A visit to the Doctors.

Although it is now Friday I promised that I would post Thursdays post this morning so here we are

Thursday as it happened seemed to be a day that came and went I slept reasonably well on Wednesday night and got up about 8.00 am as Thursday is the day the household refuse is collected so I need to put out the black bin bag ready for the collection.

Time for breakfast.

Once I have done that I phone Pauline and She and Gordon are Ok, I then go on the laptop to check out Facebook and get up to date with the Postings, before getting some toast and Marmalade for breakfast followed by the obligatory five Prunes. after which I get myself washed and dressed, before heading out with the Rollator to go and get my daily paper at the local Tesco Express.

On Facebook again

Once I had got my paper I went back home, my knee is playing up again today so the less I walk the better it is anyway take a co-codomol for it and then go for a lie down.  after about an hour I go and get back on the laptop for an hour until it is time to get some lunch ready as it is 12.30 and I need to have lunch at 1.00.

See my Doctor

I am having a Jacket potato for lunch today with cheese and some mince that Gordon and pauline brought down for me yesterday. Once that has been cooked and eaten it is time for a mint tea before getting the vegetable prepared ready for dinner tonight, as I have to start getting ready about 2,30 as I have a taxi booked for 3.30 to take me to Eastney health centre for my appointment with Dr Lake at 3.50, Dr Lake is a very attentive Doctor and listens to what I say.

Once I have got myself shaved and dressed the Taxi arrives and Off I go up to the Health Centre. I arrive about 3.40 and report to reception I am number 1 to see Dr Lake so I have not got long to wait and am in spot on 3.50.

First of all  she understands that I am having problems with the tapering of the steroids but what she was concerned about was that i was having problems and pains in my Knee and hands, she looked at my notes and prescriptions and could not understand why I was not on Calcium, as I have been on the Prednisolone for so long, I said that is something that I had wondered about as my dietician stopped my Calcium and Vit D tablets in October 2012 after I had come of the Puree and soft lumps diet, anyway she is going to look into my notes and then write to me and is also going to write to the dietician and also my Neurologist as she feels I need to go back on them, but need to find out the exact reason it was stopped. she is also going to arrange tests to see if I may have Adrenal insufficiency

The pains in the knee and hand she thinks could be Arthritis as my monthly blood works for the bone comes back normal so she wants me to go to the St Mary,s walk in treatment centre tomorrow for an x-Ray on the Knee, just to see if anything is amiss with the Knee Joint. I had a x-ray on it about 18 months ago when I was having knee pain and it came back all clear.

St Marys walk in Treatment centre .

Eastney Health Centre and Doctors Surgery,s

So all in all a good appointment so now back home at 4.40 so time for a coffee and relax until Gervase comes in to see me at 6.30 and then dinner for 7.30 and then an evening relaxing listening to the radio and an Facebook so until Fridays Journal I will say Adios..................

Where do the days go to ??????

Welcome to..................

It just seems like no sooner does the day start than it is soon time for bed again, They do say that as you get older that the days seem to go quicker.

So seeing as the days going by so quickly must be a sign of getting older perhaps I should buy myself a book on getting Older ..................

After my positive appointment with my Consultant Neurologist on Friday and then the taking of the Methotrexate, the week end went pretty much like every weekend does after freaky Friday.

Saturday 7th September 2013

Friday night was a decent nights sleep and saturday was a bit of a nondescript day really, so did not do an awful lot on Saturday, I did go for a bit of a walk round to co-op in winter road to get my morning paper but most of the day was spent watching old repeats of Bonanza and Gunsmoke on the CBS action channel, so that is one of the good things to taking the Methotrexate it wipes me out for a day or two so I can catch up on some nostalgic TV series from my Youth

Those were the Day,s

Bonanza 1959 - 1973

Saturday evening was a good evening as I spent a good 4 hours watching the last night of the Proms live on BBC 1 and 2  from the "Royal albert Hall"

The Royal Albert Hall, London.

Last night of the Proms BBC 1 and 2

Sunday 8th September 2013

Sunday was much the same although my Son Gervase came round to see me for a few hours in the afternoon and took me down to Asda in Fratton to get some shopping so that was a nice change, by Sunday afternoon the Methotrexate "Yucky" feeling is wearing off.

Asda at Fratton (Stock Photo).

anyway once we had done the shopping we head home and after putting the shopping away we sit and have a chat and put the world to rights before Gervase heads back home to Leanne.

Monday 9th September 2013

well come Monday and it is time for the slow cooker to come out of the cupboard as Autumn is approaching, so it is time to get out the Slow cooker recipe book. when I was shopping with Gervase Sunday I got a nice chicken breast quarter and a nice pork cutlet along with a nice pack of fresh casserole vegetables so after breakfast I get the casserole pack into the slow cooker with the Chicken breast Quarter and add the water and stock cubes and set the slow cooker on its low setting so that it will be all cooked ready for dinner at 6.30 this evening.

Casserole Vegetable pack

Fresh chicken breast Quarters

Pauline and Gordon were down at there Flat this morning and popped in to see me for a coffee about lunch time so we had a coffee and a chat an I gave Gordon his Birthday Card and Present as it is his birthday on Tuesday. Pauline and Gordon stayed about an hour and then headed back home to Waterlooville, so I settled down to catch up with some Tv and also to get another "Myo Man Dreams" Cartoon strip done, I did one on Sunday as well It is nearly a year since I did the last one so decided I had better start getting creative again.

Sundays Cartoon strip

Mondays Cartoon Strip

well monday was a pretty good day all round and I was ready for my Dinner from the slow cooker so at 6.30 it was a nice Chicken Casserole followed by fruit in Jelly and It was very tasty, and there is enough vegetable left in the slow cooker to have with the slow cooked Pork cutlet on Tuesday.

A Tasty slow cooked Chicken Casserole home made with fresh ingredients 

 Monday night was spent watching the TV before heading off to bed at 10.30 to listen to the local radio quiz before getting off to sleep at 11.30.

Tuesday 10th September 2013

as Usual Like any other morning it starts with a trip to the bathroom before a coffee which gets taken back to bed.

The morning Ritual

Once I have had my Coffee and lie in I then make another coffee and take into the lounge, where I send the text to Pauline and then have breakfast, Pauline phones back and says that Gordon is having a birthday lie in today and then they are going into the town later on this morning so ......................

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORDON

So another day of watching TV, and relaxing until tomorrow when it will be shopping with Pauline down the city centre and also Morrisons. anyway at 10.00 I get the Pork cutlet into the slow cooker and also the remainder of the vegetable from yesterday, I add a rasher of Bacon and some extra stock and then put it on to the slow setting so it will be ready for dinner tonight.

A tasty fresh organic Pork Cutlet

Once that is all ready I get the washing up done and then settle down to get this journal written. I will be so glad when I get my new computer, which hopefully will be the second or third week of October if all goes to plan, anyway after a little while I take a break and  go and get a paper and some milk and then have another spell at the Journal, at 1.00 I make a nice Toasted Bacon and Egg sandwich for lunch and also a Banana, before getting back to the Journal.

Toasted Egg and Bacon Sandwich for lunch

So it is now 2.40 and the vision has just about had it with the computer for the day so I am going to end todays Journal and to remind you all that it is only 11 days to Myositis Awareness day on Saturday 21st September. so do what you can to raise awareness of Myositis in your community.

so until the next Journal I will say.................

and welcome to another Thursday.

And has anyone seen Pauline ?????

yes folks it is Thursday again, Oh how the week flies by when we are having fun, what with a trip to the seaside on Monday, The vampire Tuesday, and yesterday the Doctors and now today the Lost "Pauline" life is full of Fun.

Wednesday 28th August 2013

Well Wednesday dawns bright and cheerful, and I have to get up earlier today as I have my appointment with Dr Tyrrell my long standing GP. I made an appointment to see him as I am finding that it is difficult to breath in this hot and humid weather we are having here in the UK this year and also Dr Tyrrell is retiring in September so I need to drop a thank you card in to him as well.

Happy Retirement Dr Tyrrell

 However I am up at 8.00 and into the lounge with a coffee where I text Pauline, She phones back to say her and gordon will be down at 9.30 and Gordon will take us to the Eastney health centre for my appointment at 10.00 and then he will go and start the weekly flat clean while Pauline and I go down to morrisons to get the shopping.

Once I have finished talking to Pauline I have a shower and then get ready for when Pauline and Gordon arrive/ They arrive about 9.30 so we have a coffee and then Gordon gets the wheelchair into the car and then we are off to the doctors, where Gordon Leaves us and heads back to the flat to start the cleaning.

Eastney Health centre (Stock Photo 2012)

We do not have to wait long to se Dr Tyrrell, he checks my temperature and also my chest and blood pressure and it is al Ok so agrees that it is the humidity that is causing me to find it harder to breath, anyway I will see Dr Gibb next Thursday and he will probably arrange for my yearly PFT the last twice it has been about 84% so not to mad for my age and as an ex smoker. anyway I wish him luck with his retirement and look forward to meeting his replacement, anyway as I thought he prescribes me a Ventolin  inhaler with a Aerochamber and so off we go to get that at the chemist across the road before phoning for a taxi to take us down to Morrisons at the City Centre.

Lloyds Pharmacy opposite Eastney Health Centre. (Stock Photo 2012)

Ventolin Inhaler with Aerochamber

Once we are down at Morrisons, we have a coffee and then get the shopping done before getting a Taxi back home, by this time it has just gone 12.00. Once home Gordon has got my flat nice and clean and tidy as usual and so we have a Sandwich for lunch and also a coffee and a good chat before Gordon and Pauline make there way home about 1.30.

You have done well Gordon. Thank you

At 2.00 I go for a cat nap for an hour and then at 3.00 I make a coffee and get the vegetable prepared for dinner before going into the lounge and getting some paperwork sorted out before dinner at 6.00 and settling down for the evening with the TV.

Here is the Wednesday Update on Tom Coleby,s Cycle ride by his mum Lesley Coleby

Lesley Coleby

Tom's John O'Groats to Land's End cycle ride - Day 6. The boys have safely arrived tonight's destination. They are staying between Warrington and Chester with Sophie, a good friend from University. She (or her parents!) are kindly putting them up for the night. I hope they are prepared for 5 sweaty, very hungry tired boys. I also hope they can borrow the washing machine, as I don't like to think of the state of their two sets of cycling kit! It was a long day today, 100 miles, it went well although a slow first 50 miles as Ed had a couple of punctures and wheel issues which meant they didn't arrive until gone 6pm. I gather the roads have been busier, as they have cycled through/near several big northern towns - Lancaster, Preston, Wigan and Warrington. Warrington is not far from Liverpool (Beatles fame!). It will be great for them to see a friendly face and Sophie is a lovely bubbly girl so I'm sure she will boost their spirits. Tomorrow they will be cycling not far from the Welsh border all the way down from Chester to Hereford. James's parents, who live in Cardiff, Wales, are hoping to meet them tomorrow night, so another boost hopefully. Keep the boys in your prayers, an accident can happen at any time, especially in the busier routes. Until tomorrow ........

So Far Tom has raised over £3,600 through his just Giving Page. Well Done Tom

Tom and Friends crossing the border from Scotland to England.(Tuesday ?)

Thursday 29th August 2013

Well after another decent nights sleep, waking once at 3.30 for the bathroom and also a glass of water I eventually woke at 7.30 where I got up and made a coffee which I took back to bed and lazed listening to the radio until 8.30.

Lazing in Bed

 At 8.30 I get up and make my way into the lounge where I text Pauline and then get some Porridge for breakfast, Pauline texts back to say she will phone me when she gets indoors as she is out with Misty on their morning walk. Once I have had breakfast I was up the breakfast things and then settle down to watch "Heir Hunters"  A Genealogy program on BBC 1. about 9.45 Pauline phones to say that all is Ok and that it is another hot day .

Walk don't Run !!

well once I have spoken to Pauline and The "Heir hunters has finished I get the Roland the Rollator out and take a walk round to the Tesco express to get the morning Paper and then have a wander into Milton Park where I sit in the fresh air to read the paper for 30 minutes before heading back home about 11.15.

Tesco Express (Stock photo 2012)

Milton Park (Stock Photo 2012)

Once back indoors I make a coffee and settle down to do the crossword in the paper and then watch an episode of "The Father Dowling Mystery,s" on the TV before going for a lie down until 2.00 when I get a Strawberry complan and a Banana for Lunch.

Father Dowling Mysteries 1987 - 1991

As I am washing up the lunch things, Gordon Phones to ask of I have spoken to Pauline this morning. as he has phoned her Mobile and Home phone and she is not answering. Gordon is up in Salisbury Today and Tomorrow , so I phone Pauline several times on both phones and I am thinking of getting a taxi over to their house in  waterlooville when my phone rings and it is Pauline, she went out to the local tesco and forgot to take her mobile, which is amazing as she is always telling me that I need to take my Mobile if I go out, anyway panic over and I tell her to phone Gordon as he is worried.

When you go out shopping take your Mobile with you

well after all that excitement LOL, I decide to make a coffee and get this journal written, so the rest of the day will be spent relaxing in front of the TV and having dinner at 6.00.tonight I am having a smoked loin of Cod cooked in butter with a jacket potato with grated cheddar cheese "Yummy, Yummy" Naughty but nice and then I can look forward to Freaky Friday tomorrow.

Smoked Cod loin half price from Morrisons

So there we are then folks so until the next Journal on Saturday I will say..............

Humidity and heat = Hard to breath.

And so here we are again on a very hot and sunny Tuesday, Don't get me wrong it is so nice to see the sun and Cloudless blue skies but the only problem is with the heat, is that it makes it harder to breath, anyway enough of that so Welcome to Tuesday

well yesterday was a very enjoyable bank holiday Monday, Gordon and Pauline came down about 11.45 and we went down to Southsea for a couple of hours

Tuesday 26th August 2013

I slept pretty well on Sunday night although it was very humid and we do really need a decent Thunderstorm to clear the air, as when it is so hot and humid I find it affects by breathing, anyway I will be seeing my GP on Wednesday so will probably get a inhaler to help with the breathing as I did last year, but then I only used it about half a dozen times.

Aerochamber Plus with Inhaler

as usual when I was awake I made a coffee and took back to bed and just lazed around listening to the radio until 8.30 when I made another coffee and took into the lounge where I sent the morning text to Pauline and then got some Breakfast, Pauline phones to say that they will be down at about 11.30 and then we can go down to the seafront for a couple of hours, once I have finished speaking to Pauline I get on the laptop to check out my emails and facebook, and then I get a text from Gordon to say they are out in the woods with Misty for the morning walk , and he also sent a photo of the pond where they sit and Misty has a mooch around.

The pond where Misty likes to go for her morning walk

anyway at 10.30 I go and have a shower and then get dressed ready for when Pauline and Gordon arrive. They arrive about 11.40 so we head of in the car down to the seafront and are lucky as Gervase and leanne only live about a 3 minute walk from the common and sea front so we can park in there front Forecourt as they have space for two cars, so we see Gervase and leanne and then we are of for a walk on the common with the wheelchair, I can walk for about an hour now pushing the wheel chair and then Gordon or Pauline pushes me. Here are the photo,s from Yesterday.

The Common looking brown and parched, see Pauline had to get in the Picture.

Lots of fun things to do for the Children

looking Good Pauline and Gordon

Heading Towards the traveling fair ground

Don't look so worried Pauline, How much did you lose ???

The Fairground is starting to get busy

Spooky

 Once we had wandered around the common and the fairground and had a coffee and ice cream we headed over to the seafront and had a walk down to clarence pier before heading back to Gervase and Leanne,s to get the car and head back home, Gervase and Leanne were out so we did not see them

looking out to sea towards the Isle of Wight.

Looking along the sea wall

People enjoying the sunshine and the sea.

Once we got home, I made a coffee and then after a chat Pauline and Gordon head Home and I go for a lie down for an hour before settling down to an evening of TV and a nice dinner of Rainbow Trout stuffed with Ricotta and Spinach and Mashed Potato.
At 10.00 I was ready for bed,

and it did not take me long to get off to sleep where I slept right through until 6.30 this Morning.

Tuesday 27th August 2013

So here we are on a hot and sunny Tuesday, woke at 6.30 where after going to the bathroom I made a coffee and took back to bed where I dozed listening to the local radio until 8.30 where I made another coffee and took into the lounge.

well once I had got into the lounge I text Pauline to let her know all is Ok, we are going shopping on Wednesday this week due to the bank holiday etc and so Pauline text back to say that all is OK and that Gordon is out with Misty. I have an appointment with the local vampire today for the monthly blood ritual so I have to get my breakfast and then get ready for when the taxi comes at 10.15.

Getting Ready to meet the Vampire.

well I am washed. shaved and dressed by 9.45 so time for a quick coffee before the taxi from Citywide Taxis turn up at 10.10, it is not one of the regular drivers, but anyway I get my shoes on , grab the walking stick and am out of the door by 10.15 and into the cab and off we go to the "Castle of Blood" AKA Eastney Health Centre.

Is this Eastney Health Centre ????

Or is This Eastney Health Centre ???

And could this be Debbie who takes my Blood ???

So Many questions and so few answers, Oh well thats life. anyway once into the health centre I am soon in to see debbie and then back out and a taxi home., Once I am home I get the rollator and off round to get my morning paper and some milk and then back home to spend the day relaxing at home with the TV and the laptop, as it is to hot to be out in this weather today and I have a day of a GP appointment tomorrow and also down town shopping with Pauline. Once indoors I make a coffee and then settle down to read the Newspaper and do the Crossword.

Relaxation

well it has been a decent day today, a nice relaxing day and staying indoors has certainly helped with the breathing, anyway I will see Doctor Tyrrell My GP tomorrow and get an inhaler to help through this hot and Humid weather, also It will give me a chance to wish him well in his retirement at the end of the Month. He has been our family doctor since 1979 and saw my wife through the birth of our son "Gervase"in 1981 and also cared for Chris through her Breast cancer and from 1985 through until her death in 1993, and now with me with the DM over the last 2 years so 34 years of care and compassion,

Thank you Doctor Tyrrell.

I also had a couple of Photographs sent to me today by Pauline and Gordon of their rear garden in their new home, they have been out in the garden in the sun starting to get it into order so well done Pauline and Gordon.

Gordon working hard watched by Charley cat under the bush in the shade.

looking Good and is that my laundry on the washing line ?

So that is about it for today, I have had a lie down for an hour after lunch and also got the vegetable prepared for dinner tonight, so as it is now 5.00 pm I am going to get this Journal posted and then have a coffee before watching the quiz show "Pointless" at 5.15 on BBC 1 so until the next journal on Thursday I will say.................