Another Let down by social Care.

A Decent nights sleep.

Here we are then another Sunday is upon us and although I had a decent nights sleep  (only woke once at 4.30) I woke at 7.30 but all my leg and back muscles aching after all of yesterdays escapades, so I think today is going to be a day of TV and the laptop. still it is probably worth it as I did enjoy getting out of the house for a few hours,and I thought I may suffer today as yesterday evening the back of my hands got very red especially around the knuckle,s anyway no good moaning about it, I have to accept it is part and parcel of the Dermatomyositis and get on with my day, so coffee and the TV news.

Aching Joints and Muscles today

As I said I am all achey today so will stay in bed until 9.00 as the carer won,t be round that early on a sunday so will rest and hopefully the aches may subside a little, or Not as the case may be, don't really want to take any pain killers as I take enough medication as it is. anyway I decide to get up at 8.30 and take a bit of a stroll around the house, that eases the muscles ( loosens them up) so go and watch the TV in the front room.

Another Cancellation.

So I go and get some Porridge for breakfast and watch the news on the TV, and at 9.30 the phone rings, I think that it is Pauline phoning but when I answer the phone it is the care agency to say that they cannot get a carer to me until sometime this afternoon, well that really Pissed me off as this is happening more and more at the weekends just recently. Anyway I tell the woman on the phone that it is not acceptable, as they know why I need the carer in the morning and to forget it today and that I will be phoning Portsmouth adult social care tomorrow to complain, as I am paying for a service which they are failing to provide.

Now the reason I need the carer in the morning is that although my muscles are getting stronger they are still very weak, and I have a problem reaching above my shoulder so I cannot wash my face or my neck and I cannot comb my hair, so I need a carer to do that for me, Now because of my lack of mobility and muscle strength I have a problem putting vests and jumpers on over my head, I can manage it with time and effort but it is not feasible to get the top half of my body clothed, and then have to take of jumper shirt and vest to have a wash and then to get dressed for a second time, so in the morning I dress the lower half of my body but keep my pajama jacket on and a dressing gown until the carer has washed my face and neck and then get dressed, so I am not prepared to sit around most of the day half dressed waiting for a carer to turn up in the afternoon.

Gervase and Leanne.

Anyway I am not at all pleased with the care agency anyway get dressed and then settle in to watch the TV and to see who is on face book. Get myself some Crisp bread and cream cheese as a snack at 11.00 and some chicken soup at 1.00. also a Mr Kipling lemon slice and custard,

My son Gervase phones to say he is on the way round to see me at 2.00 pm so that is nice, he arrives about 2.30 and stays until 4.00, so we had a nice chat anyway my back is easier now but still aches a bit when I move so looks like I will be off to bed early tonight, I will get dinner on about 5.00 so it is ready for 6.00 and then a bit of TV until 10.00 before bed, so not a very good day today thanks to the care agency, it has thrown my whole day out of synch. so will leave you all in peace, so untill tomorrow and the phone call to Portsmouth Adult Social Care I will say Good Bye.

One of those days ???

Time to rise and shine

Hi one and all and another weekend is upon us I have just woken up at 7.00 am, Went to sleep lst night at about 12.20 so not a bad nights sleep, anyway get the normal routine of coffee and TV News underway and then on to the laptop and facebook until the carer arrives, as it is the weekend I have no idea what time they will get here or who it will be.

Mel the carer.

Anyway drag myself out of bed at about 9.00 am and go and get the laptop fired up and see who is on facebook and also get myself some wheatabix for breakfast.

Just checked the time and it is 9.40 and the carer has just arrived, anyway it is mel today and she is a very nice lady, we get on well together and have a bit of banter as I tell her I want my hair combed with an Elvis quiff. anyway all washed and groomed ready for the day ahead .

Lidl in Goldsmith Avenue.

Well that is all done and dusted but feeling peckish now so make a nice marmalade sandwich and have with a coffee. Looking out the window it is such a nice day that I decide that it would be nice to get out in the fresh air, being stuck indoors on a day like this is doing my head in so I decide to see if I can take a stroll down to Lidl in Goldsmith avenue, it is in the opposite direction to the Tesco Express and just a slightly longer walk, so off I go and I take it easy and arrive safe and sound, have a look round but nothing I really need, so apart from checking the price of the dog and cat treats to let Pauline know I make my way back home.

Goldsmith Avenue.

Get back home and decide that I will have a sweep up of the kitchen floor and then have a go at cleaning the Toilet, that was a job well done but still feeling very restless today, I phoned Pauline and let her know the price of the dog treat,s anyway decide to go back down to lidl and get some for Pauline and Gordon,s Dog "Misty", so off I go back down to Lidl, it is so nice taking a Gentle stroll in the sunshine, I may suffer tomorrow if I have overdone it but what the heck, cant stay cooped up indoors all the time. Goldsmith Avenue is not that busy today anyway get the treats for Misty and also get a couple of packets of cat treats for Gordon and Pauline.s cat " Charlie"and then make my way back home.
Once back home I decide to have some lunch and so I get myself some chicken soup and a couple of crisp bread with butter and it went down a real treat, so now I phone Pauline and let her know that I have got the treats for Misty and Charlie and that I am going to get a Taxi and bring them down if that is OK, so that is what I do.

The road where Pauline and Gordon live and also
Gervase and leanne at the other end

I phone for the taxi and take the treats down to Pauline,s for Misty and Charlie, Gordon has just finished working in the kitchen so we have a cup of coffee and a chat and then I phone Gervase and tell him I am at Pauline,s and that I am going to come in and see him and Leanne before going Home, That is Ok so it is easy as Pauline lives at one end of the road and Gervase lives at the Other End.

So I have a coffee with Gervase and Leanne and then decide it is time to make my way back home as it is nearly 4.40 and I need to think about getting some dinner on about 6.00, so phone for a Taxi and make my way home.

Relaxing in front of the TV.

That was an excellent day, really enjoyed it but feeling very tired now so need to relax this evening in front of the TV with the laptop, there are some decent program on this evening. 6.30 we have the chase, 8.10 is Merlin and at 9.00 there is two hours of Foyle,s war so that will take me up to bedtime at 11.00 pm, and also facebook as well so a good evening ahead, and A Spaghetti Carbonara for dinner s can't be bad, so now to get this edition posted on my blog and I will be back tomorrow. so until then I will say Cheerio.

A Ticket to Ride

Ready for the day ahead.

Here we are again, 5.30 am and I am awake, Not a bad nights sleep, went to bed at 10.00 last night, and took an hour or so to get off to sleep but have slept through until now, so as it is Friday I will take my Methotrexate tablets and get back to sleep for an hour or so.

It is now 7.15 and just woken up again and ready for the day ahead, need to get a coffee made and watch the news for an hour before the Carer arrives, Not feeling to bad today after the Methotrexate so hopefully it will be OK for the day ahead.

Checking Facebook and Emails

Well thats the coffee made and downed and am now watching the news on TV, forgot today is the BBC Children in need day so that will be the theme of most of the programs on BBC 1 Today, especially this evening, all in a good cause though. however Amanda the carer will be here in a minute and so I will then get washed and groomed ready for whatever the day brings.
Amanda arrives as usual at 8.15 and is on her way by 8.35 so now to get dressed and a shave and see ho is on facebook and check my emails.

Number 18 bus to the hard.

It is a nice sunny day today so will get myself out round to Tesco and get some Tropical fruit drink and also  some chicken  for dinner tonight. Well I am on my way round to tesco and feeling on top of the world when I see a bus coming in the distance and for some reason on the spur of the moment decide that I will catch the bus down to the Portsmouth Hard and have a coffee in the fresh air and sunshine, so checking that I have my bus pass in my wallet I wait at the bus stop for the bus, I wish I did not do these things on the spur of the moment, but it adds to the excitement of the day.

The Hard Portsmouth.

So the bus arrives and I get on and take the trip down to the Hard at Portsmouth. once there I go and get a coffee from the Kiosk and then sit on one of the seats overlooking the harbour, and have a pleasant 30 minutes drinking the coffee and watching the world go by I cant go very far as I have only got my cane with me , the wheelchair is at home however it is so nice to be out of the house and out in the Autumn sunshine, anyway after I finish my coffee I go into the co-op at the hard and get my drinks and chicken and then get the bus back home.

M.O.T.Examination.

Oh well back in doors and feeling surprisingly sprightly, no after effects from this morning Methotrexate, so that is good anyway it is 12.00 so sit and watch TV for a bit and then get lunch at 1.00. I am feeling rather peckish today, must be going out in the fresh air that did it so, have a bowl of chicken soup and a cream cheese sandwich ( crusts cut off) followed by a mr Kipling lemon slice and custard. ( No wonder I am putting on weight) anyway enjoyed that so now to settle down until 3.00 when my son Gervase will be round as he is taking his car up to the service station for its M.O.T, that will take them about an hour so he will be coming round until 4.30 while they do the car.

The garage phones to say the car is ready at 4.35 so gervase sets off to collect that on his way home and I settle down to get this edition of my daily journal done and then an evening of TV with all the children in need programs, so until tomorrow and the weekend I will say Adios Amigo,s.

Today we go to Suck and Blow

A Good Nights Sleep

And another Thursday arrives, with the promise of blue skies and Sunshine for the day ahead, went to bed at 10.00 o-clock last night and had a really good nights sleep, woke about 6.00 this morning so a good 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. so go and get a coffee made and then settle back in bed to watch the morning news on TV until 7.30 when I will get up ready for Amanda the carer when she comes at 8.15.

Pauline and Misty

Just settled down with the laptop at about 8.10 when Amanda arrives, cheerful as ever, she gets me washed and groomed ready for the day ahead and then goes on her way. I get myself sorted with some porridge for breakfast and a Coffee, the last one I will be drinking this morning, and then text Pauline to let her know all is OK here, Pauline phones back to say she I just taking Misty out for her morning run on the common and will book a Taxi for 12.30 to go with me up the Hospital for my Pulmonary Function Test,s.

As I mentioned in one of my post,s last week, when I saw my Neurologist last week, he said he was referring me for a Pulmonary Function Test, anyway on Saturday I received the appointment for 1.30 pm Today. 

QA Hospital, Portsmouth.

Pauline is getting the Taxi from her place at 12.30 and will then pick me up on the way through to QA Hospital and we should get there for 1.00 o-clock, which is 30 mins before my appointment time as recommended in the appointment letter.

We arrive at about 12.55 so as usual Pauline has a ciggi, before we make our way up to C level and find the Respiratory dept and report to the reception, no forms to fill in so we sit and wait to be called, the Doctor comes to fetch us at 1.35 and we go into the treatment room and after he takes my height and weigh,s me we go through a series of Lung Function Tests, these take about 15 min,s to complete and then he said that all was ok A bit of a low reading on the Oxygen level from the lung to the blood but all was satisfactory, so that is OK, It appears that the reason my Neurologist wanted the PFT done was because I am on Methotrexate and this can affect the lung function in some cases . 

Anyway that is all done and it was not to bad and the results were satisfactory, the equipment was like sitting in the ( Dr Who Tardis). so now Pauline and I are off to get a coffee and a sandwich in the cafeteria before heading back home.

Rowland,s Chemist, Winter Road

Well we get a sandwich and a coffee, goodness knows how these places can charge what they do, its a complete rip off anyway we phone for a Taxi and then head back home, we stop on the way to pick up my repeat prescription from the doctors surgery and then Pauline takes it into the chemist in winter road for them to deliver the medication, on monday I always like to make sure I have ample here so I do not run short, the Taxi then drops me off and takes Pauline home., so all in all a decent day. 

Well before I settle down I need to get round to Tesco Express and get some drinks and then a relaxing rest of the day in front of the TV and with the laptop untill it is time to get dinner at 6.00 pm, Cottage pie tonight, so that will be nice and easy to do but it is a cottage pie with Sweet Potato mash, it is one of the Asda great stuff ready meals. 

Well that has been a good but busy day today so will get settled in front of the TV ready for Pointless on BBC1 and will be back again with another edition tomorrow, so untill then, Tatty Bye.

Down to Polly,s I go.

Good morning one and all and another Dry but chilly day today, so time to put the heating on for an hour to take the chill out of the air,  It is now 7.45 and it is time to get up and make the morning coffee, not a bad night,s sleep last night slept pretty well. woke up a couple of times to use the bathroom but went straight back of to sleep afterwards so cant complain.

Got a little bit of Acid reflux this morning but not as bad as it has been the last couple of days so that is settling down, obviously tomato sauce in tinned food like Spaghetti is a thing to give a miss.

Well coffee has been made and drunk so now to settle down with the TV news until Amanda the carer comes at 8.15, however Amanda comes and gets me washed and groomed ready for the day ahead, so I text Pauline to let her know all is OK and then decide to get some wheatabix for breakfast for a change.

That was very tasty, 2 wheatabix with a good serving of milk went down very well, anyway Pauline phones to say her Sister and Husband (Fran & Colin) were going down to see her this morning, I like Fran and Colin, so asked Pauline if I could get a Taxi down to her place for an hour to see Fran and Colin as I haven't seen them for some time, Pauline is OK with that so I will get a Taxi booked for 10.45 and go down to Polly,s (Pauline,s) for an hour.

Fran and Colin.

Go Down to Pauline,s and Fran and Colin are there along with Pauline, Misty the dog and Charlie the cat, We have a nice chat and a coffee and I am there until about 12.15, when I need to get a Taxi back home as it is getting near time for Lunch and Medication, anyway it was so nice to meet up with Fran and Colin again and hopefully will see them again before to long.

Smoked Scottish Haddock.

Get back home and decide at 1.00 o-clock to have a nice piece of smoked haddock for lunch, I have a " Microwave Haddock in a Bag" in the fridge that I got at Asda on Tuesday so pop that in the microwave, once it is cooked I add extra knobs of butter to it to give it some moisture and have it with a Slice of Bread and Butter, and it goes down a treat and is very tasty.

I really enjoyed that Haddock it was so tasty and I did NOT Puree it so that was a bonus, anyway now need to get round to tesco express to get some Fruit drinks and Milk as I won,t have a lot of time tomorrow as tomorrow I have to go up to the Queen Alexander Hospital at Cosham for A Pulmonary Function Test, The test is at 1.30 and was at the request of my Neurologist, although my breathing is better now than it has been for years,

It is now 6 months since I was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis and from what My Neurologist was saying is that He want to run some tests now to see how things are panning out with the medication, after 6 months so I will be guided by him, but he seemed pleased with the progress I am making.

Well thats about as exciting as it gets today I am afraid, so anyway it was nice to see Fran and Colin, My tummy seems to be settling back down and I need a cat nap, so until tomorrow I will say Cheerio.

The curse of the Acid Reflux.

Thank goodness it is time to get up, it is 7.30 and that has been a night of waking and dozing, so much acid reflux throughout the night, don,t think I should have had that spaghetti in tomato sauce at lunch time yesterday, it,s been repeating on me ever since, OH well some you win , some you lose, to be honest the night probably wasn't as bad as I think it was I am just used to these better nights lately.

Anyway get up and make a coffee and then ger ready for Amanda the carer, she will be here about 8.15 today, she has started to get here a little earlier lately due to her other patients she cares for, anyway it suits me as I have Pauline coming round today to take me down to Asda at Fratton to do a decent food shop.

Back on the laptop again

Once Amanda goes I get myself some porridge for breakfast ( must remember to get some wheatabix at Asda) and then go and have a shave and get dressed ready to go out, the weather is quite sunny today but very cold about 10 c about normal for the time of the year. anyway pauline phones to say she will be getting a Taxi at 10.30 so will be here by 10.45 so that gives me an hour on the laptop, to catch up on Facebook.

Well it is now 10.30 so make sure I get the wheelchair ready to go in the Taxi and make sure I have my wallet and shopping list at the ready, so that when Pauline gets here with the taxi I am all ready to go.

Asda at Fratton

The Taxi and Pauline arrives about 10.45 ad so we get the wheelchair and me into the Taxi and off we go to Asda at the Bridge centre in Fratton .

Once we get to Asda pauline needs to go upstairs to the Household section to look at a few things so I wheel myself round to the Ready meal Aisle to see what if any of the ready meals I fancy, not a great deal there that I fancy but i do get a cottage pie meal and also a spaghetti carbonara, the cottage pie I could probably eat without pureeing and the Carbonara puree,s down a treat, so that is OK. 

Freedom in a wheelchair.

By the time I have finished that Aisle Pauline is back down so we then look at the fresh vegetable and also the cooked meats. 

It is not too busy here today, I think people must be cutting back on their spending with Christmas on the horizon, I have noticed that Asda has got all its christmas fare out on display, it gets earlier every year.

Anyway we get around Asda and it seems that Pauline is doing a bigger shop than I am, and this is proved at the till as her bill is larger than mine " Tough "

Back at Home by 12.45

Well that is the shopping done and out the way so now we go out and ring for a Taxi to take back to my place, Pauline is going to come in for a coffee before she makes her way back home, just looked at my watch and it is 12.30 we have been down here for 90 minutes, didn't seem that long to me , anyway Taxi arrives so we load up and off we go home.

Well we arrive back home and while Pauline and the Taxi driver get the stuff out the Taxi, I go and get the kettle on to make Pauline and I a coffee, we deserve it after all that shopping, Pauline helps me put my shopping away and then we have a coffee and a Sausage roll, which goes down well.

Medication delivery.

Once we have finished that and had a short chat Pauline Kindly says she will take my washing to do ( Bless her) and so I phone for a Taxi for her and she is going to drop my repeat prescription off at the doctors for me and collect it when she comes round on Thursday, so it can go into the chemist ready for them to deliver to me on Friday as I can,t afford to run out of the medication.

So pauline makes her way home and I get myself a dish of Chicken soup and a coffee and then settle down for a short nap in the chair until 3.00 o clock and then get back on the Laptop and also watch a bit of TV.

Waterloo Station, London

It is now 4.10 so I think I will get this todays edition of my daily journal finished and posted now, as I will be getting dinner on about 5.30 ready for 6.00 tonight as I will be off down to my son Gervase at 7.30 for the evening, He is up in London, working today so he won't be home until later this evening otherwise I may have gone down a little earlier. Just as I was writing this my mobile rings and it is Gervase to say he is just walking from the office to Waterloo station to get the train home, so he should be back in Portsmouth by 7.00.

Well that was about as exciting as my day got today enjoyed seeing Pauline, Enjoyed going out to Asda, Enjoyed the Sausage roll and will enjoy going down to see Gervase and Leanne tonight, so all in all an Enjoyable day. so untill tomorrow, Tatty Bye

Just west of Portsmouth.

Fareham, Hampshire

Just west of portsmouth, and north of the coast
Is the small town of Fareham, Of that I can boast.


The place I grew up, from the year 43.
Just Mother and Patrick, Dave, Eileen and Me.


Oh the fun that we had, Playing out, running free
We went out in the morning, and back home for tea.


We used to go scrumping, apple pie made for tea.
PC Frampton would see us, Oh dear,y me.


On bonfire night, on the circle we went

 Hammond Road

It was always great fun, and the time was well spent.


But then we grew up, and we drifted apart,
With Marriage, and children, a new life we did start.


But we never forgot, those childhood day,s
we look back through the year,s in a kind of a haze.


Now mother is gone, tucked up safely with dad.
We remember the past, all the good, and the bad.


I remember coal fires, and the washing machine load
when we all lived together, in that place "Hammond Road"

A good nights sleep last night.

So a little bit of nostalgia to start off the day with, well I must say that being out in the sea air yesterday did me a power of good, Felt really tired yesterday so went to bed just after 10.00 last night and slept through until 7.00 this morning, did wake about 3.00 am but went straight back to sleep so a good 9 hours last night and feel a lot fresher today, that may be due to the fact that the temperature is about 5 degrees lower today than yesterday.

Amanda in a rush today.

However, can't stay in bed all day so must get up and get my Morning coffee and then watch the TV News before Amanda the carer comes at 8.30, anyway have my coffee and go and wash up last nights dinner things ( Lazy Me) and blow me down there is a knock on the door and it's Amanda come early, it is only 8.10. apparently she is in a bit of a rush today so gets me washed and groomed and then away she goes, OH well time for breakfast now then.

Had some porridge for breakfast today and that went down well so now I need to get dressed and then make my way round to tesco express to get some fruit drink, milk and something for dinner tonight, need to get something which is quick and easy to do and that will puree down OK, so I get a Tesco "Bacon & Chicken Pasta" ready meal, that will do for tonight and tomorrow we will do the big shop down at Asda.

WEather Map showing Temperature 

Well back home from Tesco express, didn't hang about long as it is very cold out there today, as you can see by the map here the temperature today is 9 c or 10 c whereas yesterday it reached a high of 18 c. anyway now to settle down with the computer for a couple of hours before lunch at 1.00.

Well it is now getting towards 1.00 o-clock and soon be time to think about lunch, anyway as I am contemplating what to have for lunch the phone rings and it is my brother pat to say he is in Portsmouth and is going to come and pay me a visit, he has been working in Chichester and thought he would pop in for an hour on the way back to Fareham where he lives,

Todays Lunch.

So I make sure I get the kettle on to make the coffee and decide to do myself a " Asda Great stuff " mini meal for lunch " Chicken meat balls with spaghetti" have not had that before so will try to have it without pureeing, The spaghetti in tomato sauce should be OK but not sure about the meat balls, but will give it a try.

My Brother Pat

Anyway get that into the microwave while I get the coffee started, just finished that when Pat arrives complete with a Kentucky fried chicken lunch, so anyway we sit down and Pat has his KFC and I have my Meatballs and Spaghetti, and it went down OK, the meatballs were hard work but I did it so that is pleasing, anyway pat has had a problem with one of there cats being ill and they had to have the cat put to sleep over the weekend, this was upsetting for them because they had had the cat about 16 years still as pat said it was kinder than letting the cat suffer and it was on the advice of the animal hospital vet.

Get the Daily Journal done.

Apart from that Pat is keeping OK and deciding if he will carry on working after he is 65 in January or if he will retire so he has a decision to make there soon. the hour soon passes and pat makes his way back home to Fareham, while I get the washing up done and then settle back down with the laptop to get this edition of my Daily Journal done. Just as I settle down to get this Journal done so the phone rings and it is the speech therapist to see how I am getting on with the swallowing, anyway she is satisfied that it is moving in the right direction ( Downwards From mouth to Stomach) LOL. So she said she will give me a ring in the new year unless she hears from me before, so it seems I am moving in the right direction.

So it has been a very enjoyable day today, the good sleep last night did me the world of good, It was nice to see my brother Pat and had a good chat, Enjoyed my lunch, and a good chat with the speech therapist , so now to get this edition of the daily journal posted and then see who is about on facebook before getting dinner sorted and an evening of TV. so until tomorrow I will say Good Bye.