A Glorious Day

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It has been one of those rare calm Shetland winter days.  Even the sun made an appearance and everyone just breathed out and relaxed.

I am trying to get out more now, doing little things, but definitely doing.

 

When my sciatica sneaks back in, I then rest up until it’s gone again.  I am learning my triggers and also realising I am going to have to avoid them for the time-being.

I am also trying to get my brain working again, so I brought one of my Great-Great Aunt Kate’s tiny weeny diaries (1947) up to work on.  As it is not easy to read and type while lying on my bed, I tried dictating the diary entries one day at a time.  It did not go to plan. Talk about random words! One month’s entries usually takes me just over an hour of fast typing.  I managed one week in one hour, left feeling pretty exasperated but it is something I want to keep doing.  I need a better microphone, I think. And the computer doesn’t understand the words “Full stop” or “Brackets”.  Humpf.

My afternoon walk was much longer today too and Pepper and I enjoyed the quiet calm scenery.

Listening to the Hobbits traipsing along helps too.  They’ve just been caught by the Barrow-Wights and are about to sing out for Tom Bombadil (who I find incredibly annoying).

So that’s my day.  Slowly getting there.

In My World

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This is my Night Nurse who finally turned up having cleared up the supper things first.

And this is my Day Nurse, who likes to sit on my arm, gaze at me (probably to check I am still breathing) and ruin my sweater with his pummeling claws.

I went for a little walk this afternoon, and met a kind friend bringing us hay to replace all that the horses and ponies ate while living in the shed.  We had run out and were down to nothing. I am so grateful for the kindness of everyone who has helped during this difficult time.

And then there are the sheep who came home tonight to a lovely new bed – four bales of straw were also delivered (2 now down) – and the horses’ old haynets to finish up.

Now, the snow has gone things are beginning to get easier as there is less work for me to do.  Floss is still here and she does all the daily lifting and carrying, which is helping hugely.

I am still spending most of my day lying on my bed resting up and listening to a very good version of Lord of the Rings on Spotify.  We are just leaving the Shire and entering the Old Forest.  The Black Riders have not arrived yet but they’re coming……

(I wonder if I could have LOTR wallpaper in the bedroom – or maybe even a map?)

A Different Approach

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Today’s regime has been different.

No painkillers today – I don’t think they actually help, just change my focus of attention.  The pain doesn’t go away but I just don’t care because I’m too zonked to notice.  Also they don’t help my innards one bit.  I can see that problem creeping up.

However, my acupressure mat makes a difference. I lie on it making sure to include my sore left side.

Then, after a good hour, I got up (peeled myself off the mat more like) and took the dogs out for a walk along our track and then the road.  I also wore a support back brace, which my jury is still out on.

It was not easy and I had to force myself to walk.  I honestly don’t feel like doing anything but I made myself and we went out and quite far.  Well, further than yesterday.

This time I remembered to put the dogs in their hi-vis jackets and they were very good about traffic too, coming to sit beside me and wait patiently.  I am lucky that with this road, I can see and hear most things before they are upon us.

And I specifically don’t wear my headphones either so there are no surprises.

So, that’s me and my different approach to my pain.  Try and walk it out or acupressure mat it gone.  I feel a bit more like myself without the muddying painkillers, which is good.  Looking back, I have absolutely no idea how I ever managed achieving my usual day.  I consider it a huge effort just making a cup of tea now.

Tunnocks, Tea and Tramadol

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My current diet consists mostly of Tunnocks, tea and tramadol.  The three T’s, as I like to think of them.  (The blue/silver ones are the dark chocolate variety if you’re busy thinking they’re the wrong colour!)

And I spend the best part of my day lying on my bed willing my sciatica to leave me in peace.  I get nothing done, and I’ve given up trying to attempt anything.  There really is no point.  It only leads to frustration, misery and more sciatica.

Another Tunnock?  Don’t mind if I do.

But today, things seemed very slightly better so I took everyone’s advice and went for a short walk.  Walking is good for sciatica.

I decided to stay on the track and road as they are level and easy to walk along.

I realise that the hill is no place for me at the moment. I took a walking stick too for stability, as well as Pepper for company.

Taking Pepper was not one of my brighter ideas as she is was nearly impossible to see in the dying daylight and certainly no help either.  Never coming back when she was called.

When I turned the corner at the end of our track, I could see there was the sunset was just ending.

We lingered a while to watch as the colours really were very beautiful.  It was nice for me to be outside too.  Fresh air always does me good.

And so my invisible companion (Pepper) and I walked up to the first passing place on the road and then turned around and walked home again.  Back to my Tunnocks, tea and tramadol – those also do me good and now I definitely deserved another Tunnock for all my walking efforts today.  Don’t mind if I do.

The Face of a Thief

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I’m getting slowly worse.  I can barely walk now without a huge amount of pain.  So not great.  The bad weather eased off this afternoon and I managed to get the horses and ponies out into their respective fields.  Waffle was awful and turned around at the last moment to escape.  I tracked him down trying to scoff as much sheep lick as fast as possible, told him what I thought of him and limped him back to rejoin his better behaved friends.

Meanwhile, in the house someone stole and ate half a loaf of homemade bread.  We don’t know who was the perpetrator – it is between Monster and Ted.  Ted has form – at Mum’s he would steal anything he could find and Monster has been known to get on the kitchen table.  Floss reckons they worked as a team.  OH thinks it was Pepper but she has an alibi – she was with me while I was putting out the horses and ponies (I think – but to be perfectly  honest, I really don’t know as my brain is very muddly  at the moment). I am blaming Ted, Floss is blaming the Monster/Ted combo and OH is blaming Pepper!

Now, I ask you, is that the face of a thief?