Flaming June - or not!

Wednesday 1^st   Nik home early so we went for a walk round Lower Slaughter. Good weather.

2^nd Community physio with Sandra cancelled again cos of her back.

3^rd Nik had the day off and we went down to Clevedon, via Bristol picked up Andrew and went past Grandma’s house in Portishead. Kate Allatt’s birthday today she is a crazy Gemini like me!

A really good hour’s session with Dan, Dan training man, 30 minutes on treadmill at 3.3km and incline of 8, 8 minutes on Balance Master, then to get my pecs loosened I went on the Technogym arm bike for 5 minutes. Boy did my arms ache!

Didn’t want pub meal or chippies on way home, went for healthy salad from Waitrose!

4^th  We went to Big One Motability Car Day at Stoneleigh to try the cars I quite fancy, just getting in and out of them to see which has the best access and draw up a shortlist – Ford C Max and Focus, Mini.

Ed went with his mates to Scuttlebrook Wake/games.

Birmingham Sunday Mail/Mercury article appears and it’s very good, with a tad of journalistic license! http://www.sundaymercury.net/lifestyle-news/health-news/2011/06/09/real-life-at-48-the-doctors-said-i-d-never-walk-again-i-m-proving-them-wrong-66331-28817390/

5^th  Went out for a lovely belated birthday lunch with the girls from Educare at the Teddington Hands on the way to Tewkesbury fantastic food,  great time!. Nik went out on his bike 56.24 for his usual circuit.

6^th Should have had hydrotherapy today at Cirencester again, thankfully I hadn’t arranged transport as they cancelled it this morning! Ed has Maths tests today and tomorrow.
 

7^th Painter came to do the hall ceiling and I managed to walk from kitchen to Nik’s office carrying a cup of coffee for him and no spillage – another tick!

 Nothing very exciting really this week. There was a Gloucs Younger People Stroke Network meeting on Friday at Cheltenham but I was unable to make it cos' of a lift, really need to get a car sorted - maybe tomorrow! 

11^th – Car hunting, had a test drive of Mini in Stratford and went to look at A class Mercedes. We had a good look round the shops at Maybird and we picked up Nik’s bike. The Rugby Club had clean- up day but we didn’t make it- sorry Lesley at least the kids will have more sweets!

 

12^th – A visit to my favourite pain chamber with Dan,  30 mins on the treadmill at 2.4 -3km and at an incline of 10 (a bit like Blockley). 9 minutes of squats on the Vibrogym http://www.vgymuk.com/  Today Nik had a go on the treadmill for 12mins at 12 km, also spinning bike and Technogym arm bike, the boy done well!

 

13^th – First thing a physio appt with Sandra, we looked at arm and hand work with some exercises to do at home. Went to see Giles about dry/hoarse throat he upped the Omeprazole.

 

14^th/15^th  With the help of a lift from Karen B I was able to attend a Befriending training course run by Teresa C http://www.ukconnect.org/  in Cheltenham, met fellow stroke survivors who want to help other survivors.

 

16^th/17^th – INR Blood test by District Nurse and then some exercise, a walk round Blockley well not all of it but a circuit from house, past shop, round park and back home with a lovely lady called Jane B, who Tim had put me in touch with, she had her stroke 11 years ago. I had a good time and really nice to meet and talk with Jane and her experiences, she had been to Rivermead at Oxford, which merged with OCE.

18^th/19^th – Yet more car hunting on Saturday,  looked at Kia Venga and relooked at Ford’s again, and gas man to look over boiler, Charles has his last exam today. Sunday is Father’s Day, rang Dad wished him all the best.  Best news of the day I was able to get into my lovely Per Una jeans again - combination of diet and keeping fit who knows I was well pleased! Andrew and Kath came up and we went for a nice bit of lunch at the Snowshill.

A session with my pain trainer sorry personal trainer - Dan on Sunday afternoon and I did 25 mins on treadmill at 3.4km, 9 mins of squats and some good free walking without stick up and down gym.

20^th /21^st Nik starts his role as Sales Director, and another little milestone for us as he’s staying down overnight at Alison and Andy’s, his first overnight stay since I’ve been home!

He did have some bad news though as Clarence Clemons from Bruce’s band died over the weekend following complications after a stroke. Some of us are lucky and some are not, just like the turn of the dice so ‘carpe diem’.

Debbie took me to Moreton hosp, not in Landie this time I had an hour's physio with Sandra today and we did standing/weight bearing on my left leg and then lift right leg. New orthotic fitted today, it is a Sporlastic Neurodyn-Spastic, basically a neoprene sock with straps to help correct my drop foot, lighter than the plastic one and easier to fit into shoes. Aches like hell I guess ‘til I get used to it, just like learning to walk all over again.

22nd/23rd Should have seen Teresa but she cancelled due to illness so nothing very exciting these 2 days to report!

 

24th Should have seen Dan today but he was doing 20 miles of a 100 mile charity walk with a blind man, so we postponed ‘til Saturday. We were going to Cheltenham anyway to look at more cars and guess what I ordered one – hurrah wheels and freedom here I come!  

 

25th Bit of a downer and weepy today. Training session with Dan today explained probs with splint which is what has pissed me off & made me down I was hoping the new splint would be better than it’s been, easier than solid plastic one, so we put that aside we had a good session, 9 minutes on Vibrogym doing squats, some lovely barefoot side stepping with stiff thick elastic band round ankles to get the glutes going boy did it ache, and then on/off a squidgy textured cushion barefoot. 25 minutes on the treadmill at 3.6km Nik went on treadmill for 15 mins at and then on Vibro to warm down, walked stickless up the studio, as you can see below - nice pose!  Nice salad from Waitrose and home to watch Glasto on TV.

26th – Off down to Bristol Foodie Festival, met up with Andy, Kath, Cher and Mike, fabulous weather down by Bristol Harbourside, trying all sorts of food and drinks, gin and tonic, brandy on ice, wine, cheeses, sausages and then back to theirs for a fab BBQ. A great family day was had by all.

27th  Early start for me today as I was being picked up at 8am by Caroline Seguro our TSA Peer Co ordinator for Gloucs and then meeting up with Caroline M and Jenny and we’re off to the first ever Stroke Assembly at the Hilton Metropole at Birmingham NEC,  Followed by press release to Cotswold Journal.

http://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/local/chippingnorton/9127637.Blockley_woman_determined_to_help_stroke_survivors/

And Nik got to have a great day too he went out fishing in Bob’s boat they caught, mackerel, dogfish, black bream and smoothound shark. Charles at Uni all week to enjoy the end of year parties!   

 

28th New boiler day today I’m surrounded by dust sheets and chaos, hosepipes draining radiators, banging and drilling through and on walls, a nice thin layer of dust everywhere - and they didn't bother to clear up all the crockery taken out of the cupboard, great I really wished I was out all day and it had been done yesterday but hey c’est la vie!

29^th  New arm splint today, had the old smelly one rearranged into a grip style with more upright wrist, Bev took me and then I had an hour’s physio with Sandra, told her about the new leg/foot splint and it is causing me to invert my foot, so only wear in short spells. A week to go to our hollys – hurrah!

30^th Schools on strike today so Ed at home then Henry and him went into Campden. I had another good walk around the circuit with Jane B, she said I was walking a lot quicker, ‘got round like a ‘whippet’, all thanks to Dan’s work with the treadmill, we had a cuppa and cake back at ours. 6 days to jolly's!

 

May - Birthday month and a bath!

1st May and more socialising

A joint 40th /21st for Steve and 21st for Becky his daughter  – had my first bath since the stroke – dirty cow! Ed stayed at Henry’s overnight. Fab weather this weekend.

The Party was at Slug and Lettuce, I danced to Ce Lo Green – ‘crip or spacker’ dancing I call it cos I can! Met lots of Nik’s old Durable colleagues.

2nd to 8th May

Charles goes back to Uni on 3rd, blood test for me to measure INR. Visits from gas man, carpet man – how I live the high life! 

On 4th May I have a trial session with Tim Spittle - personal trainer at Rapid FX a gym in the next village, Draycott, slightly nearer than Cheltenham but hey give it a go.

7th May  – good session with Dan, 20 mins on treadmill, 5 mins of squats on Vibrogym and 10m ‘free’ walking i.e. without stick! http://www.vgymuk.com/  Dan has lent us the Vibro sphere so I can do some hand and foot massage each day to improve circulation and warm up both before going for a session with him.

8th – Nik out on bike ride – 51 mins. for usual circuit.

9th to 15th May

9th and 11th – Community Physio sessions with Sandra at home.

10th – driving assessment at RDAC centre, Eynsham, great to be behind a wheel again, nervous at first but all went well and I passed – hurrah! I now know what adaptions I will need on my Ferrari, but Motability don’t do those!

11th – I manage to peg out a whole line of washing, menial to many but an achievement for me, who would ever of thought I would be chuffed about this! Another tick for me.

12th – Claire K came to visit for a natter/gossip, catch up on ‘that place’!

13th – Nik has good news on the work front,  promoted to Sales Director, and very well deserved too, so off we go to the Western to celebrate that and my driving! Had some pink fizz from Gavin and Stuart and a good natter with them.

14th – Haircut with Jannine and then off to Matt Keyte for a trial massage.

15th – session with Dan 25 minutes on treadmill, squats but took it easy due to sore butt last week !

16th to 22nd May

16th Skyped Dad and Charles.  Nik at NEC for IFSEC exhibition most of the week.

Tuesday 17th   I had an orthotics appt at Moreton on to be measured up for a new splint of some description, Debbie R took me in her Landie – which was fun getting into! Nik and Ed off to dentist, and both had nothing done.

Wednesday 18th – Had another trial session with Tim S. It went well. We had the pleasure of Mr P here overnight. We went for a lovely meal at The Horse and Groom, then the boys went for a ‘lasy’ at the Western.

Thursday 19^th Back to OCE for some more botox to help keep the spasticity in my arm reduced. Nice to see everybody and they all thought I looked very well, showed the treadmill training pictures.

Friday 20^th Pam S came to see me for a cuppa and a natter and brought some lovely flowers and a birthday card, nice to catch up with her. We collected Charles from Stratford, he came for birthday weekend.

Saturday 21^st – yet more partying and dancing again! Maxine and Mark’s 100^th Birthday party they were/are both 50 so they had a ‘do’ at the Rugby Club with a band, pig roast and disco – great evening!

Sunday 22^nd  - Thankfully after last night an afternoon session with Dan, dropped Charles at station to get train back to Lancaster. 20 minutes on the treadmill at 3.6k and incline 9, and 7 minutes of squats!

23^rd to 29^th May

Monday 23^rd Ed’s Birthday 14 yrs going on 42! Major teenager attitude.  Something I had looked forward to hydrotherapy at a pool in a school at Cirencester, organised by community physio, got a lift there via North Cots Voluntary care, as this doesn’t count as NHS community transport it cost me £32 and I was in the water for 10 minutes, so I was well pissed off! 

We’d had a suspect leak from the wet room onto the hall ceiling, Mears plumber came out previously said it was something it wasn’t, so architect and manager came out to check it, ceiling to be opened up and check for leak, crap day all in all. But we did go to the Great Western for a meal for Ed’s birthday.

 

24^th Blood test for INR and telephone interview with Birmingham Sunday Mercury with regards to my stroke recovery, meeting Kate, discuss her book and how she has inspired me. Carpets cleaned.

25^th – My Birthday, lots of nice cards and pressies. Went out for a meal to one of our fave places, ASK in Moreton. 

26^th – Cancelled hour of community physio with Sandra – she’s hurt her back.

 

27^th - Photographer came from Sunday Mercury to take pic to go with younger strokearticle.

 

28^th/29^th – Andy and Kath came had indoor BBQ cos’ weather was crap. Ed went shopping with the boys in Stratford, and went to cinema to see Hangover 2.

 

Sunday afternoon an hour’s session with Dan, stretching me further 18 minutes on treadmill on different speeds 2.4 up to 4.0km and 8 minutes of squats on Vibrogym OMG! Sunday night hot date off to cinema to see Hangover 2, hilarious and some hair raising moments thinking of Ed and mates watching it!  Weight – 89.4kg.

 

30^th May – 5^th June

30th Half term week and Charles end of 1^st year at Uni exams start.  

31^st  Back to Oxford JR to get the heart monitor fitted again as they cocked up on downloading last time richard heads!

End of March into April - Normal life resumes.......!

Well nearly normal, some would say my life has never been normal!

Saturday 26th Mar - see Back for Good post

To celebrate my full time return home, Leslie, John, Maxine and Mark, and Val came round for drinks and nibbles.

Our friends and neighbours have been so helpful to us, asking us for Sunday dinners, helping us at Christmas, helping with ironing, looking after Ed if Nik has been away or working late, and we are so very grateful to them all.

27^th March Nik out on bike ride

30^th March Work starts on my wetroom, we are changing our en-suite to a wetroom for me!

29th & 31^st March Ed has footy games after school – normal life!

Fri 1^st April

Charles arrives at Stratford to stay for 4/5 days

Sat 2nd April

We all went to Kathy’s for Nik to fit the window film

Sun 3rd April

Charles here for Mother’s Day, nice cards and pressies from my boys, went to ASK .

Mon 4th April

First session with community Physio Sandra L.  I walked the length of the gym, 10m, unaided in 27 seconds.  Came back home walked up to shop and had a coffee with Charles.

Tues 5th April

I had my first session with Cheltenham-based personal trainer, Dan Fivey.  It was good he has this great alter G treadmill and Vibrogym. http://www.danfiveypersonaltraining.co.uk/

From there we went on to Oxford  called in at the OCE to see my old friends and then to the  JR to have  my heart monitor fitted and wear for 5 days, called into the stroke ward saw Martin W and Ruth. Then dropped Charles at Oxford station to catch train home.

My Peugeot was collected to go for it’s MOT and then to be sold – aaaah, can’t drive it as it’s manual!

Wed 6th Apr

Sat in garden sunny day, hoovered and cleared airer – normality!

Thurs 7th April

Trip to NAIDEX, tried a Bioness on my left leg highly sensitive, called into work on way back, dropped off doc permission letter,  and also appeared in Cotswold Journal  regarding ‘Fighting Strokes’.

Fri 8^th April

Caroline Seguro has formed a younger people’s network of stroke survivors and this was our first meeting at Waitrose Café in Cheltenham. It was good, met Julie R, stroke nurse co ord from Cheltenham hosp. Ed broke up for Easter hols.

Saturday 9^th April   Another session with Dan in Cheltenham – Vibrogym and treadmill.

Sunday 10^th April   Out of the blue Steve and Jackie W called us, they’re staying nearby at Walton Hall for the weekend,  Steve’s 40^th birthday surprise from their girls, invited them over for a drink and had a lovely Sunday lunch at the Great Western – where Ed is now working as a kitchen help. Great sunny day, sat in the garden after lunch.  Nice to see some Northerners!

11^th – Physio with Sandra

15^th April Nik had the day off, another session with Dan, did 9 minutes on treadmill.

And it’s Charles’ 19^th birthday.

16^th April

See Great Weekend post with pics. At long last Charles gets to do his Aston Martin Driving Experience at the airfield nr Pershore, then comes back to stay for the week with us – fab. And Nik sets up a surprise passenger trip for me in an Audi RS8! Scary and very fast!

18^th and 20^th – Physio with Sandra.  Charles went back home Thursday 21^st.

22^nd Good Friday  – another good session with Dan – 10 minutes at 2km on treadmill, 3 minutes of squats. Ed worked at pub Fri night.

23^rd April Easter weekend

Meet up with Kath and Andy and Cher at the Swan in Broadway.  Ed works at pub, Pub quiz on Sunday night, our team name is Stroke of Genius I thought of it and we came 4^th having in the past been 2^nd twice and winning once. Ed works Monday lunch. Nik and I go for a picnic and walk at Stanton.

26^th Meeting at JCP, Cheltenham, Ed back to school for 3 days.   

27^th  An hour’s physio with Sandra.

29^th April  Royal Wedding day,  another long weekend,  Wills and Kate, I started crying at 8.30am  1 hr session with Dan, 15 mins on treadmill at 2.8km, 3 minutes of squats, boy will my ass ache!

Saturday 30th Lovely, lovely dinner cooked by and with Gavin and Stuart, Caroline and Austen, pea and mint soup – home made, pork casserole and 2 lovely desserts with excellent pastry! A great evening.