2 September 2012

The good Dr Michael arrived at midday, for four days. This will give’ my lovely’ the chance to go to London and have lunch with son Smiler. He is en route for Australia and we do not expect to see him again until October or even November.

We could not expect Michael to operate the new sling hoist  unassisted. This means that although Michael is here in it does not mean it is easier to get me in my wheel chair miss correct those in yesterday heelchair. Despite being a Dr it is doubtful whether Michael was ever called on to use a sling hoist unassisted, that is whether he was ever called upon to use it at all. Where, in the old days, when Michael was here, it meant that we could go out together, having used the standing hoist, but we are no longer in a position with the sling hoist.

Although using the sling hoist has its advantages over the standing hoist  (which, in any event, I could no longer use as I have no strength in my legs) what people do not appreciate is the whole process of being hoisted up and down, two or three times within a short period, of say half an hour when you’re getting up and having breakfast etc., is how much energy that saps  from the patient. At the end of it I am gasping for air. Obviously we want to defer the day when the  respirator has to be worn continuously day and night. When it comes to getting up in the morning there will be no choice.

Neil, from Possums, came yesterday afternoon to fix the new control unit onto my armchair that we have been waiting for weeks. It comprises a simple large red plastic button. When this is pressed or struck a voice is heard warning the patient to be ready. Them the first option is offered ‘chair going up’. If that is what the patient wishes then he strikes the button again and chair will rise. If the patient wishes the chair to go down he will wait for the following command’ chair going down’. The red button can be located anywhere that it is convenient to strike it. My only problem is the weakness in my right arm does not make this as easy to use as it sounds. I will experiment even to the extent of locating it on the left-hand arm of the chair. Which, when I am using my articulated arm support, should be quite easy to operate.

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