My Life being Disabled 31/10/08

On Wednesday afternoon I went to Nettos and I bought, shaving cream, bath bubble, tooth brushes, Xmas cards and some batteries. When we got back I did my excercises and watched a DVD. On Thursday I got up late and had my breakfast followed by my lunch. After lunch I did my excercises, saw my physiotherapist and watch a DVD again. This morning although I called my carers at 08:15 I didn't have my breakfast until 10:30 because my carers were not use to my care plan.

My Life being Disabled 29/10/08

On Monday night there was an Elvis night although I don't like Rock n Roll music I enjoyed myself. Yesterday I didn't get up until 10:30 and I stayed in my bedroom until I went into the cinema room after tea. This morning I asked the nurse if I could go to Nettos after lunch and she said it would be O.K..

My Life being Disabled 27/10/08

Yesterday my brother came to see me and we talked about our family tree. I asked the carers if I could go to Nettos but we didn't go. In the afternoon I stayed in my bedroom doing my excercises and reading my library book. At 15:15 I went to the cinema room to watch Rugby League on television. It is the World Cup and England beat Papua New Guinea 32 - 22, France beat Scotland 36 - 18 and Australia beat New Zealand 30 - 6. This evening there is an Elvis tribute night.

My Life being Disabled 24/10/08

I continued building my family tree today and started a new blog called 'My Life' where I am going to recall my memories.

My Life being Disabled 23/10/08

I went to the library yesterday afternoon but while I was crossing the road outside Nettos my powerchair got stuck again. It must be something wrong with the gradient on the ramp ? I changed my book to a book by Sheila Hancock called 'The Two of Us' describing her partnership with John Thaw. I read the first chapter which describes where she lived when she was a young girl. It reminded me I should make some notes of what I remember of when I was growing up in Hunslet, Leeds. Having searched on the web for sites on historic Leeds I found one titled 'Discover Leeds' produced by Leeds City Libraries. http://www.leeds.gov.uk/discover

My Life being Disabled 22/10/08

The person from Remploy came to see me yesterday. I told her that when I went on my work experience I did not feel confident because I didn't have any support with my medical needs. The first day my catheter was by-passing and the day after it had to be changed. I signed form saying I wasn't persuing it anymore.
This morning my carer told me that I have Athletes Foot on my right foot and the nurse will see the doctor today. I asked the nurse if I could go to the library and she said it will be O.K..

My Life being Disabled 21/10/08

I didn't get up until 10:00 this morning and by the time I'd eaten my breakfast it was lunchtime. After lunch I went to the computer room and one of the life skills co-ordinators told me they were having a residents meeting this afternoon but I told him I am suppose to met with Remploy this afternoon so I probably won't be coming. I worked on my family tree searching the Marshall branch which is my grandmother's Tillotson. I found that this side originate from Bradford on the 1861 Census.

My Life being Disabled 20/10/08

This morning at 08:15 I called for my carers but they couldn't open my door because they had lost my key. At 08:45 they found it. After I had a shower and got dressed somebody was using the hoist and I had to wait again ! On my family tree searching for my TILLOTSON branch I have got back to 1815 James Tillotson through Census reports. He is the fifth James. I am going to search my Grandmothers branch 'Marshall'.

My Life being Disabled 19/10/08

On Friday evening I kept by-passing but I couldn't tell the carers because the call button in the cinema room does not work. I told them when I went to bed but it was O.K. then.
On Saturday when I was getting up the carer got my urine bag caught up in the quilt and it pulled it !@(it is attached to my bladder). I started by-passing again so the nurse investigated and put a pump on my bladder attachment. This seemed to clear the problem. The call button was not working again.

My Life being Disabled 17/10/08

Yesterday I didn't get up until 10:00. In the afternoon I noticed a pain in my paralysed side but it kept going so I didn't ask the carers to investigate. When I got undressed they spotted that my clothes were creased and this was causing me problems down my paralysed side. It left me with a red mark on my leg. Also my bowels had opened and it was all over, including my sling. But this morning the carers found my sling in my bathroom because the night staff had forgotten to take it to the laundry. I had to use another sling but this one does not fit.

My Life being Disabled 15/10/08

On Monday I put my support stocking to get washed in the laundary but I didn't get it back yesterday. When my carers looked for it they couldn't find it in the laundary. They asked the laundary staff this morning and they found it after some searching. My shower didn't drain properly this morning and I told the handymen who looked at it.

My Life beng Disabled 14/10/08

On Sunday I asked to go to Nettos but the life skills co-ordinator suggested we go to the pond and feed the ducks as well. So after lunch 4 residents, 3 carers and the life skills co-ordinator went to the pond at the bottom of Grimethorpe High Street, opposite Sash's warehouse. An accident nearly occured when I was going past Nettos. My powerchair got stuck on the pavement which is lowered to allow wheelchairs and pushchairs to cross the road. I wasn't trying to cross the road but because the footpath drops my powerchair decided to go on the road. Luckily the traffic stopped ! It took several attempts to get my powerchair back on the footpath. I've noticed that these places are always difficult when using a wheelchair or pushchair and wonder if they have any specification ? It took us about 15 minutes to get to the pond where we fed some of ducks. After 30 minutes we came back but I went in Nettos to buy some toilettries.

My Life being D isabled 10/10/08

On Tuesday it was my birthday and I was 54. As soon as I called the carers I knew they were doing something because although they didn't answer my call I could hear them outside in the corridor. When they came into my room they all sang 'Happy Birthday'. At dinner I got a Birthday cake. During the day my catheter by-passed twice and my nurse changed it because she thought it was blocked. I kept thinking how I would cope if my catheter by-passed when I are working.

On Wednesday I awoke at 06:30 because my catheter was by-passing again. The carers came to change my bed and because of this problem we decided I should not go to Work Experience today. The nurse decided I should stay in bed to see if it occurs again. He came back at 07:45 and I was wet again. They changed me again and I stayed in bed. My carers told Remploy that I couldn't go to the Northern College. I stayed in bed thinking about working and why I am trying to work. In the afternoon I decided I should speak with the person from Remploy because I felt this was causing my catheter to by-pass and worry. I told her what my thoughts were and why I felt this way. We decided that I should stop my work experience immediately and should stop looking for work.

On Thursday I didn't get up until 11:00 and stayed in bedroom all afternoon reading.

My Life being Disabled 06/10/08

I woke up at 08:00 and called for my carers at 08:05 because I was going to Northern College for my Work Experience today. When my carers came they said they were still getting their handover but they would come when it is finished. They came at 08:30 and I went in the bathroom to clean my teeth and get a shave then I went in the shower. I finished at 09:00, got dressed and went to the dining room to have my breakfast.
The taxi from ACE taxis at Barnsley came at 09:50 and we arrived at the Northern College at 10:30. I met the lady & the gentlman who gave me the interview when I came before and we went through the fire alarm procedures. They showed me where my desk is (the office behind the reception). While they were showing this the fire alarm sounded and we evacuated the building. After 15 minutes we were told it was all clear but we went to another building where I was given an induction course. This was, mainly, a video about Northern College.
After I went back to my desk and someone came to tell me my initial task which is to develop a Email directory for CLP contacts.
They told me I could finish at 13:00 and they told the taxi firm to pick me up then. When I got home I noticed my trousers were wet because I must have been by-passing. When my carers investigated they found that my wheelchair seat was wet through. They had to change my trousers and put my seat cover into the laundry.

My Life being Disabled 04/10/08

Yesterday afternoon I went to the library. I got 'Extreme' the autobiography by Sharon Osbourne. In the post I got a copy of my grandfather's (Tillotson) birth certificate.
I got a phone call from Remploy to tell me my Work Experience at the Northern College starts on Monday. The taxi will pick me up at 10:00 and will pick me up at the Northern College at 14:30.

My Life being Disabled 03/10/08

Yesterday we went out for lunch. We went to Mile Lodge near Doncaster. We set off at 12:10 and arrived at 12:30 but when we got there we thought it was closed because there was hardly any cars in the car park. When we went in there was only one family eating. We sat down at a massive table because there was 3 residents, 2 carers and 1 life skills co-ordinator. When we tried to order we were told that they only serve carvery meals on a lunch time.
I had turkey carvery and it cost £3.95 plus a drink which was £1.80. I ate everything but I just had enough room for treacle sponge and custard. This cost as much as the carvery ! We wanted to go shopping in Doncaster but one of the carers was from the JobCentre and he had to finish early so we went home.

My Life being Disabled 01/10/08

This morning I Emailed the Registation Office because on 20 September I order my Grandad Tillotson's Birth Certificate and it has not arrived. (see below)GQFrom: mick tillotson (http://by111w.bay111.mail.live.com/mail/ApplicationMain_13.1.0132.0805.aspx?culture=en-GB&hash=809829260#)Sent:01 October 2008 09:50:45To:col.admin@ons.gsi.gov.uk.ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P{padding:0px;}.ExternalClass body.EC_hmmessage{font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;}I ordered a Birth Certificate for my Grandad, Harry Tillotson,your ref. COL309941/2008 on 20 Sept. but I have not received it. Can you tell me why ? Mick Tillotson.

I got the reply the same afternoon:-
This Office is experiencing a significant increase in certificate applications, which we feel has been mainly attributable to the BBC "Who Do You Think You Are" series and this has had a serious impact on our service delivery targets. Consequently, we are currently receiving very high volumes of both written and email correspondence relating to certificate orders. Please be advised that it may take up to 15 working days from the initial date you emailed into the office to respond to your enquiry. The delay in our response is sincerely regretted and we will endeavour to investigate your complaint or enquiry at the earliest opportunity. Your sincerely Certificate Services