Strange you ask - yes I
agree - ASDA isn't my favourite store at all, and it is half term, and was
packed, but the trip did cheer me up and made me feel better.
What motivated me to
visit ASDA was the fact that last August I took out a life policy with them,
for the over 50s with no health questions asked. ASDA actually use Liverpool
Victoria Friendly Assurance, and they, unlike the others, pay up if death
occurs after a year (others are 2 years) so I thought it would help out when it
is needed. For doing it, they gave me a £30 ASDA gift voucher, and yesterday I
was keen to use it. Sadly I found nothing to take my fancy, so it went on some
food Sue had asked me to get. I shall probably spend the £30 at Hemswell next
Monday - pottery or silver - or wherever we go as we may have to change our
plans as there is now a chance Kathryn will be with us, which is great news,
when before we thought that it would just be Mark and I.
Just thinking about my
time in hospital for a moment, I got very impatient when I was back on the
ward, and today I am feeling impatient and frustrated at not being able to do
more.
Soon after the operation
I wanted to walk, I wanted the pain to go away, I wanted to drive, I wanted to
do all sorts of things that i had done before. And I wanted to do them
"NOW"!! But that was not to be the case.
Indeed after four months
I still can't walk very well, my mobility is limited, and at times I am in some
pain.
After a life of being in
control, and doing things when I wanted to do them, usually immediately, I have
found this very difficult at times, especially over the past four months when I
have had to learn to pace myself.
This has not been, and is
still not an easy lesson for me. What I have learnt, is to appreciate "the
present moment" and not always looking forward to the next job or
experience!And I have had some wonderful moments which on the past would have
been totally missed.
I have often preached in
the past on the subject of "the sacrament of the present moment", now
I must once again learn to practice what I preach!
I do drive a little, but
not a lot, yet. I enjoy going to pick Sue up from work in the car, or taking
her in the morning, but it really takes it out on me. It isn't a question of
just popping in the car and driving it somewhere - it's about the buildup,
getting myself motivated and ready, with my limited mobility, and then when I
have completed the task experiencing extreme tiredness. But progress is being
made.
In hospital I also got
the feeling that once the operation had been completed, and things were
improving quite well, I was parked up a siding. The excitement had gone, the
focus switched to others, (rightly so may I add) and I was beginning to feel
overlooked. Now I know that is not the case, it is just that is how it felt.
At one stage I was
removed from the spinal unit to another ward in the trauma department which was
made up of mainly young men who had been involved in road traffic accidents or
football accidents.
They weren't as chatty
and didn't appreciate my jokes and humour. They came and went in a matter of 48
hours having had the operation and being discharged. It was great meeting some
different types of people, but it really did frustrate me as there was no
possibility of me being discharged at that time.
After a while I was
transferred back to the ward I had been on in the Spinal Unit and where I was
affectionately known, still, as Father Ted.
Whilst in hospital I
loved having visitors, and thank you all who came, it was so much appreciated.
Sue and Charlotte came between them every night and I was so grateful
especially because it is a round trip of almost 50 miles.
Visitors came from almost
all over the country to see me, from all of my experiences over my whole life,
and that pleased me very much as well.
Got a restful day today -
a priest friend from Manchester was coming to see me, but sadly he is not well,
so we have rearranged for when the weather is better.
Have a great weekend, and
we'll chat again tomorrow!
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