11/11/2024_Pictorial Analogies

The last time I Blipped I’d just had my temporary spinal fix.  Fortunately, that’s still effective reducing the pain to tolerable (like a mild toothache).
 
I say fortunately, because my life seems to currently resemble my garden so I haven’t got time non-working legs.
The garden will however be easier to sort out since Chris is back finalising the decking this week so the pile can be dismantled and returned to normal.
 
Meanwhile in the 89 days since I retired (or the 82 days since they collected my work laptop “the decree absolute”) I’ve been busy with: -
Mum’s medical issues
Dad’s medical issues
Graham’s medical issues.
 
Mum is becoming very frail and because of the medication she’s on some things like her arthritis are flaring up.
Dad is becoming “difficult” – he even played the paramedics up when we a full-on emergency.
Then there’s Graham. We thought his heart issues would be simple to fix with a cardioversion procedure.  Well no, his heart goes in and out of atrial fibrillation so the procedure can’t be scheduled in case he’s in normal sinus rhythm that day.
So, he has to carry on with 9 tablets a day.
But worse is the kidney problem in that we still have no answer for his efficiency dropping from 60% in January to around 30% currently. Ultrasounds are showing nothing so he was scheduled for a biopsy 12 September – we prepared because it involved bed rest after etc. – on the day two registrars and the nephrology unit head consultant failed to get a viable sample.
This meant he was moved to a radiology consultant to try again.  The initial pre-op consultation tested my spine to the limit, I dropped Graham off and ended up parking nearly a mile from the unit.  However, he successfully had the procedure on 29 October – results hopefully this week.
Meanwhile, his feet are painfully swelling and his shoulders are causing him significant pain.
 
Kassie and I had a walk with my friend Jen last week and even that wasn’t quite normal because Jen’s dog Lola (AKA Kassie’s best friend) had to be put to sleep in September because of an inoperable tumour – sadness for Jen compounded by the fact that her 8-year-old grandson may not see Christmas because of his cancer.
 
Everyone has been told I’m busy this week for the gardening work so maybe I can experience “normal” retirement for a few days.