tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24860892831179813242024-02-07T03:04:10.202+00:00Careless CarerSurvival Tactics and Care for Care GiversPenny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-39258547519645011192019-11-22T22:26:00.000+00:002019-11-22T22:31:25.964+00:00It’s All Change I was considering restarting Blogging this winter. An overactive mind may be helped if I disgorge some of the rubbish that swirls around my brain in the evening.
But and it is a very BIG BUT I am finding it difficult to find my way around the basics. I don’t think I'll be able to use my iPad (which I am now) due to it’s limited on screen size. Therefore I think it may be better to fire up the Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-26560844092775522872017-03-15T18:24:00.001+00:002017-03-15T18:24:30.306+00:00Bereaved WidowI find it very hard on reading my previous post to believe that within a few days MyMan, Keith, was admitted to RD&E hospital Exeter on Sunday 31st July. Never to come home again; he died on Friday 12th August.Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-41383996449544841122016-07-09T12:16:00.000+01:002016-07-09T12:16:10.281+01:00When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get BloggingThe going is very tough now. I intend to reactivate this Blog. Everything I have read and researched on dementia over the last 2-3 years suggest that a journal to record symptoms, medications, cognitive issues and behaviour will be a useful practical record.
My main worry is, besides it being a safe anonymous way to 'vent' is whether, or how, I will find the time. Or, more importantly, Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-81002858804697929852012-09-21T16:13:00.002+01:002013-03-12T20:22:22.505+00:00Feeling GuiltyI've been sounding off about MyMan this afternoon. He has been in an unbelievably morose mood, fretful and aggressive. Now he is fast asleep. I've been able to sneak off and do several jobs that he promised he would see to. Vacuuming living room, cleaning car windscreen before it rains (to clear it of greasy smeary deposit) and to rearrange bathroom cupboards.
Sat down with a cuppa and read a Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-12796990862716035352012-07-27T18:02:00.000+01:002012-07-27T18:02:32.020+01:00Adopted AngelDear Cats Protection,
Just a short postcard from my new home. I think I will be quite happy here once this heat wave is over and I can venture outside to explore. As it is all the windows are locked on trickle. Phew!! I've examined all windows intently but however thin I am there's no way I can squeeze thro any of the gaps.
Meanwhile I keep the 'hoteliers' on their toes by finding new hiding Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-67128909081896944292011-08-23T10:11:00.001+01:002012-02-09T10:50:57.727+00:00Carer Watch Website Enforced ShutdownSo what happened to Freedom of Speech & Innocent until proven guilty?
http://carerwatch.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/carerwatch-discussion-forum-taken-down/#comment-1456
February 9th On checking this link I now find the web site On http://carerwatch.wordpress.com/ is fully activePenny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-1937261190411548842011-06-28T16:06:00.001+01:002011-06-28T16:07:36.470+01:00New Blogger on the BlockA big welcome to the Earl of Bootyopia who's dipped a toe into the Blogosphere with this post which is well worth reading. Please pop over and say Hi!Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-88889741557952947502011-05-27T17:01:00.000+01:002011-05-27T17:01:00.760+01:00SpringtimeAfter a rather dreary winter full of snow, woes and viruses I've returned to my Blog to fill you in with a short update.
MyMan has been no better. Pain and depression as bad as ever. Occasional glimpses of the Man he used to be pop to the fore but rarely last long. On my birthday in February all my family were flying from all corners of the world to converge on Sri Lanka for a wedding.Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-33142978014594629342011-01-02T16:42:00.003+00:002011-01-04T16:08:44.996+00:00The Good, The Bad and The UglyThe Good the Bad and the Ugly - a year end review.
The Good:
Winning a long drawn out compensation battle with Equitable Life via the FOS
Award of continuation of DLA & Mobility Allowance
My one week break away to see family after my bowel investigation
My trip by train to visit family for a short weekend break away
My nephew's wedding and a lovely 3 nights at a Boutique Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-71931670896548366622010-12-30T18:12:00.000+00:002010-12-30T18:12:04.155+00:00Coping StrategiesI've been working this summer and autumn on coping strategies. My annual visit to the Dr for a BP check. I once again complained of my aches, pains and strains elicited the response that apart from my weight continuing to creep up I was healthy. When I said how hard I found it to cope at home with MyMan's moods I was told 'he's frustrated'. Well I know he is - so am Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-307451574556243022010-12-27T22:23:00.001+00:002010-12-27T22:24:29.907+00:00Where It All BeganI was looking back at the beginning of my Careless Carer blog tonight as I have just found another carer who has started to blog. I invited him over to mine to see if he'll get more out of blogging by networking with us Carers.
If you stop by perhaps you'll pop over to meet Just Another Carer
For me this was the beginning when I was trying to sort out how to cope. I think I have madePenny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-46884284672282048802010-11-08T20:58:00.001+00:002010-11-08T20:58:29.933+00:00Clapham JunctionI've been up to visit London for my nephew's wedding. Once again I have safely negotiated Clapham Junction. Both ways. There and back. Tired but happy.Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-73127010732843724072010-11-02T16:47:00.001+00:002010-11-02T16:47:10.702+00:00Testing whether I can post via email from my mobile phone. Sent from my iPhonePenny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-73993314790610191532010-11-01T21:24:00.002+00:002010-12-13T21:30:28.822+00:00Letting the Train Take the StrainIt may be an age thing but this year the long journey to Surrey was very tiring. It was a sunny hot day in May and being a Friday I had many traffic hold ups. I'd left home 2 hours later than planned.Marooned on the drive the bonnet latch locked while the hood was half opened I had to be rescued by the local mechanic who didn't arrive till 8.45 a.m. I Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-77148992115168396712010-10-30T16:37:00.002+01:002010-10-30T16:39:41.562+01:00Apple for IdiotsI've always been a bit sniffy about Apple products. Apple for Idiots I always thought. But I have been won over by the simple charms of the iPhone. It looks gorgeous. Well the 3GS version does. I'm not so keen on the iPhone4. I had a very good friend who was playing with one and allowed me to handle it and play with it a while. I was hooked.
I've bought myself a 3GS 32GB in white Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-21776826592355895942010-09-28T18:26:00.004+01:002010-12-13T21:29:00.838+00:00A Long Eventful SummerIt's been a long eventful summer. Following on from my bowel investigations within 2 weeks I was on a long planned trip to Surrey/Sussex to visit family. I didn't feel too chipper. My innards were still a bit unsettled. I felt sad and scared. I knew by then that the polyps were of the type that could turn cancerous. And so would undergo a colonoscopy again next year. Oh well - at Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-26902477612265973102010-05-11T14:26:00.003+01:002022-10-27T18:36:02.832+01:00The Girl With the Colon TattooI'm the Girl with the Colon Tattoo . . .
It was rather a shock when I was told I had an abnormal result following my National Bowel Cancer Screening test.
I've always had a fast transit time. No constipation. No changes in bowel habits. And apart from IBS symptoms that always manifest itself during times of high stress I'd no concerns re my working innards. That was why it was a shock.
I'd hadPenny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-18259499928076557042010-04-02T04:51:00.011+01:002010-06-13T18:03:23.816+01:00Good FridayIt's 4 a.m - .Good Friday morning. As usual when I've been over anxious I'm unable to sleep through the night. I've returned to roaming the house in the early hours. A mug of hot milk and a couple of oat baked biscuits along with a paracetamol usually help me to get another couple of hours before the start of a new day. But the sleep I have is not as deep and restful as a good 'proper 7 hours'. Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-25752649008962416022010-03-23T17:11:00.010+00:002010-03-24T06:43:16.640+00:00InsulinMyMan's first medication for Diabetes was Metformin gradually increasing the dosage until he reached 2x twice a day. But his blood glucose levels were not coming down fast enough to please the nurse. So he was started on Insulin. Using a pen device he injects a mixture of medium and long acting insulin each night. Slowly increasing the units injected.For the last couple of days his reading has Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-75313459650447668012010-03-05T17:43:00.007+00:002010-03-14T16:02:43.685+00:00Bloody Ups and DownsSo my birthday hadn't quite turned out as I'd hoped. Maybe everything would look better in a few days. But it didn't. There wasn't much sign of improvement pain wise for MyMan. In fact he appeared very ill and weak. Then he developed a sore throat, a croaky voice and an insatiable thirst. With the local virus he felt unable to exercise to test out if he had any signs of pain relief.Then Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-91900533134698894272010-02-27T15:21:00.005+00:002010-03-05T17:43:01.918+00:00A Birthday Treat . .With no chance of a lie in and then lunch out I decided to console myself with a little retail therapy while MyMan was in hospital having steroid injections in his sacroiliac joints.I had to take him to the hospital for 8 a.m and be ready to receive a call to go and collect him at 'lunchtime'. Plenty enough time for a spot of 'cheer myself up' shopping. We left the house at 7 a.m with no more Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-2682346426556086302010-02-21T17:21:00.008+00:002010-02-27T15:19:20.099+00:00Physio TherapyIt has been a gruelling few weeks (months) since MyMan started on his course of physiotherapy. The 'Back to Fitness' course left him far worse than when he started. Each week he'd go over to Exeter hospital - an hour long journey for a one and a half hour session of relatively easy exercises. With the hour drive home again it meant he'd leave here at 8 a.m and reach home by 11.30. I loved having Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-75814207812386527742010-01-22T15:32:00.004+00:002010-01-22T15:50:58.632+00:00Caring With ConfidenceI would like to draw your attention to this new initiative funded by the NHS. It is a free knowledge and skills based learning programme. Some areas have group meetings. It appears to have limited groups in the South West region - Somerset. No wonder parts of Devon & Cornwall are still referred to as 'the withered arm'. (There was not so much money to be spent on the west which had to Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-48079253953898041892010-01-21T16:51:00.014+00:002010-01-22T14:52:51.363+00:00Back to FitnessBesides the physiotherapy sessions MyMan has also been entered in a Back to Fitness programme. Over a 6 week period he along with a class of 5 others is undergoing an hour long exercise and muscle toning programme run at Wonford hospital.Last week he boasted that he had used dumbbells weighing 66 lbs. I said incredulously - "surely not. Don't you mean 6 lbs?" But he insisted it was 66lbs. "But Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2486089283117981324.post-22002307018380363812010-01-17T16:12:00.008+00:002010-01-22T15:23:27.163+00:00New Beginnings It is a little late in the New Year to think of New Beginnings but"What at first may appear to be an ending, is often a new beginning . . ". After a long drawn out investigation MyMan has accepted the Financial Ombudsman's Final Decision on his complaint against Equitable Life. It has been another battle against a large instituition. Energy sapping and a time consuming procedure at the best of Penny Pincherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993473608935875834noreply@blogger.com0