8 April 2011

I’m glad to say, we might be cracking the problem of turning over in bed, at least for the time being.’ My lovely’ bought 5 yards of satin material and that good Janet (surname suppressed as she is a treasure. we do not wish to share!) ran it up into a double sheet. This replaced the top cotton sheet and last night we used it for the first time. It was certainly easier to turn over without the friction of the cotton sheet against my nightclothes. All we need to do now is to move the rubber mat, that we have to the lower sheet, a little further down the bed so that I can place my feet on it to gain a purchase before attempting to roll over.

The first excitement today was a visit from our lovely OT, Lynne. The main purpose of her visit was to practice with us moving me from my chair to the wheelchair and back again, using the stand-up hoist. Up to now, I have used it without the platform attachment, by placing my feet firmly on the ground and straightening my legs. In order to effect this new transfer it is necessary for me to stand on this platform and then move the whole hoist from one chair to the other.

My second, even greater excitement, was going out to lunch with a very old friend, Rowan Planterose, a London solicitor, who kindly drove down from London for the purpose.. We get back a long way and have been involved in a number of joint ventures, including working out the cross-examination which we included in my book, The Sanctuary House Case. Also, Rowan came with us to Budapest to play the part of a Galloo, from Pluto, in The Fission Chip Case,-C 19 July entry) It was a really beautiful spring day, one of the warmest, yet this year. Rowan pushed me around to The Cricketers Pub next door and we were able to take our lunch outside, finishing with coffee and a welcome cigar from which I’ve been deprived most of this current year. In fact I think this is only the fourth outside visit these past 3 ½. months so the fresh and sunshine was very welcome..

I had intended yesterday to watch the opening of The Masters (Golf Tournament) at Augusta, in the USA but somehow got diverted by Douglas’s visit and then, after he’d left forgot to tune in. I did manage to watch the highlights the first day’s play and it is very encouraging to see the Europeans up there with the leaders.