Electrodes

Can I firstly just thank each and every one of you for your kind wishes and comments about recent events. It hasn't felt right to reply to each comment individually, but it never ceases to amaze me the thoughtfulness out there in blogland. I wish I could thank each of you in person.

Wednesday is nearly here, and it's the day that I head into the local neurology department to have my head wired up. Apparently they are going to submit me to seizure inducing visual images etc, and take readings of what is happening to my brain at the same time. I hope they don't induce another seizure, as the last one ruined my day! In the meantime, on top of all of the restrictions I am having to face, there is one more thing that I am having to submit myself to......alcohol free beer....what is in that stuff?

So far, we are coping on the gardening front. Son-in-law is spending this fortnight with us, and is doing  any hedge cutting that's needed. We also have a small planting scheme to do this Saturday, which will hopefully leave us as 'up together' for the ending of the season as we could hope for.

The house in Sandbanks is back on the maintenance schedule, with the new tenant happy to keep us on, and a new quote for another property has just gone out. It's difficult to explain why gardening should be so difficult at a time like this, but the logistics are the biggest problem. For some reason my head doesn't feel the same, whether it's real or just my imagination I don't know, but it's there, and having to deal with that, and at the same time work just as hard, continue with the quotes, paperwork, accounts, machinery problems and such like is just not as 'fluid'. Amanda is being amazing. She has suddenly found herself having to drive the van everywhere for a whole year, and is having to come out to work full time once again, which will of course take it's toll on her. I can't go anywhere without her, particularly at this point. I can't lock any doors behind me, and so showers must be accompanied, I have my own 'Gary is in here' toilet sign. The whole process is kind of emasculating. I know that come Wednesday a lot more will be clear hopefully, and in another job I would probably worry less, but being a self employed gardener in the world of large contracting, it is a problem.

On Thursday we had planned to stay in Wells for a couple of days. We had two rare tickets to see The Sixteen perform live at Wells Cathedral, with an overnight stay in a 15th century coaching inn, but an appendix will wait for no man, and alas we had to cancel. As luck would have it, we found a close friend and her husband who were delighted to be able to take our place, and so at least the event and cost didn't go to waste. 

The appendix belonged to our youngest daughter Rebecca, and she was rushed into hospital with it about to rupture. It took three days before they took it out, as she was stabilised in bed as 'more urgent surgery' was carried out. She would have been rushed in if it did rupture, but the process wasn't good for her nonetheless. What made it harder was the fact that she was kept nil by mouth until dinner time each day, and the staff neglected to change her saline drip a few times. The concert was a one-off, but we had to be around. You do, don't you. The whole family have been pretty amazing, with everyone stepping up to the mark when needed. A difficult few weeks all round, but it could have been so much harder, and I am truly thankful for that.

Another days gardening is about to start, with son-in-law arriving in an hour. There are six properties to get through today, and so a tough one. It all starts with son-in-laws first trip to Eco, to dump the last few days rubbish, and so an 'interesting' start for him.

I'll leave you with a bit of The Sixteen. Have a good week.