Being moved to a hospital bed…………

[FLYING BANANA]

It’s been confirmed that it’s the injections aka blood thinners that are the cause of the many trips to the loo. And will affect me more in the night when my body is more relaxed. Don’t have much of the problem during the day, just occasionally.
As long as I make it it’s not a an issue, been a few near misses.

Still being “stabbed” by Karen morning and evening. Marion was in yesterday for a chat. A bit more of her life story, which I find fascinating.
Got a new lady coming in from the New Life ladies, Jo, and she like me is fairly new to Cornwall. But she is originally from Kent. She got divorced and decided that she needed a new start in life. As she had a daughter living here in Saltash she decided to give it a go. And she was working in a care home at the time so experience was already in place.

We got talking about what you can cook in a slow cooker. And so we ended up swapping recipes. Amazing what I find to do whilst stuck in the house. It’s the longest I have been housebound. Three and half weeks now. But I do want to go out but have got to wait for the physiotherapist to come and see me.

I posted up on the Saltash page on Facebook singing the praises of the NHS and the experience with the New Life ladies. And now I have been contacted by the NHS asking me if I would be willing to share my experiences. Naturally I said yes, so now waiting on another phone call.

Every 12 weeks I attend the foot clinic as I have problems with my feet and they need to be regularly checked plus I get the nails cut and hard skin removed. But best of all I get a foot massage. As I have an appointment coming up I phoned to cancel explaining the issue about my ankle. Had to leave a message on the answer phone. Anyway they phoned back and thanked me for letting me know and said if I still wanted the appointment they can do home visits. I’ll see how I go before I get into that habit.

So all in all everything is ok here.

[FLYING BANANA]

After yesterday’s bad day, lots of pain in back and shoulders from using the zimmer frame. It would appear I have been using it wrong. Plus these injections are playing havoc with my insides. I have reported the issue but now I have to contact my GP to see if I can get different injections.
That will be fun as getting through is a pain at the best of times.

And now my loo upstairs is blocked. The amount of paper I’m having to use has blocked the loo up. Anyway a quick phone call to the local plumbers, and they will pop in either this afternoon or tomorrow morning to sort it out for me.

I managed to get my washing done and got it put on the clothes horse.
The first phone I received was from the physiotherapist to inform me that they would be coming to see me on the 29th, not before as I will need to be either out of plaster or back into plaster but able to put more weight on the ankle. I was hoping they would come out earlier to help me recover my confidence. Never mind I’ll have to cope as best I can.

But the good news is I have actually sat outside in the garden this afternoon in my garden chair.
My neighbour Kelsey phoned me and asked me if I would like to sit out in the garden, I thought she was joking but she wasn’t. With help and kind words she coaxed me out. It wasn’t easy but I did it. She sat me down and brought the foot stool out so I could rest my foot.

Then she made me a cuppa before leaving me, she was going to come back in 30 minutes to see how I was getting on. My other neighbour, Marion, was well surprised to find me sitting out in the garden. We sat and chatted, and she took my shopping list. No rush I said but she said she would go to Tesco’s in Callington this afternoon to get the bits in case the weather turned colder. And with that she was gone.

Kelsey came back and helped me up and with lots of encouragement, and kind words, I was able to get back indoors, just as Gail from New Life arrived.
Kelsey left and Gail made me another cuppa. Then she made my bed, then it was to empty the commode. Hence why my loo is blocked.

So from a lousy start to the day it turned out blooming good.

[FLYING BANANA]

Plumber arrived at 11.30 this morning whilst Allen was here. Took the plumber 20 minutes to unblock the upstairs loo. And that cost me £45. Still rather that than a flooded bathroom.
Allen had brought round my repeat prescription from the chemist, plus some Practical Classic magazines and a bag of liquorice allsorts, oh! I like them.
He had a cuppa with me and said he wouldn’t be able to take me for my check up on the 25th.

So I phoned Derriford and got through to the fracture unit and asked if I could change my appointment, no problem was the reply. So now we are going on the 24th and we have an earlier appointment.
Allen left with two club calendars for him to post.

Then my mobile rang with a number I didn’t recognise but I answered it any way and this is the conversation.
“Hello, can I speak to Mr Burgess?”
Speaking.
“I understand you have broken your ankle”.
Yes.
“Did it happen in a car accident?”
No. And now I’m ready to depend my corner.
“You know you can claim for any type of accident where someone is to blame”.
My reply was short and curt, “I’m not interested in making any sort of claim as the accident was 100% my fault”.
“Ah! But no one can prove it was your………………..”
I cut him off and then blocked his number.

He tried twice more with different numbers but I just hung up and blocked the number. About an hour later yet another number but this time it was a woman asking for me. I told her that the person who she was trying to contact wasn’t at home as they had gone to a hockey match.
“But I thought he had broken his ankle, how can he be playing?
I said, who said he was playing. Then I hung up and blocked her number.

Honestly I thought the days of ambulance chasers was behind us, obviously not. No idea who gave them my number. But I know these people tout for business at hospitals, offering staff cash for information. No idea if this is the case. But at least no more calls.

[Raven Black]

Well done Bob, ha ha. My daughter had a car accident years ago and for at least the next 5 or 6 years I was getting those sort of calls. Dreadful it is these days.

[FLYING BANANA]

My internal system is now back to normal, well for now that is.
Gerry started the wee car up today and took her for a run. And now she is back in her own space. Banana should be home mid week and will go back into space under the lamp post in the road.

Funny how some people can drop a bombshell into an ordinary conversation and think nothing of it. On the phone to an old workmate, we was in the Royal Mail together back in the 1980’s, and I asked him how he was keeping and he said that he was currently in bed at Noon. So of course I called him a lazy old wotsit thinking that he was having a lay in. When out of the blue he said if only it was just a lay in. No I’m waiting on a hospital bed.

It turned out he had fallen down the stairs in his daughter’s house and had broken quite a few bones. He said to me, depending on how you want to read this, at least you are able to wipe your rear after a poo. He had a male nurse do his. How embarrassing he said. And I thought being caught on the loo was embarrassing.

Anyway we had a good laugh over it. We had to break off the chat as he was being moved to another hospital as where he was had no spare beds. Being taken to Quuens in Romford Essex. I know that hospital, been there a few times with Val. And his daughter lives in Brentwood. I wished him well and said we would speak in the week once he was settled.

I have a chilli con carne cooking in the slow cooker today, going to have pasta with it. Makes a nice change.
Been a chilly but bright day. I was hoping Kelsey was going to come in and help with my walking. Still I mustn’t expect people to drop everything for me, after all she had some quality time with her daughter today out at Sibleyback lake. Been there with Marion on one of our walks.
Will need to get back one day.

[FLYING BANANA]

And now I have a vomiting bug. Blooming marvellous, I avoid these illnesses most of the year then the little so & so’s gang up and hit me with surprises.
Getting from the bed to the loo is not very easy but I do have a waste bin beside the bed so that has come in handy. But it passed by and this morning I’m feeling better.
Karen was over early to “stab” me. But I declined the offer of a cuppa, not fancying a cuppa yet.

So over to the sink for a strip down wash. Then washed my hair. It’s much easier to do now as I’m able to stand. Then back to the bed as I have to apply the E-45 cream to my legs as the skin does dry out. Then got dressed with clean clothes.
Only then was I ready to have a cuppa, just a weak one. And I made some dry toast. That’ll keep the tummy happy.

I have the Cornwall and Sciliy Isles NHS Promotion and Publication Manager coming to interview me at Noon. Because I sang the praises of the NHS and the ladies from the Home Life, not New Life, on the Saltash Community Page on Facebook they picked up on the story. They need the good stories to boost the funding that is required to keep the Home Life ladies with all the help they need. I’m more than happy to oblige. It is all above board as Clare from the Adult Social Services checked them out for me..
As Clare said, there are lots of scams about and it’s best to be safe than sorry.

Hoping Banana will be home today, she is fixed just waiting on Allen to go and get her

[Raven Black]

Thanks for the update Bob, so glad you are giving the interview, helping to keep the service going.

[FLYING BANANA]

The interview went well. Daniel asked the questions and Jenny done the filming and took the stills. Turned out that Jenny is Daniel’s boss. Very pleasant people who immediately put my mind at rest. The questions were straightforward, how did I come to fall, where was I treated, who arranged the Home Life visits and so forth.

The filming is to be be used internally and is not for general broadcast. They need the “good” reports to help boost the funding needed for the minor injuries units, the Home Life carers plus a number of agencies that need a financial boost.
But there is also a chance that local TV, aka Spotlight, also maybe interested in the story. Spotlight have a roving car that pops in, by prior appointment, to interview people with interesting stories. So I might be on the telly, again.

But before the finished film is set for the internal broadcast it is sent to me to comment on anything that needs to be changed or edited in or out. Only then with my written approval can it be used.
If on Facebook then you will find my story, at some point in the future on the NHS Cornwall and Scilly Isles page. There is already a photo of me on there.

Whilst the interview was in progress Kelsey popped in, she also works for the NHS but is working with youngsters with special needs in a residential home in Plymouth. So she was still wearing her name tag on her lanyard around her neck. All 3 exchanged hello’s. Kelsey then made me a cuppa and was gone.

Daniel and Jenny left soon afterwards. So I drank my tea and got up and prepared my dinner. Jo from Home Life came in and we had a long chat about my mobility, or lack of it. She was going to see if she could get me some extra help from Home Life. Then she made my bed and emptied the loo before leaving.

Phone call out of the blue from my doctor at the local surgery asking me how I was getting on. But the real reason for phoning was about with my ongoing issues with my bowels. Very interesting conversation but I won’t bore you with the details. But it has certainly been made clear what is likely to be causing the problem.
Seems that I may need a few tests done, and they might be carried out next week whilst I’m at the hospital for my check up.

Still waiting on Allen to bring Banana home, she is ready to come home.

[planenut]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

......................

Still waiting on Allen to bring Banana home, she is ready to come home.

You need to keep Banana tucked away in this weather or she'll be turning black at the edges.

[FLYING BANANA]

Next Tuesday morning I am being interviewed by the BBC Spotlight programme about my views on the NHS and the support that I have received after my fall. No idea when it will be televised at this moment in time. But if I can give the NHS and the Home Life group a boost, then I’m glad to help.

Had a good day today as well. Banana is home and Allen took the wee car for a decent run to Tesco’s to get my shopping. It’s now 34 days since my fall.