The second day of lockdown my true love said to me

 “Do you want fish n chips”? Stupid question I always want fish n chips! As days go today was going from bad to worse and it wasn’t even lunch time. The veg box had been delivered the postman had been and the lift repair man was at the door. I had just got out of the shower and waiting to be dressed and Heather to hoist me into my wheelchair. I had thought today was Saturday but even Alexa knew it was only Friday so  that added to my confusion and despair, I wasn’t having a good day. It’s now mid afternoon and we have had our fish and chips with curry sauce, Heather went to Palm Bay Fish Bar read my Trip Advisor review here Cod and chips with curry sauce 😊👍.

I keep a journal 📔 most days I don’t write anything but I wrote Saturday as today’s date in today’s entry twice and as I said it is only Friday. The problem being now I am actually living through the day I thought I had lost. I don’t want to live in through this day but having thought it was gone I am slightly disappointed . My mind is elsewhere  and I’m not sure where it is.  Now to add to the problem I’m not sure That missing a day is a problem at all. I have just discovered voice dictation so this blog is mainly being written by voice and that in its self is Bizarre. When I was a boy even thought about typing by speech I would’ve been regarded as the Deranged. Buck Rogers was talking to Martians And firing laser guns I was flying around the space but now but now science fiction is every day life. 

The day I have lived through (Friday) has included a visit for the lift engineers.He came to fix an ongoing Fault with the door, he never fixed it But actually discovered what the fault is so has ordered some parts. We have had two orders delivered one by post and one by courier and also the veg box arrived from Nash Farm. Our fruit bowl  floweth over with apples and oranges 🍊 grapes 🍇 and grapefruit! And the fridge is full with vegetables 🌶 I can see Heather making more vegetable soup 🍜. One good thing that has happened today is ordering stuff on Amazon. Christmas presents to be posted And even a book for myself.  I’m getting better at this dictation I want to find it bizarre. So I apologise if this post is slightly disjointed but this could be the way forward.

UK mental health helplines

 If you thought a summer lockdown was bad for people already struggling with mental health, a winter one may well be 10 times worse - with cold, dark nights and limited social contact / please keep a lookout for your family, friends and neighbours that are struggling.

The relapse and overdose rate has increased by 30% since March 2020. Mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression.

Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.

Text: 85258

Samaritans -Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.

Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)

Goldfinches on the garden feeders

 Our washing line snapped a few weeks back and seeing it was only ever used for the bird feeders Heather came up with an alternative location for them. Here are the birds trying the new feeders. Don’t worry about the washing we have a rotary clothes line so no washing was harmed in the making of this video 😊👍😂. It seems the birds love the new arrangement 🐦 🦅 🦢 

 

Solving puzzles on iPad

 Yesterday my wife Heather downloaded an App for puzzles and I chose a nice winter scene, the only problem was that she clicked 500 pieces. It took me around six hours to get the edges joined up. I came back to it today hand after an hour getting nowhere started it again in a 42 piece puzzle. And? I got it  done in minutes, so 42 piece puzzles are the future😊👍😂

Mental health problems matter

 I am the first to tell someone with mental health issues to seek help. I have been on antidepressants for years and if for any reason I don’t take them for a few days I can feel the darkness gathering.  I suffer from Multiple Sclerosis am captive to my wheelchair 🦼 or my bed and I can no loner stand so have to be hoisted from one to the other. I am catheterised and awaiting a stoma operation. Coping with all of that makes me depressed I am not saying that as a Top Trump it is just for those reading this to get a little background as to why I have needed antidepressants, if I entered a ‘bad health pissing competition’ I would be a long way from  Top Trump. But I know people will read I have been on antidepressants for years And think why does he need medication to cope.

There I go making excuses for suffering from depression, that’s crazy I will never meet you and you don’t know me from Adam. Yet I feel I need to justify myself to you🤔. All I want to say is if you are suffering there is no harm seeking help. Don’t bottle it all up or hit the bottle I can tell you it don’t help. The best thing to do is talk to someone and if that someone is a doctor 👩‍⚕️  👨‍⚕️ male or female all the better. They are trained in helping. I am not as you can tell from this post. I am just a well meaning old man who wants the best for you especially at the moment with Covid and another lockdown about to start. 

Catheter change

 It comes round with amazing rapidity, every four weeks. I cannot say it’s like clockwork but almost. I was due on Tuesday but no show same for Wednesday and Thursday. Friday meant a call to the nurses and yep I had been overlooked.😊 Late yesterday we got a call to say “be with you tomorrow “ and sure enough she turned up rang the door bell 🛎 and it didn’t work 🙁. She called from the car as she was already pushed for time could she fit me in on her way back. Goodness know why the door bell 🔔 didn’t want to work but Heather checked it and it was fine 😯! Well to cut a  long story short she came back about an hour later and all is fine. It’s been that sort of day. Nothing horrendous but lots of little things chipping away at our self confidence. 

Things like that wear a person down. With all the Covid crap it’s just knocking the corners off of the pair of us. I know we are all in this together but today has been hard. My multiple sclerosis hates stress and as a couple living under lockdown it has at times been stressful, today whilst trying to put some aftershave into the basket on our Tesco home delivery slot I managed to delete our order for next Friday. Sorting through that was stressful🤯. Still a very nice man on the helpline managed to get a delivery slot for us for a couple of days later so eventually calm was restored. It’s been like that all day nothing going right but causing maximum aggravation and both of us have suffered mentally. People up and down the country are suffering mental health problems in these unusual times. And I will always advise anyone suffering with any health problems to seek medical assistance and if you are feeling depressed or you feel ‘low’ contact your doctors surgery. In these strange times it can feel as the world 🌍 is against you but it is nothing personal it dislikes everyone at the moment. I take antidepressants everyday and maintain they are the best two tablets I take each day so if I can seek help anyone can.👍

Flu jab time

 The nurse came out a couple of days ago and stuck a needle into me, administering this years flu jab. Over and done in seconds it really is as easy as that, so if any of you out there are wondering about having your one just do it. 

It could stop you getting flu here is a link to help any one having doubts 

https://www.nursinginpractice.com/clinical/mythbuster-im-not-getting-the-flu-jab-it-gives-you-the-flu/

As I said just do it. No don’t think about it JUST DO IT