Hello, remember me? Yes, me, the Head above the crowds!
I know, I know, this is no way to run a blog but I have been busy (I think). Since the last post, no I have not taken up the bugle, but I have done a few new things.
As well as continuing to volunteer in the shop I set up the Isle of Wight MS Society Facebook page too
September 2012 - 'Look, no hands, err feet!'
Due to the continued reduced sensation in my feet and the fact I could not differentiate between, or feel the foot pedals in Oscar (my Hyundai Matrix) any more I arranged a driving assessment at the Driveability centre in Southampton. This indicated that I was no longer deemed able to drive a manual vehicle and that I should now have to have a car with hand controls, Gulp! That meant that Oscar would have to go as although Hubby was a wonderful chauffeur and was coping with lifting the 'chariot' in and out, if I wanted some independence I would have to have a Motability modified vehicle - but first I would have to get higher rate mobility DLA! I sent off my driving licence to the DVLA with a copy of the Driveability report (confusing isn't it, DLA, DVLA etc etc).
October 2012 - DLA and a Blue Badge
Hoorah!, Having ploughed through mountains of paperwork and a form from the DWP that requires a degree to complete, I was granted DLA (Disabled Living Allowance) at medium care rate and high rate mobility - both 'indefinitely', Although that term now means something very different with David Cameron's government in their infinite wisdom believing that chronic conditions such as MS are 'curable' and that I will have to be subjected to a medical in order to claim PIP in 2015 or then about. What a waste of money which they are supposedly trying to save. It seems that they are intent on increasing the stress and indignity that people with long-term and chronic conditions need to go though in order to maintain some modicum of independence and self-respect. There have already been a number of suicides as a result of their stance on welfare and benefits and the number of people relying on foodbanks is increasing every week. Had you heard of foodbanks before now? No me either. Still I had my DLA and upon applying to our local council I was also eligible for a blue badge - well worth the £10 paid for 3 years.
February 2013 - Wheels!
Having gone through the rigmarole of searching for a suitable car to take 'the chariot' in the back, my new Citroen Berlingo was delivered at last. It has a hoist in the back to lift the chariot in and out (hubby removed 2 of the rear seats to make additional space), a hand control lever for the accelerator and brake and a steering wheel knob so as to be able to operate the steering one handed.
Mar - September 2013 'I hate it'
Excuse the pun but I cannot 'get to grips' with driving with hand controls. I hate it, According to Driveability, I should have had some driving lessons in using them, but they said they have no-one on the island that did this so I would have had to drive a strange car in a strange place (Southampton) and incur all the ferry costs etc on top of the lessons. I managed to find someone on the island that could do the lessons in my own car, except for one thing - I needed to provide my driving licence - It is still with the DVLA! Although they were happy for me to drive the car without having lessons and Motability didn't insist on it either - it was just a recommendation of Driveability. Fortunately the patience of 'the chauffeur' meant that he would take me out to some quieter roads for some practice - annoyingly he managed to use the hand controls without any problem, although it is possible for him to drive it as an automatic/manual car using the foot pedals (wish I still could!).
It took until September for me to be happy driving 'Bertie' but I was still not happy parking it in town so 'the chauffeur still had to take me to my shifts at the MS shop and pick me up again afterwards.
September 2013 - 'Taking the Plunge'.
Upon checking the website of the local swimming pool I spotted that they hold a session for people with disabilities. I used to enjoy swimming but my heart was in my mouth as I phoned the Leisure Centre, and with my social phobia was in tears when I asked Lindsay, the receptionist about it. She was so understanding and explained that it was a very small group run by a lady called Carole who had previously suffered a stroke. I decided to, wait for it - Take the Plunge!
That Saturday I found myself paying my £2 fee as a guest and in the water. Not having swum at all for over five years, I was astonished when I managed to complete 20 lengths of the 25 metre pool. I could do it, I could still swim and I was brave enough be seen in public in a swimsuit - well I was over 19 stone, and when it feels like every step you take feels like you have shoes full of stones, as you can maybe imagine pretty inactive.
Fortunately there is a lovely big car park with disabled spaces so I was able to drive myself there - phew!
October 2013 - 'Hip Hooray!'
After 4 years of suffering terrible pain my wonderful brave Mum had a hip replacement. Dad's refusal to go in to respite care despite his respiratory disease meant she had to not only suffer his 'Meldrewitis' but her own pain until after his death in March 2012. At last she has had her operation, and fortuitously it coincided with our annual trip and stay on the mainland so I could see that she was well when we came home. Sadly it meant we couldn't spend as much time with her as I would have liked, but we were coming back again in May so could take her out then. I was also chuffed that I managed to drive the M3 stretch of the journey!
May 2014 - Another trip to the North Island
This time we did manage to take Mum out, and indeed we took both Mums out together on one day, it was the first time they had met since our wedding garden party in 1993. My mum wanted to go to her brother and sister-in-laws graves near Colchester as she hadn't been able to drive there herself since dear Peggy's death in 2007 - it seemed an odd request but it was quite a long way and a beautiful sunny day and a pleasure to do what she wished. She treated us to a pub lunch on the way back too. We were also treated to a lunch at a garden centre when we took both the mums out together.
Norfolk Broads
The second week of our holiday was spent in Corfu! No not the warm and sunny country, but a Broads Cruiser hired form Stalham. We had a lovely week, meandering along the rivers which allowed me to test out my new camera lens and get some, what I consider to be rather good shots of Broadland birds including herons, cormorants and ducks - sadly the marsh harriers and kingfishers were a little to fast or far away to get decent photo's of. 
June 2014
Another birthday and time to take stock. I have decided that it is a better time to make News Years Resolutions on a Birthday than on January 1st when there are all the remnants of Christmas to feast on.
I have been swimming every week since last September and seeing a big poster at the pool advertising the swimfit initiative thought I would visit the website and maybe set myself a challenge. So for my sins I forked out £140 for an annual 'One Card' which allows me to go swimming in any public session and use the health spa (sauna/steam room/jacuzzi). I then selected my challenge on the swimfit site - A virtual swim around the Isle of Wight! 67 miles of it. OK it is not being sponsored and is just for fun and fitness but it will be a challenge and even if it takes a year I will do it.
Birthday treat! SNAP!
Having seen photography workshops advertised on the Isle of Wight zoo website, Mr Wonderful treated me to the full day experience, which happened to take place on my actual birthday. It was fabulous, there were only two of us and Karen-Jane Dudley who is a world renowned wildlife photographer and is also employed by the zoo. I spent much of the day laying on the ground with my lens poking through the bars of enclosures just feet away from Casper the White Lion, Zoe and Zena, Aysha and Diamond and Rajiv the tigers. Sadly Rajiv died just a few weeks later but he will be long remembered as he starred in a film which is due to be released later this year about someone who kept an alligator and a tiger in a high rise apartment in America (where else). Rajiv's enclosure was converted into a film set which after the filming he managed to completely destroy. He was a much loved character and having been rescued from a circus and photographer and housed in a zoo in the States was dramatically transported to the Isle of Wight. According to Karen he had a absolute dislike of a certain make of camera and one poor chap was 'charged' during his photography experience when using one of that type. Guess what I was using, yes, exactly the same - a Canon! Fortunately Rajiv (who was formerlly called Rambo) was more tolerant of me and my equipment - Karen has no idea why he disliked Canon's so much but wonders if different camera's have different shutter sounds and the photographer that 'employed' him had a Canon. He was kept in a concrete floored enclosure which was cleaned out using a pressure washer under the bars - he still had the sores from laying on it. RIP Rajiv.
I really enjoyed my photography day and have posted some of my best images on my Flickr page.
