04/08/2009 by Aileen.

Yesterday was as perfect as any walking wounded silver surfer could hope for. I did everything I had planned. Meditated twice, walked for an hour and a half, wrote nearly 2,00 words, no wine, (decided giving up coffee was a step too far at the moment)

I have set this target of 15 minutes gardening a day, and wanted to cut the grass, but John persuaded me that it would be pushing it. (Oops! A pun?) So instead I deadheaded some roses and cut some nettles down. Will pull them up when I have the strength.

My neck and shoulders are unbelievably better this morning, but last night I was lying on my stomache and I heard a ping in my ribs. Being very squeamish, I decided that a rib was near to cracking and this hadn’t showed up in the x-ray, but now it had actually cracked. I think it’s really a nerve that hurts. It’s a nuisance, as it’s affected my mobility just when I was loosening up.

My walk yesterday was really good. I followed some bridle paths and went across fields. There was one field of linseed (I think) and the blue flowers were just about showing through. The field was alive with white butterflies (in fact the whole walk was a butterfly walk) I’m going back in a few days when it’s sunny and the flowers are out, and hope to get some good photo.

Coming home there were lots of brambles with some blackberries ripe already. But they’re too near the motorway for collecting. It would be blackberry and petrol pie!

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03/08/2009 by Aileen.

Ooh I am sore. But it’s only muscular. I remember my first and last water ski-ing session. For some reason I could actually stay up, and the boat took me right round the bay. (One of the Greek islands - I forget which) We were going home the next day, and I could hardly get up the aeroplane steps I was so stiff. But because it was from an enjoyable experience I felt good.

This is similar aching, but in my neck and shoulders instead of my legs. And as it was from a negative experience it feels like illness. It did seem much better last night, but now this morning it’s bad again. I need to wash my hair. Will I be able to?

There’s a great big bruise across my right breast. I’d post a photo only it would be too erotic  pornographic gross.

John’s chest hurts but otherwise he’s fine.

Well, this is the day I turn over a new leaf. I’m one pound heavier than January 1st. That’s after three months of Slimming World and four months of loose living. The ambulance men said my blood pressure was high. (Can’t remember top number but bottom one was 90)  I lowered it before with diet and exercise, so will start that up now. The exercise will have to be walking at the moment. Don’t think I could even carry a camera, so it will be brisk non-stop walking. Hopefully for an hour.

Also, I’m going to write ‘properly’ every day. I’ll start with a graphic account of the accident! Then I’ll pick up the kid’s story I started a couple of years ago. I’m about half way through but got a bit stuck on how to develop it.

I have to ring the Diocese tomorrow for advice about the church website I’m going to do, and I have three leaflets to write for Redemptorist Publications.

Sorry I won’t be able to do much gardening as I was on a roll. This week we’ve eaten potatoes, runner beans, kale and spinach from the garden.

Bye all. Log back in again soon. I still haven’t told you my exceedingly good news.

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01/08/2009 by Aileen.

We could have died last night. We were coming home from a really enjoyable quiz night in Cottingham. John was driving as he’s on antibiotics and can’t drink.

We came round a blind bend, and there’s this minivan hurtling towards us on the wrong side of the road. John swerved right, but so did the minivan, and we had a diagonal sort of collision. I thought, ‘This is it!’ No time for fear. I heard the crash and a felt a bad pain where the air bag hit me. Then I realised I was alive still. Looked at John and he was okay too. We sat stunned for a minute, and then saw the smoke or steam coming out of the bonnets of both vehicles. My door was jammed and I could only open it a fraction, but managed to squeeze out painfully. John couldn’t get out until I got his wheelchair out of the boot, which I did with great difficulty. I should have asked the two men from the other vehicle, but didn’t think of it.

The other men were really dazed. (Like us.) John didn’t bring his bag so had no phone, and I had forgotten my mobile. (My camera too which is a real bummer) The men were foreign and didn’t seem to know what to do. I said phone for police and they didn’t know about 999, so they gave me their mobile, but I couldn’t get through to the police. Fortunately, a lorry driver stopped and took over, phoning for police and ambulance. A lady also stopped and put her hazard lights on to warn approaching vehicles. It was 11.15 pm but quite busy.

Anyway, I’m getting bored writing now, and need to go shopping.

The ambulance men were concerned about my neck as it hurt at the centre, and not the sides, so strapped me up and got me to hospital. I had several xrays, but everything is ok. They just warned me to take painkillers as it would hurt the next day. It does, but not too bad. I’m just moving very slowly. Typing not affected though.

John’s chest hurts from the seat belt and air bag too, but otherwise we’re alive and well, and so thankful that it wasn’t worse.

The police rang this morning to say that the driver of the minivan will be charged with careless driving and probably have to do a driving course.

We were both very sorry for him, as he made one silly mistake. The policeman this morning said he had done the same abroad, and Kevin said he had done so too. I actually admitted to John that I had done it in Portugal. I have never told him out of pride. Anyway he knows now, about four years later.

Shopping now. For joint and iboprofen. No not that kind of joint.

Praise the Lord for looking after us!

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