I am now stuck with my leg having to be raised for the whole weekend. I was hopeful that it might be sunny and hot outside and I could spend the day sitting in the garden. It's currently the former and not the latter so outside is out at the moment, but hopefully by lunch time it will be warm enough.
How did I end up like this? Well a month or so ago I was told by the podiatrist that I have Sinus Tarsi Syndrome and although I tried inserts in my shoes and an ankle brace nothing was working and so I was booked into the hospital yesterday afternoon for a cortisone injection. Not the most pleasant of experiences. It apparently doesn't work for everyone, but I'm sincerely hoping I'm not everyone.
Poor Mountain Man has now had to turn from patient into nurse. He's getting back into exercising again and I'm looking at this stint of enforced inactivity on my part as part of his recovery programme as he runs up and down the stairs fetching and carrying for me. He might well see it differently!
Friday, 30 March 2012
Monday, 26 March 2012
Newly found stag status
I'm not quite sure why these things happen to me, but happen they do.
When I take the train I try and get a seat in the quiet carriage, but because I'd booked my ticket a couple of weeks ago when the meeting I had to attend in London was called, there were none left.
As I got on the train yesterday the carriage I was in was the absolute opposite of quiet. It was full of blokes who were on their way home to Darlington from a stag do in Edinburgh. And when I say full, I mean absolutely stuffed. They were all hungover and some were quite drunk. The guy in my seat was asleep. Undaunted I very politely told his friends he was in my seat and he was shaken awake and he and one of his pals moved to seats further down the carriage, but I was still surrounded. I also noticed that all the seats in the carriage were booked and the ones on my table from Newcastle to London.
Ok, so we get to Newcastle, where blow me, but a whole load of blokes who'd been on a stag do in Newcastle for the weekend got on and proceeded to remove all the stag blokes from the other do and sit in their allotted seats. I was now surrounded by London stags rather than Darlington stags. There were about 20 of this lot. They very quickly established their journey routine by getting out their six packs (and I don't mean the belly variety) and their packs of cards. They looked at me, apologised and then offered me a beer.
Actually the journey was hilarious. I watched them play a rather idiotic card game called 'Inbetweeners' which has no skill whatsoever, but incurs much betting of real live money. I was amazed at how much money they were winning and losing... literally £££'s! They offered me a shot, but quite frankly I'm not a gambler and especially when it's totally down to luck, so I declined. But we chatted and laughed and drank. I even got invited to the party that was due to happen last night, but I declined that too as I'd already booked my ticket to the David Hockney exhibition. Not sure they understood that one.
The Hockney exhibition was absolutely fantastic and I'm so pleased I managed to go. It's only on until the 9th April, so do go if you get the chance.
My meeting went ok and I managed to get home today to find my man had been pretty good and rested for the hours I was away. I think the threat from a phone call from No. 1 Son was enough to stop him from doing too much.
My journey back was very boring compared to my one down. Maybe next time I'll book for a noisy carriage rather than the quiet one and get my honorary stag T-shirt ready just in case there are some stags in need of a 60 year old woman on the lookout for a party!
When I take the train I try and get a seat in the quiet carriage, but because I'd booked my ticket a couple of weeks ago when the meeting I had to attend in London was called, there were none left.
As I got on the train yesterday the carriage I was in was the absolute opposite of quiet. It was full of blokes who were on their way home to Darlington from a stag do in Edinburgh. And when I say full, I mean absolutely stuffed. They were all hungover and some were quite drunk. The guy in my seat was asleep. Undaunted I very politely told his friends he was in my seat and he was shaken awake and he and one of his pals moved to seats further down the carriage, but I was still surrounded. I also noticed that all the seats in the carriage were booked and the ones on my table from Newcastle to London.
Ok, so we get to Newcastle, where blow me, but a whole load of blokes who'd been on a stag do in Newcastle for the weekend got on and proceeded to remove all the stag blokes from the other do and sit in their allotted seats. I was now surrounded by London stags rather than Darlington stags. There were about 20 of this lot. They very quickly established their journey routine by getting out their six packs (and I don't mean the belly variety) and their packs of cards. They looked at me, apologised and then offered me a beer.
Actually the journey was hilarious. I watched them play a rather idiotic card game called 'Inbetweeners' which has no skill whatsoever, but incurs much betting of real live money. I was amazed at how much money they were winning and losing... literally £££'s! They offered me a shot, but quite frankly I'm not a gambler and especially when it's totally down to luck, so I declined. But we chatted and laughed and drank. I even got invited to the party that was due to happen last night, but I declined that too as I'd already booked my ticket to the David Hockney exhibition. Not sure they understood that one.
The Hockney exhibition was absolutely fantastic and I'm so pleased I managed to go. It's only on until the 9th April, so do go if you get the chance.
My meeting went ok and I managed to get home today to find my man had been pretty good and rested for the hours I was away. I think the threat from a phone call from No. 1 Son was enough to stop him from doing too much.
My journey back was very boring compared to my one down. Maybe next time I'll book for a noisy carriage rather than the quiet one and get my honorary stag T-shirt ready just in case there are some stags in need of a 60 year old woman on the lookout for a party!
Saturday, 24 March 2012
If you go down to the woods today
Down in our Community Woods this afternoon we came across this wonderful deer made of woven sticks. It's absolutely amazing. Nell was completely freaked at first and started woofing at it and prancing about for all of 10 seconds, after which discretion got the better part of valour and she decided to ignore it.
You can also see from this photo that Mountain Man is up and about again and was feeling well enough to join us on our afternoon stroll.
In fact MM is so much better today that we've decided to dispense with No. 1 Son's very kind offer of ministrations tomorrow when I leave for the big smoke and MM will stay home with strict instructions not to lift anything at all.
I do, in fact, feel ok about leaving him home alone as the Cardiologist that treated him in the BGH lives across the road from us and a few of the Borders Search and Rescue guys aren't far away. Hopefully neither of them will be needed as I'm sure MM will rest up.
And Nell? Well she doesn't actually know how to do much more than rest up these days and, apart from her 10 seconds of intense activity this afternoon, she's back to normal showing Mountain Man what resting up really looks like.
Friday, 23 March 2012
That was the week that was
At last, after 6 long days, Mountain Man is home from hospital.
It's been a very long week that has tried and tested my patience to the full and I'm afraid I've been found wanting. All I can say is that I'm pleased I live in the Borders and my local hospital is the Borders General (or as it's affectionately known down here The BGH), as when MM was removed from there to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at midnight on Wednesday night, the reality of the worst of the NHS hit home. From food that's prepared in Wales and brought all the way to Edinburgh to a car park where you pay £1.30 for the first hour, no matter whether you're there picking someone up and you're parked for 10 minutes, the experience was not a great one.
The outcome of all this is that MM has a slight left ventricle artery problem which he's now on medication for, and apart from being Sedentary Man for the next few days, he should be back to firing on all cylinders reasonably soon. I'm very relieved.
Meanwhile, I went to my Women's Bowls League competition on Wednesday night as I felt I needed to get out and do something rather than sitting around waiting for the phone to go and someone to tell me what was going on. I'm so pleased I did. We won our match and that has made us runners up. Given that it's my first year doing this I am thrilled. And more importantly my team all told me that I wasn't on the transfer list and no-one was to poach me for next year. It sure is nice to be wanted.
I have a meeting to attend in London on Monday morning and I've been waiting all week to see if it'll be ok to go. It's been decided I will and I'll leave my man and dog in the care of No. 1 son in Edinburgh when I head south on Sunday night. I've also booked to see the David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy and, although I had a standby for my ticket, I'm pleased I'll be able to get to it.
I wonder what next week will bring? No... best not go there!
It's been a very long week that has tried and tested my patience to the full and I'm afraid I've been found wanting. All I can say is that I'm pleased I live in the Borders and my local hospital is the Borders General (or as it's affectionately known down here The BGH), as when MM was removed from there to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at midnight on Wednesday night, the reality of the worst of the NHS hit home. From food that's prepared in Wales and brought all the way to Edinburgh to a car park where you pay £1.30 for the first hour, no matter whether you're there picking someone up and you're parked for 10 minutes, the experience was not a great one.
The outcome of all this is that MM has a slight left ventricle artery problem which he's now on medication for, and apart from being Sedentary Man for the next few days, he should be back to firing on all cylinders reasonably soon. I'm very relieved.
Meanwhile, I went to my Women's Bowls League competition on Wednesday night as I felt I needed to get out and do something rather than sitting around waiting for the phone to go and someone to tell me what was going on. I'm so pleased I did. We won our match and that has made us runners up. Given that it's my first year doing this I am thrilled. And more importantly my team all told me that I wasn't on the transfer list and no-one was to poach me for next year. It sure is nice to be wanted.
I have a meeting to attend in London on Monday morning and I've been waiting all week to see if it'll be ok to go. It's been decided I will and I'll leave my man and dog in the care of No. 1 son in Edinburgh when I head south on Sunday night. I've also booked to see the David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy and, although I had a standby for my ticket, I'm pleased I'll be able to get to it.
I wonder what next week will bring? No... best not go there!
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
No news is no news
Mountain Man is still in hospital and we're still not much wiser. It does look as though it wasn't a heart attack, which is great, but the mystery goes on and we won't find out anything until tomorrow. Apparently they want a radiographer to look at the results from one of the tests, so that's that.
One good thing though is that they've unhooked him from the heart monitor because his heart rate was so slow it wasn't registering properly. All those marathons, cycle rides, mountain climbs etc must have done some good then! It also meant that he could get off his bed and walk a bit.
We decided on him walking me to my car in the car park as he wanted a bit of air. I'm not sure he was supposed to go beyond the entrance, but as far as I'm concerned flouting rules means that he's definitely on the mend.
So now we wait... ho hum... I'm not very good at this waiting lark!
One good thing though is that they've unhooked him from the heart monitor because his heart rate was so slow it wasn't registering properly. All those marathons, cycle rides, mountain climbs etc must have done some good then! It also meant that he could get off his bed and walk a bit.
We decided on him walking me to my car in the car park as he wanted a bit of air. I'm not sure he was supposed to go beyond the entrance, but as far as I'm concerned flouting rules means that he's definitely on the mend.
So now we wait... ho hum... I'm not very good at this waiting lark!
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Mother's Day
My Mother's Day started last night when Mountain Man, who was running the Mighty Deerstalker Challenge, had to be rescued by the Borders Search and Rescue team that he works with. He had a collapse - albeit at the end after getting his medal - and was carted off to Borders General Hospital.
What is a little strange about this is that I knew he was in difficulties about 5 minutes before I got the call. I just had a sense that things weren't going ok.
This brought to mind a similar incident with No. 1 son when he was 14. He'd already broken one of his legs at judo 8 months before and was back at training. MM had taken him. I was settling down with a nice glass of wine and my cat on my lap and I just knew he'd broken his leg. And 5 minutes later I got the call to say he'd indeed broken his leg. Luckily it was the other leg... well ok, maybe 'luckily' isn't the right terminology but I'm sure you know what I mean.
And it was exactly the same last night. I'd just settled down, but with a whisky not wine, and knew I was going to get a call, and then 5 minutes later there it was.
We don't know exactly what's wrong, but MM is firmly ensconced in the cardiac ward at BGH attached to wires and monitors. He's due to have more tests tomorrow so all will become clearer then.
As far as Mother's Days go this probably wasn't the most relaxed, but as well as cards from both my sons, they phoned and were absolutely wonderful. I feel blessed as a mother and who could ask for more.
What is a little strange about this is that I knew he was in difficulties about 5 minutes before I got the call. I just had a sense that things weren't going ok.
This brought to mind a similar incident with No. 1 son when he was 14. He'd already broken one of his legs at judo 8 months before and was back at training. MM had taken him. I was settling down with a nice glass of wine and my cat on my lap and I just knew he'd broken his leg. And 5 minutes later I got the call to say he'd indeed broken his leg. Luckily it was the other leg... well ok, maybe 'luckily' isn't the right terminology but I'm sure you know what I mean.
And it was exactly the same last night. I'd just settled down, but with a whisky not wine, and knew I was going to get a call, and then 5 minutes later there it was.
We don't know exactly what's wrong, but MM is firmly ensconced in the cardiac ward at BGH attached to wires and monitors. He's due to have more tests tomorrow so all will become clearer then.
As far as Mother's Days go this probably wasn't the most relaxed, but as well as cards from both my sons, they phoned and were absolutely wonderful. I feel blessed as a mother and who could ask for more.
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Funny things humans
I'm just back from a two day teaching stint on a specialist supervision workshop, which I facilitated with an extremely experienced psychologist. And, as always, being psychologists, we did our evaluations.
Out of the 10 attendees 9 of them gave the workshop the highest rating, but one didn't. We then spent almost half an hour anxsting about this one and ignoring all the positives in the others. We even managed to ignore that this one person had said that the facilitators (as in us) were great.
After our half hour we drove home and still couldn't lift our mood of desolation and the first thing I told Mountain Man was that it hadn't gone that well.
I had to do my report on the workshop this morning and when I actually read what was written I couldn't help but smile.
Funny isn't it that we always focus on the negative even though the positive is right in front of us.
Out of the 10 attendees 9 of them gave the workshop the highest rating, but one didn't. We then spent almost half an hour anxsting about this one and ignoring all the positives in the others. We even managed to ignore that this one person had said that the facilitators (as in us) were great.
After our half hour we drove home and still couldn't lift our mood of desolation and the first thing I told Mountain Man was that it hadn't gone that well.
I had to do my report on the workshop this morning and when I actually read what was written I couldn't help but smile.
Funny isn't it that we always focus on the negative even though the positive is right in front of us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)