Doctored

I was greatly grateful for some decent periods of sleep last night...in fact I guess I've been grateful all day as it does help me to feel generally healthier and happier. For Paracetamol for continuing to help with the painful places around my right shoulder, and for my left hand for trying to help with some of the actions and activities that make it worse again. For a GP calling be back after filling in an online form yesterday asking for any advice or assistance they can offer. They say they'll respond withing 48 hours so I was sure it would be tomorrow, and now it will have to be as I was about to be taken off the dialysis machine and needed to give that process my attention instead. 

I'm just coming to the end of a two year participation in a clinical trial and had to see the dietitian and consultant for various questions and tests today so I give thanks they are both very pleasant people to see! For the way they treat my input and opinions as valid. 

I give thanks for Imee Ooi on my headphones coming in on the bus for a recce of a couple of 'essential' shops before the city fills up with people going to non-essential ones. For my cheery taxi driver on the way home. For bath water to soothe sore bits and soul heating up, plus pan of leftover veg and barley stew ...and vegan meatballs too now I've remembered to put them in the oven!

Tense

I give thanks I think I've done pretty well today considering I hardly slept a wink due to the pain in my shoulder and associated tensed up areas. It was bearable sitting up, or getting up and walking around, but it seemed to be impossible to find a position in bed comfortable enough to sleep so I was quite grateful for a police helicopter circling overhead for a while inspiring me to give up and see if I could see what was going on. I thought I could when a woman behaving very strangely in the dark in the park was stopped and talked to by one of the patrols but they left her to carry on and went about their business so I guess it wasn't what the fuss was about.

Feeling rather sorry for myself this morning I was delighted by a short flurry of snow while I made a cup of tea. For trying to do what needed to be done without doing too much, and for dodging further wintry showers when I popped out for a few tasks in town. For all the anticipatory activity in the soon to open shops - even I'm beginning to think a bit of a mooch would be nice, and I'm very much looking forward to having a brand new greengrocer!

I give thanks for catching some little naps on the sofa here and there. For the varying colours and textures on the sea as the weather changed and for mostly sunshine streaming in to keep the heating bill down. 

Bonus

I give thanks for feeling better after treatment than I did before. It doesn't always happen that way though you might think that it should. For feeling better in general today and being busy before I left and since I got home, though I'm slowing down now and ready for tea (I prepared earlier) and TV (likewise!) For a better night's sleep last night, that tends to help doesn't it? 

I give thanks it's been another bright day down here for those still off work and school and out and about. For a side room with a window to admire the blue sky and leaf buds opening. For favourite staff attending to me - always a bonus - and for a fistula test they do looking better than it did a few weeks ago. For my shoulder being less painful despite chopping veg, washing up, putting clothes on my body and the airing rack plus other tasks it usually complains about. 

Sneaky

I give thanks Paracetamol do help with the pain in my shoulder and arm but then it does seem to sneak up on me later! Last night I kept waking up and rueing daytime activities that had seemed fairly innocent (and mostly unavoidable) at the time...so I was very grateful, apart from inevitable tiredness today, I felt relatively fit and could go for a bit of a walk to leave my upper limbs in peace. 

And talking of peace, I give thanks my peace lily has six blooms on the go - that's a record for me. They have the most delightful delicate fragrance too. And for remembering a quiet little sun trap park not too far away from an edge of town bus stop. It's surrounded by trees screening properties with large gardens or balconies so of no interest to those who live there and no loo, sea view or food outlet to appeal to the teeming crowds that seemed to be everywhere else this afternoon. 

For the other kind of escape that comes from a good book filling up your mind while a warm bath soothes your body. For a selection of classic BGT moments to make me pleasantly emotional. The only bit of the show I enjoy is when an auditioning act is much better than expected so I loved seeing old favourites of those, also for a short parade of classic cars - Ford Mustangs I think - driving through the town. Perfect social distancing! 

Sartorial

My to do list for today said don't...and I'm grateful I was very successful at ticking that off for most of the day anyway! I particularly appreciated the early sun disappearing behind clouds so I felt quite justified not only taking my morning cuppa back to bed, but turning over and going back to sleep when I'd finished it!

I give thanks for getting a few essential chores done in between a great deal of idling about. For clean laundry on the rack as it turned out to be excellent indoor upstairs drying weather when the sunshine came back with the breeze. The brightness eventually tempted me further than the bins I needed to visit, but I was grateful it was still quite chilly so I could stay lockdown dressed down under my coat! By then there were less folk around and I could give thanks for empty seats as my energy is so low, and also for remembering I had a prescription ready to pick up - except I forgot that it was until I was out and didn't have a mask. I did thus get to see the yarn bomb again however, and admire how it had again expanded some more.

For seeing the park bench drinkers this evening and being grateful my favourite tipple is a cup of tea and I've a cosy sofa on which to imbibe. Might not have paid much attention tonight but one of them was wearing a white onesie and at first glance, without my specs, I thought it was a crime scene investigator. Then I put them on and realised though he had a hood he was actually wearing a white woolly hat with pink lined ears! 

Raw

I'm grateful for getting through what seemed like a rather arduous day. Particularly for starting making some Quorn mince and veg for my dinner before I left for the hospital as my packed lunch was not a success. I forgot the new falafel I bought were frozen before cooking, so my flatbread pocket was inedible due to rawness, and so were the small citrus segments due to sourness. Yuk! My appetite needs gently encouraging back into life not putting off entirely, and though I gave thanks for the bag of popcorn and Madeleine I'd also taken I was in dire need of something more nourishing when I got home. 

I give thanks for the bright blue sky and sunshine, and for being indoors all day so I didn't have to try to dodge the nippy breeze! For my cheerful taxi driver transporting me to and fro, and for remembering to buy him an Easter egg. For a morning patient and his daughter organising a free raffle of more chocolate treats for the staff...what a lovely thought! I give thanks I never got round to tracking down a solitary hot cross bun for myself, as my kitchen is over abundant with all kinds of food as it is, after feeling unwell just after a good stocking up from Sainsbury's. I give thanks for finishing up the jam and cream I came home with yesterday on a budget scone from the freezer instead. It's not created a lot of space for the queue of chilled food waiting to go in there, but every little helps as they say...at the other supermarket! 

Cheerful

Gosh I'm tired this evening but I'm very grateful it's been a much better day. For sleeping better and waking feeling much better too - even my sore upper arm. 

I give thanks I felt well enough to meet Mima as arranged previously. I'd promised her a posh sandwich from one of the fancier eateries in town but their opening hours as shown on Facebook turned out to be untrue so plan B was to put that idea on hold and instead she'd share the remains of a different birthday treat she received - a generous cream tea. I thought this would be ideal for my still very jaded appetite and I'm grateful I was right, some irresistible calories there! For the sun coming out and the breeze dying down so for the first time I could experience that much mentioned 'heatwave' too. 

For sitting on the Lawn in front of the decorated fence, bench and trees so we could watch people adding to the display and admiring it. I'm grateful Mima got to see the cygnets and I got to see a duckling. Also, as we were packing a persistent but adorable duck came to check for any handouts or crumbs and walked along with me for a while even though none were forthcoming. I love ducks do this made me very pleased :) 

I've always been drawn to the cheerful impact of 'community yarn art installations' and of course instigated a little one at the library from their knitting group a few years ago. This year's yarn bomb here seems a particularly poignant and heartwarming project though as much of it was created during the isolation of lockdown and shielding, yet the pieces have been brought together for everyone to enjoy now restrictions have eased. I'm so grateful I was able to participate and also go and appreciate the pieces for myself. So many clever and funny creations there! I took some pictures but too tired to check them out and add just now so you'll just have to take my word or go and see for yourself... 

I've mostly been giving thanks for my sofa since I returned home...but so far I've not fallen asleep so that's a pretty good sign of further recovery.