Well it's been a while since my last blog, and that's partly because I haven't been doing much - but when has that ever stopped me blogging before - and because I've had an ear infection.
It must have started at the beginning of last week. I just started to feel lousy and kept feeling very tired. At first I thought that it must be that the effects of my regular treatment hadn't lasted as long as normal this time, which sometimes happens. I'd find myself struggling to wake up in the mornings, and on one occasion was still asleep when my carer had let herself into the house, and was then stood by my bed. I only woke up when she said "Good Morning" to me.
In the afternoon I'd get into my armchair and fall asleep, not for half an hour, but for over an hour, and it would be a real deep sleep.
When I woke up Thursday morning my right ear was really sore to touch, and it felt like someone had plugged it up. I couldn't hear out of it properly and despite trying to clear the ear from the bunged up feeling, it wouldn't clear.
I made an appointment to see my doctor, and he was able to fit me in about 10.30 am. I made my way down to the surgery in my powered wheelchair and when I got there found that the waiting room was crowded. Fortunately I only had to wait for about 15 minutes before I was called in.
I told the doctor what the problem was, and he had a look in my ear, and said, "That's going to be very sore." He explained that I had an infection in my ear, and prescribed me some ear drops and said come back in a week if its not better.
Now my GP is really good and very supportive, but just occasionally, as with any doctor, he shows that he doesn't understand the limitations that my conditions impose on my life. The ear drops need to be put into the ear twice a day, and left for about 5 minutes to soak in. The doctor suggested that the best time to put them in might be when I was in bed and could turn onto my side, for this to be done. I then had to explain to him that when I was in bed I can only lie on my back, and that it is impossible for me to get onto my side, and even if someone could move me onto my side, I would find it almost impossible to stay in that position for 5 minutes.
Anyway, we have found a way of applying the drops and I simply hold my head to one side, when I am sitting in my wheelchair.
I left the surgery and went over to the chemists to collect my prescription. When I had got up in the morning it had been a lovely sunny day, and even when I had gone down to the surgery it had still been quite nice. However by the time my prescription was done, it was starting to rain, and so I got nicely wet getting home. And typically as soon as I was indoors, the rain stopped and the sun came back out.
I'm glad to say that the drops are working well and that my ear is far less sore than it was, and importantly, no longer feels blocked and I can hear normally. I'm certainly not feeling as tired all the time, so the infection must be going. I don't recall having an ear infection before but I never realised how uncomfortable it was.
You may recall from previous blogs that I am the Chairman of the Patient Participation Group at my local medical practice, and Wednesday 2nd October was the AGM for this group. The meeting was open to all the patients at the practice.
Normally we meet every 6 weeks or so, and usually these meetings are held during the day, as this is usually more convenient for everyone. However the AGM was arranged for a 7.30 pm start, in order to make the meeting accessible to more patients.
However, as with other years, it was only the committee members that turned up. We held the meeting as we would have done anyway and finished about 8.45 pm.
Its very unusual for me to be out in the evening. Mainly because it means having to re-arrange when carers can call, but also because by the end of the day, my energy levels are low. However, I make the effort for the AGM.
On the way home I was amazed to go passed a house and see that they had a Christmas Tree, with lights, up in the front room. I was so shocked that I actually had to stop and look again to make sure what I was seeing. I should have taken my phone out and got a couple of pictures.
The route home takes me along a main road for about 10 minutes and then 5 minutes down my road, before going up the drive and indoors.
As I was setting off from the medical centre, to go home, a car with a couple of lads in, sped passed, with the passenger leaning out of the window, and he shouted something at me. The car went off and the a minute or so later, it came back the other way, and again something was shouted at me.
A couple of minutes later, the car went passed me again, and again the passenger shouted at me. This happened a total of 5 times, before they obviously got bored and went home - probably passed their bedtimes.
What I thought was so funny about this was not the fact that they had nothing better to do, than drive passed me and shout abuse at a guy in a wheelchair, or the waste of petrol from driving backwards and forwards. No. What I found funny was the fact that they took so much trouble to go backwards and forwards, up and down the road, but at such great speed that all I actually heard them yell sounded like, "WWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH" or, "TTTTTTTOOOOOOOOHHHHH."
Obviously, if they had taken the time to slow down I could have explained the Doppler Effect to them, and they could have modified their speed accordingly to ensure their abuse was better heard.
Yesterday I had my flu jab, which entailed going to the surgery, mid-afternoon. Unfortunately this meant that I had to contend with the Mum's going to the local primary school.
The surgery runs "super clinic's" for flu jabs, where they try to book as many people in to have the vaccination. Yesterday, they had 9 patients a minute, booked to have their jabs during the afternoon. So you can probably imagine its a real conveyor belt approach. In one door, sleeve rolled up, form ready, directed to doctor/nurse, hand in your form, needle in the arm, roll sleeve down, and out the other door. I was there for less than a minute.
On the way back home, I needed to cross the road by the primary school, just as it was going home time. This meant having to contend with the school run mum's with their push chairs, blocking the pavements, stood around chatting or talking on their phones, but oblivious to anyone else. The number of dirty looks I got when I asked people to move so I could get passed, and that was from those who bothered to acknowledge my existence.
However, it was when I came to cross the road, and run the gauntlet of the car driving school run mum's, that it really got interesting.
Obviously its vital to park as close to school as possible - god forbid that you might have to walk - regardless of how inconsiderately you might actually park. So as I approached the crossing I could see two cars parked on the pavement, and on double yellow lines, by the dropped kerb I need to use. Fortunately there was just enough gap for me to get between the cars, but not by very much.
I then had to try to see round these cars to monitor the traffic coming round the junction, into the road, and others coming the other way, in order to be able to cross. As I'm sat there waiting for a clear gap, a car swings round the corner, into the road, and parks right in front of me, in the middle of the road, blocking me from being able to cross, and blocking the junction.
As the mum got out of her car, I politely pointed out that she was badly parked, blocking the road and me crossing. Considerately, she just walked off.
As she came back with her dear little boy in tow, I asked her if she had heard me, and if she thought she was considerately parked. At this point she told me to, "F**k off!" As her son, who must have been about 4 years old came round and got in the passengers side, he looked at me, scowled and said, "Fugg off!".
The mother then proceed to drive off, without ensuring that the precious little boy had his seat belt on.
It leaves a good feeling when you see great examples of good parenting and positive roll models, such as this. If she hadn't gone off so quickly I could have asked her if she had raised a couple of young lads who had a habit of yelling abuse at people whilst speeding passed them too fast to be able to hear what they were saying.
And the final thing from the passed week, was on Saturday when Crystal Palace travelled to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the 7th game of the season.
Newly promoted to the Premiership, Crystal Palace have played 6, won 1 and lost 5. Not the best of starts, but still not bottom of the league - yet!
As I listened to the commentary on the radio, it became fairly obvious that we weren't going to get much out of this game, other than a good trashing. Liverpool had chance after chance, and it was only a matter of time before they scored.
I was reminded of a Tuesday night on 12th September 1989, when I had travelled to Anfield to watch Crystal Palace take on Liverpool, in the 5th game of the season. The final score was 9-0 to Liverpool, but this didn't tell the full story.
It was, in my recollection, a pretty even game, where we gave as good as we got. The big difference was that every shot Liverpool had went in, and every shot Palace had was saved, or blocked.
It was a bit of a depressing drive home, especially with the thought of getting home about 4.00 am and then having to be in work at 9.00 am, and all the stick we were going to get.
That season, Liverpool won their 18th, and last, league title, and Palace finished 15th, and avoided relegation.
Saturdays result was 3-1 Liverpool, but in fairness Liverpool should have had more.
At this point in the season, I'd be quite happy to have a repeat of out respective final positions in the league, but I can't see Liverpool winning the league, and sadly, I can't see Palace avoiding the drop.
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