operation she has had difficulty with crowded place and this was no exception.   Once we were back at my brother's house we could settle down and have a quiet time.

The next day saw us driving over to Rochdale where our children live with their families.   We shared a lovely buffet lunch organised by my son and his wife.   Graham & Ann came with us so it was a very happy affair.   We left Rochdale at 4.15pm and were back home at 6.40pm after a single stop for petrol at Penmaenmawr.

Today has seen us relaxing quietly at home and we are now looking forward to beef carbonnade for dinner, preceded by carrot & coriander soup and followed by pear tart.   It should be good.

For the last two years or so I have been getting to grips with cooking many different foods and so we enjoy some excellent recipes these days.   It became necessary to take over from Pauline as she found it difficult to stand because of her spinal condition.   Today, I have no intentions of giving up my kitchen!!!   I really enjoy cooking and the results are so enjoyable that it is all doubly worthwhile.

Now, I must sign off and bring the Rioja to room temperature!

Back to Liverpool

Pauline and I went back to the Walton Centre in Liverpool yesterday (12th March) for a post op check up with Mr Mike Jenkinson, her consultant neuro-surgeon.   We broke the journey at Llandudno where Pauline bought a couple of things she wanted.   Then we went round to Venue Cymru, the theatre and conference centre in Llandudno to have lunch.   The restaurant was closed!   So, off we went, heading for Liverpool via Queensferry where we bought sandwiches for lunch and West Kirby where we ate them, looking across the Dee estuary.   We were parked near to the yacht club and there was copious sea water to look over.   However, I suddenly spotted a man and then lots of other people walking along several hundred yards from us.   No matter how hard I looked it appeared that all these people were walking on water!   It was obviously an optical illusion, because no one appeared to be wading!

After lunch we set off again for Liverpool and the Walton Centre in Fazakerly.   Arriving 20 minutes earl;y I dropped Pauline off whilst I searched for a parking spot.   The Walton Centre has the smallest car park you have ever seen at a hospital.   If you get a place in an afternoon you are very fortunate indeed.   With all the people visiting patients together with out-patients appointments there is little chance of getting a parking space.   So I parked elsewhere and walked back to the hospital.   I was in time to accompany Pauline for her appointment with Mr Jenkinson.   He explained that, providing Pauline had no objection, the two people in his room would stay and listen in.   One was a medical student and the other was from Channel 5 TV who are preparing to do a programme about the neurological work carried out at the Walton Centre.  The good news was that the operation was entirely successful.   The bad news is that we still need an explanation for the aphasia she is experiencing.   Arrangements will now be made for Ysbyty Gwynedd to do a head scan which will be sent to Mr Jenkinson for assessment.   Watch this space!

For some time recently, Pauline has problems with acute pain in her right hand, wrist and arm.   Because she has had arthritis for a number of years we assumed it was that.   However, following a recent blood test, it has now been diagnosed as gout.   There will now be two of us taking Allopurinol each day!   Very soon the pain will reduce and she can start driving the car more often.   It isn't good to be in pain daily, so I am looking forward to a better spring this year for her.  

Our next trip is at the weekend when we stay overnight with my brother and sister-in-law in Simonstone, near Burnley, and share a meal at a local restaurant to say thank you for their support when Pauline was in hospital and I stayed with them.   The following day we shall celebrate Pauline's 65th birthday with our family.   Her birthday is the following day, 19th March, but Monday is not an ideal day for a get together.

Two days later spring will arrive.   Already the trees and bushes here are in bud and we look forward to the leaves re-appearing.   On Monday 26th March we are due to have a visit from my cousin, Brian, and his wife, Heather.   From time to time they come to Anglesey to play golf near Beaumaris and they always call in on us.   They only recently returned from their annual winter sojourn in Spain and Portugal.   They are quite nomadic and take golf clubs everywhere together with binoculars for bird watching which they have done in many countries.

A New Start

For a few years I have used Facebook to keep in touch with friends.   In that time the Fb format has kept changing and no help has been there to show how to do things a new way.   Recently I discovered that if I do not set up my own time line it will be imposed in some fashion or other.   This is not that friendly.   On top of that I now discover that, because I have an account, details of my likes, dislikes and choices are made available for all and sundry to use in whatever way they like.   I have therefore taken the decision to quit and set up this blog to let my friends know what is happening with Pauline and I.   All my friends are valued so they are getting an email with the link to this blog.

In any case, I think a new start is called for with the changes that have taken place recently.  

In December 2011 Pauline had an operation called a laminectomy to relieve a progressive condition called lumbar spinal stenosis.   At the base of her spine there were spurs of bone growing and touching the nerves.   This eventually caused Pauline the most excruciating pain.   Earlier on we had gone to an osteopath for treatment of a trapped sciatic nerve.   Some relief was gained but eventually the correct diagnosis was made and we awaited the operation.   This took place on Friday, 2nd December at The Walton Centre, Liverpool which is the only centre specialising in neurological medicine in the country.   A week or so later we were making plans for her return home when the operation incision wound was found to be infected.   A day or so later it was also found that cerebrospinal fluid was leaking too.   This meant a second operation to fit a drain.   Eventually the drain was removed and soon afterwards I brought Pauline home.

What was expected to be just a few days ended up as three weeks in hospital 100 miles from home.   After the first week I reduced the journey by staying with family who really helped me.   Now I had only 50 miles to drive each day and the stress was a little less.   Looking back on the three weeks I realise that it took a lot out of me, let alone the effect on Pauline.   Once home Pauline had help from the local Social Services department of Anglesey Council with the loan of a device to help her get out of bed, a means of raising her chair so she could stand independently and a device to raise the loo seat.   Just before the New Year I took her back to The Walton Centre to have the stitches removed.   They left the final three as there was a slight seepage of fluid.   These were removed later at our local health centre.

On 2nd January I managed to get a throat infection that hit me hard and it was difficult to carry on as Pauline's carer.   However, we got through it like we always do.   Since then Pauline has made an excellent recovery.   She is out of pain from the spine but has severe arthritic pain in her right arm.   However, there is a side effect from the operation which is still to be put right.   She has had a little temporary brain damage which causes aphasia.   Aphasia is a speech disorder, often happening in stroke cases, where the speech is affected.   The good news is that this is a temporary matter and in the next year or so it will clear up.
The effect of the hospital stay has meant that we were unable to celebrate Christmas as we wished.   We had no tree or decorations and it was simply luck that I managed to do the Christmas cards and post them.   New Year was disrupted by my throat infection and I was unable to read one of the lessons at the funeral service for an old friend who had requested this just before she died.   I found it very distressing at the time.
But since that period we have experienced good progress on Pauline's part and that is worth a great deal to us.   She has found it difficult to be with large numbers of people and so we have been careful where we have gone.   The other day we had lunch at a favourite pub and she coped quite well.   This is another step towards full recovery.   Throughout all this I have had to concentrate on being with her as often as possible and so other duties have been on the back burner.   But this is slowly returning to normal.   It has all meant that we have grown very much closer since the beginning of December and life feels very much warmer for both of us.
We have booked our holiday in September, and we are off to Spain again.   Once more we are taking the car by way of a 24 hour cruise from Portsmouth to Santander.   We are booked in at the same hotels and have organised two separate visits to Toledo where, last year, Pauline struggled to walk to the cathedral.   Toledo is an amazing place, steeped in history and full of very old buildings such as churches, synagogues and mosques.   We are looking forward to visiting on our way to and from Andalucia.
Our headquarters whilst there is an old farmhouse with a pool and hot tub!   It has all round views that are amazing.   This time we hope to visit Jerez and Sanlucar de Barameda where sherry is produced.   Another visit will to be Cordoba where there is a cathedral constructed in the middle of a huge mosque.   Now that must be worth a visit!

Keep checking this blog to see what we are up to.   Also, do not forget to keep emailing us so we know what's happening with you and yours.