Firstly thanks for the positive comments I have received about restarting my ramblings, its always good to hear that people are getting entertained by my misfortunes.
Friday I had arranged to meet an ex workmate for lunch, so thought I would combine it with a bit of festive shopping. Unfortunately I slept in so it was a mad rush to get into Norwich on time. I had intended to reduce my carbon footprint by hopping on the bus, but unfortunately I darent risk being late, plus i wanted to shop in and out of town and the car was easier. The central carparks for the 2 Malls were full to overflowing, with huge queues, but I managed to park on the roof of a central one, and spent a while admiring the wonderful skyline of my home city, one or 2 pics to follow.
I headed for the shops with quite a jaunty air for about the first 50 yards, then slowed down considerably as the pain set in. First stop W H Smiths to get a book for mum for christmas, but they didnt have it in stock. Quick flit through British Home Stores (cos they have nice Loos), then into "Ladies Modes" to look for a bit of sparkly garb for christmas. Lots of sale rails but nothing I fancied, so i saved my christmas money for later, Final stop Poundland for loads of Terrys choc oranges, Cadburys buttons, Toblerone and 20 electronic lighters !!! great value, and i only spent £6.
Staggered up the hill to meet Sue for lunch, didnt recognise her with long hair, you looked great Sue, and so relaxed too x . Stuffed our faces at the eat as much as you can Chinese buffet, caught up on about a years worth of scandal, and had a thoroughally enjoyable time, made a new years resolution, I must make the effort to get out more.
Next stop was shopping on the outskirts of Norwich, since i am having such trouble sleeping I wanted to try a memory foam pillow, so bought 2, one for me and one for, yes you guessed, mum.
Remembered to buy some wrapping paper so started wandering back to the car, I cant believe how heavy those pillows were, the rolls of paper kept slipping down, my shoulder bag was dragging on the floor and i was wilting fast, after a short rest on one of the many benches that surround the square, and subbing one of the local vagrants for a cup of tea and donating him one of my newly acquired lighters (he probably wanted to flambe the meths on his christmas pud, bless) i staggered back to the car and went home to start wrapping, now where did i put that sellotape ?
Mums new bathroom was oficially finished (subject to inspection) on Friday. She got up on Saturday dreaming of sitting under a hot shower for the first time in over a month. There is a pull cord that you have to use before you can turn the shower on, but however hard she tried it would not pull, and she was scared that she might break it, so she rang the workman and he assured her it wouldnt bring the ceiling down, by this time she was dressed, so given up the idea. She managed eventually to get it on, then couldnt get it off !! She again rang him, and he said it was ok to leave it on, it wouldnt matter. Monday the building inspector turned up for the final check. He took one look at the pull cord, and said it was not right, and needed replacing, and the floor was a mess and would need to come up and be replaced AGAIN !!!!
Result is we should have been going to turkey and tinsel at the local garden centre today, and I am sitting here writing this, and poor old mum is sitting at home, with no heating again because the workman has turned the electricity off, and a wet room with no flooring. Well no one said it would be easy.
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Thursday 10 December 2009
YES IT HAS BEEN A WHILE, SO LETS CATCH UP
All I can do is apologise, last post was July, and a lot has happened since. I was about to commit to the horrors of dental surgery and thank goodness that is now all done and dusted. I was extremely brave, the surgeons were wonderful and gave me the most wonderful cocktail of sedatives during the operation, that although awake, i really didnt give a damn. Anyway they removed 10 teeth, (all healthy) grrrr split my gum and scrubbed and reamed out all the damaged bone then stitched it all up again. I then got sent to intensive care recovery where my blood pressure dropped to my boots and they had to inject me with magic juice to bring it back up again !!! eventually got back to the ward about 7pm and all I wanted to do was go home, but the computer said "NO"
Now to any readers who know me, I dont take to being told what to do very well, so i told them i needed the bathroom, so they brought me a "lady bottle" these are the mose cumbersome things, which are impossible to use, you might as well just pee the bed !!!! I told them i couldnt use it and they brought me a commode, all well and good. but I cant pee when i am being observed by someone peeping through a curtain who is running the tap and making swishing noises either. By now all my IV drips had finished so i asked them to disconnect me and let me go to the loo in a civilised fashion. After checking my BP, which was back up to normal, they agreed, but with the warning that if I passed out it would be my own fault. I quickly grabbed my clothes and did a runner to the bathroom. Once there, I got my first look in the mirror at the "damages", it was quite scarey, I was bruised, swollen and very gummy, but also very numb still, so i was still determined to go home.
When I got back to my bed I heard one of the nurses on the phone to mum, and she said i would be staying in as I was "disorientated" I shouted NO I AM GOING HOME !!!! and nurse put mother through to talk some sense into me, she didnt succeed either, so I promptly rang big bro and told him to come and get me I would be waiting outside!!!
Oh the joy of getting home to familiar surroundings, i spent the next 10 days lying low, eating slops and became adept at untying my stitches with my tongue!! so didnt need to go back to have them out lol. Six weeks later I booked a dentist, had impressions made, remaining teeth scaled and polished, and now can give a great display of my pearly whites, although I seem to have acquired a cute lisp. Gradually getting used to the new teeth, although i do take them out to eat lol.
Right thats me up to date I think, but as for mother, where do I start? For months I have been going on at her to have one of her bathrooms adapted to a Wet Room, this finally happened last week. I was popping in most days to monitor progress, and every time I arrived the workmen were either standing out front having a fag break, or sitting in her kitchen drinking tea !!!! on several occasions she was banished to the lounge with no electricity for hours at a time and chilled to the bone.
Work finally finished last Friday, so I thought great she will be able to shower in safety, how wrong I was. Apparently the occupational therapists still had to attend to fit seat and grab rails for her, and check the work. They turned up on Tuesday and the list of faults is horrendous. The bathroom was tiled with white tiles, but they left the original cream tiles on the windowsill with half an inch overlapping, so if she slipped chances are she would cut her head open. the waterproof flooring is already coming away from the wall !! the shower curtain is 6 inches too short, the toilet is not the specified high pedestal one, and the cistern is incorrectly fitted and to cap it all the old immersion heater switch is electrically still live. The annoying thing is that the workmen asked us to put in a good word for them, as they liked doing all this council grant work !!!!!
So no grab handles, no seat, and the workmen are back in residence again.
Glad to get that lot off my chest, I am now off Christmas shopping so no doubt the grumpy old woman will be back writing with a vengance soon xxxxxx
Now to any readers who know me, I dont take to being told what to do very well, so i told them i needed the bathroom, so they brought me a "lady bottle" these are the mose cumbersome things, which are impossible to use, you might as well just pee the bed !!!! I told them i couldnt use it and they brought me a commode, all well and good. but I cant pee when i am being observed by someone peeping through a curtain who is running the tap and making swishing noises either. By now all my IV drips had finished so i asked them to disconnect me and let me go to the loo in a civilised fashion. After checking my BP, which was back up to normal, they agreed, but with the warning that if I passed out it would be my own fault. I quickly grabbed my clothes and did a runner to the bathroom. Once there, I got my first look in the mirror at the "damages", it was quite scarey, I was bruised, swollen and very gummy, but also very numb still, so i was still determined to go home.
When I got back to my bed I heard one of the nurses on the phone to mum, and she said i would be staying in as I was "disorientated" I shouted NO I AM GOING HOME !!!! and nurse put mother through to talk some sense into me, she didnt succeed either, so I promptly rang big bro and told him to come and get me I would be waiting outside!!!
Oh the joy of getting home to familiar surroundings, i spent the next 10 days lying low, eating slops and became adept at untying my stitches with my tongue!! so didnt need to go back to have them out lol. Six weeks later I booked a dentist, had impressions made, remaining teeth scaled and polished, and now can give a great display of my pearly whites, although I seem to have acquired a cute lisp. Gradually getting used to the new teeth, although i do take them out to eat lol.
Right thats me up to date I think, but as for mother, where do I start? For months I have been going on at her to have one of her bathrooms adapted to a Wet Room, this finally happened last week. I was popping in most days to monitor progress, and every time I arrived the workmen were either standing out front having a fag break, or sitting in her kitchen drinking tea !!!! on several occasions she was banished to the lounge with no electricity for hours at a time and chilled to the bone.
Work finally finished last Friday, so I thought great she will be able to shower in safety, how wrong I was. Apparently the occupational therapists still had to attend to fit seat and grab rails for her, and check the work. They turned up on Tuesday and the list of faults is horrendous. The bathroom was tiled with white tiles, but they left the original cream tiles on the windowsill with half an inch overlapping, so if she slipped chances are she would cut her head open. the waterproof flooring is already coming away from the wall !! the shower curtain is 6 inches too short, the toilet is not the specified high pedestal one, and the cistern is incorrectly fitted and to cap it all the old immersion heater switch is electrically still live. The annoying thing is that the workmen asked us to put in a good word for them, as they liked doing all this council grant work !!!!!
So no grab handles, no seat, and the workmen are back in residence again.
Glad to get that lot off my chest, I am now off Christmas shopping so no doubt the grumpy old woman will be back writing with a vengance soon xxxxxx
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