Monday, May 31, 2010

81 Today and Counting!

As I review my words on the last blog
"Really scraping the bottom of the barrel"
This was certainly not true, I've now found a new low, didn't think I could ever get this low, Don't worry I won't bore you with the detail, although the experience and the emotional ride was equal to any I've been on before and want to share these from my perspective!
You can always fast forward to the pictures!
I left the last blog at the waiting for the operations stage.
I was still walking around with broken bones and starting to get back into my drawing activites. Improving quite rapildy almost feeling good! (bit of an omen that!) Ken and Angela most kindly lent me allot of their drawing kit, sketchbooks, pencils, brushes and tubes of water colours. 
Here is some of Auntie Angela's work.....



I had  made a start sketching this ancient window ruin in Christchurch, going back to the 7th Centuary!

This chicken was just to make me feel home sick!

Upon returning to home base was told that my number had come up in the NHS at Poole Hospital and needed to report tomorrow at 7.30 am .

Getting there on the dot of 7am,....it was a very Salvador Dali experience (who I'd watched a TV programme about the nght before), surreal in the extreme. At 9 am I was wheeled into the Theatre, not to perform as a clown but to be the main act!
The aneasethists team all dressed in blue and smiling/joking allot, were all bright and cheery for a Wednesday morning.  It's amazing what one notices and is accutely aware of at this time
( I noticed my surgeons hairy chest peaking out of his vee necked gown!
Apparently my shoulder was "Well Mashed" I did a proper job of it, however it's all ok now, The next day I managed to record Mr Southgate, my surgeons visit and advice on the iphone. So once I figure out how to put this on the blog page, you'll hear it here, straight from the horses mouth!

I awoke from the operations, in the B2 Trauma Ward Bed C2 lying face up (coming 2), this was to be my posture for the next 24 hours. Any movement, however far was difficult and a challenge, I had both wings clipped and felt like I was pinned to the bed.  I managd to drink half a glass of water, that was all I could lift, needing two handed support to get it to my mouth! Pouring myself a glass of water was a physical impossibilty. When my evening meal came....  I took so long drinking the hot soup that the rest of the meal was well cold....I laughed (inside) when I saw the banana, another joke, I thought!
However I ploughed through the rest of the meal, with the whole evening to use up eating.
I hadn't anything from my bag on the bed (and nothing within reach, the buzzer to bring the nurse had fallen over the side. As my blood pressure was low, (to the nurses and doctors eyes) they were concerned that 85/54 with pulse of 66 was way too low) I knew better as my normal pulse is 90/60 with pulse of around 50.
 I wasn't worried, however they were, and took my BP reading at 2 hour intervals throughout the night. Most of it, I felt like a cast sheep!
After getting handed my iphone I managed to record thoughts from the end of my little finger....this was all I was able to do!
Needing to get more water poured, or ask for more morphine, or get another cardboard pee bottle, I attempted to use the buzzer...it wouldn't work...I pressed with both hands still no joy...and had to get it checked at the next BP visit. The nurses press however worked for her!
This brings me to the subject of Nurses......some are doing a job, others come in say there name and chat while they help you, there is a world of difference between the two, and healing is given a double dose with the later IMHO. I must mention Merle and Angie, true ladies of the night! (life savers)

In the morning I battled the ticking of the breakfast menu selection, only to be handed a bowl of corn flakes and kindly asked  if I want sugar on me corn flakes! The slice of toast with knife and those little foil sealed butter and jam containers I eventualy (those of you who know my love of toast and jam, will not believe this) I asked the nurse to do this for me! 20 minutes to eat a single slice of toast....another record!) The final piece of icing on the cake was watching the nurse zip up the fly on my trousers! (without asking!) as she helped me dress to head for the dispatch department (dis guy did  have a few extra patches, than when he came in ......dis-patch....get it?)
My other local uncle delivered me home to Christchurch, Dorsest, but not before meeting Ryan another cyclist with the same injury, who had spotted me (the hat actually) the previous week while attending the fracture clinic in Poole..
So now I was back to the unable to dress, undress myself, or tie my shoe laces stage.......again!!!
Now on 4 hourly 7mils of morphine and dreading getting into bed I started reading Mark Beaumonts book "The Man Who Cycled the World", the comparison in our situations not lost on me!
I now, know what it must be like, to be a butterfly and pinned (alive) onto a species/specimen card, in one of those entimologists drawers..... as that's exactly how I felt when I awoke in the morning!

I still can't quite believe the rapid improvement each day brings, though still can't butter me toast.......yet!(not completely true now, but good for effect!) Trying hard to live up to uncle Ken's opinion that I'm a smooth talker.......with the ladies.

Yesterday I wandered into town on an English summers day with raincoats and grey driving rain...here are a few pics




This is Ivo and Kokopelli the clowns skeeming up their next meeting

I also revisited Christchurch Priory, a most impressive building started in 1094, and is built mostly in the  Norman style of heavy columns and rounded arches.




Very similar patterns I've seen in Shioji doors in Japan.......interesting!!!

Genuine hand forged metal hinges and catches.

Just off  Bridge Street Chch, Dorset.

 Local Real Estate window, Thatched Cottage...only half million quid!

Spotted this at the Wimbourne Market last week, it's a wheelchair scooter called a "Nippi"
Apparently you wheel onto it, lock your brakes and even drive it while seated....gootta be real cool (with the right hat) and more storage for saxes too!

A highlight of last week was the dutch woman who stopped me in the market admiring my hat saying "Good job your hair is not that colour!" to which I took my hat off..... she nearly turned as red as my hat!

This is uncle Kens birds nest monitor, scavanged from the reversing TV camera's in some delivery vehicles.
Started with 8 eggs, now hatched and down to only 4 live chicks, I'm told the fledgling rate is even lower than this!

If you've read this far expecting  busking, clowning, biking news,......sorry it's not happenin yet!

 This blog post title is
"81 Today and still Counting"
This refers to the people I am living with and the way I've felt these last two weeks

.

I've been given the experience of being 81 years old...and it's great, I'll take it any day to the alternative.
Certainly wouldn't have been having these gifts if I'd stayed on my bike!

Next  blog.....another adventure.

till then...stay safe!
Arohanui
 Jimu


5 comments:

Terri Grimmett said...

sent you a reply but not sure it was successful. Signed up again with google so here goes. Read blog out to mum and she sends her love to family and friends. Rsvp asap ifthis works from my nokia e63.
Cheers
Philip and co.

Cynthia Morris said...

Wow!
What a crazy trip you are on. I am so sorry to hear about your crash and subsequent surgery.
I admire you for telling your story here. It's a real testament to how one endures a swirl in the shitter.
Sorry for being crude.
Your photos are lovely. Your spirit endures and is far greater than your circumstances.
Hang in there. You're on the mend and will be all well in no time.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

Kokopelli said...

My pleasure.....we'll all discover what's up ahead....tho I get first shot at it!

"together we create beauty"
Ciao & Namaste
Jimu

gritboyweir said...

Man what a trip Jimu !
You are an inspiration - I'd love an adventure like you are having :-)

Jimu said...

Thanks gritboyweir, I'll swap ya 1 kawaski dirt bike for 16 physio appointments at Christchurch, Dorset hospital… on second thoughts no, cause you might be getting you own one day being the fine dirt bike rider that you are!
Cheers
Jimu