Monthly Archives: May 2025

And again

Bali 2019. I’m afraid this terrific restaurant has died, a victim of the COVID pandemic. It’s probably been bought out and rejuvenated under a new owner.

And again, another ride to Joondalup ED in the ambulance. Not so serious, to me anyway.

Last Saturday (I think, my memory is hazy), at 2.20am, I tried to stand up from the bed to go for a wee. But I couldn’t stand up. I was too weak. In the process of stabilising myself, I slipped down and ended up on the floor. Uh oh, when I’m down, it’s ambulance time, so I had to call 000. I wasn’t hurt, my legs were a bit tangled but that’s all.

The ambos arrived after about 15 minutes and it was a big beefy guy, thank goodness, and a capable looking woman. Strangely, my memory is weak, but I remember them usinga sheet under my armpits to heave me up successfully.

I felt reasonably OK, but the ambo guy said he wanted to take me to the ED, so it was stretcher time and working out how to get me out through the garage. He had to move the Peugeot, which went OK, and so we were off. This took quite a bit of time, so we got to the hospital at about 4am, I”d guess. It was very quiet at that time, which I commented on. “We don’t use that word”, he said in jest. Sure enough, there were only two others in the corridor queue.

I don’t remember much, but they took a big interest in my lower legs, which were swollen, hot and red. Diagnosis: cellulitis bordering on sepsis. Treatment: intravenous antibiotic drip into my arm. I was moved to a cubicle for a while, transferred to an air mattress bed, nice, then a ward became available and I was whisked up to the third floor, room 9. It was breakfast time by now, only the simple basic brekky I’m afraid. Don’t remember much about it all. Probably went to sleep.

So that was Sunday morning, I think, and from then on it was drip, drip, drip of antibiotic, improved food as I got into the better menus, some physio, which worked as I felt better, even a bit of walking around in the passageway using a zimmer frame. I could do it.

They wanted to keep me there for a week, but I kept emphasising that I mustn’t break my Brightwater care for 7 days or more or I would lose it. So on Thursday they let me come home. With four boxes of antibiotic capsules, I should add. And a huge bag of medications!

My transport home was by St John’s Patient Transport, in a whelchair in a van. It was brilliant. It had a powered lift at the back so I didn’t have to lift a finger. The lady driver did everything with a cheery smile and a nice chatty attitude. She didn’t ask for money so maybe I’ll get a bill.

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Now, three days later, I don’t feel so good. I’m so weak I can hardly lift myself or walk (I can only shuffle using the 4w walker). I don’t feel unwell, just so weak! I want to see the GP, but an appointment takes at least 6 days. I’ve made one, but I need someone to drive me.

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This is irritating. My Coles grocey delivery has not arrived. It was supposed to be here at about 3pm. At 2.49pm I got an SMS that it would be arriving in about 30 mins, but no show.

I’ve been onto the on-line chat and to give them credit, they’ve found it and it will be delivered around 8pm, with a $20 credit to my account. We’ll see whether it does arrive.

I’m a bit irritated because it was mostly my beer order, and my supply has run out. Cold water is nice, but no substitute.

Hard goin’

Bali, with Gunung Agung in the distance. Would you believe it’s 46km away? True.

Sorry, it’s been a long time since last I posted. I’m not unwell, but I’m sure not a bundle of energy. I’m feeling very weak and shaky, and it seems to be getting worse by the week. My legs can hardly holld me up and even my hands and fingers are noticeably weak. I can’t pull the ring pull up on my small cans without an assistive device now. I’m worried.

I’m also coming to the end of the TCP, Transitional Care Package that I’ve been on since my extended spell in hospital in February/March. It’s run by Brightwater and the thought of their service finishing is quite upsetting for me. I’ve become so used to all their cheery faces almost every day. It’s usually the same carer in the morning to supervise my shower, but I also have physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social support (chatting), cleaning once a fortnight and so on. Some days it’s a stream of visitors, up to five a day. I love it. After a lifetime of living in silence, I can’t stop talking now. To think it could end is daunting.

I believe I will be eligible for some kind of “home care package”, but I don’t know. They reassure me that it won’t be an abrupt cutoff. I hope so.

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I knocked my glass of beer into the keyboard of my very expensive, very powerful laptop last week. My door bell went off at about 7.30pm and since I never get visitors at that time, I got up quickly and didn’t notice the beer spill until later. The doorbell turned out to be a false alarm!

It’s stopped working, so I’ve got it opened up. There was one small component which was corroded, but isopropyl alcohol soon took care of it. I’m trying to get at the keyboard, but can’t see how at the moment. I’ll just have to put it back together and test it. Lots and lots of tiny screws!

No problems though, I’ve got a spare laptop, very similar specs. And I’ve got a spare for that too, my Sony VAIO from about 2009. It’s Windows 7, but that’s fine, I like it.

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I think it’s time I did the upgrade on this desktop PC, from Windows 7 (yes, still using it) to Win 10. Even that’s obsolete now, but I think I can do it free of charge, whereas Win 11 would cost me.

So wish me luck, I think I know how to do it.

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I’ve bought a new CPAP mask and head-gear from AliExpress, and I assume what I was ordering was a Chinese copy. But I was surprised to find it seems to be a genuine Resmed item. All the packaging says so, to my eyes. Cost? AUD77.50 I don’t know what Resmd’s price is, but I’ll bet it’s much more than that. Even the head-gear (the neoprene rubber head strap) costs around $70 for the genuine article from Resmed.

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Sorry, too tired and too much back/hip pain to write any more.