Category Archives: Medical

That’s Not Castle Howard! 17th September

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Massey’s Bridge 12 to The Wharf, Shardlow

Wet overnight and still wet this morning. We opted to wait a few hours before making a move, it’s always hard getting going when there is wet stuff in the air.

That’s not Castle Howard!

Mick got a text from the GP’s. An appointment would be made for him locally to see an Ophthalmologist to check his eye sight before there can be a decision regarding his driving licence, and another appointment to see a stroke person. Come the 28th September it will be a month since he was admitted to hospital and this is when his month of not being allowed to drive started, a standard thing after a stroke.

That’s Castle Howard!

Just three minutes later he received an NHS message inviting him to an Ophthalmologist appointment in Derby! Ah, what had local meant? Had this appointment come about from the GP? Or was this on the cards anyway and been organised by Derby Hospital? Was this Micks original appointment to the Ophthalmologists at Derby that he’d waited a weekend for? Thank goodness they’d not kept him in until this appointment as it’s not until the end of October! If it’s not from the GP, will he be offered another one locally in York or Scarborough? We’ll wait and see, at least there’s an appointment in the diary.

Ohh Betty!

By about 11 we were making ready to push off, waterproofs donned as we didn’t trust the weather. I walked ahead to Weston Lock as Mick brought Oleanna behind. A touch damp, but also quite warm, so striding out meant I was getting hot legs. The water tank needed a refill so we pulled in at the tap above the lock. Chance to catch up with Frank, last night he’d been to press night at the SJT to see our lodgers in the latest Ayckbourn play, he’d really enjoyed it.

Don’t let this gate open!

What ever you do don’t open the off side bottom gate! The lock was full, we descended. I opened the near side gate. Yes I’d be walking to the next lock, but could Mick loiter to see if I was going to be able to close the gate? I tried and tried, but the big chunky oak gate leans back into it’s recess and the beam is just a touch too short to comfortably use the bridge wall to push off with. It was obvious I wouldn’t manage it, so Mick pulled in below and came to assist.

Swapping with a rather smoky boat at Aston Lock

Should we pause for lunch above Aston Lock or carry on to Shardlow. If we delayed would we loose a possible mooring where a delivery was booked to arrive. We opted to carry on. A boat was coming up Aston Lock, we swapped and headed down. The same happened at Shardlow Lock, although as they left Oleanna wasn’t to be seen as she’s slowed to pass a line of permanent moorings including one that had come adrift and was being tied back up.

A view of the lock beam

The extension to the lock cottage is still being worked on, they will have a good view of the top gates through their window.

Going down Shardlow Lock

Now what to do? There was space outside the Clockhouse, but would there be space at The Wharf where our delivery was booked? I walked ahead to check things out. Thank goodness, there was space for two 58ft boats. Once moored up we broke the news to Tilly that there’d be no shore leave this afternoon due to the proximity of cars, one being parked right outside our side hatch.

Shardlow

Emails had been flooding in this morning from CRT. Rain must have been falling on the west side of the Pennines as the Leeds Liverpool locks from Wigan to Greenberfield are set to reopen, but those down to Leeds will for the time being remain closed whilst levels improve. West side of the Huddersfield Narrow opened with immediate effect, Fradley locks are operational. The Ashton Canal is to open. Flood locks and gates are in operation on the Aire and Calder. All looking good. I’m just hoping canal beds and gates haven’t dried out too much, causing more problems once the water returns.

The weather forecast suggests that parts of the country have already had twice the average amount of rain for September. We’re going to have to keep an eye on River levels!

Think I prefer my plain wooden benches at the house

Finishing touches were put to our supermarket delivery, a restock required.

Chicken Curry Old Style tonight.

3 locks, 4.8 miles, 3 minutes, 1 GP in Scarborough, 1 appointment in Derby, 1 letter to London, 1 NHS likely to get more confused, 1 PA phone call, 1 District Nurse, 1 full water tank, 2 needed, 1 perfect mooring, who said it was perfect! 0 props list, 1 enquiry, 1 river rising.

https://what3words.com/milkman.montage.screaming

Crunchy Under Foot. 16th September

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Massey’s Bridge 12

Today we’d be waiting around for a phone call from Mick’s GP surgery from the person who can prescribe drugs. Before Mick went into hospital with his stroke they had just changed some medication, so this would be a follow up appointment for that. He jotted down other things he wanted to talk to them about as when he’d been to the surgery last week for a blood test etc. the person he’d seen couldn’t answer any of his questions. There were also his new drugs to be added to repeat prescription and as yet his discharge letter from Derby Hospital hadn’t appeared in his notes.

We were wanting to move on, but didn’t want to move from somewhere with good phone signal. Mick had called the surgery yesterday to see if they knew what time it might be, ‘it could be anytime’. Time to be patient again.

The morning was pottered away. The wind reduced from yesterday, but still quite blustery. A few boats were on the move, we stayed put, Tilly got busy in the outside.

No call by lunchtime. We had lunch. We waited.

Mid afternoon and I needed to stretch my legs, hopefully a walk would encourage the surgery to phone.

Wide viaduct

Back to the viaduct, this time I turned right and headed for the River Trent. The flow seemed quite strong, levels up a touch after the recent rainfall. Good in one respect that there is more water in the system, however this water is heading straight out to sea and not helping fill the reservoirs, but maybe that is happening too, fingers crossed. Today there have been more CRT notices regarding a few more areas. On the Macclesfield stop planks are being lifted to help the canal fill up, although they do warn that levels will still be low for navigation. Hopefully things will improve up on the summit pound for boaters and boats being fitted out too.

Looking downstream

The area around Kings Newton was used by Sappers in WW2 for training, building and dismantling bridges and work on railways. I wondered if my Dad had been trained here, but research later suggested that he was too young and would have been posted elsewhere. But I’ll check his diary at some point just in case.

The track goes onwards towards Loughborough, it is Route 6 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, this actually stretches from London to the Lake District. A good surface to walk on, interrupted occasionally by lines of rivets.

Yesterdays wind had blown down hips onto the towpath, up on the railway it was acorns which made for a very crunchy walk. Later they would be joined by red apples and chestnuts. Natures bounty strewn on the floor.

Running into the distance

Not much view from along the track which soon clings to the side of the hill that Kings Newton sits on, trees on either side of the track and bridges crossing overhead. I wasn’t sure if there’d be access points at some of the road bridges so I opted to take the steps of love up the side of the bank. Gosh these were steep steps, I hope my knees, now quite happy with walking distances, will cope with climbing ladders whilst working on panto!

Steps of Love

I joined the roads through the village, passing modern houses, 1940’s houses, Victorian houses, Shazza’s Cafe. Up to the cemetery with its chapel and many many headstones. On the way to a snicket a young girl sat on her Dad’s shoulders reaching up high with a stick to encourage one of the last red apples still clinging on to drop into her hand. I don’t know if she succeeded as I was busy trying to get away in case any apples were to fall on me!

Chapel

Saturday is Derbyshire Day, I’ve seen posters for various things happening in villages. Here and in Melbourne (not the one in Australia) there is an art and architecture trail happening. If we were still to be around the area it looks like a good thing to do, but sadly we need to be elsewhere by then.

Seeing for miles

I caught a glimpse of some older buildings before crossing a road to join a footpath back towards the railway line which had great views northwards. Stiles with dog access too. Then back along the railway line, across the river and back to Oleanna.

Still no phone call from the GP’s. Maybe they’d call after surgery hours? Maybe they wouldn’t? Maybe we should move Oleanna to get water and tackle Weston Lock? Maybe we should stay put and carry on waiting.

Dog access

Mick’s phone pinged. A text message from the GP’s! They were happy with recent results, so keep taking the new medication. But hang on! What about the stroke? He’d be needing other new drugs adding to his repeat prescription! Thankfully there was an option on the text to reply. Thankfully the repeat prescription wouldn’t be going to Burton! Texts went back and forth for a while, one including Mick’s discharge letter. Maybe a phone call would have been better.

The person Mick was communicating with was only aware of his change in meds for blood pressure and not that he’d had a five day stay in hospital after a stroke. A text message was all that was required for the surgery with the info they had. He’d had a long day waiting for a phone call, if we’d known it would be a text we could have moved this morning. A touch frustrating.

Mick sent an online question to the GP regarding a vision test to see if he can get his driving licence back, also to get the ball rolling on a follow up with a stroke person. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, see if he can get to talk to anyone, maybe even a doctor!

Chicken and cauliflower Macaroni Cheese tonight, we’d forgotten about the cauliflower on Sunday!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 less windy day, 1 very long wait, 1 sausage day for cats, 1 litre pink or is it magenta? 67 brisk minutes walking, 2 dog gates, 1 long cycle track, 4 texts, 1 online question, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

Just A New Pair Of Glasses. 8th September

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Near Mercia Marina

Crossing Scarborough Bridge in York

Mick was up and off very early this morning heading to Willington Station to catch trains up to Scarborough. Going with him to the hospital last week had been reassuring to me, he should be fine with the trains, in fact he’s pretty much fine with everything. The usual comments and photos came through on Whatsapp, plenty of room on the Doncaster pontoon and there was space for a few more narrowboats below the Museum Gardens in York. He was soon back in Scarborough where the sun was shining and heading for the house.

He caught our lodgers up with his news, reassuring Liza that he was doing okay. Then he had a rummage around upstairs upstairs for some samples I’d been sent a month or so ago which I thought I’d not be needing. Well it turned out that there wasn’t anything suitable in the pack in the end!

Scarbados in the sunshine

Next appointment was at the GP surgery, a periodic check up, bloods, blood pressure, etc. Unfortunately the person he saw couldn’t answer various questions he had regarding recent events as they weren’t a doctor. He also tried to get them to amend his address, but their records were correct. So the next time anyone contacts him from the hospital, if they do, he will need to quiz them again about it. He also made an appointment to talk to a GP about the questions he still has.

That’s a long drive

Back on board, I read through Act 1 of the new draft of panto, making notes as I went. Then headed out for a walk. Today I opted to walk further towards Stenson, cross over the bridge which now only gives access to the house that’s for sale, they have quite a long drive! People were already making the most of sitting by the canal at Lagan the Indian Tapas Restaurant, I felt it was a little early myself.

Past houses, picking up some free Bramley apples, then back towards Willington with great views across to the cooling towers. I had to bob into Mercia Marina as the footpath ran out when the road crossed the entrance. Building work was on going the giant Meccano set being put together.

Powerful

A visit to the Co-op for a few items then I found a new route back to the boat along a very straight footpath alongside the railway line. A steep bridge needed to be climbed over the tracks, here several train spotters loitered with binoculars, I wondered what they were waiting to see.

Long railway footpath

Back at Oleanna I had lunch, then worked my way through Act 2 of panto. Hope John has mentioned to the costume designer that he’s added a new character, plus I’ve now got a puppet to design. Time then to work my way through the props list amending it. I wanted to check on some notes but for some reason the system wasn’t allowing me access, so I ended up having to call it a day with work and turned my attention to putting a big vat of chilli together.

End of Act 2

Mick had also sorted himself an opticians appointment, he’d done this before he’d been diagnosed as having had a stroke. He could have cancelled it, but as he’d at one point been going to see an Ophthalmologist, then wasn’t, he decided that he’d still go and chat to the Optician. All tests were done and his vision hasn’t changed since his last eye test which was back in February, but maybe he could do with a new pair of glasses. For him to get his driving licence back he’ll need to be seen by a GP after the month has elapsed since his stroke.

His connections were good getting back to Willington, moorings on his journey had filled up during the day and had that been Cruiser Orchid moored near Lendal Bridge in York?

0 locks, 0 miles, 8 trains, 2 acts, 4 apples, 63 brisk minutes, 5 hours shore leave, 1 address still wrong, 0 GP, 1 optician, 1 new pair of glasses, but that’s all, 1 designer logged out without reason, draft 2 nearly but not quite finished.

Rubbish Route. 5th September

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Coach and Horses Bridge 25

With quite a bit of rubbish accumulated on board we decided to have a walk into Willington together. Mick is aiming to do more exercise, I slowed my pace, we still managed to do 21 minutes of brisk walking to the bins. I suspect if I slowed my normal walking pace a touch I’d achieve more minutes, but I’ve got used to my brisk pace now. Would there be any room in the bins for our recycling? A lighter load than the main bin. When we’d been moored opposite the bins we’d heard that they’d all been emptied on a Friday, so we hoped that would be the case today. No rubbish on the floor and space for our stuff, there’s not a recycling bin in the compound so unfortunately it all had to go in with the general waste, we were getting so we couldn’t move for it on Oleanna.

No rubbish on the floor!

Mick headed back to Oleanna along the towpath, I had a different route planned. First I called into the Co-op, then to the Chemists on Kingfisher Lane. Mick was wanting an additional pill box to add to his collection, plus he was after a urine sample bottle. I asked at the counter only to be directed to the GP surgery next door. For some reason in Scarborough you have to buy these at chemists, but here in Willington at the GP’s they have a big crate full of them on the reception desk, I was told to help myself. I did and tucked it in the bottom of my bumbag.

The other day on the towpath I’d spotted a sign ‘Willington Wetland Circular Walk’ The internet suggested it was 4.5 miles and takes in a stretch of the towpath which I’d already done most of walking to the bins, I just needed to find the right road into the Wetlands Nature Reserve. A long track brought me to a gate, one that gets locked overnight to protect the nature inside.

Signs had warned it might be muddy, stepping stones along the path weren’t needed today, it was just a touch squelchy under foot. I soon came across steps up to a hide overlooking a lake. A chap with a far superior camera told me that there were two Green Sandpipers. I zoomed in with my little camera, I think I got the right birds. Egret to the left, Green Sandpiper to the right, I think.

A pretty good view

There are a few more hides along the path, some with seats, one enclosed with three enthusiasts trying to identify a bird a bit like a Kestrel, but it’s tail wasn’t quite right. My aim was to walk and see if I could see anything with my little camera, so I didn’t bother staying long.

The Wetlands is where Beavers have been reintroduced, not that you could see any today in the early afternoon and I suspect that is why the reserve is locked off over night. However this is where the images came from up at the hospital yesterday from an infrared camera.

The route, I could hear the Lapwings but not see any

The circular walk doesn’t show on OS maps, nor Google. I eventually found an information board that I could take a photo of so I knew I’d be heading in the right direction now as I was leaving the reserve. There is a map on the internet but it’s not so easy to look at on a phone.

A walk to have time away from the last few weeks

Nettles don’t seem to have been affected by the drought, I needed my arms above my head to avoid getting stung as the path became narrower and headed towards the River Trent. This morning on the Try The Trent Facebook group levels had actually moved upwards by a few inches, at last there was some fresh coming down river. Here in Willington it was very obvious, the flow zipping along downstream, the level looking quite high. The recent rain rushing down stream and not hanging about to help top up reservoirs, the ground too dry to absorb sudden cloud bursts.

The path now cuts back across land between gravel pits, numerous signs warn of the dangers of swimming here, one being that you would loose your hands. The Cemex site then comes into view, industry making use of nature and when finished with returning it. A concrete road now takes you over the railway line, Willington Cooling Towers just in view on the horizon.

No trains though

Then back to the canal down a track, passing a posh travellers base, a vintage caravan peeking out from a modern barn, most probably built for it. I didn’t feel I could take a photo through the gate, it would be like someone leaning in through our side hatch to take a photo.

These two barked at anything!

Back on the towpath, the noisy A38 running close again, it was however drowned out by these two woofers who were working overtime on the off side. Back to Oleanna for a late lunch then an afternoon touching up more panto. Tilly explored, hopefully leaving the cat on the next boat alone. Mick retired to bed for 90 winks, whilst I was out he’d had a phone call from the hospital about his new medication and warning him not to get blind drunk and fall over!

Muddy boots

Broccoli Bacon pasta tonight.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 cats on the towpath, 1 Tilly must learn to share, 21 minutes walking together, 2 bags recycling disposed of, 1 pill box, 1 sample bottle, 2 green birdies, 5 hides, 1 rushing river, 1 nice walk, 78 brisk minutes, 2 muddy boots, 2 woofers woofing, 1 side of the front cloth stretched and tidied.

Shuffling Through X-Ray. 4th September

Clay Mill Aqueduct to Coach and Horses Bridge 25

Should I go with Mick to the hospital this morning? He seems okay, but is he really?! He isn’t bumping into things. I questioned myself, would I be better off doing some work and leaving him to it? Would I be better off accompanying him to keep an eye on him? Would that be better for both of us? I opted to go with him.

Bus stop almost on the dual carriageway

A wet morning, thankfully not far to walk back along the towpath then climb up on the right side of the busy road to find the bus stop, then wait. Timetables were checked, at least two buses were late, but the knowledge that there are two services that would stop here and that they each have at least two buses an hour was reassuring. Once picked up we only had to travel to the next bus stop, at quite a lick!

Under the underpass where you wonder where the monkeys and parrots have gone as you walk between carriageways through a meshed tunnel. Then into the hospital, now just where is the X-ray department? We’d both been whizzed through there last week by a porter. Today a helpful chap gave us directions, Mick not noticing the direction signs as we went. He checked in at reception.

Name, date of birth, address. No that’s not the one we’ve got for you! Ah could it be a London address not Scarborough? It was. There seems to be a glitch in the NHS systems, I’ve also had this when being called about an eye appointment. Somewhere in the system, especially when it come to hospitals they still have my brothers address, which we used when we lived on board full time. We both changed back to Scarborough when we reclaimed the house. I’ve had to have my address amended at the GP’s, it now looks like Mick will have to do the same, even though he’s already done this once.

Weaving ends in in the Yellow area

The Yellow Waiting area. I read the notices on the wall about CT and MRI scans. We waited.

We chatted. We waited. I got a sock out to weave ends in. We waited. We watched night time footage of beavers, water voles and badgers. We waited.

Mick was called in. They had been expecting him to be brought to x-ray by a porter from the stroke ward. They didn’t realise he was now an out patient, even though he’d had a phone call notifying him of the appointment. I waited. One sock done, the matching one half done when he reappeared 35 minutes later. He’d had several noisy scans all concentrating on his head. Someone would be in touch. We’d spent an hour in x-ray today, last week I think it was about twenty seconds! Now to find our way out, Mick spotted the direction signs and I didn’t this time.

We popped over to Aldi to pick up a few things, more fruit, vegetables ad some firelighters. Then we caught the bus back one stop to Oleanna. Tilly headed out, it rained, it didn’t bother Tilly!

A new draft of the panto script arrived, then an email to the new props maker from John the Director. There’s a production meeting next week so things are starting to warm up again after a lull over the summer.

Quick before it rains again

It started to brighten up after lunch, should we move along a bit and hope to be able to put a little bit of distance between us and the A38. Tilly came home, we pushed off. I walked ahead the mile to find us a mooring. Last week when we’d pulled up here we’d been the only boat, now there were three others. This time hopefully we’d be staying longer than an hour. As we pulled in it started to rain again. Tilly headed straight out into the wooded bit, see ya! Another stamp of approval to be awarded today, the still noisy A38 not mattering to her.

At the helm

An afternoon kip for Mick and more panto touch ups for me. Hopefully I’ve managed to stretch the front cloth design and split it in the right places. It just needs touching up now.

Hope this is right

Liver, bacon and onions with mash and broccoli tonight. No packets of salt and pepper.

0 locks, 1.1 miles, 2 buses, 1 hour in x-ray, 2 outsides, 1 soggy cat, 1 mosaic nearly finished, 39 minutes brisk walking, 2 cloths stretched, 4.2 draft of panto, 1 Mick capable of getting about.

https://what3words.com/mercy.tolerable.running

What3words No wonder my writing isn’t the neatest!

All’s Well. 3rd September

Shobnall Fields to Clay Mills Aqueduct

About to wind

Tilly was allowed some shore leave this morning whilst we had a slow start. All of a sudden our phones were ringing, an old friend checking on us and a change of time for Micks MRI tomorrow. We spent some time working out where would be best to moor for ease of bus access, plus filling with water a job that needed doing today. A plan was made, how would we fair?

Shobnall Marina

With Mick at the helm we pootled up to Shobnall Marina to wind. I busied myself below giving Tilly a fresh pooh box, we’ve both been doing our bit to conserve water, but she really couldn’t hang on any longer! Then I bobbed back up on deck to make sure all was as it should be just as Mick was winding. I hopped off, was handed a windlass and walked on ahead to Dallow Lock to set it for us. Someone had lost a ball, well it was more like a head. Those with kids, grandchildren are likely to know this characters name, but not me.

Who is this please?

We reversed back onto the service mooring at Horninglow Basin. It took a while for the hose pipe to actually register that it was attached to a tap! With the tank filling a load of washing was put on, then the yellow water could be dealt with. I’d considered having a shower whilst at the water point, but a boat arrived and the Paddington stares we were getting from them even though we’d said the tap was slow made me stay smelly for a while longer. We actually gave up when the tank was three quarters full. Oh blimey, the sliding hatch at the stern was open! Thank goodness Tilly was having an afternoon kip.

I walked ahead, but kept Oleanna in view as much as I could. Mick seems fine, but I just want to keep an eye on him for a while. My Dad had a similar stroke a couple of years before he passed away which only affected his vision. There were a couple of other things that he had problems with, for quite a while he couldn’t remember what the toaster was called, the kettle was fine, it was just the toaster. Stroke symptoms are individual and there are times when Mick doesn’t notice anything wrong with his vision. But sometimes moving through the outside he has a sort of fogginess, well not quite, hard to describe, his blank spots seem to be happening less. Are there other things that we just haven’t come across yet? Maybe the stern hatch being left open was one of them? Maybe he’d have done that anyway! Thankfully he does still know what a kettle is and can make tea!

I’ve seen a few slices of this tree on boat roofs

We moved on up to Bridge 28, it was starting to rain. Rumbles of thunder had been rolling around us for a while, would we get moored before the skies opened, it was certainly getting darker and darker. I walked on checking that there’d be space for us just after Clay Mills Aqueduct, there was. We pulled in away from over hanging trees and just about got away with mooring up before the rain came down.

Go away, I’m trying to make it stop!

If it wasn’t for the A38 this would be a really pleasant mooring, a good view to the south of the canal, good internet and very close to a bus stop for an express service in the morning. At first Tilly wasn’t sure about it. This outside is rumblingly wet! But I sat and stared at it for quite sometime until it obeyed. Off she went, heading off into the friendly cover, not returning for ages despite it raining again. It was gone 6pm when I had to put my shoes back on and walk the towpath calling for her, the noise from the road meaning I couldn’t hear Tilly replying to my calls nor her bell. But in the end I spotted her and she came running.

It is, so far.

Mick had an afternoon kip, he may now be caught up on missing sleep from his stay in hospital, but this also may become a regular thing. I made use of the time touching up more of panto. It’s a shame my mind had been elsewhere and I’m now revisiting work, but I know I’d not have been happy with it once enlarged.

Broccoli and mushrooms were added to the very last of the roast chicken and leek sauce and enjoyed with some brown rice.

1 lock, 3.5 miles, 1 wind, 1 reverse, 1 Mick back at the helm, 2 outsides, 1 slow day, 2 bags of used cat litter on the roof, 1 cloud burst avoided, 1 afternoon nap, 37 cows, A38! 50 minutes brisk walking, 1 soggy cat, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 0 packets of salt and pepper required.

https://what3words.com/mend.yacht.womb

Released! 2nd September

Burton on Trent / Derby Hospital

I’d set the alarm clock, but I was awake long before it was going to go off. Tea with breakfast, no shore leave for Tilly, there were far more important things to do this morning, I hoped!

Mick messaged. The new shift of nurses arrived at 7am, ‘You’re going home today!’ one of them said. Next news that the missing box of pills had been dispatched from the pharmacy. It now depended on the route the hospital drugs run took around the hospital as to when it would arrive.

Breakfasted, I headed into town, to the Market Square where a queue of Bus Pass holders waited for it to turn 09:28 for them to be able to tap onto the 09:30 bus to Derby. At 09:58, as I got out of the lift on the 4th floor of the Royal Derby Hospital I got a message from Mick.

Dressed and packed and released Waiting in reception

I pressed the bell to allow me entry onto the ward, there he was sat with all his things, checking his paperwork! The nurse had been, delivered his last box of pills, he’d signed things then been left to get dressed and pack his bag. He managed to say goodbye to Brian in the bed next door, but the other two inmates had their curtains closed. Everyone was busy, no-one to say thank you to, we thanked the receptionist and headed on our way, the first time Mick had seen any of the hospital really.

A free man out in the sunshine again

No ambulance crew to help him, not that it was needed. We waited for the bus, checked which stop would be nearest to Oleanna with the current road works in Burton. Then I pointed out the sights as the bus whizzed it’s way along the A38, Willington Cooling Towers, Clay Mills pumping Station.

What to eat this evening? What would the released inmate most like to eat? I ended up having to offer various things, chicken pie and a jacket potato came out top. A few items would be needed from Sainsburys where the bus would drop us off.

Veg and fruit

A few items purchased then we took our time walking back to Oleanna. This is the first time Mick has seen this side of Burton on Trent, he had been going to explore whilst I worked for a few days. Being outside was one thing, moving through the outside another.

Oh Hi, I’m busy!!

Back at Oleanna Tilly was keen…. to go out! No healing head nudges for Mick, there was the great outside to explore! Lunch followed by an afternoon kip for Mick. A phone call regarding an MRI scan back at Derby in a few days gave us something to think about. Water and bus routes to be kept in mind. I worked on better scans for panto, piling up books to get things as flat as possible took up most of the afternoon, just a few pesky little areas not quite in focus.

Scanning, again!

A catch up phone call with Frank was interrupted by the sound of a boat engine, NB Bargus with Kat, Teddy and Bella. A few days ago I’d placed an order for a top up of diesel and some bags of coal, not knowing whether I’d be onboard or not. Kat topped us up and chatted away as Teddy her admin helper scurried along the top plank making sure she only delivered the right amount of coal to us, keeping a tally on their stock. Diesel £1.01 and coal £15 a bag. Yes we would have saved by topping up at Shobnall Marina, but we try to support the coal boats whenever we can as they are a life line in the colder months.

Having first hand information about the level at Alrewas was good. Kat had struggled her way to Fradley with one boat towing another pushing through bridge holes on the Coventry Canal a few days ago. Yesterday the locks around Fradley had gone onto time restrictions, that today had reached Bagnall Lock, the one above the lock onto the river section. In Kats opinion it won’t be long before Alrewas closes too due to lack of water. Below the canal is fed by the river, so venturing as far as Wychnor Lock should remain possible.

Chicken leek mushroom and tarragon pie

For dinner, there was the chicken to use up from my Sunday roast and the remaining pastry in the freezer from our Whitsunday Pie. Individual pies were made up with leeks and mushrooms in a Tarragon sauce, jacket spuds cooked in the oven too with some nice green crunchy broccoli. Not one packet of salt or pepper in view. We may even have had a glass of wine too!

It’s very good to have him home.

Us

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 buses, 1 leek, 2 pies, 2 jackets, 1 afternoon kip, 75 litres diesel, £1.01, 3 bags excel, 12 more scans, 7 books, 3 box sets precariously balanced, 1 box of pills, 1 Mick back with his boat.

Where we travelled in August

Just A Box Of Pills Away. 1st September

Burton on Trent / Derby Hospital

Would today be the day? It would certainly involve more waiting, that was guaranteed!

Mick asked what the new drugs were that he was being given, no chance of remembering their names, that will come once he’s opened the boxes a few times. Lunch arrived, but no Ophthalmologist and Mick wasn’t taken to see one either. Mick asked a nurse in charge if she could chase things up as he’d only seen the Hostesses (Tuna sandwich and yoghurt for lunch), the obs nurse and been given drugs today.

Royal Derby Hospital

I got on with panto stuff. The newest version of the cyc came back from the printers with a big thumbs up, so that was a relief.

Just before 2pm Mick got to see a different doctor, who told him things he already knew about his heart beat. He wanted another ECG doing. With regards to the Ophthalmologist he didn’t think Mick needed to see one anymore. After the ECG they would revise his meds then he should be discharged today!

The briskest of brisk walks to the bus stop at the station, only to stand there for a while until it was realised that the bus stop was closed, a handy sign attached below the time table on the lamp post! Even brisker walking into town where I just missed a bus, but at least today there were two express services heading to the hospital so the wait wasn’t long.

An NHS Derby Ram

Up on the ward it was quite busy. Lots of visitors. One chap certain he could get to the loo by himself, kept taking his oxygen mask off and then his feet would appear through the curtain over the end of his bed only for the nurses to come and gently tell him off and assist him into a more comfortable position and offer him a bottle. They have to be far more patient than the patients.

The chap across the way was being briefed about the rehab place he was heading to. Maybe they’ll teach him how to make a cuppa before he heads home.

Mick refused to pack or even get dressed fully, that would only tempt fate. Someone had been along to do an ECG, it had been marked as urgent. There are more ECG machines in the hospital than Ophthalmologists, we know this as an hour after his ECG another person turned up to do one for him, two in an hour! This time he had some of his chest fur shaved off. The results sent to the doctor.

Waiting.

The doctor came over. The ECG had confirmed that Mick has AF, atrial fibrillation, his GP a month ago had said he didn’t have this. A new drug to be added to his meds. Once they were sorted out then he’d be able to come home. However, the doctor warned us that the paperwork needed to be done before that and they were very busy at the moment, so it may not be today.

More salt and pepper

Dinner arrived, chilli today.

A portable x-ray machine came into the ward, visitors were asked to leave the room, I opted to leave and head back to the boat before I got into serious trouble with Tilly. Maybe everything would be sorted for Mick to leave later on, if that was the case he’d get a cab.

I had a chicken couscous salad with lots of veg, Tilly had Salmon.

GF cous cous useful to help use up things in the fridge

An ambulance crew arrived for the chap across the way, heading off to do his Home Economics course and learn to live with reduced sight. Mick asked if they’d drop him off at the boat. Nice try, but it didn’t work.

The drugs run nurse arrived to see Mick. His discharge letter had been done! They discussed his new drugs, one they had on the ward, the other was having to be ordered from the pharmacy, it wouldn’t be with them until the morning. So just one box of pills away from being back home.

Only one thing for it, to wait.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 portals, 1 thumbs up, 2 buses, 46 brisker than brisk minutes walking, 2 ECG’s, 4 sharp showers, 2 new drugs, 1 more night in hospital.

Ham or Chicken. 31st August

Burton on Trent / Derby Hospital

A cuppa in bed with the papers

10 out of 10 and 8 out of 10 for the blind date was relayed to the hospital where Bran Flakes had been served up this morning along with a request for a banana.

I joined the Geraghty zoom, very good to see all of Mick’s sisters, there seems to be a touch of hospital relay race going on in the family, one out, one in and another waiting to go in. Here’s hoping in a few weeks everyone will be at home and all sorted. Subjects discussed today obviously included medical things, armed guard drug deliveries, jazz hand sight tests, pulling the whistle and poo dominoes!

A good sun puddle day for Tilly

I packed a bag for Mick, our hope is that if I provided him with several clean sets of clothes he’d end up not needing them, fingers crossed. A new set of pyjamas was requested, no washing of clothes allowed on Oleanna at the moment to conserve water, plus his ear plugs. Last night after one chap had finally persuaded the staff to let him go home despite there not being a full array of his drugs to take with him (the missing one he had plenty of already at home) a new patent was admitted. Everyone on the ward has been affected in different ways by their stroke, this poor fella needed his bed changing several times during the night which obviously was quite disturbing for everyone, especially himself.

A brighter sky today

One bus company don’t run on Sundays, I had to make sure I wouldn’t end up being stranded either as the buses stopped late afternoon. A visit to Primark on the way to catch the bus then it zoomed it’s way up to Derby.

Mick was making full use of his chair, it even had an extra gel pad to sit on. No new news and no visits from a doctor of any sort, he’s just in a holding bed, or that’s what it feels like. In the bed opposite is a chap who has lost more sight than Mick. The Occupational Therapists had taken him into a kitchen on the ward and asked him to make a cuppa. ‘I wouldn’t know how, I never make tea, my wife does it’ ‘What sort of things do you cook?’ ‘I don’t, my wife does the cooking’. He was also taken for a walk down the ward then asked to find his way back to his room, ‘How am I meant to do that?’ He’s certain they have written that he is stroppy on his notes and isn’t allowed home because of this. He did offer Mick some positive news that 18 to 20% of people who have sight loss after a stroke make a full recovery, wonder if he’ll ever be capable of making his own cuppa!

We chatted, swapped clothes over. Took a photo so everyone can see he’s still with us. He insisted on me taking the photo of him pulling that funny face. Good job he was a telephone engineer and not an actor hamming it up like that! Mick ordered roast chicken for his dinner which sounded like a good idea, so I headed off to catch a bus that would have me back in Burton in time to do some shopping.

How do single people manage to shop? It’s been twenty odd years since I lived on my own. I wanted just a chicken leg to roast with some veg. I could only buy them in fours. The freezer is full of the things we had delivered last week so no room for three legs in there. I ended up buying a small chicken to roast.

Micks chicken breast looked like it had been grown in a lab, mine had tarragon and garlic under the skin. Mick had watery things that resembled sprouts, I had crunchy broccoli. Mick had gravy that had been nuked in a microwave, turned slightly chewy towards the edges, I had gravy with wine and tomato puree in it. What I didn’t have was little packets of salt and pepper though!

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 sisters, 2 buses, 1 pyjama set, 2 clean pairs of pants and socks, 1 cheese salad, 1 bored boy, 1 stroppy chap, 1 well used chair, 1 small chicken, 1 cultured chicken, 1 bored cat, 0 new neighbours on the cut, 2 boaters 1 cat with everything crossed for tomorrow.

Salted Butter. 30th August

Burton on Trent / Derby

I woke at 6 feeling a little odd, was it something I’d eaten or stress related? I haven’t had a funny turn like this is in years. Mick had a slightly quieter night in the hospital. Porridge for breakfast, not really hot, but not cold as he normally has it on the boat. When I woke I opted to collect the Saturday newspaper before having breakfast. My pace nowhere near brisk today, I felt quite rotten really, good job we’d decided I’d not head to the hospital. If I had a bug I didn’t want to take it in with me. The paper was placed on Micks side of the bed, it’s purchase not quite so much of a treat this weekend.

Hopefully these would sort my insides out

Poached eggs on toast would hopefully make things better. Then it was time to do some work. I tried rescanning things. I compared scans. The ones the print company were saying were better, were in my mind really quite bad!

Quack!

Was there a different way of scanning them? Would they need to be sent to the printers to be scanned? Not having my IT department handy wasn’t helping. I decided to do some chores instead for a while. On Oleanna, as I’m sure happens in most homes, we each have jobs we do, you could call them pink or blue jobs, but I’m really not partial to pink! It’s time we got to know each others jobs. Today the yellow water needed emptying. Which cap to take off? There are two next to each other, one connected to a gulper pump, the other for a manual pump should the gulper stop working. ‘Which ever is finger tight’ ah yes easy! Container outside the bathroom porthole and you can reach everything . Job done.

Container and hose, ready to pump

Now could I sort the bathroom cupboard? The mirrored door goes into a spring loaded push to open catch, which should release when you push the door. With aid of a screw driver pulling the door out whilst I also pushed it in it came free very easily. It might be that the door hinges need tightening. Or more likely the catch needs replacing as the spring isn’t springing anymore. For the time being the door can remain slightly open, Tilly hopefully won’t be so bored that she tries to empty the cupboard, the toilet roll will get murdered long before she discovers the cupboard.

A bit of a tuna theme with hospital meals today, a jacket potato with cheese and tuna, this came with 3 pats of butter, most probably salted. For dinner Mick opted for a tuna salad, far healthier than the chicken goujons and chips.

Butter

I battened everything down on the roof as the wind was picking up. Did my best to popper the extra poppers on the covers. This is quite difficult on 8 year old covers with my reduced grip, as the covers have shrunk and are really REALLY tight.

Time to get back to panto. Chatgpt suggested using a setting I’d tried on the scanner, it should allow me to scan at 1200 dpi if I dug deep enough. Just how to turn off the thumbnail viewer though?. There were suggestions, but the right things didn’t appear on menus, a bit like veg in hospital meals! The scanner wanted to update itself, I let it. Then hey presto the thumbnail viewer had vanished! The first scan took forever, a good sign. The file size bigger in pixels as well as DPI and half a GB. Before I lost whatever settings I’d set I made sure I scanned everything I could find.

Us girls holding the fort

A try out to see if Mick would be able to join the Geraghty zoom tomorrow from his hospital room. At Christmas he was given a headband which has built in speakers. This is so you can lie in bed without having headphones in your ears, much more comfortable. The headband has proved useful in hospital as it also can be worn over your eyes. Mick wanted to try it out with his phone to see if he could talk on zoom without his room in the hospital being able to hear everything. Well I was audible across the ward, Mick was only occasionally audible here in Burton and he was nowhere to be seen on screen. So sadly he won’t be able to chat to his sisters in the morning.

The chilly wind outside spurred me on to light the stove. So as the gales and downpours hit, Tilly and I sat all cosy inside Oleanna. I spent the rest of the evening tidying up the cyc for Panto, if the printers say it’s better I need to find the time to rework all the other things they’ll be printing.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0.5 water tank, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 wobbly Pip, 1 bored Mick, 1 sausage day for Tilly, 13 minutes brisk walking, 18.6grams Butter, 1 cosy warm stove, 1200dpi, 1 scanner fooled into working beyond itself.