Heard on a bus - "I had one of those but the knob fell off".
What was it that had a knob, then lost it ? Yes, I shouldn't have been listening,
but I was bored.
Tuesday 8 September 2015
Saturday 25 July 2015
A nice birthday present
It's my 59th birthday today. A great start - on waking, I could walk - only happens once every couple of months (normally it takes about half an hour to crawl across the bedroom floor).
Wheeee !!!
Still got a sprained wrist from riding a badly-adjusted drift trike - fair price. I decided some time ago that if I have to get old I'm going to damn well make sure it isn't a dignified old age !
Wheeee !!!
Still got a sprained wrist from riding a badly-adjusted drift trike - fair price. I decided some time ago that if I have to get old I'm going to damn well make sure it isn't a dignified old age !
Sunday 19 April 2015
Poem "Don't Quit" by that busy writer "Anonymous"
"Don't Quit"
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road ahead seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
rest if you must but don't you quit.
Success is failure turned inside out,
the silver lining of the seeds of doubt,
and you can never tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems so far,
so, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
it's when things go wrong that you must not quit.
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road ahead seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
rest if you must but don't you quit.
Success is failure turned inside out,
the silver lining of the seeds of doubt,
and you can never tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems so far,
so, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
it's when things go wrong that you must not quit.
yippee !
Woke up this morning to find I could walk (that hasn't happened in several months ! make it to the loo instead of the commode, then started dancing the can-can. At that point reality tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me I'm a rubbish dancer. Oh well.....
Sunday 22 March 2015
Some days with Parkinsons
A bad day
9 am 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet Amantadine
Lever self out of bed onto commode. Can’t walk till medication kicks in, (Once I decided I damn well would walk, picked up the potty out of the commode and stepped forward – then fell face down in the potty - a wonderful start to the day !) so I crawl – even that’s an effort - round end of bed to my laptop and lie on the floor browsing the internet. One hour later – nope, left leg still won’t step forward unless I reach down and pull it. Cross as I want breakfast (there’s a kettle within reach but I’m too shaky to hold the mug.) Decide to get dressed (20 minutes), crawl to bathroom then kitchen. Eventually manage to make coffee and toast – margarine goes everywhere.
11 am – pills finally effective but I’m tired from the extra effort. Out to shops.
12.30 – first signs of pills wearing off.
12.45 – off (left leg won’t walk, right a bit uncoordinated, tremor going full blast.) Back from shopping, it takes me 35 minutes to get from the garage (after parking mobility scooter) to my flat – it should take 3. The effort is tiring, so I lie down for ten minutes wishing I was near the kettle as I’m gasping for a coffee. Have taken 1pm pills on way up (1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg (if needed), 1 tablet Sinemet 12.5mg). Lurch into kitchen and aim lunch at face, some of it goes in and some squelches down my front to the floor. Decide to clean up later and curse when I step in it on my way out. Still mostly off, though can walk with an effort if holding onto something.
3 pm 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
4.15 pm still off, still fed up.
5 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
6 pm – wheee ! Finally on again !
9 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg, 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg,
1 tablet Perindopril erbumine 2mg Can feel myself going off. 10.30 pm - off !
11.30 still off. Crawl to telly and turn it off, start crawling to bathroom. Aim toothbrush at
teeth and miss – again ! wipe toothpaste off face and start crawling for bedroom.
12.30 Made it to bedroom (about 10 feet) and undress. Lie on floor and read to recover from the effort and hope this will lead to unfreezing – it does sometimes.
Bedtime 1 Rotigotine patch 8mg, 1 tablet Simvastatin 40 mg, 1 aspirin 75mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg
2 am – finally on. Lurch to bathroom , poke tablets for tomorrow into pillbox (damn childproof caps), collapse into bed and pass out before having time to turn the light off.
An average day
9 am 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet Amantadine.
Stiff as a plank. Crawl (even my crawling is stiff) round bed and lie on floor playing with my computer while waiting for the tablets to kick in. I’d like breakfast but that’ll have to wait. 10.10 am – Muscles have relaxed – do some exercises and stand up –yup, still wobbly but both legs going in the same direction. Get dressed, after usual fight with teeny bra hooks, breakfast. Spill coffee again and reach for stain remover before it sets. Two hours left in which I can rely on working legs. Ignore chores and go for cycle ride.
1pm coming back up the stairs to my flat I can feel my walking start to go unsteady. 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg, 1 tablet Sinemet 12.5mg. Lunch. When I get up I have to pull myself along the kitchen cabinets. Write letter to DVLC trying to discover what the dopey sods are doing about my driving licence renewal (13 months and counting). 2.30 pm – “on” again. half an hour later, just as I’m getting ready to go out – “off” again, though only unsteady not unable to walk – aargh! Outing postponed.
3 pm 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
4.30 pm – on again. Parkie lets me resume life.
5 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
9 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg, 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg,
1 tablet Perindopril erbumine 2mg
10 pm - off – sinemet not working yet – miss climax of film while crawling to the loo –grrrr !
11.30 – Sinemet still not working, start bedroom crawl again (see above)
Bedtime -1 Rotigotine patch 8mg, 1 tablet Simvastatin 40 mg, 1 aspirin 75mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg
A good day
As for average day, except for shorter afternoon “off” or on rare occasions no afternoon “off” and the evening Sinemet works.
About once every 2 months I find on waking that I can walk – whoopee !
9 am 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet Amantadine
Lever self out of bed onto commode. Can’t walk till medication kicks in, (Once I decided I damn well would walk, picked up the potty out of the commode and stepped forward – then fell face down in the potty - a wonderful start to the day !) so I crawl – even that’s an effort - round end of bed to my laptop and lie on the floor browsing the internet. One hour later – nope, left leg still won’t step forward unless I reach down and pull it. Cross as I want breakfast (there’s a kettle within reach but I’m too shaky to hold the mug.) Decide to get dressed (20 minutes), crawl to bathroom then kitchen. Eventually manage to make coffee and toast – margarine goes everywhere.
11 am – pills finally effective but I’m tired from the extra effort. Out to shops.
12.30 – first signs of pills wearing off.
12.45 – off (left leg won’t walk, right a bit uncoordinated, tremor going full blast.) Back from shopping, it takes me 35 minutes to get from the garage (after parking mobility scooter) to my flat – it should take 3. The effort is tiring, so I lie down for ten minutes wishing I was near the kettle as I’m gasping for a coffee. Have taken 1pm pills on way up (1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg (if needed), 1 tablet Sinemet 12.5mg). Lurch into kitchen and aim lunch at face, some of it goes in and some squelches down my front to the floor. Decide to clean up later and curse when I step in it on my way out. Still mostly off, though can walk with an effort if holding onto something.
3 pm 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
4.15 pm still off, still fed up.
5 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
6 pm – wheee ! Finally on again !
9 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg, 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg,
1 tablet Perindopril erbumine 2mg Can feel myself going off. 10.30 pm - off !
11.30 still off. Crawl to telly and turn it off, start crawling to bathroom. Aim toothbrush at
teeth and miss – again ! wipe toothpaste off face and start crawling for bedroom.
12.30 Made it to bedroom (about 10 feet) and undress. Lie on floor and read to recover from the effort and hope this will lead to unfreezing – it does sometimes.
Bedtime 1 Rotigotine patch 8mg, 1 tablet Simvastatin 40 mg, 1 aspirin 75mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg
2 am – finally on. Lurch to bathroom , poke tablets for tomorrow into pillbox (damn childproof caps), collapse into bed and pass out before having time to turn the light off.
An average day
9 am 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet Amantadine.
Stiff as a plank. Crawl (even my crawling is stiff) round bed and lie on floor playing with my computer while waiting for the tablets to kick in. I’d like breakfast but that’ll have to wait. 10.10 am – Muscles have relaxed – do some exercises and stand up –yup, still wobbly but both legs going in the same direction. Get dressed, after usual fight with teeny bra hooks, breakfast. Spill coffee again and reach for stain remover before it sets. Two hours left in which I can rely on working legs. Ignore chores and go for cycle ride.
1pm coming back up the stairs to my flat I can feel my walking start to go unsteady. 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg, 1 tablet Sinemet 12.5mg. Lunch. When I get up I have to pull myself along the kitchen cabinets. Write letter to DVLC trying to discover what the dopey sods are doing about my driving licence renewal (13 months and counting). 2.30 pm – “on” again. half an hour later, just as I’m getting ready to go out – “off” again, though only unsteady not unable to walk – aargh! Outing postponed.
3 pm 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg, 1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg, 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
4.30 pm – on again. Parkie lets me resume life.
5 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg; 1 tablet half Sinemet CR 25mg
9 pm 1 tablet Entacapone 200mg, 1 tablet Sinemet CR 50mg, 1 tablet Pramipexole 700mg,
1 tablet Perindopril erbumine 2mg
10 pm - off – sinemet not working yet – miss climax of film while crawling to the loo –grrrr !
11.30 – Sinemet still not working, start bedroom crawl again (see above)
Bedtime -1 Rotigotine patch 8mg, 1 tablet Simvastatin 40 mg, 1 aspirin 75mg,
1 tablet Oxybutinin 5mg
A good day
As for average day, except for shorter afternoon “off” or on rare occasions no afternoon “off” and the evening Sinemet works.
About once every 2 months I find on waking that I can walk – whoopee !
Thursday 1 January 2015
An odd incident
Some years ago I was on a short holiday in the English countryside. Strolling down a narrow road (no pavement, barely wide enough for two cars to pass) I met a large flock of sheep being herded along the road towards me.
When about twenty yards from me, the leading sheep saw me and stopped dead with a frightened expression. All the other sheep promptly stopped too.
The shepherd and his dogs were at the back and couldn't get through the solid block of frozen wool - soon the road was blocked by about a hundred sheep, two dogs, the shepherd , a tractor, several cars and a van - with me standing in front of the lot !
I tried encouraging noises - no use.. Finally the shepherd shouted "grab the bugger at the front and pull ! " .
I grabbed the wool on the leading sheep's head and pulled - they're heavy animals and stubborn, but so am I. Eventually it had no choice but to move - whereupon the whole carnival started moving, leaving me by the roadside looking guilty - but I hadn't done anything ! (Alright, maybe I did whisper "mint sauce").
When about twenty yards from me, the leading sheep saw me and stopped dead with a frightened expression. All the other sheep promptly stopped too.
The shepherd and his dogs were at the back and couldn't get through the solid block of frozen wool - soon the road was blocked by about a hundred sheep, two dogs, the shepherd , a tractor, several cars and a van - with me standing in front of the lot !
I tried encouraging noises - no use.. Finally the shepherd shouted "grab the bugger at the front and pull ! " .
I grabbed the wool on the leading sheep's head and pulled - they're heavy animals and stubborn, but so am I. Eventually it had no choice but to move - whereupon the whole carnival started moving, leaving me by the roadside looking guilty - but I hadn't done anything ! (Alright, maybe I did whisper "mint sauce").
Saturday 20 December 2014
What a nice man
I recently noticed a "floater" (a little speck) dancing inside my left eye. Consulting my
optician, I was frightened to hear that this was a sign of mild cataracts.
The optician said not to worry, as "everybody gets them" - this din't help.
In an effort to cheer myself up, I'v named the floater "Cyril" and wrote a note to my doctor for advice. Here's his reply (addressed to "Miss Amanda Phillips and Cyril") -
Dear Miss Phillips
Many thanks for your note. I hope I can reassure you that Cyril is unlikely to be a major problem and you do not need to be concerned. If you do experience any reduction in vision we can quickly and simply replace the lens. Please do not be concerned about him !
Happy Christmas.
Tim Bates
GP Fort House Surgery
optician, I was frightened to hear that this was a sign of mild cataracts.
The optician said not to worry, as "everybody gets them" - this din't help.
In an effort to cheer myself up, I'v named the floater "Cyril" and wrote a note to my doctor for advice. Here's his reply (addressed to "Miss Amanda Phillips and Cyril") -
Dear Miss Phillips
Many thanks for your note. I hope I can reassure you that Cyril is unlikely to be a major problem and you do not need to be concerned. If you do experience any reduction in vision we can quickly and simply replace the lens. Please do not be concerned about him !
Happy Christmas.
Tim Bates
GP Fort House Surgery
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