Chicken souvlaki skewers with Mediterranean vegetable giant couscous

Today, nearly a year after returning home from hospital, I finally got a long overdue visit from Occupational Therapy.

We chatted for a while and, as a result, I’m getting rails installed on the steps at the front door and the door into the conservatory (which are much needed, given that a short while ago I fell up the latter and scared the 💩 out of myself). I’m getting a bed handle to stop me falling out of bed, a pressure relief cushion for my very uncomfortable orthopedic chair, and the OT will accompany me to the Island’s mobility store to advise me on buying a fancy chair (which she convinced me is actually practical, given I don’t know if my condition will deteriorate over time).

I’m even going to get physio, for my legs (so I don’t get stuck on the floor after falling out of bed or, say, kneeling down to accept kisses from a bouncy collie dog then realising I’m not sure how I’m going to get up again (purely theoretically on the second one, obviously – I’m not that daft 😳😬)) and for my hands, to improve my diminished fine motor control.

I was even given a list of common household aids, a number of which I didn’t know existed: baskets to boil pasta etc in so you don’t have to try and carry the pan of boiling water to the sink to drain the contents, easy-grip handles for keys (fiddly little beggars that they are) – even a device specifically for holding bread still while you spread butter on it.

I wonder how much different the past year would have been if I’d received this help when it was first promised? The important thing though, as the OT said, is that they’re here now. I’ve ordered a few bits off the aids list, and look forward to receiving a visit from the PTs in due course.

The OT was lovely, as was the trainee shadowing her, and both expressed seemingly genuine concern when mum wandered in and started telling them about her headaches. The OT advised a referral to the Pain Clinic, which I will be asking mum’s GP for tomorrow.

This afternoon I ordered a few bits off the aids list, plus a sketch pad and some pencils to channel my habit of doodling on any available bit of paper, and a daylight lamp as both mum and I find ourselves feeling sleepy during the day as the hours of daylight get shorter. My next task after writing this post is to do another snack order, to complete a spenny sort of day.

I also popped out into the garden with mum to refill our many bird feeders. On the way back in, mum stopped and did a count of the buds on our yellow marguerite and, as usual, it had more buds than when she counted yesterday. It’s not that she’s forgotten how to count – It’s that the plant keeps growing more buds. It’s not doing badly for something that cost me £1.

Dinner was Mediterranean vegetable giant couscous, with chicken souvlaki skewers from Tesco’s Christmas snacky bits range, although the accompanying sauce went in the bin after one taste (from me; mum refused to even try it, which as it turns out was a good move). Mum liked it so much she asked for seconds – we didn’t actually have any more, but I promised to order more next time I do grocery shopping. It’s rare for mum to enjoy something savoury that much, so I must remember to do so.

And so that, as usual, is that. See you tomorrow, all.