ALMOST TOO MUCH !

The  title refers to:   Almost too much to write and Almost too much to bear !

The last 24 hrs have been so so stressful! Yesterday was the day when I was to get my car, it having been fitted with the wheelchair lock down and the accelerator ring.

Friend Jean came round at noon, having collected my meds, I had run out of Riluzol, the MND drug...Anyway , now all back on track with those. We shared a Pizza and then I rang the garage to check all was ready. Well no... Mick was out on an errand of mercy. Call back in 30 mins... I did, Yes OK come along, he should be here by the time you arrive.
Fearing that things would take longer than planned ( they always do!!), I went to the Print Bureau to collect moving cards.... Oh forgot to say printer not working so labels not printed, so may have to address all cards by hand!!! ...............I digress. The print Bureau had completed the job early, YEY!!........ But the face has come out red and the hair green.............................. Why???

On to Elland . Get into wheel chair, drive up ramp. Position. And yes I can reach the steering wheel, pull up the pavement climber and wiggle it correctly as long as the passenger seat is forward and the foot rest on w.chair is up.

The lockdown is then bolted on. Nearly an hour wait. Then the trials of getting into the van . Up and down the ramp , \I crashed and banged. Up and down , up and down. Sometimes straight but often not!!

 I have never been able to reverse. I think its a spacial thing. Even when I lie on the bed for physio Michaela has to put my body straight, and I'm convinced it already is. I simply don't recognise where I am in space!

Anyway , given time alone I realise that I will be able to do it. But the seat belt has to go under the arms prior to locking in and the control lever moved to the right.. And all this is before you start the engine. A green light comes on when you are safely locked and screams at you if you aren't!!

So now engine has to be tuned from foot to hand control, switch on right!

Done. Inner ring gives signal to accelerator but brake push is directly attached to brake... which incidentally is directly in the way of the ignition key, so another wiggle!!

I drive home. Jean following at a safe distance behind. A black BMW, with driver talking on mob overtakes her and is thus behind me. A queue of traffic, its rush hour. A hill start required. I had been told, trust the gears , no brake needed.. No braked needed!!!! I pressed the accelerator and whizzed backwards, then it caught up and I whizzed forwards. The car in front and behind in jeopardy. Especially the BMW which was by now banging its horn.

I felt sick. Somehow, and I will never know how, I moved forwards slowly.

Tuel Lane my next crisis point, No traffic, I could just pull out... a silent prayer answered.

By now little fuel, so a planned stop at the garage. Jean couldn't get the petrol cap off, man in front car couldn't get petrol cap off, eventually garage man did get the cap off.     Filled up.    Paid.    Jean couldn't get the petrol cap on, garage man couldn't get petrol cap on... so I found the instructions on page 80 of hand book!!!

Up the hill to Thorn Place. Negotiations between Steve and Peter, meant that P had moved his car back 2 feet to allow me to be near window of house to drop an extension cable from, to charge w.chair.

But the space wasn't large enough to drive into. Had to do hill start.. Back and back I went then the frightening zoom forwards! Steve moved his car and....

...........When I was about to break down, .... finally I got it sort of parked.

I then had to unlock w chair in order to get across to passenger side to get out. But the passenger seat is way forward... well I did manage. But heaven knows how.

So car driver chair is now in cellar. Jeans gives me a lift from the back of the house to the front, so that I can get in.

Cup of tea....... Gin and Tonic ? No Gin!  Jean, seeing the need went to Morrison's.

I didn't sleep much last night.

This morning at 9:01 the phone went trying to sell me insurance for the white goods being delivered tomorrow. After her long long spiel I said , Sorry I don't take out those insurances. She kept on, so eventually I said.. I'm terminally ill, I expect all the goods to outlive me.. She put the phone down.

I dressed, Michaela came, we planned the move of the equipment I no longer need. She gave me a stretching massage.

I decided car was at fault not me. Rang a garage, no dealer very near, and the one nearest had no drivers until the week after next. BUT he did suggest ringing the RAC.

Prior to RAC man arriving, family from across the road popped in to announce wonderful GCSE results!!! YEY!!!

RAC man... he too went careering down the road. But when driving with feet all was well. He too found inner ring unresponsive some times and in some places. BUT as car could technically be driven, with feet RAC couldn't tow it to garage. So He rang Brookes Miller.... The arrangement is that Mick comes over tomorrow morning...

Dilemma:
Supposed to be taking stuff to MM tomorrow, (Sean loading van tonight) ,sofa arrives, freezer arrives, dishwasher arrives, OT at10:30 to sort grip rails arrives, friend to hang curtains arrives.... But getting the car sorted is a priority, ie if I am to be able to get to Northampton to see the baby... pressure!!! I need practise first, but it has to work first!

This afternoon stores arrive with large chair, 2 OT's arrive to assess.
Oh they said, its not the right fit!
Oh I said its not the right colour (it was brown)!!!
So now, having waited 4 weeks from when the correctly measured chair could have been ordered, for them to try this one out, the measured chair gets ordered... but it takes 8-10 weeks to arrive!!!!

Pat is coming round for a drink tonight at 7. I have no idea what to eat, and I'm cold. I'mtwitter anxious, stressed and aching.

There may seem to be a lot of detail in this, but believe me, this is a very short version of what has been a very difficult 24 hrs!


HUG ME, I'VE GOT MND