Visiting Wales
I am visiting Wales, Penarth to be precise. Meanwhile Barby is on a walking break, 5 days of respite. She is on her annual pilgrimage to the Lake District so more Wainwrights can be crossed off the list, notably Skiddaw.
A trip to Wales for recuperation
Home alone?
With one arm in a sling it is impossible for me to put on shoes and socks. The initial idea was that I would stay at home, arrange for a carer to come in and help me to get dressed in the morning and check everything OK in the evening. Barby had made arrangements for friends to check up that I was OK. Not an ideal arrangement but I could cope.
Go to Wales
Then I heard that I could stay with my brother in Penarth, a much better idea! They had hoped to move house over the weekend 19/20 of September but the chain broke at the last minute. It made a lot more sense for me to stay with Tony and his wife Charlotte in Wales. There would always be someone in the house looking after me in case I fell over. I am much happier going to stay with them.
Charlotte and MS
So here I am in Penarth, yes I have had a couple of minor falls, nothing serious. Staying upright with an arm in a sling, foot drop and poor balance is no easy matter. Eating fantastic food and there is always someone to talk to. Charlotte has MS; drop foot but can get by a lot more easily than I can.
Lucky escapes
It’s so easy for me to lose my balance. Saved from nasty tumbles by door frames, walls, tables or chairs more often than I care to admit. It happens when I lose concentration for a moment, I try to turn when walking. The carpets on the floor are an additional hazard, at home only the bedroom is carpeted. I must start wearing the orthosis again; adds stability to my ankle, less chance of taking a tumble.
Disabled Assistance
Barby took me to Reading; I then traveled to Cardiff by train where I was met by Tony and Charlotte. The disabled assistance at each end was first class, nothing was too much trouble. Apart from my occasional gripe about Berkhamsted railway station I have always been well looked after by the rain staff. Even when it was an emergency at Euston they have always stepped up to the mark.
Shoulder
Nearly 4 weeks since the operation, its on the mend, I have got to wear the wretched sling for another five weeks. Yes I can now type using both hands but I must not use my shoulder so I cannot use my upper arm at all. I still have to eat with a spoon or fork in my right hand. I am improving but still a bit clumsy. I can now sleep on my side, initially I had to sleep on my back, just in case you are wondering; yes I do snore.
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