The last day of June. And the Sun is Shining.

Well here we are on Sunday the 30th June, the last day of the month and I woke this morning at 5.30 to a really sunny day, It was a good nights sleep last night so went and made a coffee and took back to bed and just lazed in bed with the window open, listening to the radio until 9.30 when I decided that I had better get up. So I hope you all........

Watching the Politic shows
on TV

Once out of bed I made a coffee and then into the lounge where I text Pauline and then settle down to the normal regime of checking facebook and emails, before Pauline phones to say that all is Ok with them and that they will be leaving Weymouth, to head back home this afternoon so will text me when they get near to Portsmouth.

Once I have spoken to Pauline I get some Gluten free porridge for breakfast and then settle down to watch the politic shows on the TV, as I always do on a Sunday morning so I can keep up to date with the mess our incompetent government is making.

Getting Ready for when Gervase
arrives at 1.00 pm

About 12.00 Gervase phones to say that He will be round at about 1.00 and we can go shopping up at sainsburys at Farlington and then afterwards we can take a drive along the sea front, so that will be OK so I watch a bit more TV and then at 12.30 I go and get myself sorted and ready for when Gervase arrives. the Roads will be a but congested today as there are Armed Forces Day events taking place in the Royal Naval Dockyard

Armed Forces day at the Historic Dockyard

True to his word Gervase arrives at 1.05. I am all ready so off we go up to Sainsburys at Farlington to get the shopping, I walk around the store pushing the trolley and we both get what we need and then we get it paid for and then out to the car park where Gervase loads it in to the car and then we are off for a drive home along the seafront as you can see by the photograph,s below.

Gervase loading the shopping into the car

Sainsburys car park

In the car park looking North to Portsdown Hill

In the Car towards the Seafront at Milton

Traffic is starting to get congested at Milton Park

The quiet area of the Seafront at Eastney

The colourful beach huts at Eastney

The Seafront heading towards South Parade Pier.

The Flower beds in Bloom near to South Parade pier

The pyramid Centre on the Seafront

The Trees in full leaf near to Castle Fields

Southsea Castle

The Esplanade near to Clarence pier

Heavy Traffic along the seafront and the skyline of old Portsmouth

Clarence Pier at the end of the Seafront drive

Soccer on the common by the University students.

so there we have the photographic record of our drive along the seafront from Eastney to Clarence Pier a distance of 2.8 Miles. Once we reach clarence pier we then head back home. once indoors I make a coffee and we have a chat before Gervase sets of back home to Leanne at about 3.40.I also have a text from Pauline at 3.30 to say they are just coming into portsmouth and will speak later.

Daily Journal

Once Gervase has gone I make another coffee and get the vegetable prepared for tonight,s dinner before settling down to get todays Journal written. It is now 5.45 so I am going to get this posted and then out into the back garden for 30 minutes in the evening sunshine with a coffee and to read the daily paper before getting dinner at 6.30 so until tomorrow I will say tatty bye.

So who was left holding the Baby ?

All will be revealed further down the page.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Says it all really.

Well it was another decent nights sleeps last night, I went to bed earlier last night as the IBS was playing up a bit again last night, my own fault I think as last week I became very lazy and had a few ready meals, which is not a good idea so back to the normal fresh produce meals and zero Gluten again, I Know, I Know, I should know better, anyway, as I said I got to bed earlier about 10.20 and listened to the radio for about an hour or so before turning it off and getting off to sleep , and I slept all the way through until 7.45 so was pleased with that.

Good morning Frankie

well Once I had pulled the curtains I could see it was going to be a very sunny and warm day today, anyway opened the window, went and made a coffee and took back to bed where I lazed listening to the radio and enjoying a visit from the cat next door who came in for her morning visit.

Breakfast Banana,s

I laze in bed until 9.00 when I get up and make another coffee and take into the lounge where I decide that today I had better take A the colpermin tablets for a couple of days to settle the IBS Down. I have to take them 30 minutes before eating so I take the first one at 9.15 so I can have breakfast sometime after 9.45, Anyway while I am waiting I text Pauline to let her know all is Ok. Her and Gordon are down Weymouth this weekend visiting there friend Agnes, anyway I then get on the laptop to check out emails and facebook, before getting breakfast at 10.00 I have a banana and some Gluten free Porridge.

Once I have had breakfast I make a coffee and Gordon Phones to say that they are all Ok and are going out shopping in weymouth later on today, the weather is nice down in Weymouth as well today so that should be nice, anyway I then speak with Pauline and then after that I get dressed ready to go round to get my Morning Paper.

A Sunny Weymouth Today

In the garden

Well Once I have had a shave and wash and got dressed I go round to the tesco express to get myself the morning paper before going home and settling down out in the back garden to read the paper and enjoy a bit of fresh air and also to listen to the radio as well.it is very nice outside this morning and spend a good hour out in the fresh air before going back indoors so that I did not spend to much time in the Sun, although it did give me a chance to wear my hat.

anyway once I was back indoors I get the breakfast things washed up and then go into the lounge to watch the Film "Dennis the Menace" A 1993 film starring "Walter Matthau" and "Mason Gamble" as "Dennis the Menace"

1993 Film "Dennis the Menace"

I always like watching this film as it reminds me of reading the Dennis the Menace cartoons in the "Beano Comic" when I was a child in the late 1940,s and early 1950,s

an Early Beano Comic with Dennis the Menace

While I was watching the film I had a couple of texts from Pauline to say that they had seen a second hand Rollator for sale in a charity shop in Weymouth and did I want them to get it for me as we had been talking about a Rollator , in fact me and Pauline were looking at them in the Mobility shop on Thursday at Fratton. Gordon said it was Ok and they were selling it for £6.99 so he sent me  a photo and I text back and said Yes Please so they got it for me and will bring it back home with them on Sunday evening.

A Second Hand rollator for £6.99 give me more walking freedom and lighter than pushing the wheelchair

Anyway Gordon also sent me a couple of other Photo,s one was of there friend Agness enjoying a lunch break in the Sun.

Looking Good Agnes

It was Pauline left Holding the Baby

And the Other Photo from Gordon was of Pauline Holding a Friends new born Baby Girl, they were round to see another friend in Weymouth who had a baby only a few weeks ago so it is the first time Pauline and Gordon has seen her,

It Suits You Pauline

Well after all that I get myself some Toast and marmalade for a lunchtime snack and then go for a lie down for an hour before going and getting the vegetables prepared for tonight,s dinner and then a coffee made and into the Lounge to watch Midsomer Murders on the TV and also to get todays Journal written and Posted.

"Midsomer Murders" with John Nettles
ITV Drama Series 1997 to date

so that is about it for today, it has been a good day today and as it is the weekend and also Methotrexate yesterday it was a day of rest, it is now 6.00 pm so I will get this journal posted and Then I will get dinner cooked at 6.30 and settle down to an evening of TV and Facebook Games, "Exciting What

But Remember in the words of Garfield.......

The last Friday of June.

I woke this morning after a decent nights sleep and realised that it was Friday again and the day for the Methotrexate. The days are flying by at a rate of knots at the moment, I just can,t believe that on Monday it will be two years since I started writing this journal. In all that time I have enjoyed every moment of it so today, seeing as it is a day of rest and there is not anything different to write about I Thought I would add some of the pieces that I wrote in the first few months .

July 1st 2011/ Here is the total piece of my first Page

The Start of July 2011

Well here we are, starting July, does not seem like it is 6 weeks since I was released home from QA, Hospital at Cosham and 9 weeks since being admitted to Southampton General Hospital and being diagnosed with this crap condition.

Getting to Grips with Dermatomyositis is hard, having to rely on other people to help me do everyday tasks is what I find most difficult to come to terms with, My thanks really do go out to all the support and help I am receiving from family and friends.

My Dysphagia ( difficulty with swallowing) has not really improved much at this time although it is early days in the treatment so really cant expect to much at this moment in time, so puree meals are still the order of the day. Muscle weakness and immobility are still there although we are now getting into a treatment plan with the medication so hopefully we will see some improvement in the weeks ahead.

I have this week Reduced my Steroid,s from 40mg per day to 30mg per day ( bearing in mind 8 weeks ago I was on 60mg per day) and am starting to increase the Methotrexate fro 7.5mg per week to 15mg per week, this being phased in over a period of 6 weeks.

Because of the Metotrexate I have to have blood tests every week to keep a check on side effects and infections.

My Best Poem so far on the 27th July 2011

It Has To Be Said !!!

Hi everyone, Wednesday again and to be truthful it has been a good day so far,  no visitors today(apart from the carer), so a quiet day today. Phoned Portsmouth City Council to let them know about changes to my Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance, as it could affect my Council tax benefit so apart from that not done a lot apart watch a bit of TV and do a bit of pottering around the house.

Had a good night last night, slept pretty well but the shoulder has been a bit painful and sore today, but not as bad as it has been so not to bothered about that at the moment, did a nice puree Chicken Curry for lunch today, still have trouble getting the rice at the right consistency, added a little cream to it today that helped so that is probably the way to go next time.  for tea today it will be salmon and Cheesy mash potato, with a white sauce.

!!! Well It Has To Be Said !!!

It has to be said.

I cant hide it no more.

To puree my food.

Is becoming a bore.

What wouldn't I give.

For a Burger and Chips.

To have something solid.

To pass through my lips.

It isn,t the fact.

That it has got no taste.

That the texture is smooth.

Like pate or paste.

It's the after effect.

That don't cheer me up.

Its that horrible thought.

Of the words "Washing Up".

Now where it all comes from.

Nobody knows.

But the Washing up starts.

And it grows and it grows.

With blenders and dishes,mugs,cups and plate,s.

Jugs, whisk,s and spoons.

And the odd garden gate.

Well must make a start.

Get the washing up done.

I don,t want to do it.

It isn't much fun.

But one things for sure.

As i stand at the sink.

I will have to do it all again tomorrow """ Bummer"""

Well thats today over and done with, all in all a good positive day, until tomorrow, Bye

And on the 28th July 2011 the first illustrations appeared.

A Positive Posting on August the 26th 2011
.
Had the assessment from the Adult social care team on Monday, so waiting to hear the outcome from that but in the meantime they are continuing with the morning carer from the enablement team from Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Got a Tax Rebate

So in reflection of the week it has been an interesting week and as I said at the start of this posting many positives with a few negatives thrown in but all in all I am:-

(1) reducing the Prednisolone,
(2) staying at 15 mg Methotrexate per week on a friday,
(3) reducing blood test from weekly to fortnightly,
(4) sleeping slightly better, and breathing easier with the cooler weather,
(5) and to round it off I am  £20.00 better off with a Tax Rebate. !!!!!!!!! Yahoooooo !!!!!!!!

As I sit here the sun has come out and lots of blue sky around, so looks like it might be getting better weather for the Bank Holiday Weekend, I had a friend come in and see me today for an hour and he was saying that the traffic was bad coming into Portsmouth, probably the holiday makers arriving for the long weekend.

On Sunday January 8th 2012 A Poetic breakthrough

Poetry in Motion ?

I Know I've overdone it, 

When I ache from feet to head

and all I want to do all day

is stay here in my bed.

But I know, that if I do that.

Then Myositis, it has won.

So I jump right out, of my snug bed

And land up on my bum.

It really is not funny.

these trials we have to bare.

But I should have remembered

when I got up, that last night........

"I Moved the Chair"

And back to the Present

Well there we are a little trip back into the early days of my Daily journal, and on monday we go into the third year, what a treat for you all to look forward to, but there are plans to change the format slightly but the main thread of my living with dermatomyositis will remain, so until tomorrow I will say tatty bye.

A Sunny day for shopping at Asda.

well Thursday arrives with a very sunny outlook, although the sun is shining and the skies are blue there is still a bit of a chill in the air, anyway I had a decent nights sleep last night although I did find it a bit humid last night but I slept well from about 12.00 until about 7.30 this morning. I was a little late going to bed last night as I stayed up late watching a 2008 remake of the film "Journey to the centre of the earth" starring Brendan Fraser.

Journey to the centre of the earth 2008

Anyway once up I make some breakfast of gluten free Porridge with the obligatory mug of coffee and take it into the lounge where I send the morning text to Pauline and then once I have had breakfast I make sure I have put the recycling out for the fortnightly Collection, before settling down with the laptop to catch up on my emails and facebook.

About 9.30 Pauline phones to say that she is going to take Misty out for her morning walk and that she will be getting a Taxi round to me at 11.00 and then we can go down to Fratton to get the shopping and also I need to have a look in the "Mobility shop" to see what Rollator,s they have in stock and the cost.

Portsmouth Mobility, Fratton Road, Fratton, Portsmouth (Stock Photo)

Well Done Pauline

So anyway I stay on the laptop until about 10.30 when I go and have a shave and then get dressed ready for when Pauline arrives. Once I have got myself ready I take my Prednisolone and then make another coffee and get the bits and pieces sorted and also get the wheelchair ready, It is about a mile to Fratton so like last week I will walk t Fratton road pushing the wheelchair and then Pauline will take over and push me. anyway Pauline arrives about 11.10 and she has brought my clean and ironed shirts with her "Thank you Pauline" and then once I have hung those in the Wardrobe we are off down to Fratton.

Well it is a nice day to walk down to fratton and I am enjoying it but I could not walk as far as I did last week, almost but not quite, this week I made it to Fratton bridge where we sat on the bench for 10 minutes and watched the world go by.

Priory School and Fawcett road from Fratton Bridge

The cycle route over fratton Bridge

Well once we have sat for 10 minutes and Pauline has had her cigarette, I walk a little further up over fratton bridge and then that is about it as far as my leg muscles are concerned and so Pauline pushes me the rest of the way in the wheelchair. we go first of all into the Mobility shop to check out the price and type of rollator,s but I must admit I am not that impressed with the ones they have there and I have seen the same ones cheaper elsewhere so we then make our way back up fratton road to the bridge centre.

Fratton Road opposite the Mobility centre

Fratton Road from the Mobility centre looking south towards the bridge centre.

We go down to the bridge centre and Pauline goes into the Purrfect pets at the entrance to the Bridge centre to get some bits for Misty and Charlie and then she also has a mooch in the Charity shop before we go to the butchers and then for a coffee.

Purrfect Pets Bridge Centre.

Banardo's Charity Shop, Bridge Centre

Butchers Shop, Bridge centre

Cafe and Coffee shop , Bridge Centre.

once we have had our coffee we go into the main asda store and get our shopping and then once we have that we go out to the rear car park area where I phone for a Taxi to take us home.

Rear car park and Taxi pick up Area, Bridge Centre. 

Once home we get the shopping put away and then I make the coffee,s and we have a chat before I phone for a taxi to take Pauline home. Once Pauline has left I have a paste sandwich for lunch with a cup of tea and then at 2.30 I go for a lie down for 30 minutes before getting up and preparing the vegetable for dinner tonight and then in to the lounge with a coffee and get todays journal written.

It is now 5.30 and dinner is on cooking it is Sea Bream tonight with Potato and a cauliflower cheese so I will get this Journal posted and then settle down with the TV and dinner at 6.00 and then a relaxing night before Freaky friday tomorrow, so until then I will say Bye Bye.