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?