A day in Milton Keynes

My friend Sue and I decided that it was a reasonable (and mitigated) risk to go to Milton Keynes yesterday as I wanted to look into replacing my iPad, which has become a little slow as it was one of the original iPad Minis.  I had ideas of replacing it with a 'bigger and better' iPad but in fact replaced it with an iPad 4 Mini which in reality suits me just fine.

We had lunch at McDonalds and then Sue bought a couple things from the market and home again with no problems.  Driving the car feels fine and gives me just so much more opportunity and freedom.

We plan to pop down to the Navigation this morning for a 'proper' breakfast and then settle down to watch the men's semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Hip going well - I walked just short of 2km yesterday so progress goes well.

Post No 100

Well this is my 100th post since breaking my hip - goodness me have I really got that much to say?!

My friend Sue arrived from Cardiff yesterday - all the way by coach (bus for NZ readers).  She was kindly collected by my friend Vicky in Milton Keynes and we all have a lovely evening in the Spice of Bruerne.

Getting more and more flexible and mobility increasing day-by-day.  Off to see my Nurse Practitioner today to (hopefully) have the dressings removed.  It is important it is done my someone with medical knowledge as they can see if there is any chance of infection or something not quite right - the scar goes so far round my bum that I cannot see it properly!

Managed to drive the car to the doctor and back today - I won't do that too often but it does open the doors to freedom a bit wider.

Better again this morning

Yesterday I managed to go to Towcester and back on the bus - no problems at all and a good session with Liz my Physio. Got a bit sore in the evening but that was probably more to do with failing to remember to take the medication I have been prescribed than anything else.

Had lunch whilst I waited for the return bus (4 hours door-to-door by bus!) at 185 Watling Street. Very pleasant surroundings but hugely pretentious - £9:25 for a glass of coke (50% ice), a Brie sandwich and a few chips - no wonder it was almost empty.  I asked for the loo and was directed upstairs - I pointed out my crutches and was directed to the disabled loo which wouldn't flush - just needs a better manager in my view and one who will stop the staff spending most of their time on their phones.

Feeling much more flexible again this morning and have managed to sit in the car (easier than before) and practice an 'emergency' stop.  The car beckons very soon!

Leg moving a lot better

My leg (well the hip joint I suppose) seems to be moving a lot more freely this morning and hurts a lot less although I am taking the Paracetamol as directed - it seems an awful lot.

I am off to more private Physio this morning - still nothing arranged by the NHS as I think it should have been - how else will they understand my progress after 'investing' what my GP Practice Manager believes to be about £100K since I broke my hip. It does seem, to me, to be spoiling the ship for the halfpenny of tar.  Also no carer as was insisted upon - not a sign.

Update @ 18:15: No update from the GP Practice because NGH have not returned their phone calls!  That's symptomatic of a lot of organisations in this country I think.

Day 15

Well done to Wales for winning in Euro 2016 - not my favourite sport but the passion was amazing.

A lovely evening last night (good company and good food) with friends Anita and Tim on their little tug Milan which is moored in Stoke Bruerne at the moment. It is amazing how much just being in pleasant company helps the recovery process.

Big news of the day is that I had a shower this morning - first day I have been allowed one and it was so good - and I could wash my hair too - quite amazing how such small things make such a difference.

Another B&££dy shambles

I have been concerned over the last few days that the promised NHS Physio and a carer coming in twice daily to check things are OK hasn't happened.  It's always difficult to know when to ask why it hasn't happened; I decided that after the post was delivered by Dawn this morning with nothing about care or physio in it that the time was right.

I have just come off an hour's conversation with the Practice Manager at my GP Practice who is very sympathetic and utterly horrified at the treatment I have had.  He said that the discharge document from NGH had nothing about Physio or home care and after the operation I had it was imperative - it seems he has rattled a few cages in Fracture Clinic and Orthopaedics this afternoon. Physio is probably one of the most important things to undertake especially as the NHS have 'spent' £16,000 this time around to fix what went wrong. Not their fault that it went wrong of course. The Practice Manager has suggested that with all the care in Cliftonville before Christmas, the Dynamic Hip Screw fix and the subsequent 'revision' to give me a total hip replacement that the 'bill' to the NHS will not be far short of £100K - seems a shame to spoil all that work by not arranging the necessary help post operation which in cost terms is tiny!!

By the time the Practice Manager got through to the right person she had gone home for the weekend so I'll now have to wait until Monday to find out what the NHS (and specifically NGH) are going to do to help.

I am, of course, attending Physio privately because I think it is important but am still left to fend for myself at home in a Georgian designed house with a spiral staircase and 7" risers. Is anyone keeping an eye on me; well yes but only as they are able and they are not professional carers.

The NHS is wonderful with its clinical work but appalling with its after care - just remember it was like this the first time around in November/December-2015; I complained then and was promised it would never happen again - it's just not good enough!

Least we Forget

Despite all the issues of failing hips and the like today is about remembering my Uncle Tom, a 2nd Lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry, who died at the Battle of the Somme. It must have been terrible - unthinkable.  Like the other 20,000 allies who gave their lives that day he did so that I (and if course countless millions of others) could enjoy our today's.  Thank you seems inadequate; I shall remember Uncle Tom every day.  Some records show that Uncle Tom died on 2-July but my belief is that it was 1-July.

See this recent account of his time in France.