Unlucky Ankle - ramblings of an English person living in Spain

Loom

2007-09-06T13:38:00.000+02:00

I have been discussing with Ian the fact that what we really need is a loom. Mishearing me, he said we already one loon in the house and didn't see why we needed another.

Sadly, I think the sun has got to him. We've patently not got a north American aquatic bird living here.

Anyway, three cheers for ebay. We are now the proud owner of a 4 heddle loom. Hoorah.

It is coming from Holland and I guess will arrive when I am away. The picture is what it should look like. We'll see...

Hail

2007-08-27T09:13:00.001+02:00

Admittedly, Ian would have preferred that instead of wandering around with the camera I helped bail the house out - particularly as we were doing it for the second time in 3 hours, however I felt that this jumbo hail deserved a pic.

Moral of the story: Ensure drains are kept clear and that guttering does not provide home to half the bird population in the area.

New Project

2007-08-09T22:16:00.000+02:00

We're working on a new project - the aim is to collect together all the free needlework patterns and projects on the internet. The site is not ready to be launched yet - but we'd welcome feedback.

Foot and Mouth

2007-08-05T20:19:00.000+02:00

I cannot imagine how we would be feeling now, if we were still living in the UK on our smallholding. Well that's probably not true. I think I know exactly how we'd feel.

The imagination comes in when thinking about how farmers must feel. Whose livelihoods are once again in the hands of something completely out of their control. Whilst financially farms are protected perhaps by insurance and by compensation payouts - there is the horror of facing mass culls, seeing years worth of breeding and bloodstock lines wiped out at shot. Literally.

We were living in the centre of the outbreak in 2001/2, and even without animals it was a pretty bleak existence. Our cars were hosed down when leaving and entering the area, there were many students at the school who were either not able to leave their farms, or if they were at a critical school stage, were staying with friends off the farms. The country side was absolutely CLOSED.

We heard horror stories of culls, saw the funeral pyres the other side of Penrith, saw acres of fields which were empty of livestock.

The thought of someone coming onto our land and culling our animals is desperate, I hope that consideration is given to vaccination, and that culls are a last resort.

House for Sale

2007-07-27T12:47:00.000+02:00

A house in Villagarcia is up for sale. Details can be seen here. This is in a pretty position, it is quite close to where we went asparagus picking during the spring.

Peanut Butter Recipe

2007-07-26T14:19:00.000+02:00

I didn't realise how easy it is to make peanut butter. Quite simply whiz up a handful of peanuts in a blender with some oil and voila - instant peanut butter. Not quite as nice as Sunpat (in the same way as I can never make tomato soup quite as nice as Heinz) but it was certainly on the better side of OK.

So ticked this off the list of things to learn to make. The theory being, if we try to make what we miss from the UK, it will save using up all 20kgs of baggage allowance with food....

Kittens

2007-07-23T12:35:00.000+02:00

The kittens are getting bigger now, and are playing. We have quite a houseful.

We've put a sign up saying we have kittens looking for homes, and so far, not particularly encouragingly we've been told that it is normal to kill unwanted kittens.

Obviously, that wouldn't happen here, so we've been thinking of names....

Siesta

2007-07-19T16:26:00.000+02:00

It is important not to underestimate the importance of siesta here. Everything slows to a standstill in the afternoon. If you visited a village in the afternoon you would think it was empty, just a few dogs flopped in the shade. However a few hours later and it is a very different situation - and of course in the early hours of the morning things are just warming up. This program from a fiesta at Jerez de los Caballeros and shows how quiet things get in the afternoon!

Arabic Dancing at Luna Al Fuego

2007-06-28T17:16:00.003+02:00

Luna Al Fuego - Some clips of the day

2007-06-28T17:16:00.001+02:00

We've had kittens

2007-06-02T10:08:00.001+02:00

Well, more accurately our cat has. So we've 5 kittens looking for homes.

Unlike their owners they are bi-lingual.

Cat Ops

2007-05-24T19:43:00.000+02:00

Our two lady cats went to the vet on Tuesday to be neutered. Needless to say this wasn't entirely smooth running as due to a mix up we took them the week before. The cats weren't desperately happy as they had been starved for 12 hours before their non-existent op, and Ian was equally grumpy as he got up at 5 in the morning to take their food up (the ops take place at 5 in the evening so the animals recover during the cool of the night).

Oh yes - how did we get the date muddled up for op? Quite simple. SI is the word for IF and YES, with the subtle difference of a ' which can't be seen if typed in CAPS. So we thought they were saying 'yes it is possible' and in fact he was saying 'if it is possible'. Sigh.......

Guiness Marmite

2007-05-18T18:05:00.001+02:00

marmite.jpg
Originally uploaded by Marchena.

This little beauty found its way through the post to me.

Interesting moral dilemma - Eat or Ebay....?

We ate!

Busy few weeks

2007-05-16T16:21:00.000+02:00

We've had a busy few weeks with visitors and trips back to the UK.

I've been using the ClickAir flight from Seville to Gatwick and then coach to Bournemouth. The door to door trip takes 10.5 hours which includes the ferry from Poole to Swanage so I guess that's not too bad. The ClickAir flight is well timed for a short trip with day time flights - none of this having to bunk down at the airport nonsense that the early flights entail.

The internet has been very haphazard - down for several hours a few times a week. This - of course, always happens when deadlines loom. Most annoying.

I've at last finished the capelet project that I have got going in the Autumn edition of Interweave Crochet. After waiting weeks for the wool I went ahead and bought it direct - only for the wool to arrive from the manufacturers. So I went from no wool to an abundance of the stuff!

Basil gets a haircut

2007-04-24T17:11:00.000+02:00

We trimmed Basil over the weekend. Well, it is probably more accurate to say scalped.

We have hidden mirrors from him.

Incredible Hulk

2007-04-20T22:48:00.000+02:00

This green monster was working his way across the yard today. The dogs barked, I screamed, Ian screamed, but we still managed to get a quick pic.

Curry, festering Private Eyes and squatters

2007-04-16T12:45:00.000+02:00

I am certain that we were the only group of British people sharing a curry this side of Zafra on Saturday night. Luckily there was enough left for Ian and I to have another curry feast last night.

Sadly my plans to become rich from my Private Eye collection crashed and burned at the weekend. Well rotted and decomposed is probably nearer the truth. Having religiously never knowingly thrown a Private Eye away for what - 20 years, I found that most of my collection has rotted. OK - whilst these might not have been my pension - but I certainly would rather then hadn't disappeared in a heap of rotting dust.

We kept it on the floor in one of the spare rooms and the condensation got to it. We experienced this last year too with bedding - so need to remember to get everything off the ground. So this morning we were at the builders merchant at the crack of dawn - well sort of, and bought a couple of units so we can move all remaining boxes off the floor.

We also have a family of house martins (or are they swallows?) squatting up under our roof. Hence the reason why people who know better keep their shutters etc closed so they don't give home to selected wildlife. We have enough wildlife downstairs with the animals and Ian without encouraging new additions upstairs. Of course we won't knock the nest down - just have to make sure we move it out when the little ones have fledged.

Sock Tops - The Movie

2007-04-10T19:02:00.001+02:00

New Layout

2007-04-08T13:34:00.000+02:00

I've rather cleverly changed the layout of this blog. I'd like to say it took hours of programming - however I just fiddled with a couple of doodahs and it all happened automatically. Magic!

Return

2007-04-06T09:20:00.000+02:00

I arrived back from the UK relatively in one piece and on time. Yet again I arrived at the airport with my baggage being overweight - and as this time I was without powdered milk, lime pickle or brown sauce I was a little surprised. Probably a trip to a car boot sale was not a good idea - and Ian seemed less then enamoured with the glass lampshade that I lugged back for him.

I think the butchers rub their hands in glee as I head off back to the UK. Ian drops me off at the airport and then stocks up on as much meat as he can eat. Ian then turns this into a carnivorous curry feast, and from what I can see eats this for breakfast lunch and dinner.

I left Spain in glorious sunshine and returned to grey and cold. The weather forecast shows much of the same over the next few days. Boo.

Ankle update

2007-03-25T18:01:00.001+02:00

I’ve not mentioned my ankle recently – which is probably good news. There is only so much you can say about an ankle, and I was getting close to the limit.

I am now walking unaided and I don’t think I am limping much. The only problem that I have at the moment is that because the swelling has now gone completely my ankle really hurts at night as the pins hurt when I sleep on my side. However I am sure I will find a way around this (perhaps crochet an ankle pillow perhaps) and this will be sorted when they take some of the metal out in a few months.

I don’t think I’ll be doing the 22 km walk this year – although saying that, it is really Ian’s turn. Talking of that particular horror – for the first time since that dreadful day last April my big toe nails needed cutting. If you remember they fell off in shock and are only just now back to normal. You won’t believe how similar “short stroll then breakfast” and “22 kilometre extremely hard hike” are in Spanish….

ASAPARGUS HUNTING

2007-03-20T09:25:00.001+01:00

ASAPARGUS3.jpg
Originally uploaded by Marchena.

The campo in spring, is full of people acting strangely. People walk along the roads and paths, suddenly to leap over a wall and pounce on what appears to be a blade of grass.

Closer inspection however will show that they are hunting asparagus, and from the end of February to the end of April or early May it is open season on asparagus throughout southern Spain.

We went out asparagus hunting and as the picture shows, it is more difficult to find these pesky spears than one would think.

We sadly came back to the village carrying our three pieces, whilst other villagers had so much that they had filled three bags!

Homemade Cottage Cheese

2007-03-16T08:41:00.000+01:00

MmmMmmmm, I hear you murmur.

One thing that I miss is cottage cheese. Strange as I never really knew that I liked it so much! We've not seen it in any shops - and admittedly I've not been on a complete mission to find it, I can pretty confidently report that it is not available within a 50km radius.

So I thought I'd make some, however milk is really difficult to buy. UHT milk with vitamins, soya, rice milk, added calcium etc falls off the shelves, however pure un-UHT'd milk is neigh on impossible (within local s/markets anyway) to find. This isn't really a surprise. This is not a dairy area, and whilst there are one or two cows wondering around the fields, it is certainly more normal to see sheep.

Ignoring instructions which clearly stated that making cottage cheese with UHT milk won't work, I pressed on. I found myself presented, instead of a saucepan of lovely fluffy cottage cheese, with saucepan of slime.

I referred again to my how-to-make-cottage-cheese instructions, and saw that powdered milk would work - as long as it wasn't UHT.

Therefore my last visit to the UK saw me returning, struggling with a case full of powdered milk, and this weekend I experienced milk alchemy as I turned the powdered milk into something which, with eyes shut and not smelling it, might in some small way resemble cottage cheese.

Ian, bless him, has kindly offered not to eat any so there is all the more for me. I am sure that this is what he meant when he said 'no ^%$$% way' when offered some.

50% of our lemon harvest.

2007-03-11T17:16:00.001+01:00

DSCF0059.JPG
Originally uploaded by Marchena.

We only had three lemons, however one appeared to have disappeared so this picture represents half of our entire harvest.

We've picked our oranges and are making 'lime' pickle with them. It is sure to be delightful (?). The theory is that Seville oranges are so bitter that they might replicate the taste of limes when salted and seasoned. We've got them salting away now - so keep a look out for updates!

Went for a walk yesterday to celebrate that I am crutch free and no more physio. We saw lots of processionary Caterpillars which are poisonous to dogs so we had to keep an eye on what they were eating. Need to watch that none appear in the yard.

Discharged from Physio at last!

2007-02-27T15:52:00.000+01:00

After 4 months and 70 sessions, I have been discharged from the tender clutches of the Physio team. I have almost normal movement - although apparently I still walk like Quasimodo - I do hope they were exaggerating in their mime.

I now have to spend the next 6 months jumping up and down to build bone mass before another op next autumn. At this stage they will take out what ever plates or pins aren't necessary so I need to jump up and down to strengthen the bones prior to this. I will keep my bouncing within the privacy of our own home - as this is not something I would inflict on neighbours.

Ian is pleased too as this means he no longer has to do the return trip twice a day to drop me off and pick me up. So hurrah all round!

The weather seems to be warming quite rapidly now, it is 4 o'clock and 25 in the shade. Even my workshop is in double figures. It is noticeably lighter in the mornings and evenings too - at 8 when I started at physio it was like the middle of the night - however this morning the sun was just up.

storks fighting

2007-02-22T17:23:00.001+01:00

storks fighting.jpg
Originally uploaded by Marchena.

Two storks fighting in Trujillo.

Foot rot

2007-02-16T23:12:00.001+01:00

For a couple of weeks now I have been aware of a hideous smell following me around. I naturally thought it was something to do with one of the animals – or more likely, Ian. However it was with great distress that I found out that the evil smell was in fact coming from me - or, I hasten to add, my walking boots.

So bad was it that I had to investigate further and check that nothing nasty was contained within them. One of my all-time most horrendous life experiences todate (and lets face it there’s a few to choose from) was putting on my Wellington boots one day and finding that my big toe had speared a rotting mouse.

Amazing – 6 months of my boots being forcibly rested and you’d have thought that the fresh air might have done some good – but instead my boots seem to have suffered from fester fast-track.

Well, good old internet – quick search for ‘smelly walking boots’ (which reminds me I do hope we never have to take out computer in somewhere to be mended as I am sure that they will have no end of fun looking at our search history!) showed that what I required was a spoonful of Bicarb.

Of course!

This is a magical, wondrous material. Do you have any idea what it can be used for – well besides removing nasty niffs from walking boots? Whitening marble, cleaning shower curtains, taking stains from socks, removing nasty taste from vacuum flask, to strengthen nails, to soften the skin of new potatoes, to ‘freshen’ the fridge……

Unfortunately I did not have any bicarb but I did have a bathbomb which is 80% bicarb so I dissolved that and popped the lovely lavender liquid into my boots. The lavender would only enhance the new found freshness I thought. I forgot about the lavender flowers however and think I will be spending the next few weeks removing bits of lavender from between my toes. hey ho.

Response to 'Trip to the UK'

2007-02-11T09:59:00.000+01:00

Well, having written about my flight with Clickair - I was surprised and extremely impressed to receive a comment from the md. I have posted it below.

Dear Kate, my name is Alex and I am the MD of clickair in Barcelona - I am sorry about the delay and the change of plane; after our maintenaince provider informed us of a repair required, we decided not to cancel the flight and rather, find a replacement aircraft as soon as possible. Ultimately, all booked passengers travelled.

Drop me a line anytime if you have any comments - we hope to be able to see you on board soon.

Sincerely,

Alex Cruz
MD, clickair

Trip to UK

2007-02-10T09:36:00.000+01:00

I have just returned from a trip to the UK. I booked the flight through the Iberia website and was surprised to find that the flight was not an Iberia flight but operated through Clickair - a budget airline which Iberia have a 20% stake in. The flight was a good price €160 all in, so I wasn't too worried.

Until the flight was delayed.

There was apparently an indefinite delay at Seville. After 4.5 hours, at 6 o'clock, they told us the flight would not go till 10.00 so a lot of people left the airport for something to eat. About 5 minutes later they said the flight was going NOW, and we were rushed through. Well, those that were left.

Rushed not onto the plane, but onto a bus and then driven around Seville Airport for 20 minutes! People who appeared to know about these things said it is common practice with delayed flights to do this. Compensation is payable after 5 hours and this is timed not to the time of take-off but the time you are checked through the final check at the gate. Therefore although we didn't take off until over 5 hours over the scheduled time, our trip round the airport meant that we didn't qualify for compensation. Hmmmm. I don't know about this - but it did seem strange to be going quite so many times round the Seville airport perimeter!

I also wonder about the message we were given about flight not going till 10, as surely the plane must have been at the airport when this was given. Was it happy co-incidence that the plane that they replaced the broken plane with was much smaller than the original and that there were many less people to go on it as many people had left the airport?

Obviously this meant that I missed the last coach to Bournemouth, however luckily have some friends who have just moved near Heathrow so I was able to give them a call. Needless to say I had not paid any attention to where I was - not even knowing which terminal I had come in at so they told me to stay where I was and they would find me. I was by the arrivals section and I noticed that a man with exactly the same suitcase as me kept sidling up to me and looking at me in a meaningful way. I kept thinking that he was going to tell me that red-fox was running or something equally spy-like. I ignored him, thinking that if he was a spy he was pretty rubbish - and how unlucky that they picked on a case like mine for the 'drop'. All of a sudden another man with the same case poked his head out of the Arrivals hall and started bellowing at the first man. At this stage I any thoughts of them being spys went out the window - I am sure even the most inept spy would not shout across heathrow for the man to come and change the b****dy case.

What had happened I guess, was man 1 had taken the wrong case and was told to come back and change it. He thought he was supposed to swap with me and I ignored him. Man 2 was patiently waiting for his case to be returned and finally cracked with impatience and decided to make his presence known in no uncertain terms.

Anyway - sucker for punishment that I am I have booked another flight with clickair for later this month. I wonder how eventful that flight will be!

Snow!

2007-01-28T10:08:00.001+01:00

neckwarmersnow.jpg
Originally uploaded by Marchena.

I've been working on a design for a neckwarmer and although it's not finished - when it started to snow here I asked poor Ian to stand out in the snow (no, it's not him in the picture) to take this pic. I thought it was probably a better picture to show the neckwarmer than in bright sunshine!

The snow has now gone, but still awaiting the return of the sunshine!

I've never been able to touch my toes.

2007-01-19T12:30:00.000+01:00

A fact which I have managed to live with for probably half of my life and one which I feel I will quite happily live with for the rest.

However I appear to be alone in this, as the latest quest of the physio department is to return me to a state of bendiness previously unattainable. Until I am able to fold myself double I believe I will remain in the vice like clutches of the physio department.

I am also being taught to walk with a deportment which would please even the most finicky of finishing schools. Happily to help me with my walking they mimic how I walk currently - my broken ankle appears to have turned me into Quasimodo.

Quite frankly I'd be happy to have a small limp - but no. When they have finished with me I will be able to balance the most precious of faberge eggs on my head whilst lurking around the belltower.

Lady Luck boycotts Carefour

2007-01-13T15:17:00.000+01:00

Even by our supreme unlucky standards, we've had an excessive run of bad luck at Carrefour. Indeed I believe it would be safe to say that every visit has been doomed in some way or another.

Here is our list of doom and gloom.

Toaster worked twice then gave up the ghost.
Coffee grinder which works intermittently.
Paella pan worked for 3 weeks.
T Shirt in sealed pack different size to that stated.
Gas heater - oh yes, 90€'s worth - kaput after one gas bottle

and to top it all - Samsung speakers bought this week sealed was found to be an empty box when we got it home!!!!!!!!!

This isn't necessarily any worse than anywhere else - (as I have alluded to at best we get grimaced at by Lady Luck) and indeed we became on first name terms with the manager of B&Q Penrith after a run of problematic purchases and most family and friends coming to visit us would break their trip at the store to pick up missing pieces; it is still frustrating. We've not yet tried customer service - however it is getting beyond a joke now (let's hope our customer service experience also has no resemblance to a joke).

Annoyingly we were in Seville last week and I made a joke about getting the speakers in Zafra Carrefour so it was 'closer when they went wrong'.

I hate being right.

New Year and Macs

2007-01-04T10:35:00.000+01:00

We didn't go out on New Years Eve - Basil is scared of fireworks and 11 stone of quaking Pyranean Mountain dog is not a pretty site. For Ian and Basil think Scooby Doo and Shaggy.

Ian has been like a bear on a hot tin roof this last week (and I have mixed my metaphors wisely). He has bought a new mac -computer not raincoat, and it was due for delivery some time after the 28th. This means that everytime someone walked past the door both Ian and Basil raced to throw themselves at the gate. Unfortunately this spectacle also added extra spice to knockout ginger, the popular village game of ringing our doorbell and running away, and meant that the bell rung more than usual. One time our young knock-out ginger friends did not run away and wanted to see Basil - they also offered us 50 euros to have a party in our back yard, an offer which we declined. I am glad that the mac has arrived, the old pc takes quite a long time to start up which meant that, in the same manner as Reggie Perrin's daily reporting of his trains 11 minute delay, I have enjoyed Ian sharing with me the daily start up times of the pc, which is tedious for both of us - but for different reasons.

Anyway new mac has now arrived and disappointingly it looks like the old one. No flashing lights or anything, but it has a super-dooper spec and will be beneficial for Ians design work. I have his old one so we are a mac household. Unfortunately the keyboard didn't arrive with it - so a quick trip to Carrefour was required before the new mean machine became usable.

New Year - new projects: Bellaonline Crochet more information than you ever wanted to know about crochet and not forgetting 10,000 Great Ideas.

Feliz Navidad

2006-12-24T08:35:00.000+01:00

Well Christmas is nearly upon us and the fridge is full of Dia 3 for 2 cava. Excellent!

One challenge that we are facing is how to cook our traditional Xmas day lunch of Lentil Wellington and all the trimmings. We only have two gas rings and a paella pan. Ian has cooked a roast before successfully however not a Lentil Wellington. What a festive challenge!

We were looking forward to having our Xmas lunch outside however the weather yesterday was horrible - cold and cloudy. So far today there is frost outside but perhaps I can see the start of a blue sky which will hopefully mean that sun is on it's way.

Ankle update - I'm now on one crutch which is a big step forward (boom boom), although still having problems with my fingers, but as ankle is improving I should put less weight on hands so perhaps it will ease up a bit.

Anyway - Feliz Navidad!

I am saving the world

2006-12-22T18:29:00.000+01:00

We have just launched our new website www.10000greatideas.com. On here we are collecting and sharing 10,000 Great Ideas and these will be catorgorised into different sections. Some ideas are proving quite difficult to categorise and one that was a particular challenge was my idea for making a decorations out of rubbish. I put it under saving the world!

So how, I hear you ask, does making an angel out of a yogurt tub help save the world? Good question!

One area where there are lots of good ideas which people want to share, is recycling and green issues in general. We are increasingly aware of the importance of looking for different ways of reusing or recycling items - providing the double benefit of saving money and reducing waste.

So in case you were wondering why I have been subjecting Ian to daily yogurt drinks and the house is full of rubbish angels (angels made of rubbish that is) - I am saving the world.

Olympic Gold Medal

2006-12-12T10:12:00.000+01:00

Should charades ever become an Olympic event then the British Olympic Committee need look no further than the British abroad. Well let’s put a caveat on that – I obviously don’t mean those at either end of the language spectrum; those with good language skills – or those monolinguists without the slightest inclination to speak another language or indeed make any form of recognition that they are in a foreign country.

My Olympic charades team would be formed of people like me – lot’s of enthusiasm, limited volcab and a great deal of arm waving.

Today I had to mime ‘being still’ and this was jolly difficult. I am still attending physio (I can put limited weight on ankle now) and I wanted to raise the problem I am currently having with my fingers – my four fingers on both hands now are ‘locking’ in the morning and my left hand fingers lock during the day after periods of staying still. Unfortunately I had left my dictionary at home, so therefore to mime ‘being still’ I needed to mime activity first. It therefore appeared that my fingers locked after frantic activity which alternated between some form of break dancing and a nasty fit. After rather startling the doctor and several nursing staff someone eventually put me out of my misery – inmóvil… of course.

So, whilst I note that the moral of the story is to continue with the Spanish lessons and never go anywhere without my dictionary, in the meantime I will await my call up to the Olympic charade team.

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition

2006-11-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

Llerena was an important town during the Spanish Inquisition and in 1485, one of the 8 tribunals was set up here. Many dissenters, non believers and people suspected of witchcraft would be bought here for trial and often this would entail torcher in the chambers under the court.

I wonder why, as whilst having my leg and toes being bent in unusual directions during physio in a room in the basement of Llerena hospital, this interesting part of local history sprung to mind.

For more information about the Spanish Inquisition I urge you to revisit Monty Python (NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.), or failing that wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spanish_Inquisition_(Monty_Python)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition

Leg Pulling

2006-11-21T11:49:00.000+01:00

I am having daily physio, starting at 8 in the morning. This is consisting of excercise, massage and what appears to be leg pulling. The excercise is fine, the massage isn't quite the relaxing peaceful massage that I would hope for, and indeed yesterday when looking for the muscles in the back of my leg it was a tad painful. The leg pulling is because my right leg appears to have shrunk slightly, and there is quite a lot of emphasis in straightening the foot out as it curls slightly over to the right. None of this is anything to worry about, but allows for plenty of literal leg pulling.

I have crumbled and have bought a gas fire for my workshop. I was hoping to wait until the new year, however as I am not particulary mobile I do feel the cold at the moment. Although it is warm outside during the day, my workshop is distinctly chilly and I have been huddled under a blanket which hampers my work slightly. During the summer we welcomed the small windows as it kept things cool - however now we are thinking again about large picture windows which would allow the sun to take the chill off the rooms. Of course had we done this last year then we would have turned the house into an oven, well actually more like a kiln. The key would be to have large windows which can be narrowed using blinds or something during the summer.

I washed one of my last fleeces and needless to say this was the signal for the weather to turn - not cold but overcast. However not the hot and windy weather that had it dry in no time. So wet-sheepy smell again in the workshop.

Rehab

2006-11-16T10:53:00.000+01:00

Today I had my first Physio or Rehab session at the hospital. I had a phone call yesterday which was a tad confusing as I was expecting one about an x-ray – however we finally established that it was for rehabilitation and at 8 o clock this morning I reported to the rehab centre. I was prodded, probed, poked around and yet did not feel any pain, at the worst it was a little uncomfortable. They kept telling me to relax which was very difficult as I wasn’t sure if it would hurt when they were bending my ankle. I didn’t like it when they prodded around the pins and plates, I was aware of the sensation which made me feel a little funny.

After an hour and a half we left the hospital and Ian congratulated me on visiting the hospital without crying. He said that was a first. Quite frankly from time to time I do wonder about his sensitivity.

One thing I have really wanted to do is to watch the storks return. I am fascinated by these big ungainly birds who nest in huge bathtub like nests in the most impractical of positions. They disappeared when I was in hospital the first time and we’ve been wondering where they have gone and when they will come back. Do they return to their original nests, are they the same as swans and remain in couples, what do the young do or do the oldies not make it back from wherever they go and the young take the nests…. Ian said he saw a stork on top of the church, but only one and we’ve seen no more. So I wonder what this one did – did he leave a couple of days early to get the pick of the nests?

Needless to say not having any guests the weather has been glorious. It has been lovely during the day, although cold at night. I have taken advantage of the weather to clean and dye some fleece. It is good to get it to dry outside, wet-sheep smell is not a good one for in the house and the sun and wind soon gets it dry. However that has now changed and it rained in buckets overnight. I woke up thinking that someone had left the shower on in the bedroom which would have been quite remarkable seeing we don’t have a shower in the bedroom – anyway, it was the sound of the rain outside. There are rivers again where before there were ditches.

Cat-stration and mushrooms.

2006-11-10T11:38:00.000+01:00

Our most recent medical foray was to the vet to get one of the cats neutered. This teeny-tiny insignificant operation was carried out whilst we waited – indeed Ian held the cat whilst the vet concentrated on the other end, although Ian did go a bit pale at the point when two little things the size of peas were lined up on the table. I am pleased to report that cat and Ian are recovering from their ordeal.

Autumn is well and truly here and this seems to have manifested itself by the countryside going green, flies descending and fungus. The rain has drenched the ground and things are growing green again. It is really quite noticeable and very different to the parched fields of the summer. It is all looking lovely outside but the flies are a nuisance. Apparently it is fly time of year. Ian is on a one-man mission and with his fly swat is busy trying to reduce the fly population. I find it a little unsettling when the said flies are apparently hovering over my head as Ian approaches me with his swat – however so far he has resisted temptation. Hopefully they will start to disappear when it gets colder. Wild mushrooms are growing in the fields and we’ve been told what to look for in the edible ones compared with the poisonous ones. I think that the fact that I cannot get out into the campo at the moment is probably a good thing. I am not sure that I would be completely confident in my ability not to get the wrong sort. Ian has sampled some wild mushrooms in the bar, as he staggered home later I was concerned that he had eaten a toad-stool or poisonous mushroom. However the strong whiff of beer following him allayed any fears.

We’ve had several visitors over the last few weeks and have been going out and about. I’m not very mobile so I have stayed in the car whilst people have visited some of the more inaccessible to crutch-bound people, so I am looking forward to seeing for myself some of the local sites of interest.

Not a lot to report on the ankle front – I have another xray due later this month when I will find out more. I had hoped to be getting back to normal by now and therefore could be wearing my normal shoes however my bad food is still swollen. As the weather is changing, sandals are not really appropriate. Luckily I found a ‘bargain’ at the bottom of a box which I had forgotten about. Before we moved I found a new pair of Dr Marten shoes in a charity shop – ok they were a size too big– but they were a bargain and I just had to have them. Needless to say they were much too big and I couldn’t wear them without them falling off (which resulted in a certain someone saying through pursed lips that annoying phrase about a bargain not being a bargain if it is left at the bottom of a box….grrrrr) - however they are perfect for now. On my bad foot they are big enough to allow for the swelling – and on my good foot a pair of thick socks and some padding means they do not slip. Perfect!

Rain, Marble Floors and Crutches

2006-10-29T10:50:00.001+01:00

Over the last few days it has rained. And rained. And rained.

And when it really rained it wasn't just a case of little half hearted squawls of wind and rain - but full-on bath-emptied-over-the-head rain. The rain turned the roads into white water rivers, it seeked out the smallest hole in roof, doors and walls to sneak in and form small lakes, the storm drains which normally contain a few dead leaves and the tide mark of old puddles became gushing gullies... I can't say that we felt 'at home' as in Northumbria we hadn't experienced rain quite like this and it certainly would have been cold.

The combination of the wet and hard marble floors is not good for me with my crutches. Given my propensity to fall over anyway (hence this whole sorry saga) I am naturally cautious - however it doesn't take a lot for the marble floors of buildings to feel like an ice rink. Particulary when hoping up or down a step as I can feel the crutches slipping slightly. Having a group of people behind me shouting encouragement does not help - as I experienced trying to hop up the step out of a bar. It is hard enough anyway hoping up wet marble steps anyway without having to worry about minimising bottom-wobble.

I had an idea for how to overcome crutch-slip in the rain. And this is for wet-weather suction ends (similar concept to wet weather tyres fitted in F1) which can be fitted and will allow the crutches to be fixed in place when it is raining and the crutches would attach to the floor like a limpet to a boats bottom. Also very handy for 'parking' crutches upright and saves that clatter and crash as they again fall over knocking the contents of the table off with them. Of course there is one slight flaw with my otherwise brilliant idea and that is that the suction ends would slow movement down somewhat as they would fasten spontaineously and thus making the crutches stay still as I would be propelled forward in a similar manner to a pole vaulter - but without the grace or style. Hmmm, idea probably needs more work...

Reporting in

2006-10-22T07:42:00.000+02:00

Well, the Gripe or flu turned out to be something different and I spent another two weeks in Llerena hospital and then some time recouperating. This wasn't directly ankle related - well I suppose it was, but not with any long lasting affect.

Ankle-wise it is now naked, having had the plaster taken off when I was in hospital. As I was just laid down anyway the consultant thought I might as well have the plaster off so that I could flex my ankle and also to give the incisions some fresh air to aid healing. Having had a fever for quite a period, my plaster was insulating my ankle nicely and turning it into an oven. Fresh air was quite a novelty and it was quite shocking to see my ankle in all its glory for the first time. For about 24 hours it was quite mishapen and looked sorry for itself. However it soon came back into shape and with a bit of scraping off of dead skin (Ian impressed all the nurses by helping me wash my foot for the first time) it soon looked presentable. The incisions have been healing really well and the large one on the right is now partially invisible and the one on the left which is slightly swollen is coming along nicely. I have noticed that my right leg has started not to have the muscle definition of the left (ha - and that is saying something) and that when I am sat down the left leg looks normal whereas the right looks like blacmange. Heyho.

I had the ankle x-rayed when I was in hospital and the left bone is healing, however the right one is not. This means another few weeks without putting weight on it and therefore more time on crutches. I am glad of the wheelchair. Unfortunaltey it also means a few more weeks of anti-coagulant injections. Boo.

The weather has now turned from the scortching hot days of summer into a wet and windy autumn. Although I suppose in fairness it has only really rained this week - but boy, has it rained. Autumn is not quite the season of mellow fruitfullness that we are used to. The only fruitfull things we have are two ugly fruit which we've been nuturing. Luckily as it turned out, these were not melons as Ian kindly treated me to 9 melons from the nice man who came knocking at the door. Worryingly Ian has also found a recipe for melon curry (on the Waitrose.com website if you are interested). Hopefully we will have eaten them all before he feels the need to try this recipe - however he is always one for a challenge!

Tibs and Fibs are growing up, and are now little cats. It seems a long time ago since I took the picture of them climbing up my plaster.

Gripe

2006-09-23T13:28:00.000+02:00

I have been suffering from the flu – the Spanish word for which is Gripe, how appropriate! I’ve spent the last 10 or so days in bed which is why we’ve been blog-silent.

Last Wednesday I went back to the hospital as arranged for an x-ray and to see the consultant. I was very disappointed when the consultant said that I was to spend another 2 months in plaster, and that it will be November at the earliest before I can start putting weight on my foot.

Later that day I fell on my foot quite badly. It was my own stupid fault, I used my crutches to go down the steps from my workshop and missed the last one and fell. It was the same time that my temperature started and I was worried that this might have been as a result of my fall. However it was just co-incidence and the start of flu.

There’s not a lot else to report – however I am sure that when I am back truly in the land of the living I will be full of interesting tales to recount…

...we both visit the surgery

2006-09-12T11:00:00.000+02:00

Yesterday we had a two hour wait at the surgery. However this time it wasn’t for me, it was for the person we shall just refer to as Divot Head, who not believing when I said he needed two hands to push wheelchair – needed to prove it to himself by tipping the chair and falling under it. I had little more than my pride (the little that is left) bumped as I led there legs in air looking at the sky. Divot meantime managed to give himself little-boy knee grazes and a nasty chop in one of his fingers. As I laid there looking at the sky a number of things went through my mind. ‘Poor Ian’ was not one of them.

So it was with slight satisfaction that Ian had to drop his pants in front of the nice nurse and she rammed his backside with a needle. I also felt a tad smug at his whimpering, and indeed his scream as she came at him with a needle – and he had not even been jabbed at this point. He now looks slightly ridiculous with a bandage round the top third of his finger. I think the frosty silence – and the fact that he was threatened with loosing some of his vital and not so vital appendages should he ever come close to me when I’m in the wheelchair again might have made my feelings perfectly clear.

I felt a little embarrassed as we went to the surgery yesterday – not just because of the above, but also because my bandage was such a state; kittens and general wear and tear over what had become a week between changes had taken it’s toll. The nurse always sends me out looking neat and tidy with the top of the bandage neatly folded, and I return with some unravelling mass looking like something that has been found in an Egyptian tomb. The end of the plaster is decomposing a little too - but I'm not too worried as I am at the hospital tomorrow.

The nurse normally gives my foot a little wipe too, however because it was a week since my last visit it had gone rather crusty. A bit like what is left in the bottom of a Greggs Cheese and Onion Pasty bag after the pasty has crumbled whilst eating. Uuuuuuuugh. Embarrassingly large flakes of skin fell off in a heap. Poor nurse. I think that it was more apparent as the swelling has gone down quite dramatically and this made the flaking worse.

I am getting quite good at hopping down the stairs from the workshop. Going up is crawling, but going down is getting easier. The trick I found is have my bad leg forward rather than back and to hop on the count of three – not let momentum step in. To start of with I had my bad leg behind me which didn’t give me my balance easily after each hop.

I was a little surprised at the thunder and lightening we had again on Saturday, I think as a weather forecasting tool seaweed is probably more effective than my ankle. It cleared the air and it is not has hot as it has been.

Tibs and Fibs are settling in well, they spend quite a lot of time playing and the rest sleeping. Last night they were sat on the back of the chair and both hitting Ian on his head. And they say you can’t train them……

Holiday

2006-09-09T16:38:00.000+02:00

Well, the visit to the healthcentre was a failure yesterday as the healthcentre was shut, although I did enjoy my foray round the village in the wheelchair again. I am not sure quite how this happened – however I thought I had an appointment to get my dressing changed, but it transpired that Friday was a holiday so everything was shut. Bit of a shame as having allowed kittens to play with the bandage (it is great for them to climb up like a climbing post) I am looking a bit tatty. Course, I don’t think that I’ll be welcoming little kitties to climb my leg when they get bigger, and I should be more disciplined now - but they are just little bundles of fluff now and so cute…. So I'll have to go on Monday and get it changed, and then that will definately be it until hospital on Wednesday.

A had a bath last night and it was delightful (it is the bath aspect and not the washing that is newsworthy here you understand). You are either a bath or a shower person and I am definitely a bath person. Try as I might, I cannot get the same pleasure from relaxing with a glass of wine and good book in a shower. And there is nothing relaxing about a shower hanging over the edge of the bath, trying to balance and wash without falling in or out of the bath. So last night I taped my leg up and had a proper bath – just like the old days, but with one leg wedged up by the taps so it didn’t get wet. Apart from the fact I had to be winched out by Ian it was great. I’d only tried a bath once before, and that was early on and I think I was still finding my feet – as it were. I am now a lot more graceful with the hopping and balancing which is why I found it easier. A bit late on – but one thought that I did have was to get a 2 in 1 shampoo to save messing around with rinsing my hair twice.

Tibia and Fibia

2006-09-07T09:23:00.000+02:00

Our new additions to the household, Fibia is at the front trying to unravel my bandage.

Yesterday I woke up, felt a twinge in the ankle and knew it was going to thunder. It did - but not until 12 hours later, wonder if that means I am going to have a weather-forecasting ankle now.

I got a prescription from the doctor for calcium supplements, they are huge - so I checked the packet to make sure they weren't horse tablets or something. They are chewable ones - lucky I checked it out as I could foresee a horrible tablet-stuck-in-throat accident otherwise.

My ankle is still quite swollen I am making sure I keep my leg up when ever possible. One more trip to the healthcentre on Friday and that will be it I guess until the hospital next week for an x-ray.

Wheelchair!

2006-09-03T19:47:00.000+02:00

On Thursday night, a couple that we know came round to check that all was ok as they had not seen us for a while which was nice. The conversation then developed along the lines of Belgium or Belgians, a wedding, cats and wheelchairs. I have not idea where the Belgians (or Belgium) came into it – or indeed the wedding, but the cats might have referred to the bar Gato, where we had a poster asking for wheelchairs. Anyway – it was all a little confusing and Ian wondered if we may have said yes to a Belgium cat – or any variation of cat/wedding/Belgians ,but the next morning the doorbell went and there they were with a wheelchair – Hoorah!

Within the first 20 seconds I drew the first blood – mine unfortunately as I wheeled myself into broom handle. Not too bad – but enough for me to spend the day looking as if I had dribbled tomato ketchup – not the sophisticated look I was aiming for. I then managed to wedge myself into a corner and unable to reverse out and needed rescuing. As I was randomly bumping off walls and doors, Ian told me I looked like I was playing solo “coches locos” (bumper cars) and that it might be easier to ‘drive’ if I imagined I was a tractor reversing a trailer. Excellent advice - shame I've never driven a tractor with or without a trailer....

We then took our first trip out into the village with the wheelchair. Because it is such a hassle to get the car out for such short journey’s I’ve not been out much – however it was great to be able to get to the health centre without messing around with the car. Ian pushed part of the way and I self –propelled the rest. However we did stop for a small ‘debate’ as to whether he thought pushing me with one hand over cobbles at what appeared to be 50 miles an hour, seemingly out of control, was a responsible way to push ones already slightly damaged wife, and he, in turn, wondered whether my screaming ‘watch the car/house/curb’ was completely justified (which it was).

Yesterday we took the chair out again and went to one of the bars. The ‘quick drink’ developed and we spent a pleasant afternoon – there was quite a group of us around a table and people stood around the table. I hopped off to use the loo (we took the crutches as well as the chair) and my almost-worse nightmare was realised. I didn’t pull anything off the wall, but I wobbled as I hopped around, grabbed the flush chain, it came away in my hand and I could not reach up to put it back. So I hopped back to the table with the chain discretely in hand to give to Ian to sort out, who was unfortunately choosing this moment to be particularly dim and thought I was giving him a present. Quite why I would give him something resembling a toilet chain as a present, I have no idea, but whilst Ian was waving it around wondering why I had given it to him, he gave everyone the opportunity to see what I had done – and as he went off to fix it, the bar erupted into more laughter. So much for trying to be discrete.

However – all in all the wheelchair is a Great Success!

A morning out and about

2006-08-30T23:26:00.000+02:00

Yesterday we went to get our NIE numbers, this entailed a visit to a police station with a department of foreigners. The nearest one is about 40kms away so it was handy I didn’t have to go to the health centre, as I have to do this late morning and it would have been uncertain if we would get there with enough time to get things sorted.

So we had an ‘early’ start (which is later than it was as I seem to spend a lot of time not being able to find things). I’d like to say this was ankle related – but it’s not. Strangely in the two minutes before shutting the front door my mind goes to jelly – I can’t find shoes, keys, bags…. and find myself assuring Ian that I am ready whilst patently being in a complete state of chaos.

It was a pleasant drive and we headed north through the red soiled fields which alternated olives and grapes. Everything is very golden now – but the soil is a rich red. The grapes were being picked and a couple of times we got stuck behind a tractor with a trailer oozing freshly picked grapes.

Needless to say when we got to the town we got lost, and took a couple of turns around before we found the police station. It was tucked in a small plaza in the shade of trees nestled under the large central church. Ian dropped me off outside and I lurked around waiting for him to park and he went to find where we should be going.

Up a flight of steep marble stairs and no lift!

I ignored Ian’s offer of a firemans lift up the stairs – gave up any thoughts of applying for my card in person – although I could wave if someone cared to stick their head out the window, and I headed over to a bench under the trees outside whilst ian had to run around doing the things we had forgotten – ie copies of passports, pens etc.

Under most trees in the villages towards midday, groups of elderly men will gather to pass the time of day and putting the world to rights – or simply watching the world go by. True to form after a few minutes I had new friends and in between the contented silences, they would exchange the odd word. Eventually they drew me into the conversation and told me that when I was off the crutches I must get a stick like ‘this’ and a rather splendid wooden stick was waved at me. But, I must understand that I will not get one so good as it was handmade by the best stick maker of this town. One by one they wandered off – to another tree or perhaps to a bar and Ian reappeared and we filled in our forms and he disappeared again.

I was looking forward to another few moments contemplation – enjoying the dappled sun in the shade of the imposing church - a rare treat of doing nothing legitimately, however this time I was jolted awake by a lot of arm waving and gesticulation which was getting louder and more passionate. I know through experience that arguments sound a lot worse in another language – and the content of this was probably ‘you forgot to pack the sandwiches…?’ However ‘time to hop on’ I thought and I hopped round the corner to wait for Ian. The whole thing took less than an hour, and if we had with us everything we needed to it would have taken a lot less.

When we got home my foot was aching. Not through any form of activity, but because I think it was feeling the vibrations of the car, also I guess because it was a long time without my foot up?

4 Weeks on...

2006-08-28T19:30:00.000+02:00

4 weeks today since I broke my ankle. Amazing! To think that I went to bed that night fully expecting to get up as normal the next day and one fall and four weeks later here I am still trying to get used to life on one leg. Had I known what to expect I would have made more plans – not least making sure I had adequate suppliers – poor Ian is going to have to stock up on toiletries and other bits and pieces soon.

Of course now I am looking at things with the benefit of hindsight, and there are a few things I could have done (well actually asked Ian to do) which would have helped. One thing would be to sort out somewhere low to keep clothes. I hate to having to ask Ian to help and I really don’t want to feel that I am taking advantage or being an imposition. So when he kindly takes my washing off the washing line and putting it on the bed, I can only move it to on top of the basket box, where if I don’t keep the room cat free, it falls onto the floor and becomes a cat nest. If I was planning for this I would have cleared a couple of drawers in a chest of drawers at sitting height and ensuring that there is a chair in front. As I have found that I am spending most of my time in t-shirts and shorts because of the heat, I am not having to worry about finding clothes that are cast friendly. Hopefully by the time the weather changes my ankle whilst still perhaps in a cast will be a lot less sensitive to being jolted as I hop around putting clothes on.

I'm getting quite good now at communicating what happened with my leg, and most people now know anyway. People always take the time out to ask me how I am, or if Ian is out on his own they ask after me - the warmth and kindness has been wonderful. I am even able to crack a joke in Spanish which is that I am good for a person hopping on one leg. Ok - it's a bit of a pathetic joke, but a few months ago I could get as far as asking for a beer and that entailed a certain amount of headscratching! My lack of Spanish was how I got into my last foot related scrape which was when I ended up taking part in a 24 km walk by mistake (I heard 2 km), and my toe nails fell off in shock.

I had my dressing changed today and there was some bleeding on the left hand side, but not much really. I don't have to go back until Friday to get it changed which is great. Whilst it can be quite quick if we get there at the right time, today we timed it perfectly wrong and had to wait for quite a while before we saw the nurse. This also means we can get to the Police Station to register for our NIE numbers.

PS: This pic was taken outside the healthcentre - a man taking his lamb and dog for a walk.

Love is.....

2006-08-27T18:59:00.000+02:00

Washing the toes on your beloveds plastercast foot. Ian today – with only minimal amount of pleading on my behalf helped me wash the toes of my cast foot. After he fell over in a dead faint, he assured me that the region of my cast was reasonably whiff free. However, it is amazing how long he can hold his breath for.

I tried a new shower technique today. Up until now I have sat on the side of the bath and lent backwards to shower and wash my hair – it has been reasonably successful, but a bit perilous. I have also tried a bath – but this was quite labour intensive and not quite the luxurious bathtime experience that I would normally enjoy. Today’s experiment was trying to shower in two halves, left first and then right. However this unfortunately ended in me ‘setting’ into position in the bath and requiring rescuing.

I have backache today, I think it is partly to do with sitting with my leg up as it means I sort of ‘slump’ in the chair. I need more propping up with pillows, but this is all difficult to achieve – hopping on crutches with a couple of pillows is not easy! I do wish I could find more information about exercises etc, I do feel there is more that I could be doing to help myself. I am also conscious that lack of exercise is also likely to result in putting on weight. I’d prefer not to give myself even more weight to drag around on the crutches – it’s hard enough as it is!

We might go out tonight for a quick drink - I've said before about the problems of getting out, but that has really been about my lack of ability to get very far under my own steam. Another quite big issue about going out for an evening for me is getting on and off the toilet in a bar (sorry to be so basic) where they are unlikely to have a strategically placed chair in front to help with getting up and down, and I have a fear of getting stuck or falling over - or even worse pulling the sink off the wall which I use as leverage - a move unlikley to endear me to the bar owners! Most of the bars entail quite a big hop either in or out, and I worry about getting my aim wrong and making the wrong sort of entrance - so all in all it is easier to stay at home. I've never really thought about disabled access before - or at least I have, but not from a users perspective. I would definately be better placed in the uk with the access requirements meaning that buildings are accessable to all, in Spain it is a requirement in new public buildings, but not I believe in existing ones. As I had to navigate the two steep marble steps into the orthepedic shop I did muse as to when similar require would filter their way through to the remote rural areas like Extremadura. Hence the possibility, at the moment, of finding a bar with disabled access locally is almost zero.

Last of the staples

2006-08-26T22:28:00.000+02:00

Hooray, all the staples are out. I am not sure how many I had, a few have come out every day with the last ones on Friday. Friday night my foot was very painful – I went to bed at 10 and kept my foot propped up on a few pillows. I slept fitfully. When I came home from hospital I didn't sleep well at all - I was terrified of getting out of bed and forgetting about my leg and doing more damage - or worse having pins and needles in my other leg and breaking that one too. I tried many different things - including having the crutches so close to the bed that they were the first thing I saw when I awoke - however this just meant that they kept falling onto my head. Constantly being banged on the head by falling crutches was hardly condusive to getting a good night sleep. Slowly however proper sleep came back - very much so, and i'd been getting a clear 8 or 9 hours a night which must be doing me good.

The pain is from the surgery wounds not from the bone. Hopping on the crutches causes a jolt which was very painful. I developed a strange bouncy hop which cushioned some of the jolt – but I was glad this morning when the pain reduced. However is still quite painful. Hope it is not bleeding. I don't think the heat is helping as it makes everything a little sticky and unpleasent.

I have stopped crying at the healthcentre - which is good. I think that I kept welling up as I found the wounds quite shocking. Although I had seen them and of course knew that they were there, I'd not really 'looked' at them if you know what I mean, and therefore being confronted with them seemed to bring it all home.

I’ve been looking at other forms of cast – for instance the Aircast walker. I like the idea of the variable support – and the fact that the cast can be removed enabling exercise (and washing - how nice!), however at over £140, I would need to be assured that this would be money well spent. see here It seems to be a high tech plastic cast, which I guess would be ideal at the moment when the dressing is being changed daily. However probably best to stick with what I have been given.

A wheelchair would be nice....

2006-08-22T00:41:00.000+02:00

We've put posters up around the village asking for a wheelchair. The crutches are hardwork and it means that I really can't do very much. It also means I am pretty pathetic around the house, I cannot even carry a drink outside and simple tasks seem to turn into a bit of a palaver. I have tried carrying a shoulder bag with me and filling a water bottle up, and putting things I want in the bag, but I am inclined to drop my crutches at the sink, or drop the bag etc, which mean that I am more annoying than normal.

A wheelchair would mean I could help with housework too :( . We have been to the shop by the hospital who have some but they are all over 350 euros, which is out of our reach at the moment - and there is nothing on Ebay.es. Ebay.co.uk have a few but postage to Spain put them again out of our reach. You'd have thought someone somewhere might have one tucked away which they would lend me. One nasty thought - the poster was written by us in our own special form of Spanish (ie bad) - I hope that I haven't mistakenly asked for a wheeled prawn or something which equally random which might explain why we have not had any response.

People say the crutches will get easier - I hope so. At the moment I am pretty much house bound, whilst we can get out in the car, I am pretty limited at what else we can do - I can get from car to bar (hooray), but don't like to stay too long or have more than the odd drink as I worry about falling over again. I am ruing the cobbled roads - this also makes going out on crutches a tad haphazard. It also means that I am totally dependent on Ian to take me anywhere - even to get a loaf of bread.

I've been listening to Moonstone on bbc radio 7. It has been excellent - other than the fact I got confused with Moonfleet and spent the first two episodes wondering where the smugglers were. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/index.shtml?logo

Some staples come out and I didn't cry

2006-08-21T19:21:00.000+02:00

Today was the locum again at the healthcentre and we got prescriptions for new pain killers and anti-coagulants. She took a good look at the wounds and prodded a bit - but it was no where near as painful as before. I am not sure what the prodding is for - probably to see how the would is healing. My concerns over how they actually took the staples out were unfounded, and the actual removal of the staples was painless. I think I was remembering taking staples out of furniture when upholstering, which entails prising with screwdrivers and quite a lot of force. I guess if I thought about it I would realise that as hundreds of thousands of people have wounds held to gether all the time with staples it was hardly likely to be a painful and traumatic (and that is just for the nurse!) process to remove them. The staples have been a bit sore against the edge of the cast, so I think that some of this irritation will stop when the staples are all out.

I welled up a bit, but didn't blub. I think everyone was pleased about this!

How big?

2006-08-18T19:32:00.000+02:00

I haven't really looked at the wounds, I can see that my foot is still puffed, however I can live quite happily without seeing the staples in the wounds either side of my ankle. I know they are there and that was all I needed for a while.

However I thought I'd have a good look today and I must admit to being a little surprised. The wound on the left side of my ankle is about 4 inches long and the one on the right about 6 inches? That explains why I have had pain further up my leg on the right hand side. Shame as my ankles were one of my better features...

I have had a quick look on the internet for recovery hints and tips. I was encouraged to note it may be several months before I am able to play sport again at a professional level. Quite frankly as one of lifes least sporty people I would regard that as a miracle!

I note I need to be wiggling my toes which I do, and I have been trying to do some regular leg-waving excercises so my right leg doesn't get to weak - however already I can feel a difference in my legs - with another few weeks before I can put weight on my leg I wonder how weak my right leg will end up. I think I ought to find a physio.

Healthcentres

2006-08-15T20:54:00.000+02:00

Ian has been injecting me with the anti-coagulants - you can imagine the scanario although he does have an advantage as I can't run away. As he was away on Monday I was going to go to the health centre. I must admit that I had a rather strange idea of how far I would be able to go on crutches, thinking I'd be hopping round the village in no time. The baker is about as far as I can get - which is only a couple of doors down and this entails resting on the way back. It was impossible to get to the health centre when Ian was away so I gave Emma, who was kindly staying with me for a week to help me when Ian was away, with a note and asked her to see Tony and Montse in their bar and see if they could ask for a nurse (any nurse) to come round. Tony has a bad back and is also going to the nurse regulary so he was going to ask when he went to the health centre. However a nurse didn't turn up which left us all a bit high and dry.

Tuesday was a Spanish holiday and Tony came round to get me and we went to the emergency clinic in Llerena to be injected. Me with the anticoagulants and him with his painkiller. We must have looked a right pair and we got injected at the same time, so we were stood there me exposing my stomach which now looks like a pin cushion and him his back. We buy our drugs from the famacia and keep them here, so I was amused by us sat in the waiting room with our hyperdermics clutched tightly...

Ian was supposed to be working away for a few months - however we have decided given the difficulties of only a couple of days and that is with Emma staying that it would be too difficult for me on my own - so sadly (or perhaps not...?) the saga of the broken ankle is having longer reaching effects.

The normal village doctor is away and I had my first visit with the locum doctor, I had written out some questions however he refered me to the hospital, where we met another of our neighbours who sent me to the health centre.

The first day at the next town health centre was ok - but the second day was horrible. Ian thought I was going to hit the doctor with a crutch. The person I saw at the healthcentre read my 'enforma', was muttering and shaking his head about my ankle and then as if to double check started prodding it so roughly that I screamed and clutched a crutch. Apparently neither the two 4 inch scars, nor the fact that the fracture is classified as severe did not suggest the pain that I might be in! He was also prodding around the staples at which point I was going to either faint or leave, but he was actually seeing if they were ready to come out. I am hopefully going to have half out next week - but what half.... If it is the same man then I am definately leaving, I can imagine him coming towards me with a staple remover, or screw driver to prise them out.

I've run out of anti coagulants which we will have to get tomorrow. I have to take these for another few weeks. Ian is very gentle and quick, but my whole middle is feeling very sore. He keeps telling me that these are a lot smaller needles than he used to inject the goats. I did point out that goat skin is likely to be a bit tougher than me. Well hopefully.

The web and broken ankles

2006-08-12T21:27:00.000+02:00

One of the things I was looking forward to on my return from hospital was the wealth of information I was going to find on the internet to help me understand more about what had happened and how the recovery was going to develop. Afterall, if there are zillions of blogs about knitting there are bound to be one or two about people experience of broken ankles.....?

Wrong!

So far I have found information on the web sadly lacking - and I didn't think I'd ever find myself saying that. I suppose the good thing is that I am still in a position of naive bliss not knowing what is coming next - but on the other hand I'd quite like to prepare myself. I can exchange a few words with the nurse ie me: - 'bien...?' Nurse 'si'. However at times it would be good to go into a little more depth. Mind you the only stuff I have found on the web suggests that I might have to have the plates taken out when I get older. And go through all this again - oh joy! Perhaps I am better not to know.

How difficult are crutches?

2006-08-11T18:05:00.000+02:00

Bloomin’ difficult let me tell you! All that feeding up in hospital has also given me a few extra pounds to carry around with me – great.

The plans now I am home are for regular visits to the health centre here in the village. This means the indignity of rolling around in the back of the transit as I cannot get into the front cab. I am unceremoniously dumped outside the health centre, where I hop pathetically with the crutches into the waiting room, where people move out of the way for me – probably thinking I am about to collapse, which quite frankly after a few yards on the crutches is a feeling I often have!

We have to go and buy our injections, so Ian was sent off up to the chemist and the local nurse will inject me when I go there at mid day. I hate that injection. My stomach is like a pin cushion!

It was great coming home, all the dogs were excited - including Bob who was desperate to get into the bedroom. We let him in and in he bounded, quick sniff for his Baby, then out he dashed without even a glance in my direction. Hmmmm.

I’ve been researching diets – I am quite a believer in diet supporting health and hope that by increasing my calcium consumption I might hasten the mending of the bones. I nearly combined fainting with collapsing in hysteria when I read this on a website that came top of a Google search. It said that people suffering from broken bones should be 'bled'. Luckily before I suffered any long term mental damage and pathelogical fear of the medical profession I checked the website and I think that 'american revolution' probably explained all.....

Some background

2006-08-10T17:11:00.000+02:00

I would like to say that I broke my ankle doing something rather exciting or brave, but the sad fact is I just fell over.

On the night of 31st July, getting out of bed to turn the light out I had a severe case of pins and needles which meant that as I got out of bed to walk across the room, I had no feeling in my legs and immediately fell. I knew that I had ‘done something’, but I had no idea what. I thought perhaps a sprained ankle, I could move my toes so (thinking back to my girlguide training) assumed that nothing was broken. Ian was quick off the mark (once my shouts were heard over his trumpeting snores, and he eventually woke) and we managed to get me onto the bed, with ankle wrapped in frozen chickpeas. This was the beginning of many indignities.

For too many long and boring reasons to go into, Ian was due to be dropping a hire car off in Seville the next morning which meant leaving the house at 6.30. We weren’t unduly worried as we both believed that the ankle would be better in a couple of hours. However it wasn’t and whilst laying in a pool of melting chickpeas I was laying there wondering about the first problem – how was I going to get to the loo. A little while later this problem became a bit more urgent – so again I needed to wake up the slumbering nose-trumpeter next to me and we were wheeling me through the house on a armchair and then trying to lower me onto the loo without falling over or doing further damage. I think I realised then that this probably was not a sprain and that I was looking at something more significant.

Hence at 6.45 I was sat in the Urgencia section of Llerena Hospital awaiting to see a doctor and to try and communicate what had happened with a mix of mime and o’level Spanish. Luckily the swelling gave them a bit of a clue, and my shout of panic when they grabbed the ankle indicated the sort of pain I was in.

By 9.00 I had been x-rayed and was sat on a trolley waiting for further information. My key concern at this point was how I was going to get home when Ian was not going to be back from Seville until much later. So it was with surprise when a doctor came and told me I would have to stay in hospital for 24 hours. My lack of Spanish and his lack of English meant that my questions as to why I needed to stay in hospital needed some additional support – so another doctor was drafted in to tell me that I had broken both bones in my ankle, that the break was severe and I would have to have an operation to fit plates. This was a complete shock and I hoped that something had got lost in translation – however as they came for my clothes (thankgoodness I was wearing my birthday pants) and started measuring my heart, x-raying my chest and fitting drips that it fully hit me that I was not going to be home for a few days. It was also a surprise as the x-ray seemed to show 3 broken bones - surely that can't be right....?

In between the above I managed to make a call to Ian to tell him what was happening and he had to negotiate the spanish coach and bus system to get back from Seville and some and see what was happening.

Tuesday was a difficult day, I was very much in the system by then, and seeing surgeons and doctors, getting medication and trying to think positive thoughts. I was also getting used to hopping with the support of a Zimmerframe type contraption and trying to do my ablutions on one leg. I was also finding out about the joys of the Spanish hospital food – feed the patients up seemed to be the moto – and I was facing huge meals 4 times a day. I was even woken up to have the final meal of milk and biscuits in the evening!

Wednesday the nursing staff was trying to communicate the plans for the next day which was surgery day. The surgeon told me I had an unlucky ankle and that whilst the operation was difficult it was routine. The nursing staff kept coming into to brief me with different bits and pieces. I didn’t fully understand what was going on, so we rang one of our spanish speaking friends to speak to the doctor and to translate what was happening. It was quite simple and not as complex as we thought – it was simply a case of the fact I had to be ready first thing in the morning in case they were running ahead of time, and I had strict instructions of what I was supposed to be doing in the morning in term of washing etc.

I had a sleeping pill on the Wednesday so had a good night sleep and then on Thursday Ian came in at 8, we washed me down in some form of super antiseptic and then I had a special gown and I sat on the bed in a cool and calm manner. Well it is all true but the last bit – I got into a bit of a panic and a kindly nurse gave me some form of tranquiliser to calm me down. This worked and the rest of the day desolved into some fuzzy hazy mist.

I had a epidural which meant I was still vaguely with it. I can remember the operation – and the sensation of the ankle being cut. Is that normal? It didn’t hurt but it wasn’t nice. I could also see a screen with an x-ray of the plates going in – and hear the noises – again unpleasant, so I hummed over the top of it, something which would have been equally unpleasant for the surgery staff.

I was pleased to see Ian after the op – in all it came to about 90 mins before I was back in the recovery room, and as the feeling started to come back in my legs so I was able to wiggle around a bit and make sure that everything felt right. It did - and all I was aware of on my ankle was a bulky cast.

The rest of Thursday was a blur and on Friday I saw the surgeon who said he was pleased with how things went. One tricky moment in hospital after the op. The Spanish word for toes is the same as fingers - dado. The surgeon obviously knew the one translation which was 'fingers'. So he was there studying my toes, but asking me to move my fingers. I was laid down so couldn't see where he was focussed and I was busy wiggling my fingers as requested. The surgeon got increasingly disturbed as he was telling me to move my fingers, I was saying that I was, but he could see no movement in my toes which he was studying. Just as he was convinced that I had lost the feeling and movement in my foot he realised what the 'problem' was and promptly disolved into tears of laughter. After that - along with all the other indignities suffered, I also had to suffer the surgeons flexing their fingers and collapsing in laughter when they came into see me!

I was very touched by the number of people from the village who came into see me - I was also amazed at the number of people from the village who work there. Every day people would pop into say hello - which was great, and as they would drop in often before or after shifts then it meant that people were visiting from early to late in the evening. Unfortunately my limited vocabuary meant that conversations were fairly brief - however I did find I learnt a lot of new spanish words, which is always useful!

I asked to be discharged on Sunday – however they said they needed me to see the doctor on Monday so Sunday was spent with a heavy heart. The hospital was fine – but it is quite lonely being somewhere where you don’t know any one – or speak the language, I found the nights incredibly long, but that did mean I dozed a lot during the day.

Monday was discharge day. Hooray. We had to buy our own crutches, so Ian went over the road to the orthepedic supply shop and bought a pair. It would have been helpful if I had given them a bit of practice before having to negotiate the way out of the hospital - but hey, I was nearly home.

The trip home entailed rolling around in the back of the transit and being dumped outside the front door whilst Ian took it round the back (rather than block the road whilst I spent ages working out how to get over the front door setp. I was delighted to get home into my own environment.