Letting the Train Take the Strain

It 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 wasn't feeling at my best which didn't help either.

On my return home I decided that for my nephew's November wedding in Richmond, London I would travel by rail. I've not travelled by rail for nearly 30 years. In those long ago days days it was a train trip there and back. No changes needed and no need to negotiate the complexity of Clapham Junction. So I planned a 'trial train trip'.

The first challenge was in finding out the cheapest way to travel by train. Such a complex system. What was the difference between an First Anytime Single ticket (at £90.30 or £95)and the 'Cheapest First Class single' at £90.30? I quickly found that if I had a Senior Railcard I would get a discount. And another discount if I bought tickets well in advance of travel date.

A planned trip to see family in Croydon was arranged for the total cost of £32 return, travelling First Class with SWTrains. Cheaper than a tankful of petrol. I'd try it.

I was bored and stiff by the time I reached Salisbury an hour and a half later. I was regretting not going by car. I reminded myself that it was to be a relaxing trip and cheaper. And I have to admit by the time I arrived I was far less tired. 

MyMan was left alone for only 2 days.  Although he didn't eat any of the meals I'd left for him; existing only on soup/sandwiches (and cakes he'd bought from the bakers) I wasn't away long enough for him to come to harm through a less than perfect diet.

For my next trip I have an audio book loaded on my new iPhone and can be entertained as I watch the scenery flash by. Or I could play Bejewelled, Angry Birds or even Omar Sharif's Bridge.

Bloody Ups and Downs

So 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 worryingly his vision became even more blurred than usual. Obviously not a virus. We had to move the chair 4' closer to the 42" TV as he was unable to see it properly. I thought he should go to see the optician as soon as possible. His sight was so bad I returned to full time chauffeur duty.

Meanwhile I searched the Internet, Googled "adverse reactions to steroid injections in sacroiliac joints". Nothing that explained his sudden onset of new and/or additional symptoms.

With an appointment to see the optician on Wednesday morning he also arranged to see the Dr again in the afternoon. The optician was surprised at the sudden deterioration in his sight. Thought it was caused by a 'rare complication ' to the steroid injections.

Later that afternoon the doctor diagnosed Diabetes. A blood glucose level of 28. Since then our feet haven't touched the floor.