1 October 2011

I must say it’s good to have ‘my lovely’ back in charge as, no matter how good are the carerse, and they really are good, no one understands me or my needs better than her.

This fantastic weather continues. Something in the order of 10° above the norm for the time of year. In fact, yesterday Cambridge was the hottest spot in the British Isles at 25.2 C just 0.2C short of an all-time record which may well be broken today. I took advantage of it and spent a couple of hours taking the sun in the garden chaperoned by one of our neighbours from across the road, Joy Barrow, as none of our normal friends were available. 

Joy and her husband Brian,, who had been in Claverimg almost as long as we have, are the most extraordinary couple. Certainly in their late 70s and they still ride round all over Europe and Russia and places like that on Tony’s motorbike.

Joy is a real livewire and into everything in the village she is a leading light in our Neighbourhood Watch and organises a nice little party in the village at Christmas for all the neighbours to meet each other whereas they may not even recognise themselves and then met in the street. I think she’s part of the historical society who have, over the past few years interviewed some of the older characters about what life was like when they were young Joy very kindly brought with her the latest product of the historic Society which was an interview with George Barker. A 97-year-old resident who’d spent most of his life living and working in and around Claving. She very kindly read it out to me. while we both sat in the garden, on another lovely day,, knowing that I find it almost impossible to handle paper it was a very kind gesture and and extremely interesting interview. Having been in the village ourselves almost 50 years many of the references to people and places were familiar to us and made us realise the changes that have taken place over that half-century

Talk about enjoying your old age. They Barrows are an example to us all and when you think some people in this country going to a retirement home the age of 55, what earth can they be thinking of.?

Incidentally, in the event today’s temperature was lower than yesterday’s so did not break all-time records.

The Rugby World Series continues in New Zealand and England scraped through, into the quarter-finals, against Scotland. As World Champions, having won the last series a couple of years ago, I think they will be very lucky to get past these quarter-finals, certainly on their present form.

30 September 2011

I spent a reasonable comfortable night apart from the fact that my right shoulder became very painful around 3 a.m. Fortunately, Craig, who was sleeping in the spare room above me, had arranged to come down at 1.00, 3.00 and 5.00 to turn me and that always seems to relieve the pain. The problem is that I have become so weak I cannot lift one leg over the other and my arms get very easily trapped under the sheets. Also, although I can roll slightly from my side to my back and I don’t seem to be able to move my body into a comfortable position so being turned over at regular intervals has become a necessity.

We got up just after 6.30 when Craig admitted to having a splitting headache and not feeling at all well. Obviously I was concerned for him and insisted that he went straight home. This as much as anything was selfishness it on my part so as to avoid catching whatever virus he had contracted. Anything that affects my breathing could certainly land me up in hospital and I’m certainly not relishing that idea.

Sam the second of my carers came at 7.00 a.m. to discover that she was on her own but Jane mucked in and between them we got through the usual tasks of morning tea, showering, dressing and transporting me into my study chair before Sam left and Jane took over, giving me my breakfast, shaving me and supervising the teeth cleaning. Then, being familiar with the wrist splints I need to wear in order to operate the computer, Jane completed those jobs before leaving me to my own devices. I mentioned all these procedures in order to emphasise the number of things that one has to do in order to get going in the morning that most of us would take for granted and not give a second thought to.

Alan and Neil, technicians from Possom arrived this morning to remove their equipment from my office which, of course, I can no longer use. In fact I’ve been requesting the removal of this equipment for well over six bleak eight months in order to save the NHS the leasing cost. At the same time we looked at an alternative alarm , anticipating the day when I can no longer use my arms.

The one we settled for has a large button, on a flexible arm which clamps to the back of the chair, one each side, and can be operated from a touch from my head. They were really helpful. The only thing we didn’t manage to sort out was a voice activated telephone but I suspect, in the end, I may have to use Skype.

We also looked at what sort of alarm I could use in bed once I’ve lost use of my arms. They left a transmitter which can be activate the normal responder by sound. It has a little microphone which I’m hoping I can house in the corner of the respirator, which, when I shout into it, will activate the responder that Alice carries around with her. My only concern is that the sound of the respirator itself may trigger off the alarm. I shall try it out tonight or tomorrow night. In the meantime Jo (our lovely MND coordinator at Adenbrooke’s) had sent me a baby alarm to try out. However, how I’m supposed to make a noise wearing the respirator I’m not sure. In any event. I don’t think, ‘my lovely’ would want to have the sound of my breathing through the respirator and the wireless .all night. What we would probably do is to use that during the daytime with the receiver in the kitchen breakfast room, I should be able to shout into the microphone at my end to attract ‘my lovely’s’ attention.

 After lunch,’ Paul the computer’ turned up to give Jane a bit of a break and as it was an exquisite day I got them to put me into my wheelchair cycle spent two or three hours garden while Paul tinker around with my laptop. That all work very well as just about the time I thought I would come in, ‘my lovely’ retirement from a triumphant visit for mothers 100^th. Birthday in Cornwall. It had been a great success and granite was particularly pleased with the telegram from the Queen in addition to a birthday card from her. I suppose some poor secretary has to spend day after day filling in these cards on behalf of the Queen, as they must be more and more centurions reaching that right old age, everyday of the year.

Much as I appreciated the efforts of all the people who cared for me while ‘my lovely’ and being away, I must admit I was very pleased to see her home as no one understands my needs, and attempts of them as well as she does.

Fortuitously, I received some photographs, the like of which have not been seen since the year Granny was born so it seems appropriate that I should reproduce for the readers. Just click here to see them.As always, be patient as these photographs taken minute or two download.

 

29 September 2011

A BRIGHT RED LETTER DAY. MY DEAR MOTHER-IN-LAW’S 100^TH. BIRTHDAY. I have never subscribed to those people who denigrate the character of this much maligned relationship. My mother-in-law has always been extremely kind to me and I am very fond of her and now she has reached her 100^th.birthday. Congratulations, Sprig, and lots and lots of love from your son-in-law.

I insisted that ‘my lovely’ joined the family and friends who had gathered today to celebrate the occasion in Cornwall. She left at 4.00 a.m. to catch the early train to Truro, having made, in the interim, military style directions for my care during her absence, today and tomorrow. I can’t say that the day started particularly well with carers turning up at different times to those which I had been given understand they had been asked to come. One of them arriving, to turn me over in bed,,half an hour after I normally get up! Never mind The best laid plans of mice and men….et al. I left a message with my sister-in-law to say all was well at present so as to reassure ‘my lovely ‘ on her arrival.

When I rang about 11.30, the birthday girl was having one of her ‘better days’. She was having a bath and was totally aware that it was her birthday. There was never any question of me going down again so soon after our last visit but I do envy the guests their lunch, apparently each are having a whole lobster- scrummy.

 The Ross nursing carers left after dealing with the normal dressing, shower etc and ‘Jane the sheep’,who was in the locus paremti, so to speak, took over until ‘Paul the computer’ arrived at one o’clock,, to share the task. Jane managed exceptionally well with some manoeuvres with the hoist that she had not attempted previously. In fact I think it was a first-time she used it and to do so all alone was a very good effort.

 Paul spent the early part of the afternoon backing up my programmes and files onto one of my stand-alone hard disks in preparation , tomorrow, for reinstalling Windows, Word and Dragon to see if that that improved the situation. In the meantime as the weather was like the height of summer I spent three hours in the garden, shirtless in my wheelchair.

‘ My lovely’ rang from Cornwall to say that the party had gone off extremely well but she would fill me in when she gets home, tomorrow night.

Craig, one of the few male carers from Ross nursing turned up at 9:30 p.m, and with Jane’s assistance, put  me to bed, without incident.

After such a boring entry largely centred on me I try to find some piece of media interest to the readers which might loosely be considered relevant to what I have written in my entry earlier. At first sight these pictures of this incredible piece of engineering, the Rotational Bridge ,might be difficult for the reader to recognise the link with my entry but seeing the precision engineering that went into this project reminded me of the military precision in which Alice had organise handing me over to the other carers, even just for a couple of days. Anyway even if the reader is not prepared to accept this rather tenuous link I think you will find these pictures are pretty staggering. The interesting thing for me, about this particular way of lifting barges, is the comparison with the famous Yangtze River dam which I had the pleasure of seeing on one of my trips to China the dam retains 200 m of water, is 1.5 km long and can carry ships up to 3000 t in a lift and shoot them out at the top. Anything larger than that requires two stages of lifts but, in any event, a staggering piece of engineering which provides 15% of the whole of China’s current electricity needs. Click here to see the Rotational Bridge.

Be patient while the PowerPoint slide show downloads. Then click the fourth icon from the left,, in the bottom tray, in order to view it as a PowerPoint slide show. It’s worth the effort!

 

 

28 September 2011

I forgot to mention that the day before the good doctor arrived, Paula, who is professional hairdresser, and one of our carers ,cut my hair and that of Alice, for a modest fee. The last time Michael was here she cut his hair as well but this time he’s missed out.

We had our usual fly around this morning with Sam and Sarah doing the honours of showering and dressing and then getting me into my study chair. I worked on yesterday’s blog and then it was time for the good Dr to be taken to Audley End station to start his journey to the funeral.

Mick had met some very nice peopleon a recent trip round Australia for CEO’s and the like and introduced them to my blog. One of them, Bian Hedt, big in grain production, apparently, very kindly sent me a nice e-mail, in which, he was good enough to say generous things about both the good Dr I and myself I was delighted to reply and thought the other readers might be interested to read what he said. I reproduce an un-expurgated copy below. (Incidentally, Pam, is Brian’s wife)

Greetings Michael (AKA Dr Who)

 think

I am not wishing to boast nor copy your unique housekeeping style but I too have been naked since arriving in FNQ, but for a much more satisfying reason than housekeeping. I believe it was reward for finding this poor lonely, lovely lady called Pam wandering around Port Douglas with no company. At least that’s what I tell myself. On the other hand Pam has an entirely different view of the situation but such is life.

I spent quite a time last night reading Prof Mark Cato’s blog and laughed heartily at his (and your) sense of humour and capacity to laugh at life and what it thrown at him. Having known you for just a week and reading Mark’s blog I feel saddened that we have met in our later years, you and Mark have so much more to teach poor souls like me.

Now about the nickname I have given you, I realised that I had not explained why I have become so fond of it so let me explain as follows; In case you don’t know (Being a surgeon I feel sure you would) Dr. Who has two hearts which is what makes him so resourceful, clever, strong, humble, well travelled, intellectual, articulate old, insightful and caring. These are qualities as well as others too numerous to mention here that I see in you. So take it as a compliment and please read all this to Mark to help pass the time.

Isn’t it wonderful that you can already see the purpose of your trip yielding positive outcomes.

I am so glad to hear that you are wanting to have further contact with us having told Pam about you she has said she is really looking forward to meeting you. We get to Melbourne reasonably often too so will let you know and see what we can do to make a pleasant couple of hours pass together. 

Give Mark our love as I too feel I know him from the wonderful tales you told at his expense

Cheers,

Brian 

I’m uncertain about the reference to Michael’s nakedness or his explanation was that he was caught out doing the vacuuming au naturel. If that’s the good doctors explanation then who am I to question it?!

Our Indian summer has come at last I was taken out into the garden after lunch, stripped off my shirt and enjoyed the sunshine for a couple of hours. The temperature, apparently, is something like 10° warmer than it should be for this time of year. Certainly our weather is all up the creek. Having had a very warm and, indeed, hot April/ May, an appalling wet, windy and cool summer and now, it’s virtually autumn, the summer seems to have come back again. Could it be really down to global warming?

 

27 September 2011

In many ways the cancellation of the Tuesday golf was a blessing as the good Dr Michael paid an unexpected visit from Australia to attend the funeral of a very dear friend of his-another surgeon. Had I been going to golf in the normal way and not arrived home until mid-afternoon I would have seen very little of him as he leaves tomorrow morning, attends the funeral and then after the wake, he catches a plane back to Australia. There’s true friendship for you and a measure of the man. I would like to think that if I was entirely well and anything happened to my dear friend Mick, like him I would be prepared to make the journey to the other side of the world to attend his funeral. Despite the depth of our very long friendship I wonder whether I would find some meanness of spirit for not going. Thank goodness I will not be tested.

Anyway the good doctor arrived, scarcely after I had settled into my office chair, just after 8 am and then, as is his won’t, started communicating, through Skype, to family and friends, in various parts of the world, on his beloved Apple laptop. Fortunately I was able to tear him away to give him lunch at the Cricketers. Thank heavens weather had improved and it is was lovely, sunny and warm in the sunshine . We had our usual table outside, tucked into the corner at the front of the pub and therefore sheltered and away from any wind. We had a delicious lunch. I opted for a favourite of mine, the Cricketers steak and kidney pie with a crispy suet pastry and mashed potatoes and the good Dr settled for the’ credit crunch lunch’ which was deliciously freshly cooked fish and chips. The whole lot washed down with an excellent bottle of French Merlot. I smoked a couple of the Villiger cigars that Mick had generously picked up for me in Singapore, where they cost 1/5^th. of what we pay in the UK. If I didn’t have a constant supply of these duty-free ones, even if I had to pay for them which I rarely do, I’m far too mean to pay the UK price and would give up smoking.

I then came back to the house while Michael snoozed in a deckchair in the garden attempting to catch up a little of the sleep lost through the time difference. In the event, I did not venture out into the garden again out in the garden and for the first time as far back as I can remember did not enjoy our usual bottle of champagne. Frankly the Merlot had been enough for me as I really don’t think I can think as much as I used to. This suited the good Dr because I secretly think he prefers a good malt whisky to champagne.

We spent a fairly quiet evening in front of the television and I think the good Dr was only to happy to have an early night as jet lag was catching up with him.

Apropos nothing at all I receive this wonderfully politically incorrect series of advertisements from the dark ages. Girls, please forgive me, I DO NOT, endorse their content. Click From the dark ages to see them. There are quite a few pictures so it takes 2 or 3 min to download them but they’re well worth while waiting for.

Be patient!

26 September 2011

This was one of those days when Tuesday falls on Monday, if that doesn’t sound too Irish and by saying so I’m not being politically incorrect! Followers of this blog will realise that the geriatric golfers always play on a Tuesday except on a few rare occasions when the Club Secretary has allowed a society to play on the Tuesday then the geriatrics are forced to play on the Monday, which is what happened this week.

Sadly the weather forecast today was not too promising and there was the danger of the odd heavy shower. I have no idea what would happen to my electric wheelchair if I was stuck out on the golf course somewhere and I got soaked I suspect the electrics would blow up and this was not a risk that I was prepared to take, so the long and short of it is I didn’t go.

‘My lovely’ went off to do some errands at lunchtime and as ‘Jane the sheep’ was not entirely over her cold she very thoughtfully roped in Paul to do her stint for her. As it happened this suited me as I’m still getting absolutely nowhere with the Dragon voice activation people. I rang them again this morning to receive the same message as that which I’ve had over the past three weeks’ still no response from America’.

As a result I got consent from the MND Association to engage Paul’s services to strip down my laptop in an attempt to identify the problem. Then, when the Americans do eventually get back to us I’m hoping will be able to them what is the problem

As anything to do with this blog is a real labour of love, due to the current sporadic nature of the voice activation, after wasting a couple of hours on it this morning, I gave up and instead watch the first two instalments of the new television series ,Downton Abbey. From what I’ve seen so far it seems to be superior to the initial series. Set during the First World War it is not dissimilar to one of our favourite programmes years ago, called Upstairs and Downstairs. and has shades of Evelyn Waugh’sBrideshead Revisited.

Here’s a little joke to finish with. Click here.

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25 September 2011

Dear daughter Chloe gave me a hand to sort out the paper copies of the blog which I print off for the family. Sam one of my carers asked me today why I bothered print a hardcopy. Quite simply I want a copy for each of the children and ultimately for their children and children to come and one for’ my lovely’ .so that they have a permanent record of it. It is, in any event, part of my autobiography, in the chapter entitled Let Me Show You My Scars, which, describes, in what I hope is a humorous fashion, all the operations, accidents and illnesses, since I had my tonsils and adenoids remove, at Paddington Hospital, when I was 13 

I suppose my blog will only remain on the world wide web web as long as my blog master, Richard Morris, continues to pay the modest fee every two or three years. Certainly, at some stage it will disappear from people with laptops and when it does at least my family will have a copy of it.

When Craig, another of my carers, came at midday he remarked on the weather saying what a beautiful day it was, at the time the sun certainly shining, so we decided to have lunch outside. By the time I’d been hoisted into my wheelchair and establish myself in the garden a howling wind came up and the sun disappeared. However, stoically, again we staryed out over lunch and then called it a day and abandoned the garden.

Chloe left, after lunch, as she needed to get back to her own family but it was a lovely to see her. I am so proud of her, she has turned into such a lovely girl.

24 September 2011

My darling daughter Chloe came after lunch today to spend the night with us. Like Smiler, she comes at fairly regular intervals to check on me and to make sure that her mother’s a not doing things. We are truly blessed with our children. They are both caring and loving which is a great comfort to me ,as much as anything, as I know that they will take care of their mother if and when she needs it, when I’m no longer around.

When Chloe arrived’ my lovely’ had got me out into the garden believing it to be a warm sunny day. In the event, a clouded over and in fact, little chilly.

However, stoically we stuck it out, convincing ourselves that it was still summer and had tea in the garden. We then went back into the house and after supper just had a quiet evening.

My problem is that although I am bright as a button
in the morning after about seven o’clock in the evening I seem to sink and start feeling quite tired and edgy which certainly doesn’t make me good company but I know that my two girls understand and do not make too many demands on me.

The recent kidnapping in Kenya somehow brought to mind the infamous Lindberg kidnapping and as I had this historic video in my Media library I thought my readers might be interested to see it. As someone who learned to fly in a Gypsy Moth and then a Tiger Moth this footage is particularly nostalgic to me. I do hope you appreciate it yourself particularly the unique and historic nature of this particular take-off.   

Charles Lindbergh

You are invited to Long Island, N.Y. on May 1927 to take off with Charles Lindbergh on his historic flight across the Atlantic.

 To get the best out of this you should READ INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Win Perkins, a real estate appraiser who specializes in airport properties, has posted on his Web site a video he created of Charles Lindbergh’s famous and risky takeoff in the Spirit of St. Louis .. According to Perkins, this is unlike any other presentation of the takeoff footage. Perkins said he “painstakingly assembled news footage from five cameras that filmed

Lindbergh’s takeoff from Roosevelt Field, Long Island and “mixed it with enhanced audio from the same newsreel sources.

When you click on the address, episode #3 comes up ready to play

I suggest you first click on “CONTACT” to the left and select #1, then watch them in order, #1 through #4 (each time going back to “contact” and selecting the next one). I was glued to the screen through all 4.What guts it took for Lindbergh to overcome the odds against him and accomplish this amazing feat.

Click here 

Don’t forget select “Contact” after each clip to choose the next.

23 September 2011

The great excitement today was lunch with the Curtis’s, in their new home opposite the village green. The other’ old faithfuls’ -the William – Powllett’s and the Simpsons s were also invited. The four families which comprise’the old faithfuls’ all arrived in the village around the same time, the best part of half-century ago. The Curtis’s were the first to break ranks and downsize . They have in fact only moved a few hundred yards but the new house has worked perfectly for them, particularly having converted one of the outbuildings into splendid office for David and an adjacent artist’s studio for Jane.

I drove down the road in my electric wheelchair with Jill (Simpson) driving behind with her emergency lights flashing with good old Alan (Simpson) riding shotgun (walking alongside) whilst I negotiated the 300 yards or so to the Curtis’house. We were blessed with a lovely day, warm sunshine and only a slight breeze. We had lunch outside on the terrace which was one of those rare occasions this year when we were able to eat outside and I was able to smoke to my hearts content. David (Curtis) produced some nice champagne to start with and then some splendid claret and Cotes du Rhône, not to mention a delicious pudding wine with the raspberry tart. Jane had excelled herself with a smoked salmon starter and a delicious main course. A spledid lunch.

Barton (W-P) saw me using my smoking stick, which he had made for me following my basic design (See illustration attached to 13 August entry) and realising that it needed modifying, unbeknownst to me, went into town after lunch, bought a couple of rubber feet and then called in and fitted them, there and then. What a great friend.

Whilst I was absent from the house Paul kindly copied and pasted the 21 pages of my blog diary which I had lost a couple of days ago. I couldn’t believe it at the time and went into every possible way of recovering these lost pages myself. Unlike previous programme XP professional, automatically saved up to 5 copies every 5 min or so, so it was not possible to lose more than a few lines or so. This does not seem to be the case with Windows 7 so I shall have to set up some external backup file on one of my stand-alone hard disks to avoid such a nightmare happening again. I know exactly what happened somehow these 21 pages had become highlighted and as one of them was not visible on the screen the next key I pressed deleted the highlighted pages, unbeknownst to me. Once I had then saved the document, without realising the loss, it was too late to recover them.

22 September 2011

My quarterly assessment today within the MND team at Adenbrookes Hospital. I say ‘team’but, in actual fact it was only Jo (Sasson’s) and for a brief period the speech therapist who was only really sitting in to catch up rather learn to deal with any speech problems I might be having. I had J last time and therefore was due to see Chris ( Dr Chris Allen) Jo told me he was in Zanzibar.’ Lucky man’, I said, ‘Oh no,’, retorted Jo,’he’s not on holiday, his other medical conference’. Why Zanzibar, I thought why are these conferences, the sort that I used to have two attend myself were always in warm exotic places. I think when I asked this question many years ago conference organiser he said it was all to do with keeping their wives happy so they can go shopping!

I was in Zanzibar myself around 1959/60 , not I stress on a conference but on holiday. That was before Zanzibar merged with Tanganyika to become Tanzania.

Zanzibar itself is a fascinating and picturesque island, Most famous, I suspect, for being one of the world’s largest producers of cloves. Indeed, for decades, it was known as Clove Island.. With Its narrown streets, its romantic Arabian Nights atmosphere and its wide variety of races, dress and cultures have rightly made this unique island famous.

Amongst the best attractions of this Paradise Island on the fabulous bazaars where one can buy Arab daggers (or at least were until the current security regulations were put in place) locally made silver jewellery, ivory and ebony carvings from India and China and the rare curios from the other exotic islands of Southeast Asia. However, perhaps Zanzibar’s unique curios, for which it is most famous, are its Arab chests. I should explain that this island is the only part of Africa which is predominantly populated by Arabs.

The is Arab chests are most handsome and appealing and certainly was an irresistible purchase for me. When I visited Zanzibar’s in 1959/1960, not I stress at a conference, but on holiday. I certainly succumbed to purchasing one The chest I bought has graced our home now for the last 50 years or so. They are made from wood, mostly teak, have heavy brass or iron hinges and are ornamented with fancy flat brass sheets and large brass studs. I think one of the most interesting elements of purchasing this chest was the bargaining session I had with the arrow dealer. He faked it tears at my first offer and more than once I had to walk away pretending that I had lost interest before being called back to consider another offer, but without such bargaining the dealer would have no respect for the purchaser.

There was no doubt that even 50 years ago genuine Arab chests were becoming rarer. Whether mine is antique or not (it certainly looks it really doesn’t matter a great deal as we have had a lot of pleasure from seeing it in our home over the last half-century

The insurrections in the Middle East has now reached Yemen where I lived for 4 ½. Years. I suppose more correctly I was living in a what was at that stage, a British Protectorate, but is now part of Yemen. (Ironically, not so far from Zanzibar.) Following a similar pattern in the other parts of the Middle East large crowds have collected in public places demonstrating against the dictatorial regime. For a while the authorities seem to tolerate it and then suddenly turn on the crowds and fire at them indiscriminately. Inevitably a number are killed and if we can believe the news reporters thousands were injured. Whether the rebels will ring out in the end as they did in Libya or will be crushed back into submission as they were in Syria, only time will tell.

Oh, so far as the assessment at Adenbrookes is concerned little came out of it other than an acknowledgement that I was slowly deteriorating and Jo will follow-up monitoring palliative care matters which may improve the quality of my remaining life