A NEW LIFE BEGINS

Hello again dear reader, and welcome back to my blog.  Stardate, Monday, 23rd March 2020. Well, what has happened in the past 14 months, I hear you ask. In truth, not very much in relation to Janet and her recovery from her stroke of 21 months ago. Really!! 21 months?? I have been quite tardy in updating this blog, diary or whatever it is meant to be.  Anyway, Janet has been at the doctor very regularly, had her painkillers changed, had blood tests and has had regular bouts of physiotherapy, both at the Borders General Hospital and more recently at the local community hospital here in Peebles. The upshot is that she still has severe pain in her right side, arm, hand and leg and although she is still mobile and able to walk down to the local shops, she feels that over the past year or so, the pain has actually got worse and that this has changed her mentally as well as physically. She hardly ever gets a good night's sleep, but ironically, over the past few months, she...

Sunday, 6th January 2019. A new year (thank goodness). It's a long and painful story the last seven weeks. Since my last post, the pain and use of Janet's right arm had got worse rather than better. The injection had absolutely no effect and although Janet had attended physiotherapy four times to the middle of December, there has been little done in view of the pain she was suffering. A bit of massage six weeks ago but this only seemed to exacerbate the situation, and Janet has not been at physio since 10th December. I'm afraid sometimes this whole situation becomes too much for me and I become too stressed and anxious about Janet, about me and really just about everything. This feeling does come and go but at the moment it's mostly coming over me in waves. Janet has suggested I attend a well-being class or just go and see the doctor! I think one or both options may be a good idea. Anyway, back to life, back to reality. A couple of visits to the hairdresser occur...

Wednesday evening, 14th November. Is that really a month gone by, since my last post. Yes, it is. And where are we now, I hear you ask? Are you asking that? Well, if you are, I will tell you. Janet is doing very well with her walking, going up and down stairs on her own and also getting into and out of the shower by herself. So many little steps that add up to a very significant improvement overall. She visited the doctor on 16th October and some of her medication was reduced, or at least reduced over a period of weeks. She also had a session with the Physiotherapist that same day and on the following day, saw the Occupational Therapist. It was decided that Janet was doing so well that she did not need to see the O.T. again. Good news indeed. The following Wednesday (the 24th) a lady called Sandy, from the Borders General Hospital Stroke Unit visited Janet at home. She stayed for over 2 hours, which was much longer than anticipated and Janet definitely felt the benefit of the ...

Sunday, 14th October. So, that's another two weeks gone by. Janet's still doing well and visiting the O.T. and Physiotherapist only every two weeks now. She sees both of them next week, as well as having a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. I should also mention that Janet was given the go-ahead to walk downstairs on her own, provided I was also in the house. Progress indeed! We drove down to Frodsham in Cheshire, where we stayed for two nights at The Forest Hills Hotel. Caitlin's 18th birthday party was held in a private room on the Friday night and on the Saturday night we had dinner in the hotel with Ruth's family and Neil and Charlotte. Some photos follow. On the Sunday morning, we left early, about 8.30, to make the journey back to Peebles. We arrived home just after noon, and in time to see the singles matches on the last day of the Ryder Cup. Excellent timing! I played golf three times in the following week and visited the dentist to repair a br...

Thursday morning, 27th September. Another two weeks gone by. On Wednesday, 12th, as last mentioned, Janet did indeed have lunch in Edinburgh with her family and I played golf at Bruntsfield, with two old friends and ex-colleagues. And here are the photographs to prove it! Back home, Janet was, and is, doing her daily physio exercises and both the O.T. and physiotherapist continue to be so pleased with her progress. She visited her doctor last week and again, very positive comments with the doctor saying to Janet that by this time next year, she will be back to her normal self. Janet has only slipped once back to her black moods and that was 10 days ago. She woke up in the middle of the night feeling very depressed and went to the spare room to sleep until morning. By then, the mood had passed and she was OK again. This has been the only time in the last fortnight that she has been so down and that in itself is a distinct improvement. I don't think I have mentioned th...

Monday, 10th September. Janet continues to improve in mind (with only minor lapses) and in body. She has been on anti-depressants now for 10 days and from personal experience, I know that these will help her recover from her "black moods". Her Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist are very happy with her progress and she sees each of them (either Elsa or Susanna and Margaret respectively) once a week. They seem very on the ball and know how to stretch Janet both physically and mentally. Last week after Janet's session with the O.T., it was mentioned that there was a Peebles Stroke Group (led by a knowledgeable volunteer and supported by a dozen or so ex-stroke patients) which met every Wednesday at Hay Lodge Hospital. The O.T. and myself encouraged Janet to attend this Group and indeed after her O.T. session last Wednesday, she went along to join the Group and found that she actually enjoyed it. Hurrah! At last, Janet could talk to other people who had be...