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!