Of Transport Companies, #AutumnEquinox Celebrations, And Medical Mutterings

When we took the dogs to the groomer a couple of weeks ago, we used the transport company we’d used to take them to the vet.  They’re useful, and much cheaper than cab fare, but not particularly great at being reliable at timekeeping, and seem to keep forgetting I’m blind even when I’m standing right there.  We couldn’t book a ride back from the groomer with them though, because they didn’t have an available car (even though I’d tried to book a couple of weeks in advance) so I had to look for an alternative option for picking the dogs up.

 

Luckily, as it turns out, there’s a second transport company recently been started up in the area, which works similarly to the other one, and I was able to book the second trip with them.  So far, I’m more impressed with this second company, since they arrived on time to pick me up, and were a lot more helpful to me (which makes me feel better about any time I might need to use them without Kelly joining me on the journey).

 

 

*~*

 

The Autumn Equinox was a couple of weeks ago, as I’m sure you know.

 

With my lack of energy and not feeling great, we didn’t do much, but we made some apple pie and had it with ice-cream (dairy-free ice-cream for me, of course).  So at least we did something nice for the day.

 

I’d have liked to do more.  But between how I’m feeling in general and having been out to take the dogs for grooming the previous day (even if the trips there and back weren’t long ones) I didn’t have the energy.

 

*~*

 

I went to the sleep clinic (eventually – after the hospital transport got sent on such a stupid route we were all late for our appointments, so grateful the hospital takes responsibility if we’re late on their transport and fits us in when we finally arrive) and got the device they wanted me to wear for the sleep study.

 

Hopefully they got something from that device, because Kelly helped me make sure it was turned on (because, of course, it was all visual and not accessible to me) but when we got up in the morning it was off.  We don’t know how, or when, it got turned off, but it happened some time while I was sleeping.  Anyway, I’ll find out in a few weeks, when they say I’ll either get asked to do another sleeve study or told the results of this one.

In the meantime, my MRI appointment came through, so I have that on October 11^th.

Of Weather Reports And Medical Mutterings

We’re back to our, “traditional Welsh weather,” as they say, which means the weather has been much cooler this past week, with plenty of rain.  That’s just fine with me, since I don’t like hot weather and I find rain soothing.

 

*~*

 

Since I don’t have a lot to say about this week, I thought I’d give you a bit of a medical update.  More than just the fact my spoon supply is at an all-time low, so my energy level is low and quickly depleted, I mean.

 

~

 

When I was in hospital back in July, I finally managed to get someone to look at my back and listen about the issue I’ve been having with it for ages.  And I do mean ages.  It’s been a problem on and off for years, but has gotten gradually worse.  I did try talking to doctors about it before, but they kept just blaming my weight without even listening or taking a look.  The only doctor who ever listened was my haematologist, who told me to do a self-referral for a physiotherapist so they could take a look for me.

 

The hospital had me see a physiotherapist for some reason (as far as I could tell, it was to see if the blind lady could be walked to the bathroom or not) so – since my self-referral still hadn’t come through - I figured I’d take advantage of having a physiotherapist checking me out and get her to look at my back.  She’s referred me for an MRI to take a look, because she agrees it’s not weight-related.  She suspects nerve damage, or something behaving like nerve-related issues.

 

Shortly after I got out of hospital the self-referral for a physiotherapist came through, and I still went for the appointment.  I saw him in mid August (August 16^th).  I did admit to him that I’d seen a physiotherapist at the hospital, and that she’d referred me for the MRI, but I never told him what she said.  Yet he gave a similar response; he also suspects nerve-related issues, or something behaving like nerve damage.

 

I’m glad they both agree I’m right that it’s not weight-related.  But I hope it’s not nerve-related, because something like that would be difficult for anyone to do anything about without risking making things much worse.  Either way, both of them gave me some exercises to try and help it, but they don’t seem to be doing anything.

 

Anyway, I was meant to have had the MRI by now, but the appointment they made me was too late in the day for the hospital transport to be able to take me, so I had to call to reschedule.  Unfortunately, they apparently do things differently if you’re a patient coming in with hospital transport, and the difference means needing to go to a different hospital, so I’m waiting for an appointment from the other hospital now.  If it follows the same kind of timeline as the first appointment did, I should get that appointment letter some time in the next couple of weeks.

 

I think it’s strange; I don’t see why it makes a difference.  I’m taking advantage of the hospital transport – or, “non emergency ambulance transport for the elderly and disabled” to give it its full name – because I qualify for it due to being blind, and my former rides to the hospital are no longer an option.  I don’t see how using that means they have to do things differently to how they would if I came in by car with a family member or friend or whatever.  But there you go.

 

In the meantime, one of the doctors at the hospital had referred me for a sleep study because they noticed my oxygen level drops when I’m sleeping, so I have an appointment for that this coming Monday (September 25^th).

 

*~*

 

I hope you’re as well as you can be, and that September is turning out to be a good month for you so far.

Lilie On The #Dogs June 2023's Vet Trip (Finally)

Hi everyone.  This is Lilie the Westie.

 

I’m finally going to tell you how our vet trip went last month.

 

We had to stand outside for ages and ages, because the person with the car came a bit late.  Luckily Mummy always allows for late pick-ups, so we still made it to the vet (though Mummy called them on the way there, in case we did get there a bit late, so they knew we were still coming).

 

I didn’t know the person driving.  And it was a strange car to me too.  But it wasn’t a taxi.  I know it wasn’t a taxi, because the taxi drivers go away and we have a different one to go home, but this person waited for us like Nana does.  But it wasn’t Nana either.  It was strange.  But Mummy and Daddy told us to get in the car, and they got in too, so it must have been alright.  And we did end up at the vet, and then home again, so there you go.

 

Anyway, me and Logan got weighed at the vet.  I now weigh 9.2 kilos, and Logan weighs 16.2 kilos.  That means I lost about a kilo, and Logan lost about two.  The vet was pleased.  It didn’t matter so much for me, because I was already in my safe weight range (even if only just).  But Logan had been a little over his, so the vet was glad he’s now in his safe weight range again with his weight.

 

Also, other than the issues we knew about with my itchies and my legs – which are staying under control right now – Logan and I are perfectly healthy.  Everyone was happy about that too, of course.

 

So, all in all, it was a pretty successful vet trip.

 

And I love that Daddy came with us.  I love my Daddy!

 

Lots of licks,

Lilie

June 23rd 2023 Random Ramblings

The landlords' repair guy I mentioned last week came near the start of the time slot he gave us, and he wasn’t here long, so he had been and gone by the time last week’s post actually went live, but not with enough time for me to come in and edit the post.

 

It turned out one of the issues we could have dealt with if we’d known what to look for: we thought the heater in my craft room/office wasn’t working.  But it turned out it was only turned off (though why it was turned off we have no idea).  But, hey, the person doing the inspection on behalf of the landlord didn't figure it out either, so at least it wasn't just us.

 

We hadn’t noticed that it wasn't working before this past Winter, because it was more a storage space than a functioning room for most of the first two years we were here, but I definitely noticed this past Winter when I was in there regularly.  All Winter I’d been making do without it, making use of blankets whenever it got cold enough in there that I needed to do something to keep warm while working in my room, and learning it was for nothing was both funny and frustrating – especially frustrating.

 

I’d checked, and thought I’d found and tried all the knobs that controlled whether it’s on and how high.  Apparently I’d missed one I didn’t know to look for, because it was on the opposite side to the rest, and not so easily spotted.  Now that one is turned to the “on” position, my heater works.  Not that I need it right now, since it’s been pretty hot most days (though thankfully cooled down a bit after we had some rainstorms at the start of the week).  But at least I’ll be able to make use of it when the cold weather comes this Winter.

 

*~*

 

My Mam came out of hospital Friday evening.

 

They had things to the point where there wasn’t really anything they could do at the hospital that couldn’t be done either at home or via outpatient appointments, so didn’t see the point in keeping her in the hospital any longer.  I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how happy she was to get to go home, even if she does need people coming in every day to help her do things she can no longer manage for herself, which I know she finds frustrating.

 

Hopefully she won’t end up back in hospital again any time soon.

 

~

 

Because of my Mam's health, and what an energetic pup he is, it was decided that Cai should be re homed.  So, the woman who had been taking care of him while Mam was in hospital this second time has him.  She's a friend of a friend.  The woman was given the option of keeping Cai, or us re homing him elsewhere, and she decided to keep him.  I hope he gives her many happy years of companionship.

 

Izabel went back to my Mam though, since Izi is more manageable.  She was picked up on Saturday, shortly before lunch time, by one of the people currently helping my Mam.  Izi was very happy to see her Mami again.

 

I think Lilie kind of misses Izi, since the two of them were becoming great friends.  But Logan is definitely glad Izi has gone home.  I'm sure he's glad not to have her joining forces with Lilie to gang up on him.  Plus, he shares my feelings about keeping socializing to smaller groups as much as possible.  He did a sort of doggy happy dance when she left, and then stretched out on the bed for a long nap.  LOL!

 

*~*

 

Lilie and Logan have a vet appointment on Monday (June 26^th) at 3:45pm and 4:00pm respectively.  Don’t worry.  It should just be a smooth routine visit; it’s time for their annual shots and health checks, that’s all.

 

Normally we’d get a ride from one of my parents, or pay for a taxi, but with neither of them driving right now for various reasons, we’re trying a new transport scheme for disabled and low income people that’s recently started up around here, which will be a lot cheaper than the taxi would have been (which is one of the main points of having the scheme, the other being help with transport for disabled and elderly people).

 

I like the fact it's an option for more than just those of us with disabilities, since most places with schemes like this will only take people who don't come under the disabled or elderly labels if they happen to be traveling with someone who does.

 

It sounds like a great scheme, so I hope it’s as good as it sounds, since it will come in handy for us a lot if it is.

 

It should be fine though, since it was recommended by my Aunt Bev (who mans their phones sometimes, was the person who gave my Dad the number to give to us, and also happened to be the person who answered the phone to me when I called to learn more about it) as well as a family friend named Laura who I’ve known since childhood (who is related to the guy who runs it).  Ah, the joys of living in a relatively rural village where it seems like everyone either knows or is related somehow to everyone else.  LOL!

 

*~*

 

My spoon reserves are still pretty low from the events of the past couple of months, but I did manage to get some rest time in during the past couple of days, which helped a little.  Just as well really, since I’m one of the people who have been chosen to host for the virtual parts of the ACB’s 2023 convention, starting with the virtual only portion that’s currently going on, and continuing throughout the first week of July with the hybrid convention.

 

So, if I’m slow replying to comments, visiting blogs, etc, it’s because I’ll be resting when I can between hosting assignments, since I’m pretty sure I’ll need to if I’m going to  make sure I have the energy to do them well.