I can't wait........

It's now 22:55, I should really be in bed as I have to be up at 04:00 to do my exercises and get ready for work, a drive that usually takes around 25 minutes at 5 in the morning.  I've decided to do my exercises first thing on a morning, at lunch time and then when I get home on the evening about 7ish.  I started doing one that I was previously having problems with, mainly due to the lack of strength in my right arm, which is lying on my back on the floor and bringing my arm up over and behind my head as far as I can whilst keeping it straight.  It seems to have helped quite a bit with the general mobility of my arm.  I have noticed that I can now lift my elbow away from my side when using my right arm where previously it was as though my waist and elbow were glued together.

I can't wait to get into work and get back driving the bus, being in the office last week was aggravating my lower back and causing a problem I hadn't had since going back bus driving in January.  I don't know who will be in the office as the team leader is still on holiday, I just know it won't be me!

Back to 'Normality'

That's my first set of duties for seven and a half weeks finished, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.  I tried a partial shift on the bus last night and after 5 1/2 hours I felt like I'd just started, the 'new' buses are so easy to drive and very comfortable I could drive for a whole 12 hour shift.  I've had a couple of disagreements with other members of staff, they all presumed because I was in the office that I was in charge, I told them I was just covering the office side of things.  My supervisor will be getting an e mail to tell him I'm going back on the bus from my next set of shifts as working in the office again has brought back my lower back problem that I haven't had since moving out.  My arm has stood up well to the time on the bus in fact it feels quite good today.


On another note! I'm upset that it's 'that time of year' again, yes the start of the bloody football season, the tv is full of adverts for the matches and Sky Sports in HD, why can't they just do their adverts on the sports channels? the majority of viewers aren't interested in football. 

Almost time..............

Almost time to go back to work, 24 hours in fact!  Went to see the physio this morning, I now have a young lady called Lisa, she has given me some more strengthening exercises to do along with the mobility ones that Jed gave me.  I was also given a stronger exercise band, the only problem being it's condom pink.  I've also had a call from the UNITE union solicitor about a possible claim being put in, after answering all her questions she said she would write to me in a week or so.
We went to one of my friends house for a meal on Saturday evening, he lives in South Gosforth, Newcastle.  He made a beef lasagne, which although was nice did not really have as much taste to it as the one Pauline makes.  All in all it was a very pleasant evening, Pauline and Jacquie seemed to get along very well, they spent quite a while discussing some 'autobiographies' they've read written by adults who were abused by their parents when they were young. 
I think my next blog will probably be after this set of night shifts I will be starting tomorrow.

All good things must come to an end!

Well that's the end of my extended holiday, went and saw the doctor this morning and she's given me a 'sick' note that says I'm unfit for work but maybe fit if I have a phased return with modified duties, so I'm starting back next Wednesday, a week earlier than planned but I was getting my arm 'twisted', not my bad one I must say.  Going back on nights, to see how it goes, the new boss is being really good about it and has said if I have any concerns regarding my fitness to carry on then please let him know and he'll try and help if he can, with hours and days worked.  The arm twisting bit was they have a few on holiday next shift pattern and I feel a bit guilty as I feel I could quite easily cope with the office up to my hols in September and then when I return I should be okay to go back on the bus, anyway we'll see how it goes as it's still a week away.

All appears to be going well

It's been a week of fairly good news, which makes a change.  Firstly our new fridge arrived, we've put the old one out in the garage and it's being used to store drinks (lager, beer, pop etc) My latest visit to the physio went well, I arrived about 20 mins early and was told by the receptionist to go straight in, which I did and as everybody seemed to be busy I decided to do my second lot of exercises for that day.  I ended up doing a full days amount of repetitions before Jed was ready to see me.  I was given a couple of new exercises to try and although they were painful at first seem to be having the desired affect.  That afternoon I had to see my GP about the results of my blood test, cholesterol levels are fine but my liver function was showing signs of a 'fatty' liver.  She explained it was not too high a reading and reeled off a short list of things that could give this result.  One of which was pain killers, well with the amount of them I had taken in the five weeks prior to the test we decide to re-do the test in six months and check my thyroid at the same time.  Thursday's visit to the consultant went well, my next visit is in eight weeks, he's very pleased with the progress so far, the bone has healed so well you can hardly see the fracture line on the x-ray.  The metal work was mentioned in as far as it normally stays put once in place but there are a few odd occasions when it has to be removed and we'll worry about that IF it happens.  I called into work for a chat on the way home, the 'new' boss was there and met him again, it's the same guy that was running the place when I first started.  Our replacement buses are finally on-site, basically they're identical to the old ones just updated and working properly.  They're MANs which are a good machine, lets hope our drivers look after them.  Peter was once again pushing for a date for me to return to work, he was basically saying I could do what I want hours wise but he wants me back even if it's 5 x 8 hour shifts on light duties.  After sitting in the driver's seat on the bus the only thing that's stopping me from driving now is the fact I can't operate the handbrake, it's set behind the drivers seat to the right and although I can reach it no problem I'm unable to 'lift' the handle to release it, so I think I'm going to step up the strength exercises.

Nothing in particular

After a few long phone calls and arguments we have finally managed to come to some agreement with D & G, the NEW fridge is arriving Monday.  We have decided to get a Hotpoint this time, it's slightly bigger than our present one but does not have the door mounted drink dispenser, there is a five bottle wine rack which I think will not get much use (nudge-nudge, wink-wink!!) 
The on going saga of my broken arm took a surprising turn for me this morning after doing my first set of repetitions I didn't have the usual aching pain at the top of my bicep.  I have up'ed the number of repetitions of each exercise I do, the consultant wanted me to go through the exercises six times a day, my physio said four, so I decided to compromise and added 50% more to each of the four times which equates to sixty of each exercise per day.  I have another appointment with Mr Williams on the 29th and hoping I'll be discharged, I looking to go back to work around mid August on light duties. I'll be back for three sets of duties then on holiday for twenty days, so by the end of September I hope to be back driving the bus.

Apologies to DSG

My apologies to DSG the company name id DaG (Domestic and General)

I will never buy a DSG extended warranty again!........

Back in November 2004 we decide to get rid of our upright fridge freezer and replace it with a larder fridge. We decided we wanted one with a chilled drinks dispenser built into it.  We ended up at Comet as Currys weren't selling one at a reasonable price at the time.  Having decided on a particular model (Hoover) because it had the best designed interior we were really pleased to find that there was a £100 part-exchange deal on it, we still spent almost £300 on it and decided to have the 3 year extended warranty as it was priced quite reasonably.  No problems have occurred until recently when it started making some very loud 'cracking noises'  On further investigation we found a large split across the back of the liner/chill plate and below the crack was solid ice.  Now this is a frost free fridge so we knew something was wrong.  I called the breakdown number on the warranty and after going through a multitude of  'press 1 for... press 2 for......' I finally got to talk to a human being after about 20 mins.  After explaining the problem he gave me a 'job number' and the Comet Care telephone number and told me to ring them to arrange for an engineer to call.  I duly rang the number and again the 'press 1 for.. press 2 for..' started, I eventually got through to a guy and again explained the problem and told him I had a job number to quote from DSG.  With a very sarcastic 'thank you for that information Mr Rogers' he tells me he will need to put me through to one of his colleagues.  This took so long that the battery on the cordless phone went flat.  So I had to do it all again using my mobile, this time I chose a different selection and got straight through and made arrangements for an engineer to call in 2 days time.  At 8 am on Weds I get a call from the engineer to tell me he will be with me in 15 mins.  Ten mins later he turns up, takes one look at the fridge liner and tells me what I already know and also that it's a very common fault on larder fridges.  DSG do not start work until 9 am so he would have to call me later when he had spoken to them.  The phone rings at 09:10, it's the guy from Comet, as he thought the liner is not covered by the warranty and if we were not happy we needed to get back to DSG.  Pauline was furious! how can the liner not be covered? without the liner you do not have a fridge, just a metal box.  She was straight back on the phone to DSG, expecting an argument she EXPLAINED!  THE FRIDGE IS ONLY JUST OVER 5 YEARS OLD! THE SALESMAN TOLD US THIS WAS ONE OF THE BETTER MODELS AND NOW THE ENGINEER TELLS ME THIS PROBLEM WE HAVE IS VERY COMMON AND YOU SAY IT'S NOT COVERED? I WOULD NEVER HAVE PAID THE MONEY TO EXTEND THE COVER IF I'D KNOWN THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! I think she was rather taken aback when the customer service guy agreed with her and said he would take this matter further and would call back later that afternoon.  I took the call and the guy said unfortunately the liner definitely is not covered but also that he personally was not happy with the situation and would pass the matter 'up the line' so we should expect a further call within 48 hours which we have not had! So now we wait, until Pauline gets home from work at 3 pm and gives DSG what for over the phone and then it's Comet's and Hoover's turn.  Did I mention that Pauline told him she has never had this sort of problem with Currys' Mastercare and would only use them from now on?

Road to recovery....................

I'm very pleased with the progress I'm making with the physio and how much easier it's getting.  I'm hoping to be back at work around mid August, I have been offered light duties for a while which will mean running the front desk (the job I did for 7 years up to January this year)  Hopefully it won't be too much longer before I have enough strength back to drive the buses again.  Had blood taken and an ECG on Tuesday as part of the Wellness Programme I'm now involved in at the Health Centre, just have to wait now for the call about the cholesterol result, blood pressure was a bit up but nothing excessive averaged out at 148/88 which is about 8 points above the 'norm' but quite good given my size.  Got an appointment on 27th to discuss results with the doctor and visit to see the Consultant at Newcastle General on 29th.

physio 2 ...the pain continues!

Today I go and see Jed my physiotherapist for the 2nd time, he's going to be a bit upset with me, mainly because some of the exercises he gave me to do last time I've found impossible to do.  I'm getting quite a bit of movement back as time goes on, just not got any strength behind it.  Hurting my arm has opened up a right can of worms, the local health centre practise nurse has conned me into entering the Wellness Programme which is an NHS initiative aimed at men of 'a certain age' to check on their health and well being  and to try to avoid heart attacks etc.  I get to have a personal trainer for 15 sessions and 8 visits to Weight Watchers.  The PT starts by giving me the once over and working out a fitness plan for me, rather looking forward to that.  Last Thursday the nurse tried to take a blood sample to check my cholesterol level, she used one of those finger pricking things.  At first all went well, the blood flowed freely, she exclaimed "you're a right little bleeder!" , that was it! my body took exception to that remark and the blood stopped.  She tried twice more on different fingers but I wasn't going to play ball.  I now have to fast from 9 pm on Wednesday evening and drink plenty of water/tea/coffee, no sugar or milk and she's going to TRY and take blood from the back of my hand on Thursday morning.....GOOD LUCK LIZ!  The last time they tried this I ended up feeling like a pin cushion, no veins would play ball lol.