Lexin

We were supposed to go to Plas Newydd today, but with the heat, I didn't feel well enough. It is unnaturally warm in Wales.

We got home to discover that Geraint, bless his furry paws, had opened the door to the freezer, with the result that about half of the contents are defrosted.

Little bastard.

I’m exhausted, and I don’t know why. I’m working with my CPAP machine quite well, and it works, but I’m starting to fall asleep in the afternoons again.

Mind you, I had a good reason yesterday. When I went to hospital at the end of January, I was given a prescription. I took it to the pharmacy but it turned out that the doctor (whom I suspect to be a locum) had not signed or dated the scrip, and therefore it was useless. On Monday I had a letter from the hospital about the appointment, and usefully there was a phone number.

I rang the number and was told that if I came to the hospital at 09:15 on Wednesday, they’d give me a new prescription. I rather balked at the time, but I pulled myself from my bed at a sparrow’s fart and made it to the hospital by 09:10. Great, I thought, I will be home by 10:15. Not so. I was finally given my new prescription at 11:00, and had been excruciatingly bored, not to mention cold. Most hospitals seem to be overheated, but that one is always cold.

Worse, when I left the hospital to catch a bus home, I had to wait in the freezing wind. By the time the bus came, the muscles of my face wouldn’t move, and I wondered if that’s what Botox feels like.

I made it home at about 11:30, and had a hot breakfast at the local club, which has a café at the back during the mornings. It was very nice to have a meal I hadn’t prepared myself. Having said that, I’m living largely on breakfast cereal because even heating up ready meals is proving too much for me these days.

Cats

Geraint seems to be doing better, he’s gained some weight and is no longer the skinny cat who originally came here. He plays, has zoomies and when I’m playing my PS5 he curls up at my feet, keeping them warm.

Opal still has a problem with her back – she’s chewing her fur, for all the world like a person with trichotillomania. It really worries me. She’s on Metacam and Gabapentin, but though it helps a bit, it doesn’t solve the problem completely. The vet only suggested that she be fed something that is a specialist food for a cat with a problem with coat and stomach. Again, it helps, but not completely. I give her a taurine supplement and various oils, but really, I’m at a loss.

We have snow here in Wales. Not just on the mountains, which is normal, but down here in the town, which is weird.

aunty_marion should be going home to Islington tomorrow, but at the moment there are no taxis running and the situation may remain this way tomorrow and possibly Wednesday. So we keep our fingers crossed that the snow will melt. There are also no trains.

In other news, the toilet on my en-suite is blocked. I have tried everything I know of and it’s still blocked. I have arranged for someone to come and unblock it tomorrow, but likewise I am half expecting a phone call to say they can’t make it due to snow. To add annoyance, I am in the middle of changing insurance for those sort of things. British Gas Homecare wanted £705 for the year. I baulked. The new supplier, YourRepair is charging £450 (ish).

Back, yet again, from the doctors. I think I should have my own seat in the waiting room.

This time I was able to point out to the nurse the little scar/scratch which is where the fluid is coming from. She put a new dressing on it, one she said would help it heal. Then a big plaster which is due to stay on for two days. She also gave me some to take away.

For those wondering about me seeing a lymphoedema nurse, she also made me an appointment with the diabetic nurse for next week, and that nurse will make a decision about a referral. So, we’ll see.

Today’s nurse also took a blood test, which is to do with my ongoing kidney issues. I will ring up on Monday and see what the results are. I’m a bit nervous because last night I had lower back pain, just where it would hurt if my kidneys were playing tricks.

Now, I’m going to elevate my legs.

I spent some time yesterday removing J K Rowling’s books from my shelves and replacing them with the pile of gaming books which have been piled on my floor for not just months but years.

The aim is to give the Rowling books to charity. I have no problem with other people reading them, but I won’t be reading them again and having them on the shelves was annoying me. Just about everything she says on X annoys me. She’s a twat.

I mean, I have no problem if a person who’s 6’4” with a beard you could hide a badger in wants to use female pronouns. It’s their choice and not acceding to their wishes is rude. Even if I think they’re nuts, I keep my thoughts to myself. If they want to use female toilets it doesn’t bother me. I’m asexual and other people’s genitalia are of no interest.

Life somewhat sucks.

I had an appointment with my doctor today. He wanted to talk about my kidneys. It seems they are not behaving as they should, my kidney function is still well below normal.

I’m being taken off my pills for my hemicrania as these damage my kidney function. And he wants urine samples, one tomorrow (looking for blood) and one next week looking for who knows what.

I have to increase my fluid intake. Which isn’t a real hardship, I can do that.

I am concerned about coming off my hemicrania drug as the debilitating pain may (probably will) recur. That was horrible and I ended up being sent to a neurologist.

In other news…

Opal is driving me crazy. I don’t think she has used her litter box at all this week and my hall is decorated with little piles of💩 I can live without that. She’s a real sweetheart, but I don’t need her 💩 everywhere.

I have called the vet to see if they can prescribe her Gabapentin again, as that seemed to help. I have tried various versions of cat attractant for litter trays but none of them have seemed to be effective.

Honestly, FML.

Today aunty_marion and I went to Caernarfon Castle, which was lovely, and we bought fudge, then we ransacked a couple of charity shops, where I bought knitting yarn and a cross stitch kit. We also saw some sweet dogs.

Opal (the tabby cat) is worrying me.

She has scabs on her rump, and on her leg, and more rough bits on her tummy. A footle through the internet makes me think it’s allergy to fleas, though there are other things it could be, some of them nasty.

I tried to get her a vet appointment today, but they are busy and offered me one tomorrow. So she’s going to the vet at Llandygai tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, I will give her cuddles. Poor kitty, being itchy is horrible, as I know only too well.

Me

My injuries from the scalds are mostly healed except for the one on my tummy. That one is lingering like an unwanted guest.

A few weeks ago I managed to scald myself.

I made a nice fresh cup of tea, and was crossing the living room when I tripped over my cat, Opal, and tangled the teapot up in my cardigan. Result was some very nasty burns down my legs, plus one on my tummy.

I rang the non-emergency helpline NHS Wales 111. They said, “Go to Ysbyty Gwynedd.” They didn’t add ‘you muppet’ which they might as well have done. So I went and spent a couple of hours in A&E, leaving with bandaged legs around lunchtime.

Since then the burns are mostly healed except for the one on the back of my right leg, and the one on my tummy. Both of those still bleed and/or weep. Still, as the nurse said, a diabetic will take longer to heal.

In case you were wondering, Opal was unharmed. Though I screamed and she hid for a few hours. Had Opal been hurt, I would have taken her to the vet before taking myself to A&E.