A Step Up.

Rainy Days in January.

One of my biggest bugbears in the 21st century is lack of physical access century. Its is still acceptable for a company such as Boots Pharmacy to operate with a large step outside. I have worked in planning and I know while it may cost to remove the step it isnt actually that big a deal and I know of only one premises where this really would be impossible. However as Boots have a near monopoly on high street pharmacies they think they can get away with making people like me sit outside with our prescriptions and ring the bell for assistance. if you know me at all you will quickly realise I would rather crawl over hot coals than do this and so I end up either asking someone to go in for me or driving to the nearest accessible pharmacy which is 20 miles away. If you had to do this you wouldnt think its acceptable and frankly neither do I, But Boots thinks it is, and continues to be a serial offender. Shame on them.

Diet update 2

Well so far so good. I have now been on a diet for 4 months and have lost x amount of pounds. I don't know actually because  never weigh myself but I can report that I have definitely lost weight. My clothes are all hanging a bit better and a few pairs of trousers that were rather tight are much more comfortable. For me its a long haul as I'm not doing anything physical to burn off the extra calories. So I have given up what I call empty calories, The ones you just eat because they are around but serve no purpose. The odd biscuit, butter on my bread, cutting all the carbs out, banishing chocolate and alcohol. I'm very fat and carbohydrate aware these days. I'm used to it now and don't feel terribly deprived. It may take me a long time but it is working slowly so long may it continue, because I need to lose about a stone I suppose!

Stop the clocks, its 2012.

I haven't blogged for a while, just over 2 months to be honest. It was kind of deliberate, as I have been feeling a bit  low and didn't want to appear to be a moaning, whining, self pitying old sod, but I suppose I am, just a little bit. I am fed up, fed up with being disabled and unable to do stuff I used to. I feel like a shadow of myself which a fairly good description to anyone who used to know me. I look tired because I am. I don't sleep that well any more, and I have quite lot of pain. Its not terrible agonising pain but an endless, day in day out, background pain that never goes away. I have continued to have quite severe tendon problems in my right arm and my left isn't great either. I can now no longer brush my teeth, write my name, tear, chop, slice things. I cant lift anything including a mug of tea and to be blunt I can barely manage my own toilet needs anymore. Its fairly grim but I'm trying to keep cheerful. I suppose you could say I'm upbeat if fucking frustrated. I feel like I'm heading back to the early days when you have to learn everything again. This time I'm learning how not to do things I suppose. My fine motor skills may be fairly crap but at least I can drive. It uses a whole different set of muscles and the top half of your body, which I don't think you have ever thought about before. Unfortunately the treatment options are few. I can try resting my whole arm. it may or may not help but isn't going to happen. I could have steroid injections which again may or may not help pain, but wont improve function. That's a definite NO, or as My Dr suggested, we could try a tendon transfer operation. I'm going to have to think about that one for quite a long time. That's one of those things that if it works would be really great but if it went wrong would be catastrophic. 2012 may be an Olympic year for some but I'm planning a quite year ahead, and I'm not planning on making any decisions on that for a while yet.

Tin openers

I need a new tin opener and I need one now. So far this year I have managed to wreck 4 different types, all of which assure you on the packaging they are 'easy to use'. I don't find them at all easy to use actually and because I cant grip them hard enough I end up using them at an odd angle which eventually causes the cutting blade to either snap or become unusably blunt. I have been thinking of getting an electric opener but have shied away so far as they seem big and bulky on the worktop, or I suspect the smaller ones are heavy as they take batteries. To be honest I try to use ring pull tins where possible these fays but even now they are not available in every item you want. So I'm open to suggestions. And as for hot water bottles, don't get me started on how hard they are!

Diet Update

An update on my diet. So far its been going well, I've managed 3 weeks without falling off the wagon. In that time I've succumbed to 4 biscuits, no chocolate or sweets, no butter and I've cut the carbs right down. Eaten a lot of Porridge, and Snackajacks and Ryvita are my New Best Friends. Ive managed to lose some weight, but have no idea how much, a few pounds I'm guessing as people, including my GP have told me I've lost weight and I'm about to drop a size in jeans. Its a shame because my favourites are about to become the whoopy trousers as we say in this house! So I'll have to look for the next size down. Dear Boden please send me a new pair please!

Kitchen Fever

The last week has been mayhem! At last after months of planning our new kitchen started to take shape. Designed with me in mind its going to be terrific , the only problem being that while it was being done I was pretty much a prisoner in my own home or out of it. Either way I couldn't get out the house and if I did manage it no way was I going to get back in. The kitchen is our primary way into the house and while there is a back door its pretty much impossible with out several Sherpas to get me up the step or 2, over the grass, down a step and over the bump, and through the door. Not to be recommended. The team of builders responsible for installing the whole thing took over the whole garden, patio and kitchen, we were going stir crazy and the chances of negotiating through the mayhem and making it safely to the car were slim. lets just say that since Thursday this is the first quiet day and we are loving it. the kitchen has basically taken shape with all the units ow in place. We have been able to put the food back in and start living like normal people. The builder will be back on Monday but I'm hopeful the worst is over.