Monday, January 29, 2007

DAY TRIPPER

I was really pleased that today was so mild as I had made my mind up that Mick and I were going out. I was really excited as I got him breakfasted, washed and dressed. He is such a darling when I'm getting him into the wheelchair; he never grunts or groans. It's quite a palaver as when he is in the hoist and the wheelchair is beneath him I have to tip the wheelchair onto its back wheels, the back towards me and rest it with him in it against my leg so that my hands are free to unhook the hoist. It's a bit difficult to explain but luckily I've strong legs so it doesn't cause me too much of a problem as long as I balance the chair right. Of course it means Mick is tipped right back "wheelie" fashion but if I didn't do it that way the hoist would come down straight on top of Mick's head!! Considering that "in the beginning" the District Nurse said that it takes two people to use the hoist and so I probably wouldn't be able to manage it...we've coped well. I was reading Dirty Butter's latest post today. It reminded me only too well how difficult it was "transferring" Mick from his bed to his chair or sitting him up in bed in the "pre hoist" days. It was a case of having to actually lift him!!....it's incredible where the strength comes from..Mick was a good 14 stone then and was unable to bear any weight on his legs at all by the time July 2005 came round.
Well that was another case of "Ruth in digressing mode". ........
A quick harp back to my BLUE MONDAY post; another instance this morning...........I had "parked" Mick at the bottom of our front steps while I popped back indoors to get the prescriptions I needed to drop into the doctors surgery. One of our neighbours parked his car outside his garage and went to walk to his house which is a few doors up from ours. he spotted Mick and instead of walking along the pavement behind Mick which led straight to his house....HE DETOURED, went over to the other side of the square, walked right round and got to his house from the other side. I could see him doing it out of the window...I felt like shouting "IT'S NOT F...ING CATCHING!!!!!" It's unbelievable; especially when this neighbour is allegedly disabled himself due to difficulty waking; he gets a nice free car from the government because of it...it's funny really because quite a few other neighbours have commented to me how well HE manges digging his garden and walking around town etc without a stick...except when he's due for a disablement review (their words not mine) and then his stick suddenly appears again......................digressed again didn't I!!
Mick and I had a nice leisurely trip to the Drift. I know it sounds silly....no one LIKES spending money but I really miss having the feel of REAL money in my hands as I have to do so much On-line shopping. Funny the little things we take for granted in every day life that we miss when we can't do them.
It was warm enough that I didn't even need to put a hat on Mick; their was no wind at all to make it feel chilly. On our way back there was the sound of birdsong in the air. It was beautiful and I stopped to listen. Mick lifted his head slightly, opened his eyes and turned his head ever so sightly towards the sound. It was lovely to see that he could hear it; I peered up into the tree from where the sound was coming and it was a Robin....I couldn't zoom in clearly enough to get a closeup photo but if you look carefully he IS there.

singing robin We must have been there a full 5 minutes before the robin finally flew off and Mick kept his eyes open the whole time.

As we got nearer home I saw that some Forsythia coming into bud. Don't tell the council will you but I snapped off a couple of sprigs. These will come out into bloom in the warmth of the house and when they do ad Mick sees it he will know that Spring is on its way.forsythia

We had a little sit in the garden when we got home; I chatted to mick about all the things in the garden that were growing/ budding/blooming and then we came back indoors and I put him back on his bed. Except when he had a little lunch he has been peacefully sleeping since. We've a busy evening ahead...haircut then kitchenshower...............in fact looking at the time I'd better get a move on. I've the kitchen to clear to make room for the paddling pool; towels,, wash gear, fresh sheets etc to gather and then I've got to get Mick undressed and back into his wheelchair ready for Tracey to come.....................I do make sure he is suitable covered with his dressing gown (back to front) for the hair cut but have him naked and ready for his shower underneath it. If I didn't do this it would mean that once Mick had his hair cut I would then have to hoist him back onto his bed to undress him; then hoist him back out again to get him into the kitchen for his shower.............as after his shower we have to hoist him onto the bed wet, dry and dress him and then hoist him up again to make his bed it would just be a hoist too far.

No time for spell checks or a read through so hope all this has made sense!

8 visitors have commented:

Icarus said...

So, you had a mixed-grill kind of day, didn't you. But plenty of activity. I've had a day full of synergies & synchronicities around the world, but nodetails. your neighbour made me think of that story in the UK news last week about the guy with disability benefits who turns out to run marathons in 3 hours!!! What are these people like??? You know what they are full of though, don't you?

And I did see Robin (something else that hasn't happened for a year or 10).
All that you have to do at ablution time: you don't just need Ally, the whole McCoist family should be on hand.
But good to know you could actually spend time SITTING in the garden. That could be expected here, except it's hardly much warmer than yesterday. So, back to the *warm* room for me now....big kissinhos

Anonymous said...

'I felt like shouting "IT'S NOT F...ING CATCHING!!!!!" It's unbelievable; especially when this neighbour is allegedly disabled himself ...'

1. I hate to say this but maybe people DO get that feeling or more to the point- they're scared of what they don't know & understand.

2. Some people really don't know what to say. And instead of being gracious and giving a minute or two to say hello and maybe feel uncomfortable and not know whether eg to look Mick in the eye or just talk to you they avoid the whole situation not (probably a lot of the time) even realizing the hurt they cause.

Don't know if I've just stated the egg-suckingly obvious but that is my "interpretation".

RUTH said...

Hi Icarus (can't get used to calling you that) just stuffed a chinese takeaway... now mixed grill!!!..........I won't get my pc on my lap if I carry on like this.......xxxx's back to you and a warm((hug))
GW; now EGGS.... no more food!!!!
seriously though you are quite right..I know that...just had to get it out of my system....plus don't see why he should get a car and I can't get an electric motor for Mick's chair....
((hugs)) to you too.

talj said...

Hi Ruth! Great to see you had a nice day out with Mick. The hoist really sounds like a pain in the.....

As does your neighbour. I admire you for resisting the urge to shout, if it had been me I think I'd have given it to him with both barrels!!

I hope that tomorrow brings a few rays of sunshine through your day :o)

With love,

Natalya

talj said...

Ruth I also wanted to point you to a photo of Rose. She was a beautiful young lady and this image of her was taken on her Graduation day just 2 weeks before she passed away.....

Our beautiful angel x

Take care. With love,

Natalya x

RUTH said...

talj; What a lovely woman she looked in the photograph..a beautiful name for a beautiful person..everyone must have been so proud of her...
Rx

Rosemary said...

I haven't a clue as to how many pounds 14 stone was, but I'm sure it was a lot. Daddy is heavy, but he won't follow directions, particularly when he's hallucinating. Mama, on the other hand, even in the depths of Alzheimer's, could make the transfer just fine.

We've finally worked out something that makes it easier for us, by using the walker instead of me to hold onto to make the transfer.

I can't imagine you having the strength to tilt the wheelchair back like that and hold it with your legs!! Mick, who is obviously not a small man, is fortunate that you are as strong as you are.

Strength is my biggest problem, and my DH can't help there, either. He had colon cancer 3 years ago, and a year ago had to have hernia repairs all along the whole length of his incision. The surgeon said it was the biggest mess of hernias she had ever seen.

So, be thankful for your health, and guard it well. Take care of yourself, as well as Mick, and you'll both enjoy that garden!!!!!

RUTH said...

Dirty Butter I too am grateful that I have good health and the physical strength. I consider myself lucky in that regard. Remember that you and DH must look after yourselves as well
Rx