Monday 28 February 2011

7 things you never knew about crutches!

  1. I have found the cure for 'Bingo wings' - 3 weeks hopping around on crutches and no more flabby arms!!
  2. They are great for gently poking the kids out of their TV coma!
  3. No matter how carefully you park them, one look and they fall over!
  4. When they fall over it is always away from you, so you can't reach to pick them up!
  5. Hand cream and crutches don't go together!
  6. A new curtain opening and closing device!
  7. People give you odd looks when you are on crutches(and really weird looks when you are in a wheelchair)

 One last thing I would like to say, a huge thanks to my Mum, who has now gone back to UK for a well earned rest! She has been an absolute star doing all the stuff that needs doing around a house and more! Thanks Mum!!

Sunday 20 February 2011

Basal brainstorming

OK back to normality/reality, dodgy leg and all! I would love input from you guys who have little people on pumps. At the moment we have have tweaked to almost as good as it gets Aleksi's current set of basal rates. They work well with his current Monday to Friday school routine, same meal times each day, predictable activity levels most days, same bed time etc. Weekends and holidays however are a different matter. We get up later, eat at different times different foods, lazy some days, busy busy other days,later bed times. We have been wondering about setting up a basal particularly for weekends that we could then also apply to holiday times. I am very interested to know if anyone else uses different basals for non school days and whether it is worth the effort of changing the pump setting every Friday night and Monday morning! Thanks!

Friday 18 February 2011

No place like home!

Thanks to 21st century medicine and all your wonderful thought and prayers I am home safe and in pretty good nick! I have some new best friends, namely my crutches, a raised toilet seat , shower chair(with handles - deluxe model!!) and my favourite, the long handled picker upper grabby thingy! I am currently supporting 29 staples in my right thigh which I will lose on Monday! My new enemies are few but boy do they pack a punch -a daily blood thinner injection into my tummy with a sting like no other! I have new found respect for my son and others like him who have to endure needle stabs of one type or another every single day of their life. I have also discovered a new form of torture -  being made to lay on your back for 8 hours plus and not be allowed to move. Combine this with a cat sat on the upper chest or bladder and I would happily divulge name , rank and number!
My dear Mum is here being a star and the husband and children are adapting to me moving a lot slower than usual!
So, so far so good. Now I just have to be patient and wait for things to heal - at least another 4 weeks with no weight on my leg - chance to catch up with Bones series 1, a stack of books and try crack Angry Birds on my I pod!

Saturday 5 February 2011

A sense of normality

Despite the fact that I am facing a 3 hour hip operation first thing Monday morning life has to go on! The washing hasn't quite mastered the art of sorting itself and climbing into the washing machine and no matter how many times I open the fridge door it hasn't restocked it's self! Blood sugar still has to be checked and to ease the pressure somewhat we have been blessed with a week of almost perfect numbers! Thank you!
So no time to dwell on what may be even though I took 5 minutes to 'put my affairs in order' - not long really to put all the necessary stuff on a bit of paper! I feel I am in very good hands with the surgeon, whom I met on Thursday  and who patiently answered all my probing questions - well a physiotherapist/patient needs to know all those things!
I have even put my felting skills to use and made myself a bag - a ' help I have no hands free, walking on crutches and  have shed loads of stuff I need to carry' bag.  Felting update on the Aliens - now safely in their new home, Crewcuts, 50 Hudson Street, New York - if you are in the area please go say Hi for me!
So here goes the next step, albeit on crutches and with a tin hip!.............................