A favourite quote and a way by which to approach life.

Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday.

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Happy Christmas

This comes to you just minutes too late for Christmas day, but I hope you all had a very happy Christmas, and that you enjoy the rest of the festive season too.  I'm up in Edinburgh again, staying with Mum and J.  We've had a gentle day with lots of food, lots of presents, lots of telly, lots of turkey (my first turkey for 20 years!), a brief walk/trundle this evening, and a smidgen of alcohol.  Actually, the only alcohol I've had has been in the pudding that mum made, and which contained rather a lot of delicious Bailey's - mmmmmmm.  It's been a lovely day, and I feel very blessed to have had the Christmas I have.

I am aware that I need to do a proper update very soon, and that (yet again) it is far too long since I last posted, but rather a lot has been going on, and I've been exhausted.  One of the lovely things about coming up to stay with Mum and J is that I've been able to rest and get some much-needed sleep.  I'm away from all the stress and difficulties at home, and for a week or so I am free of hospital appointments.  Having said that, there's some question as to whether or not I may need to venture up to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at some point as I seem to have hurt my foot by running over it in my wheelchair.  I think I am possibly the only person who could mow themselves down in their own wheelchair whilst sitting in it, but I did.

I went to the local church last night for the Christmas Eve midnight service, at 11.30 ... Mum had been going to go with me, but in the end she was too tired so I went on my own.  It's a beautiful little church and I was made to feel very welcome.  The service was lovely, the address was short (which is what you want at a late night service, in my opinion), the carols were great, the organ/organist was stunningly fantastic.  I trundled back to the house in the freezing temperatures feeling warm on the inside.  I got to the front door with the ramp still resting in its place on the top step, but I thought that the door had perhaps knocked it forwards a little.  To make sure that it was going to be safe for me to go up, and to ensure there were no accidents (little did I know!), I thought it would be wise to push the ramp just a little further on to the step.  I took my feet off the footplates and put them on the ground behind so that I could more easily reach the bottom of the ramp and I bent forwards.  As I bent forwards my coat caught the joystick control of my wheelchair, thus sending it shooting forwards.  My feet, being on firm ground, stayed where they were, and the forward-moving chair propelled the rest of me straight ahead, and then straight down as my bum left the chair.  My coat eventually disentangled itself from the joystick control and the chair came to a halt, but by that time I was sprawled flat on my tummy, head-first up the ramp with the wheelchair on top of me.  I lay there for a moment thinking, 'Ow!' and then imagined myself spending the night outside in that position, knowing that Mum and J would have gone to bed.

Staying like that wasn't really ever an option, partly because it was so cold, and partly because bits of me were in rather odd and painful positions, not least my feet that were basically folded in half at the base of my toes, and weirdly angled in the middle.  I somehow got half way on to my knees, lifted my bum in the air, and twizzled my right arm behind me so that I could feel the joystick, which I then managed to knock backwards a little.  The wheelchair clunked as it fell off the backs of my legs, and I was able to get more fully on to my knees, although the bottom of my legs and feet were still underneath the chair, and kind of trapped by the footplates.  But once I got on to my knees I could twist round to see what I was doing with the joystick controls and was able to manoeuvre the chair backwards.  At last I got my feet out, sore as they were, and was able to scramble back in to the chair.  A good look around told me that, thanks to the long garden path and the fact that it was 12.30 am, nobody had witnessed my late night sprawl and clatter on the ramp, but a glance at the ramp also told me that it had indeed slipped a little way off the front door step.  I then did what I ought to have done in the first place: I turned off the power on the chair before leaning forward and pushing the ramp back in to position.  Only when I was safely sitting upright again did I turn the power on again, trundle up the ramp and go inside the house.

I'd only had one Bailey's and that had been several hours previously before dinner.  I can tell you don't believe me, but it's true!

So yes, I have a sore foot, which may need looking at, but I'm hoping it'll sort itself out in the next day or two.

Anyway, happy Christmas, everyone!

8 comments:

Raven/Missy said...

Merry Christmas to you also Becky! I am sorry to hear that you ran over your foot with your wheelchair, but I can tell you this, you are not alone in doing things like that! I've run my feet over with my own bicycle, a wheelchair when I was in the hospital and am great at breaking my toes on the living room furniture. My poor toes LOL

I hope your foot feels better real fast! Sorry to hear about your midnight tumble, but am glad that you didn't get seriously injured by it.

It sounds like you are having a wonderful time with your family, relax and enjoy it (which it sounds like you are already doing *smile*), you deserve it!

A Magical Whimsy said...

You dear, dear girl. I admire your spirit in the entire wheelchair ordeal. Thank God he was watching over you. You are blessed to have an amazing attitude in trying circumstances.
=^..^=
Teresa in California
http://amagicalwhimsy.blogspot.com/
Please come view my blog...the old posts too!

Sal said...

I guess you at least learnt a lesson - but a painful one!! Glad you enjoyed Christmas and soooo glad you are getting some much-needed rest! The Baileys Xmas pud sounds utterly amazing & I am dead jealous!!! xxx

Kate said...

Happy Christmas, Becky. And New Year x

Nadwrażliwiec said...

It's after Christmas, so I wish You good, full of joy and God's blessings New Year 2013! :) Greetings from Poland.

Iva said...

Hi, I wish You all the best and whatever You want in New Year 2013! I'm disabled person also. I invite You to my blog. Greetings from Poland! :)

BeckyG said...

Hello all,
First of all, thank you for your lovely messages, your Christmas wishes, and your New Year messages :o)

Raven/Missy, it's kind of a relief to find someone else who can do such things to themselves as I did with my wheelchair. Thankfully my foot seemed to be all right so there weren't any trips to the hospital. Hurrah!

Teresa, thank you for your lovely message, and welcome to my blog! I'll be sure to take a look at your blog too.

Sal, I did indeed get some much-needed rest. Of course when I got home I completely overdid things, and have had the past three days pretty much in bed recovering. Still, it was worth it.

Kate, happy new year!

Zim and Iva, happy new year from me to both of you in Poland! Welcome to my blog. I hope you both have a good 2013.

Becky.

Shannon said...

Do you think it was the wine in that Jesus blood that may have made you a bit more tipsy on top of the Baileys?

Glad you got your foot out - you might have gotten cold and frozen to Noah over night!

*r*s*