Healing Time

 

A little bit of an update on the trike accident last year. This is the first time I’ve been up to writing, and without going into detail, I haven’t been on the tricycle since because of difficulties the accident presented.  It’s been a hard slog between x-rays, scans, my beaut doctor, and amazing chiropractor who is still giving me treatments even though the pain has stopped. I am blessed because it could have been far, far worse.

If it doesn’t rain today, I just might get back on the trike and try to gain any semblance of confidence I had before the accident. Riding a trike is different to riding a bike, and when I do gain confidence, I’ll be trying another ride down the driveway.  You heard right … lol. I’ve had two crashes thus far, but the next ride down will be “third time lucky”. It will be a success because John will teach me. Our driveway is about 25degrees steep (watch this space). One just has to rise to challenges because time waits for nobody and I’m not ready to give up.

Madam has a new set of wheels … a wheelchair.  Not being able to walk distances for some years, the new wheels are giving me freedom not experienced for simply ages, and more exercise for John (he goes swimming at King’s Beach pool six mornings a week).  It’s delightful as John pushes me around (hums the music from “Driving Miss Daisy” … how’s that for an earworm?)

I managed to stagger into Stockland  just before last Christmas when one of my girls took me to have toenails trimmed – what a treat!  And yes, for the first time in my life I had nail polish. Afterwards while waiting for her to finish a bit of shopping, an old man came into the shopping centre riding a tricycle the same brand as mine. Did I light up! I thought Woohooo!  (I “Woohooo” a lot). He wasn’t pedaling; just using electrics. I saw him ride into Coles and in a little while he came back out. I thought, “Will I stop him or not”. I did, and said, “I have a trike like yours. Are you allowed in here on it?” He replied that he always comes in to do his shopping.  I left there with a “Yesss!” in my heart and now I see myself doing the same in due course.

“Them in the know” say biking/triking is an excellent exercise for old people. Oh, and the bike shop people tell me that a lot of Seniors are buying trikes. Woohoooo!   Go old people!!

 

I’m not a huge fan of television but I do enjoy certain programmes; usually documentaries and other ‘gentle” shows like “The Yorkshire Vet.”  I take my hat off to veterinarians as they work out what’s wrong with pets brought to their surgeries. Yes, they have equipment to help but they still have to know what they’re doing because animals can’t tell them what’s up.

More often than not I close my eyes when they begin to carve into a creature to remove something or investigate a problem. There’s one particular visit to a farm that intrigues me where both Peter and Julian work on the same cow at the same time – one each side – up to their elbows feeling around inside to see what the cause might be.  They fixed the problem then sewed up the sides of the animal making a little competition of who did the neatest sew. All the while cow stood there without a flinch. Amazing.

Then there are “The Greens”. What an interesting pair. They so love their farm, animals ... and each other.  Mrs Green is never without her vast display of silver bracelets no matter what she’s doing.  At the age Mr Greene is now, and still looking after their few calves, it’s wonderful to see him getting around doing what he does on the farm.

As TV advertisements of mayhem, horror, and pure idiocy invade our living rooms it’s nice to see a gentle programme despite some of the sad outcomes. But that’s life, isn’t it?!

 It's here! 

On Tuesday afternoon , 25^th May, we picked up my new Ferrari-red Tricycle from Caloundra Bike Centre where it was assembled. Earlier in the same afternoon the second-hand tricycle rack bought through eBay arrived. What an exciting day ... thought my birthdays had all come at once. Over a couple of days John assembled and tweaked the rack to make it more stable, and bought, and attached, an unused second-hand board with lights, adding registration number to make it all legal.

I did a little ride around the carport area of our house and it felt strange. Trikes are ridden a bit differently to bikes. One doesn’t lean in the opposite direction to keep it balanced like a bike, when … oh you’ll see further down.  We went to Golden Beach on the flat where I rode 15 minutes without electric (forgot to turn it on) - no worries – it was wonderful to get back on wheels once again after, how long?   

Come Wednesday 2^nd June and having had only 15 minutes on the trike, I thought, “What a beautiful day to go riding to the Retirement Village on the bike path to visit friends. I stood at the top of our approximately 25deg. driveway wondering whether I should or shouldn’t; after all, it’s been a long 3.1/2 years since I stood there at an early morning hour with my bike wondering whether to ride down or not. I did. Well it kind of didn’t go to plan back then because I didn’t do what I should have and crashed onto the nature strip across the court. No broken bones. Jolly good show!

Back-to-the-future at the top of the driveway. Now if I put the front wheel here and the left back wheel there, the right wheel can go down the middle on the grass. What a bad idea!  Hardly a wheel turn when the right wheel dropped into the centre and I leaned the way I shouldn’t have, then like last time, we both crashed. After quite some time I got up, again thankful for no broken bones, checked out the red demon and found a tiny bit of paint knocked off the brake handle … Texta can be used for all sorts.

Crashing makes for a whole new experience of pain. Won’t bore you with the details except to say, yes, I’ve learned my lesson and I promise I won’t do it again …I think.

 When will the next adventure be?  I don’t know. Probably when the pain goes away.

     On the Trike rack ready to go.

Not having a lockup garage, the red

          thing lives inside, next to the dining

         room table.

Transient  Ischemic  Attack (“Mini-stroke”)    

First of April, 2021 at 2.45am I woke for a bathroom run.  A lump in the throat? Tried coughing but there wasn’t anything there … strange … never had that before.  I lifted up from the pillow then slurred a strange sound and immediately thought it was a stroke. Went to the bathroom and afterwards tried to turn the tap on but my hand wouldn’t coordinate with it. It seemed surreal in the light of the blue night-light. I put the ceiling light on, looked in the mirror and saw a strange smile looking back.  Yes, I’ve had a stroke.

Woke John and told him. He moved faster than I’ve seen him move for a long time.  He was going to call an ambulance.  I said to wait until “I have a shower and wash my hair” …  because I don’t know how long I’ll be in hospital … was going to do that in the morning anyway, so by the time the Paramedics arrived, I was all clean, dressed, and waiting.   They did what they had to do, then off to Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Fortunately on the way, slurring and drooping cleared up.

Doctors and nurses in Emergency were eager to do what they needed to do. A cannula for the dye when scan-time came.  After about five attempts with an apology after each one and five “that’s okays”, they found a cooperative vein but left a huge bruise by the time I left the hospital.

Into the Scanner to cook … there was no brain bleed, and arteries/veins clear.  It turned out to be a TIA … Transient ischemic attack (“mini-stroke”). A serious condition.

Hospital stay was only around 6.1/2 hours – home by lunch time. I’m one of the “lucky” ones thus far, but have to do my part to avoid another attack.  The Stroke Team want cholesterol under 2. No problem!  

Perhaps make yourself aware of this medical condition because it’s a big problem in Australia, and if you have the misfortune to develop any symptoms of Tia or Stroke, don’t delay urgent medical assistance. Seeking early help may prevent a debilitating outcome.  

 

 Revitalising my Blog ... Watch this space.