Yesterday afternoon we braved the weather and went out to do our shopping, I wasn't feeling 100% so I took my wheelchair with me but soon realised that maybe it would have been better to stay at home. Wheelchairs, rain and puddles just don't mix. I got soaked.
The bathroom is all but finished, I've got to pull my finger out and make the new blind and the shower curtain. There is still the question over the flooring, we still haven't found anything remotely suitable as yet but there isn't any real hurry. OK the tiles don't quite match the new colour scheme and after a through scrubbing and blast with the power washer they've come up a shade lighter but, they are still in good condition so will do for now. We also need a new mirror but again we are still arguing about shape and size.
It is now only three weeks until Andrew leaves for uni and I'm beginning to have the wobbles. Not only that but there is so much stuff to sort out. Because of his course he needs specialist clothing and although he gets given a uniform he still needs special footwear, and of course there are items such as thermal underwear to get as he will be out and about in all weathers. He also needs to get his own pots and pans and a supply of tinned and dried goods that will suffice as a meal on those days he is too busy or gets in too late to cook. I have already paid out upwards of £700 since he got accepted ten days ago and there is more to come. We haven't even started on the text books he is going to need. It will all be worth it in the end though. He is doing something very worth while and will spend his life saving others, what more can anyone ask for? And there will be one paramedic in London who fully understands PH and all it's complications.
We are going to bite the bullet and take a short trip abroad after we've deposited Andrew at his halls. I'm still grounded so we will go via the channel tunnel but even this is not difficulty free. Eurostar are not too happy with the thought of taking an oxygen cylinder on board, concentrators are fine and they won't charge but cylinders they don't seem to like much. They haven't said an outright no but the cylinders have to be of a certain type and size. Also they only allow two wheelchair users per train and you have to pay a special wheelchair rate which I haven't looked into yet. The wheelchair spaces are located in premium or business class, you are allowed one companion who will pay a discounted rate, any one else will have to sit in a different part of the train of pay the full rate. It all sounds depressingly familiar, yes we cater for disabled people but we do everything to discourage them that we can. So now we are looking at taking our car so we can carry all the equipment I'll need in the boot, still not sure if I'll be allowed to take the oxygen but that is just one of the questions I will need to ask.
I feel I need to be removed from everything for a while. I've had a crap eight months one way or another and in order to save myself from myself and regain my positive outlook I need to take a step back. I can't do it here as I'm constantly waiting for that letter, that phone call, keeping on the look out for the next mini disaster or disappointment. By putting myself out of reach I will hopefully be able to relax and enjoy myself. I am sure the not sleeping, not eating and general 'down' is all because of the enormous stress I've been under. This trip is a necessity not a treat.
Paralympic Watch
I didn't manage to stay up to see all of the opening ceremony unfortunately. By half past eleven my eyes were having to be forced open so reluctantly I called it quits with the intention of catching up on what I missed today.
What I did see, although not as frenetic as the Olympic version, was just as weird. There were many similarities of course, we still had a self important actor hamming up Shakespeare, only this one looked as though he'd just stuck his finger in the light socket. We still had the boring speeches, though mercifully not doubled up by being translated into French and we still had the Queen looking, well, miserable to be quite frank. At least we didn't have the toe curling parachute jump this time. The theme seems to be umbrellas, which was appropriate considering it had bucketed down for most of the day. And we had Stephen Hawking, possibly the most famous disabled person in the entire world.
To be honest I didn't think it lived up to the Olympic effort but maybe it was just different. Hopefully the games themselves will keep me riveted.
This afternoon I'm resting and catching up on my soaps. I'm pretty sure I've got another chest infection brewing but it might just be that I need to rest. So settee here I come.
The bathroom is all but finished, I've got to pull my finger out and make the new blind and the shower curtain. There is still the question over the flooring, we still haven't found anything remotely suitable as yet but there isn't any real hurry. OK the tiles don't quite match the new colour scheme and after a through scrubbing and blast with the power washer they've come up a shade lighter but, they are still in good condition so will do for now. We also need a new mirror but again we are still arguing about shape and size.
It is now only three weeks until Andrew leaves for uni and I'm beginning to have the wobbles. Not only that but there is so much stuff to sort out. Because of his course he needs specialist clothing and although he gets given a uniform he still needs special footwear, and of course there are items such as thermal underwear to get as he will be out and about in all weathers. He also needs to get his own pots and pans and a supply of tinned and dried goods that will suffice as a meal on those days he is too busy or gets in too late to cook. I have already paid out upwards of £700 since he got accepted ten days ago and there is more to come. We haven't even started on the text books he is going to need. It will all be worth it in the end though. He is doing something very worth while and will spend his life saving others, what more can anyone ask for? And there will be one paramedic in London who fully understands PH and all it's complications.
We are going to bite the bullet and take a short trip abroad after we've deposited Andrew at his halls. I'm still grounded so we will go via the channel tunnel but even this is not difficulty free. Eurostar are not too happy with the thought of taking an oxygen cylinder on board, concentrators are fine and they won't charge but cylinders they don't seem to like much. They haven't said an outright no but the cylinders have to be of a certain type and size. Also they only allow two wheelchair users per train and you have to pay a special wheelchair rate which I haven't looked into yet. The wheelchair spaces are located in premium or business class, you are allowed one companion who will pay a discounted rate, any one else will have to sit in a different part of the train of pay the full rate. It all sounds depressingly familiar, yes we cater for disabled people but we do everything to discourage them that we can. So now we are looking at taking our car so we can carry all the equipment I'll need in the boot, still not sure if I'll be allowed to take the oxygen but that is just one of the questions I will need to ask.
I feel I need to be removed from everything for a while. I've had a crap eight months one way or another and in order to save myself from myself and regain my positive outlook I need to take a step back. I can't do it here as I'm constantly waiting for that letter, that phone call, keeping on the look out for the next mini disaster or disappointment. By putting myself out of reach I will hopefully be able to relax and enjoy myself. I am sure the not sleeping, not eating and general 'down' is all because of the enormous stress I've been under. This trip is a necessity not a treat.
Paralympic Watch
I didn't manage to stay up to see all of the opening ceremony unfortunately. By half past eleven my eyes were having to be forced open so reluctantly I called it quits with the intention of catching up on what I missed today.
What I did see, although not as frenetic as the Olympic version, was just as weird. There were many similarities of course, we still had a self important actor hamming up Shakespeare, only this one looked as though he'd just stuck his finger in the light socket. We still had the boring speeches, though mercifully not doubled up by being translated into French and we still had the Queen looking, well, miserable to be quite frank. At least we didn't have the toe curling parachute jump this time. The theme seems to be umbrellas, which was appropriate considering it had bucketed down for most of the day. And we had Stephen Hawking, possibly the most famous disabled person in the entire world.
To be honest I didn't think it lived up to the Olympic effort but maybe it was just different. Hopefully the games themselves will keep me riveted.
This afternoon I'm resting and catching up on my soaps. I'm pretty sure I've got another chest infection brewing but it might just be that I need to rest. So settee here I come.
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