Sunday then and the start of my day was a nice hot jet bath! By having my bath this morning it freed up the time this evening for the kids to have their baths ready for school tomorrow. I lost track of time somewhat as I really got in to a film that was on and it wasn’t until I looked at the time that I noticed the water was not as warm as I had thought and so I hoisted myself up and started to dry. Even now it is weird for me to be hanging from the bathroom ceiling, in the sitting position in my sling while drying the top half allowing the water to drip from the sling in to the bath. This is done before I move out from over the bath and lower myself on to the towel on the floor, here I can dry my legs and feet and then hoist myself back on to my chair. Gone are the days when I could be out of the bath, dried and dressed in ten minutes, it’s now a half hour or more for me to do it myself, dressing is the hardest bit but I make this a bit easier by getting on to my bed.
I will admit that I get really angry and shout and swear when I struggle, it’s been sixteen months since my accident, sixteen months since my life was normal, sixteen months since I was able to do everything for myself. Now the simple task of getting dried, getting dressed are no longer simple, for me they are a test of balance of which I have very little, strength which I lack in areas but is getting better and method of how to as I have only taught myself. I am well aware that things will get better with practice but nothing can be done in a hurry any more. I have to accept that ordinary simple things are no longer simple and that all the shouting and swearing in the world are not going to change it or make it simpler, but I actually don’t know how to vent my frustration if I do not shout and swear. The biggest problem I have is with my legs. The right leg spasms with such force that I can’t do anything when it happens, and when it very quickly goes from legs to waist to legs and back it has almost thrown me off of my bed or out of my chair, over twelve months after I left the spinal unit, I have yet to get the right medication to help it.
This evening we went to Darren and Tabatha’s for tea. Tabatha had cooked a lovely roast dinner, they had invited us round as they were actually able to do so now that they live just round the corner. As well as the traditional veg, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings we had chicken and Gammon, the food was lovely but there has to be a special mention for the Gammon, oh my word was that nice, no need to apply any pressure to the knife to cut it, you just had to look at it and practically cut itself, amazing! (I liked it, a lot.)
We left after a really nice meal and time spent chatting, and on return to the bungalow the kids routine started of showers and getting bags and uniform ready for school in the morning. This done, it was bed time and then time for a bit of a tidy before my Wife finally got to sit down and watch one of the programmes she enjoys. Now though it is time for us all to hit the sack ready for tomorrow. Will any more snow fall over night to disrupt tomorrow? We shall see in the morning.
Goodnight all.
