After this mornings exercises I walked into town to post a parcel. What was intended as a quick trip turned into my longest time outside so far. Bumped into a few people to say hello to, plus a few things sorted at the bank, some DVD's from the library and purple sprouting broccoli from Corden's. I seem to be feeling the cold more than I used to (except on my left!) but I didn't feel to tired after all that, which is good as tomorrow Lottie and Dan are on holiday, I've a session at the Heavy workshop, and hopefully a trip up to Matlock.

Picked up my carrier bag full of medication today. As it looks like I'll be on a number of drugs for the foreseeable future I've paid for 12 months of prescription charges up front. £104 but with the number of pills I'm taking at the moment it should save me a little in the long run?

Drove the car for the first time today since the end of January. Only a short trip to pick Lottie and Dan up but it felt like another step in the right direction. Will have to try the push bike next.

Trip to the Heavy Workshop this morning for an assessment. I'll have a programme of exercises tailored to improve my balance, stamina and left side sensation on Thursday and then I'll be let loose on the treadmills, lathes, exercise bikes and swiss balls for an hour twice a week until I've met my 'treatment goals'.
I'd expected a load of form filling and maybe some additional cost before I could drive again but, I with the insurance firm today and as my GP is happy for me to drive they have no problem.

Zombieland

Yesterday we called in to the Shahenshah and picked up a curry. Sag Paneer and Dahl fitted the bill as fork mashable and very nice it was too.

As we were close by I nipped in for a quick look at Billy and Belinda bollard that had been erected whilst I was in Hospital. They seem to be holding up reasonably well, in a scary sort of way.

Following the yoga session with Chaz today I decided to watch Zombieland as Karin, Lottie and Dan were out watching / preforming in a concert at the Assembly Rooms. Zombieland I thought was enjoyable comedy gore which made me flinch and laugh in equal measures, just like the bollards really!

Nipped into Waterstones today to see Ron Fawcett and get his signature on a copy of his new book and my old copy of Crags from 1976. He pointed out on the cover where the editor Geoff Birtles had tippexed out Chris Bonnington's head (just above Ron). Apparently Chris was on Original Route and stuck his head round the corner just as the photo was taken and Geoff refused to have Bonnington on the cover of his magazine.

Nipped into the office today to say hello and deliver some muffins and catch up on the latest news. Didn't get to speak to everyone as it was a lot more tiring walking down there than I thought it was going to be, but nice to see folk and get the latest on the reorganisation. Back home via the bank, must be the longest walk I've done in the last couple of months. An afternoon on the sofa was needed to recover, followed by an evening watching Hot Fuzz with Lottie.

Appointment with consultant confirmed today for 11 May.

Visit to see my GP this morning. First time he's come across Wallenburg's Syndrome so he's going to do a little reading up on it. He did however give me a copy of the letter he's received from Sheffield with a discharge summary which explains why he didn't really know what to expect. It did show the results of the investigations carried out in Sheffield, all my blood tests and Cholesterol were normal but it details the results of the MRI including an MR Angiography of the Circle of Willis !
He's signed me off for another 4 weeks and wants to see me on the 15 April to review things.
Another wobbly session with Chaz this afternoon, and a bit of Battenburg :-)

Chaz Rough had me wobbling about today working on my balance, glad nobody was watching! Evening spent playing Minotaurus with Karin, Lottie and Dan thanks to Chris and Mike. I've now got an appointment arranged for Monday with the Occupational Therapists at the DRI, and I'll have to see what the GP says tomorrow about driving and returning to work.

Get to walk down to the lake at Allestree where Peggy goes for a swim.
Face feels odd as my left cheek in particular feels cold and tingly, I can also feel a little discomfort in my stomach still. Will mention it to the GP on Thursday.

The plan is to take this week nice and easy so I've tried to get into a little routine with swallowing exercises and physio in the morning. Visits from Dave B, my brother and Marc in the afternoon then I tried to find some yoga workouts on the web to add to my morning exercises. The instructors at Yoga Today are more attractive but I found a 20min workout Yoga for Climbers with Chaz Rough from Yogamazing I may give that a try tomorrow!

I nice quiet day with the family. A visit from Dave & Kerri in the afternoon, and an afternoon nap.
Lottie bakes another chocolate cake which provides excellent swallowing practice. It takes a little time but I'm actually take small bites and chewing before swallowing it almost feels normal except I'm still turning my head and dropping my chin.

Today has been nice and quiet. Karin, Lottie and Dan are down in London for a long standing invitation to Covent Garden. Karin and Lottie at the Ballet and Dan looking round Tower Bridge. Lottie's highlight of the day is getting the autograph of Carlos Acosta.

All I've done today is prepare my own food and drink and hang out on the sofa with the dog but I'm still quite tired. Food highlight of the day is the plum crumble and custard delivered by Linda and Ellie.

Watched the live webcast of the Climbing Works International Climbing Festival CWICF which I surprisingly found entertaining, despite the sometimes annoying camera work. I'm not usually into watching other folk climbing indoors, but the mix of styles of problems and the skills of the competitors made it interesting viewing. I thought the handstand start for the problem in the men's final was genius. It looks as if the end of the corner where I had my stroke has been nicknamed 'Bennett's Corner' by the commentator, obviously an area of the wall to be careful on!

Anyway no climbing for me until June/July as instructed by Dr Brain so think I may try some Yoga and work on balance and flexibility whilst building up my stamina.

HOME

Chat with Zoltan this morning about the discomfort in my stomach and as it seems to be better and improving since the NG tube was removed, and didn't give me any problems yesterday, I'll be OK with out any investigation at the moment. If any problems occur in the future then I need to raise it with my GP and come back in. I'm then given the OK to go home :-)

A quick call to Karin and I start to pack. I seemed to have collected a lot of things over the last 51 days plus I'm given several boxes of food supplements as well. After lots of thank yous it takes 3 of us plus a wheelchair to take all my stuff down to the car.

I'm at home now doing my balancing exercises while Lottie does her physio, and writing lists of fork mashable food I'd like to eat. Mashed veggie sausage, beans and mash for tea with Jelly for pudding. More challenging from a swallowing point of view than the Hospital fork mash but very tasty.

I've a follow up appointment with Dr Brain in about six weeks, another videofluoroscopy on the 5 May, physio at the 'heavy workshop' hopefully next week, an appointment with my GP next Thursday and a visit from the Community Speech Therapists in the next few weeks. Lots of exercises to do in the meantime and a phone number to call for swallowing advise.

woken at 6am for a fasting lipids blood test 3rd time lucky! Stats taken about half an hour later Blood Pressure 108/66, Resting Heart Rate 68bpm O2 stats 98%, Temp 36.5

All the signs are looking good for me going home tomorrow. The Physio has booked me in to the 'heavy workshop' at the DRI to work on my balance and left hand side sensation. Nutritionist has had a chat about diet and I've a bag full of supplements to start me off. The Pharmacist has stocked up my drug cabinet, the only doubt came when Zoltan asked me about the discomfort in my stomach and how Dr Brain had suggested sticking a camera down my throat just to check what was going on. It was suggested that this could perhaps happen Friday morning before I was discharged, but the nurses confirmed its unlikely to happen so quickly. Plan now is to have a chat with Zoltan tomorrow morning to decide if the endoscope is still necessary, and if it is to book something as an out patient. So baring any major mishap only one more night in Hospital. :-)

Wall of Cards

Day 50!
More balancing physio today seems to be some improvement and I've been given a load of ideas of things I can do at home until I get an appointment for 'the workshop' at the DRI.

The rumour is I'm to be released on Friday morning, as Dr Brain wants one more blood test.

Swallowing seems to be steadily improving eating Lottie's chocolate cake today was very nice and I'm sure a good swallowing exercise, as was the lemon sponge and custard pudding i had for tea.

Sensation in my left hand side doesn't seem to be recovering quite as quickly as I'd like. I've been trying to shock the nerves into working by turning the shower suddenly to cold in the morning but all that does is make me squeal as I get a very strange sensation, not cold but prickly.

Two more patients leave today and they are quickly replaced by two more down from 410 just me and Alf seem to be here for the long haul?

Ward round today by Dr Brain confirms I'm still awaiting Carol's assessment before I get a discharge date and just one more blood test tomorrow.

Carol visits just after lunch and I'm upgraded to Fork Mash and 2 soft cakes per day and these don't need mashing up and mixing with water :-) I'm still on small sips of custard fluids but the suggestion is I'm likely to be discharged on Thursday or Friday! Yippee

The decision will be made at tomorrow mornings meeting. I'm booked in for another Videofloroscopy for the 5 May when hopefully I'll get the OK for normal fluids. I've a list of the sort of foods I can have and those to avoid, but basically if you can mash it into small soft lumps its OK and I have to avoid difficult textures such as crunchy, crumbly, hard or stringy foods unless of course its pureed.
I was really looking forward to my first fork mash meal but was disappointed that it looked the same as smooth, but at least I got to have rice pudding.

Dan is a teenager

I must be feeling better as I've lifted my self imposed Internet ban on all things medical and I've being looking on wikipedia at Wallenburg's syndrome makes for interesting reading and I'm very grateful I've not got violent hiccups!
Also been checking out my medication Asprin , Dipyridamole , Lansoprazole , Simvastatin note to self must avoid grapefruit products.

Dr Zoltan back from his skiing holiday so had a chat about last round of tests and although they have not raised any particular worries its suggested I start taking Folic acid as well, confirmed by wikipedia :-)

In between eating, drinking, medication, and exercises I've been listening to Amadou & Mariam today. A visit from Liz today after lunch then Ian, Karin, Lottie and the Birthday Boy to play a long game of Magma Monster this evening.

The cake's gone well today so hope to see Carol tomorrow for the upgrade to fork mash.

Back to Ward 312 after my weekend at home. Great to have some smooth sausage, beans & mash and sleep in my own bed last night.

Lottie and Dan provided Karin with breakfast in bed this morning for Mothers Day, perfect poached eggs :-)

Kade, Linda, Ellie and Isaac came round later to see Dan and deliver his presents and a fine cake baked by Isaac. I even got to try some. Lovely even though I had it mushed in a cup with a little milk! A few games of one of Dan's other presents Magma Monster. Yet another great Lego product will have to try and get some others. Minotaurus and Creationary look good fun.

I've negotiated a weekend pass :-)
Given a list of instructions and a bag full of pills and food supplements to take with me. Picked up by Karin after lunch and taken home to see all the fossils, iron nodules and assorted rocks that they've collected from Saltburn. Looking forward to home cooked smooth meals and sleeping in my own bed :-)

Supplements - the calogen energy dense neutral flavour supplement arrived too late today to add to my meals, what a shame! something to look forward to tomorrow. I've almost finished my second tub of Nutilis thickener as well.
swallowing seems to be getting easier although i dont think I've managed quite as much fluid as I did yesterday but the night is still young and I've just been given a hot chocolate to thicken up. still have some discomfort in my stomach but will discuss that with the doctor on monday if it hasnt gone away. Not much else to report from today, a visit from Chris and Mike bringing smoothies and Dean on his weekly flower run. Dave and Tanya turned up again in the evening, hope the weather stays nice for them tomorrow.

Looking forward to seeing Karin, Lottie and Dan tomorrow. If I can sort out the food and tablets may be I can stay home for the whole weekend?

Fingers crossed I get upgraded to fork mash on Monday which is also Dan's 13th Birthday

Today I have been mostly drinking and eating but its getting easier. Yesterday it took 10-15mins to sip 200ml but today I think its only taking 5-10mins. I've also been given bits of cake to try, i have to mash them up and mix with water but at least there is some texture. I'm ordering a Swiss roll from Lottie for the weekend. If all goes well I'll be upgraded to fork mash on Monday!
Also had a balance session with the physio's. Standing on one leg and walking heel to toe were fine with my eyes open but as soon as i closed my eyes I fell over. So the physio has come up with a load of exercises for me to do and hopefully I should see some quick results as things were improving just after this short session. Slack line and unicycle next!
Talked about Geocaching with Brian D who popped in after lunch to see me and about Derbyshire lows with my brother and Tom who visited this evening along with Sean who was in between pricing for a couple of jobs.

Had what i hope is a final random blood sugar test this morning 5.8 and results from yesterdays test which shows i dont have diabetes.

goodbye NG

Karin, Lottie, Dan and Peggy have made it to the seaside for a well deserved break.
Linda and Isaac visited last night, then I watched an episode of the young ones which included 'bambi' hosting University Challenge, and Motorhead preforming 'Ace of Spades'.
One of Isaacs many questions was do i get bored? well I don't seem to have time to get bored at the moment. So being as I have to keep a record of my food and fluid intake and as that is the main thing I'm doing at the moment here goes:
0600 resting heart rate, blood pressure etc taken
0750 blood test no1
0800 glucose via NG tube
0900 swallowing exercises
1000 blood test no2
1015 lemon squash 200ml
1035 late breakfast due to fasting blood sugar test porridge 22 tsp
1050 shower
1110 lemon squash 100ml
1115 gym running machine 1km and exercise bike 10mins
1150 lemon squash 100ml
1215 lemon squash 100ml
1220 medication that I missed this morning
1230 lunch Fish Carrot and Mash 20tsp
1300 lemon squash 100ml
1345 fromage frais 10tsp
1400 lemon squash 50ml
1405 Stef, Rachel, Lynn, Bet & Des visit - thanks to everyone at work for the Ron Fawcett book
1500 Lemon squash 150ml
1545 visit from the nutritionist who goes away to do some sums
1600 lemon squash 200ml
1620 Nutritionist comes back to suggest I could perhaps have my NG tube removed
1645 Some debate amongst the nursing staff about who gets to remove my NG tube . . . so I pull it out. F**k I forgot how long it was, it just kept coming!
It'll be a full time job now for me to get enough fluid and food inside me but it's great not having that tube up my nose :-)
1700 random blood sugar test -showing a little low 3.9 but tea is on the way.
1715 Veg bean casserole, baked beans and mash 21tsp
1800 yoghurt 9tsp
1810 lemon squash 100ml
1815 sharon, ian, malc & bet visit
2000 lemon squash 100ml
2045 get ready for bed and start to watch Sherlock Holmes
2100 forticreme/fortisip 125+20ml
2145 random blood sugar test 5.6

talk of fasting me over night is unfounded just random blood sugar tests. i can't feel a thing if they take the blood from the fingers on my left hand, one advantage.
The day starts with porridge and i manage two lots of orange juice, a shower, a listen to Plastic Beach on spotify and another blood sample before Carol arrives at 11.
After demonstrating my swallowing of Orange juice I'm upgraded to sips using a funny little cup with a cutaway that means you don't have to tip your head to far back, and its all very positive however I'm still feeling under pressure when my meal arrives and mess up almost straight away! however carol is very understanding and wants me to to keep a record of how much fluid and food I manage to eat in the next few days. She'll be back on Thursday with some Cake :-) No peg for the time being then, but i suspect most of my day will be taken up with sipping fluids to try and get 1500ml + down me to prove that i can do without the NG tube.

Karin, Lottie and Dan call in with more chewing gum for me and a couple of bottles of Rocks Organic squash to help with the fluid intake. They are off to Saltburn tomorrow for a few days well deserved break.

Looks like I'll be starved tonight and have a series of blood tests tomorrow plus a big glucose drink.

The picture shows the aftermath of tonights Veg Tikka Massal, Dhal and Mash :-)
plus 700ml of fluids and counting.

Family meeting day, means we got an update from the whole team (Physio, Speech, OT and Consultant) and were able to ask any questions. The biggest questions as usual are waiting for Carol's assessment of my swallowing tomorrow. I did however get to see images from my CT scan and MRI, very impressive but slightly strange looking inside your own head. The area of damage is so small and not at all obvious, credit to the radiologists for spotting it amongst all the images.
Had a look at the results of all the tests I've had which don't seem to be throwing up any other health issues. But I'm having a few more random blood sugar tests and will probably have to starve again soon as the last glucose test wasn't successful, and another cholesterol test.

I've also had 20mins in the gym today and ran rather than walked 1km on the treadmill then had some time on the bike, although a little wobbly I didn't feel too bad :-)

In preparation for Carol's visit tomorrow I need to keep track of my oral intake so here goes:

Breakfast
Porridge 10tsp
Banana,Pineapple & Mango smoothie 10tsp

12.45
Veg Tikka Masala, Chana Dhal and mash! 10tsp
Yoghurt 10tsp
Orange juice (thickened) 10tsp

2pm
Orange Juice 10tsp

3.30pm
Apple & Blackcurrant Smoothie 10tsp

17.15
Salmon, Broccoli & Mash 10tsp
yoghurt 10tsp

18.00
Orange juice 10tsp

21.00
Apple & Blackcurrant smoothie 10tsp

A good nights uninterrupted sleep and its a lovely sunny morning no headache and only a little discomfort in my stomach. Porridge followed by Aspirin, Dipyridamole and Lansoprazole all taken orally for the first time.
Didnt get off the food pump until 11 so looks like i'll start getting fat with all this extra food!
Karin, Lottie, Dan and Peggy collected me just after lunch and because it was such a nice day took me to Alport Heights where they found their first Geocache and Dan swapped a Devils toenail for a Canadian Dollar.
Back home to watch a film then back to the Royal for my Tea.

Went to sleep early last night and dreamt I was in a hut somewhere in Scotland and there was a party going on with lots of food. I was eating really slow and having to rest. Everyone else finished their food and I came back from a rest to find someone had taken my plate, I was just starting to get cross when I was woken by the beep of my food pump. The nurse had given me my meds and put me on my overnight feed without me noticing. This seemed a good idea at the time but after being woken by the pump alarm for about the sixth time I realised the dipyridamole had been administered down the NG tube a recipe for blocking it! My night was therefore regularly interrupted by pump alarms and attempts to flush out the NG tube. Crap night.

porridge, orange juice, paracetamol, aspirin, dipyridamole, and Lansoprazole for breakfast.

Karin collects me after lunch and I spend the afternoon at home, visits from Ian, Charlotte and Dylan then Julian and Yasmin deliver Dan back from his fishing trip. After watching Kung Fu Panda I'm delivered back to the Hospital expecting a meal. although the meal is waiting the barcode neccesary to get it zapped in the microwave hasnt been left so despite lots of ringing around i end up with a couple of yoghurts for tea.

I was taken off my feed at midnight as they needed to starve me before taking blood first thing this morning for a Glucose test. Back on the NG feed and Porridge for breakfast all at the same time! Gym time put back to 3pm so I'll be unhooked from the feeding pump.
Decide to take it easy as not feeling too great.
Irish Stew, cabbage and mash for lunch not exactly what I ordered.
unhooked at 1ish from the feed then 10mins gym time before I meet Karin, Dan, Dean, Keren and Linda in the upstairs restaurant. back to the ward for a snooze before veg Mornay, beans, mash and paracetamol plus Fromage Frais
Ian and Karen pop in then to bed.
Karin has arranged for me to pop home in the afternoon tomorrow, hopefully I'll be headache free.

porridge for breakfast :-)
drugs
blood taken
shower
20min in the gym treadmill & excercise bike
swiss ball delivered for bedside excercises
more blood taken
Salmon,peas and mash for lunch
fruit puree pudding
Karin, Lottie and Dan jigsaw, dominoes and Kung Fu Panda
afternoon nap
Veg Mornay, Beans and Mash for tea (I could have eaten all of this)
Water via NG tube
Yoghurt for pudding
Scotty - Draw Your Brakes
Chris and Mike
episode 1 of the young ones

lottie's Birthday

After taking some paracetamol last night I seem to have a good nights sleep. Karin, Lottie and Dan arrive at about 9.45 before I'm off my feed so that we can watch Lottie open her presents.
Carol turns up unexpectedly whilst I am being questioned by some final year medical students. After initially talking to me about a Peg she seems surprised by the progress I have made and orders me a smooth meal Salmon, peas and mash. this seems to go OK so the peg is put on hold again and I'm starting trials of 10tsp of smooth diet 3x a day plus 10tsp of custard consistency fluid throughout the day. Not sure about tea or coffee custard but the Hot chocolate may be OK. I've also got a whole new set of exercises plus special dispensation to have chewing gum! I still have a stinking headache but a chat with Dr Brain suggests this may be lack of fluids combined with changing of my meds, i need to give it a few more days to come accustomed to them if not they'll change me back.
Bet and Des visit and get to witness me trying to take paracetamol dissolved in water then thickened with Nutilis, think wallpaper paste yuk. They don't stay long!
Tonight's tea is I think fish, carrot and mash!

definitely exceeded the two visitor rule tonight! Karin, Lottie, Dan, Ian, Dave, Caroline, Hannah, Ian, Orla, Isobel, Kade, Linda, Ellie, Isaac, and Sean all turned up to wish Lottie a happy birthday.

Another sunny day. The doctor changed my meds last night. Lansoprazol and Dipyndourle sp? instead of Clopidogrel and Ranitidine, with the addition of peptac (gaviscon)to sort my uncomfortable stomach out. The Dipyn stuff doesnt fit down my NG tube so I've been mixing it with smoothie, but it still tastes fowl. 20 mins gym time planned today and I may get to see Carol to assess my swallowing. Had a visit from a social services to look at what my needs will be when I'm discharged and to see if I'll be entitled to any allowances
managed to get 10mins on the exercise bike not feeling too good today just over 1k covered. this was followed by half an hours relaxation with the physios pretending I'm on a beach listening to whale music. I followed this up with two hours snoozing listening to Joanna Newsome. Karin, Lottie, Dan, Ian and Karen visit in the evening, Dan beats me and Lottie at go fish. Try to watch Inglorious bastards but Tarantino is a bit too much to stomach at the moment. Feeling pretty rough at 10ish so i call for some paracetamol, temp OK but I feel wiped out.

White Rabbits

Everyone seems in a good mood this morning. The mornings are getting lighter and there is a lovely blue sky today. Not a bad nights sleep last night and this mornings mango, banana and lemon grass smoothie went down a treat.
More tests on sensation particularly hot and cold. My left side seems to be registering hot better now but cold is still a struggle particularly in the extremities. The pins and needles/tingling sensation i'm getting is appartently good as its shows the nerves are up to something.
Karin, Lottie and Dan visit early on and Si turns up later with a portable hard drive full of films to keep me entertained.