Another crap night but allowed home again for the afternoon. The stomach irritation seems to have lessened over night thankfully. Chris and Mike visit again to deliver Lottie's birthday present, then Linda, Ellie and Isaac come and collect Peggy to take her for a walk, how long before Linda gets a dog? Dave and Kerri then arrive with a copy of 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes, hopefully it'll give me some recovery/training ideas. Nice selection of DVDs from Hannah to chose from, Dead men don't wear plaid tonight I think, then I'll get stuck into The Wire series 1.

Pineapple Dance Studios what is that all about!

Not a very good nights sleep but being allowed home for the afternoon again. Visit from Hannah, Orla and Isobel who then head off to Belper with Lottie and Dan for Pizza and DVD's. Stef, Simon and their kids then call in for a chat and a date for the diary Big Ron is coming to Waterstones for a book signing on the 27th, I'll hopefully be out of Hospital by then. Karin takes me back to Hospital around seven before heading upto Belper and because i've a little discomfort, I suspect from the NG tube, I get into bed early. Chris and Mike then arrive for the last 15mins of visiting. Charlie Brooker's Newswipe on BCC iPlayer takes my mind off the discomfort and puts a smile on my face. I must try and catch live from studio 5!!

Feeling quite tired this morning so just been concentrating on my swallowing exercises. Another medical student sent my way for diagnosis practise. The doctor thinks he's only seen 2 or 3 similar strokes to this in the 100ish patients he's seen since being on this ward.

A visit from the Nutrionist as I've mentioned a bit of an occasional odd sensation in my stomach, she's checked when NG tube needs replacing and its about every month so I've that to look forward to on Monday or Tuesday!

Visitors: Jane, Bet, Des, Dean and Karin followed by Ian, Karen and Paul in the evening

A busy morning lots of tests from the Physios and OT including pin prick, hot and cold, and guess the object, but I think they were having a laugh covering me in talcum powder :-) All ok although still a problem with feeling hot/cold on my left side and the same with the sharp neuro tip although I got many of these correct as they feel slightly different to the blunt tip.

Carol has delivered me a copy of the videoflouroscopy - enjoy ;-)

Also had 10 minutes in the gym on the treadmill 1km covered and not too wobbly after.

Medical students returned to view the video

Karin, Marc and Linda turn up for the first public showing of the video
Tom, Sam and Sharon get the second viewing.

Five teaspoons of apple, honey and yogurt smoothie went down very well this morning and as part of my exercises I managed to stick a finger to the back of my throat to stop everything moving to the left, without wanting to gag. I'm getting quite good at getting to know the inside of my mouth!

Physio has more sensation tests planned for me tomorrow and maybe some gym time this afternoon.

5 minutes on an exercise bike just over a km according to the display, then head back to the ward for a lie down, and questioning by two medical students, although no tests this time but they've threatened to come back tomorrrow no doubt armed with pins and torches :-)

Teaspoons of Cheese and leek sauce for supper courtesy of Karin

No evening visitors for the first time but it does mean I get to see the nurses holiday photos whilst they are waiting for my meds to gravity feed down my ng tube! and now I get the chance to listen to the new Joanna Newson triple CD

Did a test this morning that involved putting small pegs in small holes then taking them out again against a stopwatch. Unsurprisingly my right hand was a few seconds quicker than my left hand! No problems there then.

Carol visited and remarked that my voice was sounding better and that I only cleared my throat once while she was there. She checked that I was doing the exercises correctly particularly the Shaker exercise, I have to make sure I’m working the correct muscles. The other positive comment was when I opened my mouth and went arrrh, not moving to the left quite as much perhaps? I’ve supplied a data key so hopefully I’ll get a copy of the video in the next few days.

My new consultant Dr Brain visited as well all very positive she wants to keep me in a while longer to make sure my swallow makes a speedy recovery. when I am allowed home she will still see me to make sure I get back my previous fitness, no rushing allowed I need to do these things slowly. Autumn on the Grit then?

Do you think Dr Brain changed her name when she became a neurologist or was being called Brain the reason for her taking up this branch of medicine or maybe she sought out a Mr Brain to marry?

Visitors Karin, Ian and Dave Cladsby who brought me cycling p0rn

Its started to snow again

Karin and the kids turn up for an evening visiting to beat me at Dominos, we were also joined by Chris and Mike

Dr Zoltan explains he’s been checking his books and I’ve got something called Wallenberg's Syndrome. Still keeping to my policy of not researching anything on the Internet
Four or five blood samples taken this morning for some young stroke screening nothing to worry about but just to check I’ve no predisposition to problems.

Visitors Lynn, Keren, Karin and Bet and Des who recognise Edward as someone Des used to play cricket with so they stop for a chat

Home for the afternoon Karin has brought a juicer so there is some experimenting with making smoothies out of the Innocent recipe book.

Home for the Afternoon. We get a phone call from the Hospital asking where I am? Seems there has been a lack of communication and they thing I’m AWOL.
A nice visit from Bruce and Rhonna, Aidan and Erin who are on there way back to Bristol. Chris and Mike give Karin a bit of a break by taking me back to the Hospital.

I’m a little tired and have a go at the nurse when she suggests she wont start my feed until 11pm as the previous nights food was delayed. But as always the nurses are very understanding.

Dr Bashear announced I could be moved downstairs to rehab. It then took 3 of us to gather all my cards flowers and other bits together before I was stuck in a wheelchair and delivered to Ward 312 I’m sharing a ward with 3 others including a couple of familiar faces from the Stroke ward. Alf, Edward and Neville

Delay in getting hooked up to my food as there isn’t a machine handy on the ward

seems as if Karin sneaked off to Saltburn for the day with the dog yesterday. She brought me back this neat Iron nodule she picked up off the beach.

Today is the day for the Videoflouroscopy it seems everyone wants to come and watch. I'm perched in front of the x-ray machine while the Radiographer and Carol in their child friendly x-ray proof aprons position me and feed me milk shake and Barium at arms length with a two foot long metal spoon. i certainly cant reccomend the milk weetabix barium combination they also tried, it could have done with a bit of sugar on it!

Karin having a break from visiting today and supposedly going to visit a friend in Newark whilst Linda looks after Lottie and Dan.
Told off again for exceeding the 2 visitors at a time rule! Marc, Evie, Joe, Linda, Ellie, Isaac, Simon, Bet and Des. Si & Tom visit later on.

Another visit home this afternoon and Noel arrives to see me before he heads off to explore Captain Birdseye's Flo Selecta!

allowed home for the afternoon, although I'm not allowed to do anything its nice to be able to sit by the fire with the dog and play some board games with Lottie and Dan.

Carol the swallowing expert visits today and I'm back to 3 teaspoons of fruit puree but this time full spoons, plus some more exercises to do before. I'm no longer puffing out cheeks or blowing through straws but:
-gently massaging the right side of my face with a shaving brush in a circular motion from slow to fast
-using a pink sponge on a stick to brush the roof of my mouth on my right side
-yawning and turning my head to the left putting my chin down and swallowing

visitors today Jane, Paul Riley, Rachel, Dean, Karin, Kade, Linda and two Princesses!

visited by Karin, Brian Davidson, Ian, Chris and Mike and Lottie and Dan

Fruit puree intake increased to 10 1/2 teaspoons 3x a day
Visitors: Karin and Dan, Bet and Des, Dave Bond, and Linda

Finished a whole pot of apple puree today
visited by Karin, Ian and Karen

Visitors: Karin, Lottie and Dan, Chris Froggatt, Chris and Mike, Ian and Karen, Stuart Smith, & Tom

Managed to walk over for a window seat to watch the sunrise over sheffield from L1
Also managed to shower standing up. lots of progress today.
I'm told a bed is available in Derby for me so I'm pushed down into a waiting area in a wheelchair ready for when my transport arrives. No comfy ambulance this time though its a Medicab and i'm squeezed into a back seat behind some lady who spends the whole journey describing her complete medical history in great detail while I'm coughing on my own saliva in the back. A most unpleasant journey i just hope they cleaned the back out before picking up any other passengers.
Things improve as I have my own room in the Royal and Karin has redirected my visitors; Arms, Kade & Linda, Ian, Stefan and Sean

Managed to have a shower this morning sitting on a chair but its good progress, I'll no longer require those bed baths.

Visit from Olly all the way from Edinburgh via Train/Brompton and Dean, Karin and Fireman Stu

Making some progress walking unaided as far as my chair and starting to swallow but still nil by mouth. Today i am mostly sporting some lovely new stripey pjs courtesy of lottie :-)