Being moved to a hospital bed…………

[Martin Butler]

Your making good progress by the sound of it, just don't think you can run before you try to walk, stick to what your physio tells you, and you will get there,

[FLYING BANANA]

Oh! My! I had my first shower of 2024 this morning and it was bloomin’ ‘ ansum, I didn’t want to get out. Love the new shower cubicle. It has a non slip floor so no need for an anti slip mat but I will keep it and take it with me whenever I go away anywhere especially if I visit Michaels.

I left my clothes outside the bathroom on a stool. But once I had dried myself I sat on the loo with the lid down. Thus I was able to get the E45 cream applied to my legs, plus a few other places. I also had brought my shaver in so I could have a quick shave then I could get dressed. Back into the bedroom to get my shoes on. Took the dirty washing downstairs with me and put that in the whirly machine.

I had a visitor yesterday afternoon, it was Marion who had come to have a look at the new shower. It was on her recommendation that I went to the Bathroom Shop. She liked it and gave it her seal of approval.


So next on the improvement is to get the new bed in. Once I know that is coming I can dismantle my old bed, it will have to be taken apart to move it from one room to the next. I managed to change the sheets on it yesterday.

I might see if I can drive BBB tomorrow, just to the end of the road and back. Depends on the weather. I had planned to walk to the local Spar shop today but it’s been tipping it down all day so far. Need a few bits to top up till I go shopping in the week.

[FLYING BANANA]

The new bed is being delivered on the 2nd April. And next day I’m off to the hospital, hopefully for the last time. Day after that the physiotherapist will be here and on the Friday I have my diabetes eye check. That’s one busy week.

The walking is coming along ok. Walked up to the post box and back a couple of times, always with the single crutch. Been out with Marion a couple of times. Allen n Val took me shopping. My neighbour Gerry has done a few jobs for me, in between completely re painting the outside of his house.

Going to have a go at driving the wee car tomorrow. Hoping it goes well. If not then I’ll have to open the whiskey.

I may have to have a chat with my doctor, as I’m having a few issues with my insides. I either am unable to go to the loo, like a blockage, or I have controllable diarrhoea. It can be a bit embarrassing at times. This all stems back to when I had the blood thinning injections. Prior to my fall I had no issues.

I have lost almost a stone in weight since my fall in December. Not being able to exercise properly so not eating as much. But my appetite is returning.

[Gate Keeper]

Good morning Bob

When was the last time you had a colonoscopy or a CT abdominal scan?

[FLYING BANANA]

Originally Posted by Gate Keeper

Good morning Bob

When was the last time you had a colonoscopy or a CT abdominal scan?

Prior to moving here to Cornwall, and I have been here nearly 6 years. I used to have camera down the throat every year when I lived in Essex but when I moved here and told the doctors they said it would still happen as normal but nothing as ever happened. But I will be phoning the doctors on Monday and I’ll bring the subject up again.

[Gate Keeper]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

Prior to moving here to Cornwall, and I have been here nearly 6 years. I used to have camera down the throat every year when I lived in Essex but when I moved here and told the doctors they said it would still happen as normal but nothing as ever happened. But I will be phoning the doctors on Monday and I’ll bring the subject up again.

Yes Bob, report your symptoms to your GP and request an urgent colonoscopy to exclude a bowel cancer. It’s worth getting checked out.

[FLYING BANANA]

Gradually getting my independence back. Took BBB for a wee drive around the block this morning. Out for roughly 20 minutes. Picked the route as it has a couple of roundabouts, T junctions and speed humps. Ankle coped very well with the pressure on the pedal. Took my single crutch with me as I had a letter to post. So stopped near the post box, out of the car with the crutch and walked up to post the letter.

The fail safe was put into place. If for any reason I was unable to drive any further through too much pain I would then message my neighbour Marion who would walk to where I was stopped and drive me home. She knew that should I had stopped it would be very emotional for me. I had let her know when I was going out and my route.

She saw me leave, and waited with her coat on and a couple packets of tissues in case of that text message. But once she saw BBB coming back down the road she stood down. I reversed BBB back into her parking space. As I got out of the car Marion was close by. “Coming in for a cuppa?” She asked. Yes I replied.
She got me sat down and gave me a black coffee. And asked about my short drive.

Marion said that she could see on my face the relief of being able to drive without pain again. I suggested that we start our buddy walking again. But Marion said not till Tuesday because you will want to go out again tomorrow then rest on Monday. If it’s not raining Tuesday then we can start slowly down at Waterside.

I love my neighbours.

[myfirstrover]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

Gradually getting my independence back. Took BBB for a wee drive around the block this morning. Out for roughly 20 minutes. Picked the route as it has a couple of roundabouts, T junctions and speed humps. Ankle coped very well with the pressure on the pedal. Took my single crutch with me as I had a letter to post. So stopped near the post box, out of the car with the crutch and walked up to post the letter.

The fail safe was put into place. If for any reason I was unable to drive any further through too much pain I would then message my neighbour Marion who would walk to where I was stopped and drive me home. She knew that should I had stopped it would be very emotional for me. I had let her know when I was going out and my route.

She saw me leave, and waited with her coat on and a couple packets of tissues in case of that text message. But once she saw BBB coming back down the road she stood down. I reversed BBB back into her parking space. As I got out of the car Marion was close by. “Coming in for a cuppa?” She asked. Yes I replied.
She got me sat down and gave me a black coffee. And asked about my short drive.

Marion said that she could see on my face the relief of being able to drive without pain again. I suggested that we start our buddy walking again. But Marion said not till Tuesday because you will want to go out again tomorrow then rest on Monday. If it’s not raining Tuesday then we can start slowly down at Waterside.

I love my neighbours.

Good to see you out and about again

[FLYING BANANA]

So I phoned the doctors after 10.30, no point phoning before as you can never get through. Explained the problem to the receptionist, who asked loads of questions which I answered. No appointments available today or anytime this week but she would get the doctor to phone me back today.

So the doctor phoned me at 13.00. I explained the problems, and he asked lots of questions about change of diet, no that’s the same. Any different tablets was I taking, only the ones prescribed plus painkillers when needed. Why the painkillers, for my ankle fracture. Oh! Are you still having problems? Yes.
Don’t these professionals read the notes.

Anyway I have got an appointment with him tomorrow morning at 08.30. If I go for a no.2 before attending could I bring a sample in a container but not to worry if not. Not sure how that is going to work but I’m up for a challenge.

Overdid yesterday with the walking. My walking buddy Marion took me to the Leat, which is fairly close to where I live but it’s very bumpy along the path. Since yesterday the ankle has ached so I’m back on the painkillers. Marion has been in and made your that I’m ok. But no driving or walking today. It’s chucking it down anyway.

[FLYING BANANA]

When I first moved to Cornwall I brought my key box with me and fitted it to the wall by the patio doors. Then after my fall the adult social services got the local council to fit another one to be fitted by the front door. Both boxes have the same code but different keys. I gave the key codes to neighbours rather than giving them keys to gain access.

The ladies from HomeFirst and district nurses also had the key code. But from the time I got out of bed till it was time to turn in the patio door was unlocked. It saved my visitors having to remember the key code, especially HomeFirst as they have a lot of key codes to remember. There was a system in place that whichever door people were coming in they would knock. This was to save any embarrassment on both sides if I was sitting on the loo. The ladies from HomeFirst would still come in but neighbours would wait till I called out that it was ok to come in.

So after yesterday’s visit to the doctors, more on that later. I returned home feeling ok. Once home I decided to chance my luck and walk up to the post box to post of a couple of Easter Cards, I had forgotten to pick them up when I went to the doctors.
Managed to walk there and back ok. Having had the single crutch height altered I can walk much better.

Got home and felt ok. Decided to make a cuppa and rest with the foot raised for 30 minutes before getting on with my building of another Lamborghini kit.
All of a sudden I felt sick, and with that I vomited into the kitchen sink. Brought loads up. After a few minutes it eased but now I needed to poo. It’s not easy trying to get up the stairs quickly. So I never made it.
Once in the bathroom I eventually got sat on the loo. Felt sick again, I have a small bin in the bathroom to put the used wet wipes in, so I grabbed that and was sick into that.

After sometime it all eased. So paperwork completed. Clothes off and I got into the shower wondering where all that came from. Then I remembered that having been to the doctors I thought maybe I had picked the bug up there. Otherwise no idea where it came from.
Out of the shower and dried off. Feeling very unwell but I got dressed again with clean clothes and gathering up the dirty washing I got back downstairs where I was able to clean the sink up and put the dirty washing in cold water to soak.

I took a couple of diarrhoea tablets with some warm water. Washing rinsed and put into the whirly machine. As I wasn’t feeling very well I decided to go back to bed. So I closed the blinds and pulled the curtains. The back and front doors were locked. Back upstairs just making the loo this time.
Eventually I got into my PJ’s and into bed. I had brought a cup of warm water with me. The wet wipe bucket was cleaned out and was now next to the bed along with a toilet roll.

Only in bed 10 minutes before the next trip to the loo was needed. Took the bucket with me. On the loo with both ends in action. Paperwork done. Had to change my PJ’s. Checked the floor between bed and bathroom. All,ok along with the sheets. Took another diarrhoea tablet. Got into bed. I was pretty sure I had heard my doorbell ring but thought I might have dreamed it. Back into bed and into a deep sleep.

I vaguely could hear my name being called but couldn’t figure out who was calling me. I opened my eyes to find my neighbours Gerry and Marion asking me if I was ok. Marion had seen my blinds and curtains were pulled so she knew I wasn’t well. After the weekend my ankle had been playing up and she thought that maybe I was in a lot of pain and needed help. So she had knocked on Gerry’s door. They had got in via the key box.

I said I had been ill and had decided to get into bed. Marion went and cleaned the bathroom and Gerry made me a very weak tea. Marion then got out my winter quilt and put that on the bed. And with strict instructions I was ordered to stay in bed till she came back at about 16.00. They both left.

At about 16.30 I was woken up by Marion and Karen was with her. I was told to get into the shower whilst they changed the bed, apparently I had a slightly
Poo’ed in the bed. So that was another change of PJ’s. More washing to be done. Knock on the bathroom door to tell me the bed was clean. And clean PJ’s were outside the door.
They both went downstairs whilst I got changed. I still felt unwell but wanted to go downstairs to get the washing on. But was told to go back to bed. For they had put the washing on.

Karen came back up with a bowl of the magic chicken soup and a slice of bread. Another cup of weak tea. My evening tablets were there on the tray along with the diarrhoea tablets and a couple of painkillers. All this walking back and forwards was making the ankle feeling painful.

Everything was lined up to be taken in order. The painkillers to be taken last. Karen said stay up here, no need to go downstairs. The blinds were still closed and the doors would be locked. I asked if she would bring my iPad up so that I had something to look at. She went down and brought it back. Karen was going to come back over once the washing machine had finished I put the clothes on the horse. Marion had put the heating back on.

A couple of visits to the loo in the night is all I can remember about last night.
Woke up this morning to find the dirty crockery had gone. A glass of water with on the side with my tablets.
I got out of bed and into the bathroom for a good scrub down in the shower. I did feel dirty.
Out of the shower and dried off. Back into the bedroom and got dressed. Once downstairs it was all tidy and the washing was on the horse.

On my chair there was a note, it was from Karen to say that both her and Gerry had been back over twice last night to check on me. And she had been back this morning before she went to work, and I was fast asleep.

So get a key box fitted, it could save a life. Especially if you have elderly relatives or neighbours.

More on the doctors visit later