Nearly off to Tasmania

The plan is to leave home on Friday morning.  Paige and Beth are coming home on HITH on Thursday afternoon.  We will be packing up the caravan on Thursday, leaving instructions for Beth and Jim about what to do when bills etc., come in.

Steve has made a vague plan of where he wants to stop along the way to Adelaide, then Melbourne before getting on the ferry.  I asked if we could go on the coast road rather than the Nullabor and he said that the Nullabor is indeed the coast road.  I thought it was inland a bit but then again geography was never my strong point.

My floppy foot is improving.  Today I went to the hairdressers and also my dentist, then to Officeworks and didn't have the brace on.  I did really well with my walking until I fell over a guy in Officeworks because I forgot to lift the foot higher than a normal person does.  Fortunately the guy caught me and I didn't actually bowl him over but it is a concern and I really don't feel 100% confident when I'm out.

 I no longer look like white trailer trash because my dentist has fixed my smile with the offending tooth on a dental plate.  I'm surprised at how natural it feels although she did say it was cosmetic only and if possible to remove it before eating.  I had it on the chair arm and Sienna tried picking it up because she thought it was Beth's!   And then, when Steve and I were motoring up to West Perth to see the orthopaedic surgeon I realised I didn't have it in my mouth.

Without

With

When I was at the hairdressers the gay guy who works there turned up and he was saying he'd had botox in various parts of his face, including his lips.  I asked him what it felt like to kiss botoxed lips and he said he didn't know so I told him to come over to me, pucker up and I'd tell him.

Princess Margaret Hospital and Cystic Fibrosis

I recently spent three days and nights in Princess Margaret Hospital with Paige while she had a tuneup. This is when they give her massive doses of antibiotics through her port and extensive physiotherapy for her Cystic Fibrosis.

This picture shows the first port that was surgically implanted. Before she had this each time she went into PMH for a tuneup she had to go to theatre for a picc line inserting.  She's had them in both sides of her neck, her arms and feet.  The veins in her arms have collapsed.  It was quite distressing for her to go to theatre so it was decided to implant a port.  Unfortunately the original one got blocked so she had to have another one put in at the other side.

The antibiotics are in the syringe and the 'spring infuser' pushes it through the tube into her body.  In this photo she's at our house taking advantage of HITH which stands for 'Hospital in the Home'.  Once a day the physiotherapist visits and puts her through her paces.  CFWA also send Denise to do some physio in the afternoon.  Beth and Steve have been trained to do the medication which frees up the nurses to visit other children also on HITH.

Fortunately we're getting a new children's hospital because the existing one is getting old.  Fridges that were donated have been removed from the rooms because of health and safety issues.  Now all food which was previously stored in the room has to be handed to a nurse and put in a communal fridge/freezer.  When we need something out of it we have to ask for it.  Beth waited nearly an hour for her little esky so that she could put some non dairy butter on Paige's breakfast.  Obviously by the time it was delivered the breakfast had been eaten.

We always knew that food in the cafe was a bit of a joke and Steve said that when he went in at 10.00am  on Saturday food which was to be heated up for lunch time was sitting on a trolley in the kitchen, instead of in a cool room.  They talk about health issues on the ward and they are putting all their customers at risk.  Beth came home for a few hours this afternoon and when she went back she sent this message:

'The options of food at the cafe was corn, broccoli and dry boiled potatoes or plain rice.  No sauce or stew or anything for moisture.  That was it!  When I asked for a veggie burger they said they had no bread.  When I asked for the pattie and salad they said they had no patties.  I'm eating a packet of chips for tea.  Bollocks'.

One of my favourite gripes is that nearly every meal which is delivered to Paige is never hot.  There's no use having a go at anyone because they're lovely people, all doing their best for the children.  Since Paige has become vegan she's had some interesting evening meals but breakfast is the same every day:  hash browns and beans.  She eats the hash browns but not the beans.  They also send her Rice Crispies with soy milk but she doesn't like the milk so the cereal doesn't get eaten.  She has a lot of snacks throughout the day, these are usually chips/water melon/other fruit/rice crackers etc.,  They also give her little packs of cheese which she can't eat because it's made from milk.

The reason we stay with Paige is so that we can attempt to correct any problems before they become bigger problems:  When she was having her nebulizer the nurse set the oxygen level but it was too high resulting in the tube constantly disconnecting from the mouthpiece.  The nurse had gone so we had to turn off the machine and Paige actually reset the level to the correct one.

Another time a nurse came in to give Paige insulin.  When the nurse was told she isn't diabetic she realised she'd been reading the wrong notes.  It's errors like this that can cause big problems or even death.

Then we had the registered nurse trying to flush antibiotics through the incorrect line.  Paige had to tell her to use the one which is specifically for flushing.

I am concerned that mistakes continue to be made.  I wonder if the staff are offered additional training in the correct way to carry out these procedures.

Organ Donation and Lungs on Hold

In 1988 when we still lived in England the local Rotary were trying to get donors on the Bone Marrow Registry. Steve and I took the opportunity to give a sample of blood and get registered.

When we arrived in Australia, I don't know how it happened but Steve and I got onto the registry and also on the Organ Donor list.  Louisa and James are also organ donors.

We feel that it's important for bits and pieces that are no longer any use to us, because we're dead, to be available to anyone who is suffering because their bits are no longer working properly.

Personally, I would prefer that my organs not be transplanted into someone who has deliberately abused their body, i.e. alcohol, drug abuse etc., but I'm told we can't discriminate and I'm really quite passionate about donating.  Let's face it, once I'm dead I'm not going to be bothered, all our family know my views and theirs will be the ultimate call.

When Paige was first diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 6 weeks we were called into the Respiratory department at PMH and during the explanation of what CF is and what was likely to happen we were told that it may be that when Paige is older she may need a lung transplant.

This is the honest truth and I kid you not but immediately Beth said, 'Oh, she can have mum's! '.  I just sat there, wondering how I was going to manage without this very important part of my body.

A few years later Paige and I were talking about organ donation and I said that when she's older she may need a new set of lungs and (just like her mother) she said, 'Can I have yours Granny?'  I'd already asked her consultant if she could have one of my lungs but he said it was probably in a worse state than hers.  We need more people to become organ donors and I'm in the 'lets make it compulsory' camp.  You can't take your body with you when you die, it gets burned or buried, either way it's no use to anyone, if its buried it's taking up space although if its cremated your loved ones can take the ashes and sprinkle them on your roses and watch them spring into life.

Cystic Fibrosis - 65 Roses

Parents of kids who have Cystic Fibrosis have a unique relationship.  These videos are of Joel who I think is a couple of years older than Paige and his sister Jeslyn.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=c1fe693e9e5520f9b2843b&skin_id=1603&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url


http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=bd05263101311edb1e8ee7&skin_id=1604&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Beth met Leelee (their mum) in PMH.  Leelee is a real fighter and stands up for what she believes in.  Jeslyn is a true angel who you can see loves her brother without reservation.  I wonder if she'll be a nurse when she's older.

                                             ******************************

The following link is a movie that Steve made.  The baby is Sienna and the bits and pieces that Paige are putting together were donated by LJ Hooker, Mandurah.  It's a special nebuliser which cost a fortune and takes a very short time to dispense the medication.  She's using a traditional nebuliser in the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBOj5zyN768

Doing some physio by blowing up balloons.


Steve and I had the back of the caravan covered in the hope that when we're on the road people will check out the website and learn more about this chronic disease which is the most common genetic disease affecting children.

When we're travelling and pull in for fuel we try to take a photo of the caravan with the name of where we are in the photo.  I don't know why we started doing this, possibly so that the CF. Association know that we are indeed spreading the word.

Heart Attack

Today I'm going to tell you about what happened when I had my heart attack in February 2003.  It was a Saturday night and we were eating tea.  Louisa had made salad rolls and mine was really tasty. Strange how you remember the most mundane things.

I'm eating away when my left arm felt strange.  Not pins and needles, just strange, then I started with a sensation in my chest, under my breast bone almost as if there was a rat gnawing away with his horrible teeth.  I had a couple of Nurofen (apparently the worst thing you can take).

We tend not to panic in this house but I did say to Steve that it might be a good idea if we visited the local hospital just to make sure all was well.

Off we went and they put the leads on, did a blood test and an X-Ray and put me into an observation ward.  Everything came back negative so they sent me home.

The next morning we had our children, plus a couple of extras and we were all eating Maccas when it started again.  I'd felt it through the night but didn't panic.  I stopped eating, which is unusual for me and told Steve I didn't feel well and he suggested I go lay down on our bed.

When I was laid there I started sweating and asked for the air conditioning to be put on.  Louisa came in and threw the remote control at me saying she didn't know how to work it and I had to turn it on myself.  Just a little while later I went dizzy and really didn't feel well.  Louisa, James, Beth and various other people all went out to the markets to see if they could get any bargains.

I still didn't realise it was anything serious, it never entered my head to call for an ambulance and I told Steve I wanted to go back to hospital.  He moaned a bit but I really felt rough so off we went.  I told him he'd have to get me a wheelchair because there was no way I could walk and he'd have to park close to the entrance.

He pulled in and went off to find a wheelchair.  There was an ambulance parked at the side of us.  Steve came back and told me there was a queue and he couldn't find a wheel chair.  He didn't say it but he was thinking I'd tell him to take me home.

I didn't and the ambulance people told him where he could find a wheelchair.  When we got inside he went to reception and told them I'd been there the night before with chest pains and I was no better this morning.  The staff fannied about and whilst Steve was talking to another person a nurse came and called my name.  When she saw me sitting on my own and realised she'd have to push me into the department she said she'd come back later and left me there.

Eventually she came back and Steve pushed me to the bed she pointed to.  By this time my dress was soaked through and I crawled onto the bed, she fixed on the leads and within 30 seconds all hell broke loose.  Looking back I can laugh about it but at the time it was very dramatic.  Steve's face was a picture when the doctor told him his wife was having a heart attack.  (guilt).

I don't know how long we were there for but they transferred me to The Mount which is a private hospital in Perth.  We'd got private insurance in 2000 because after I'd had cancer in 1998 I fully expected Steve to have a meltdown and I wanted to have the best care for him.  We'd also arranged good life and trauma insurance but we're still waiting to claim on it because he's too damn healthy.  If he'd have a heart attack or lose a leg we'd get enough money to clear our debts but will he? no he won't.

Stayed in The Mount under the care of a lovely cardiologist who looks as if he should be playing rugby for Australia.  He did an angiogram and the result was that the artery was too small to insert a stent so he dosed me up with medication and told me I'd have to take it for the rest of my life which I'm doing.  I've had follow up tests and they've all been fine.  I used to see him every year and a couple years ago he asked if I knew what had triggered the attack. Had I been upset, arguing, anything at all?  Louisa got married the month after the attack but I wasn't stressed about it so he told me I was unique but we knew that already.

I didn't see him last year, I had the dodgy hips going on.  The year before I'd seen him and I'd been stuck in the waiting room because my knee was locked and I couldn't move.

The pain was not the elephant sitting on my chest.  As I said, it was as if something was gnawing at me and I've had indigestion that's been more painful.  I have to say though that when I do get indigestion I do wonder if it's my heart and still I don't panic.  I have one of those spray things but the first thing I do is have a couple of Rennies.  The pain goes away so it's not cardio and since it usually happens at night I go back to sleep and wake to see another day.

My words of wisdom regarding health are, if in any doubt whatsoever, see a doctor.  I used to think I was a bit of a hypochondriac but it doesn't matter how many visits you need to make, if you're worried take yourself to see a professional.

What shall I write about next?

Jodi Ellen Malpas. This Man Trilogy

I don't do reviews, to me they're a bit like a resume where you write stuff that prospective employers want to read, rather than what you can do ie.  I can competently operate and maintain computer databases/systems and use financial systems to process payments received and monitor expenditure.  I'm able to maintain client records and create effective documentation while respecting the need for privacy and confidentiality.

In other words, I can use a computer, deal with accounts, do the filing and keep my mouth shut.


I read a book by Jodi Ellen Malpas.  It's the first part of a trilogy called 'This Man'. It has some naughty bits in it and it's so good and funny, he doesn't like her swearing and shouts 'Mouth' at her when she's cursing then he has a countdown when she won't do as he says.  I won't tell you what happens when he gets to zero.

I keep tabs on books I know are coming and I saw that the next one 'Beneath this Man' had been released on Amazon UK but not yet on Amazon.com.  Because I'm in Australia I have to get my books from Amazon.com but couldn't find it.  However, I've read enough thrillers and suspense novels to know there's always a back way in and I don't know how I did it but I did indeed find the new book and downloaded it yesterday.

David Kimmerle as Jesse

Oh joy,  I'm trying to read it slowly so that I can really enjoy it but as I'm sure most readers will appreciate, I'm desperate to see how it goes.    

http://www.amazon.com/This-Man-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B009UFDYV8/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358741004&sr=1-2&keywords=this+man

This is for the first book which is a steal at only $2.99 with approximately 448 pages.


The second one is $5.69 which is another good price
htttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B1WP8T4/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

Far too often books have only a couple of hundred pages in them.  I can't tell you how many there are in the second book but I'm sure I've seen somewhere that its over 300, perhaps even 400.

Anyway, these are written by a lovely lady from Northampton in the U.K.  We had a bit of a conversation on Facebook, only a few comments because I have no doubt she's desperately busy, keeping her fingers to the keyboard and knocking out another book for us.

Fantastic read, download them now or wait for the third one so you can read them all in one hit.  Steve and I often say we lead boring lives, a bit of fantasy now and then makes up for the day to day living (and certainly perks up the nighttime)!

Books and authors - Aleatha Romig and Maya Banks

I have heaps of books, mostly chick lit' but also crimes and thrillers.  I have to get rid of them.  I don't like lending them out because I'm always afraid they won't be looked after but since we've decided to sell they have to go.  They all look brand new but they've been read at least once by me and perhaps once by one other person.

I went off reading for a while but then so many people were talking about Fifty Shades of Grey that I thought I'd give it a go and mygod, I'm so glad I did because it set off my girly bits with a real vengeance.  Poor Steve was totally whacked because I couldn't get enough.  I honestly thought I had something wrong with me and I mentioned it to the pharmacist who said it had probably just triggered something and to be grateful (which I am, believe me).

Anyway, it lasted about four months and its settled down now, I'm over begging and just grateful when Steve is in the mood.  No more headaches for me although Steve has had quite a few recently.

I have to say that since reading Fifty Shades I've had my eyes opened and what annoys me is that my girls know more about what goes on in the bedroom than me (well they did but not since I've googled quite a lot of it).  They've never told me about this stuff and have years of ignorance.

I bought a Kindle a few years ago and it's great because I go onto the Amazon web site and look at the books I fancy and they can be downloaded within a couple of minutes.  I still go to the book stores to see what's in and make a note of them.  I have over 300 books on my second Kindle (I gave the first to Louisa because it wouldn't fit in my small bag).  I now read the Kindle through the day and the mini iPad in the evening because it has a back light where the Kindle doesn't.

Anyway, whilst trawling through Amazon I came across 'Consequences', followed by 'Truth' written by Aleatha Romig.     http://www.amazon.com/Aleatha-Romig/e/B009SYSSE4

I'm saying no more, other than I am desperately waiting for the final book called 'Convicted'.  Poor Steve has had so many shocks when I've exclaimed, 'Ohmygod I don't believe it!', and 'this is awful', and other such statements.  The suspense is killing me and whilst I converse with Althea through Facebook there is NO WAY that I want to know what happens in book 3.  I will probably taunt myself for a few days after I've downloaded it by not reading it straight away.  I think it'll be a soft cheese and biscuits time, on my own with no distractions.

One of the books I'm saving is 'Colter's Promise' by Maya Banks.   http://mayabanks.com
The 'Colter's books are about three brothers and the woman they share.  They're not smutty, just rather nice.  My eyes have been well and truly opened as I mentioned before.

These are only two of my favourite authors, There's a few more which I'll tell you about later, providing I get a few comments.

Think I may have to change the name of the blog

While we're at home I've decided to treat this as a journal, it's good to sit here typing and getting everything off my chest (such as it is).  I have no idea who reads it because no one leaves a comment but I think it's quite liberating to dribble on and on and on............

Steve and I went to see Beth and Paige this morning in Princess Margaret Hospital.  We took a special tube that we have at home for when Paige is staying here.  She has to have supplement feeds which are high doses of fat to try and keep her weight steady.  A special machine is used which Beth has hired but she's hoping to buy her own, there's one on Gumtree for $600.00 and they're $1700 new. Beth forgot to take the tube and the nurse on duty last night had words with Beth saying that they couldn't keep giving out these tubes because they're expensive and if she already has one then it's a waste of tax payers money to hand out another!

Feeding peg 

We've paid our taxes and it really annoys me that the staff at PMH treat Beth as if she's a nobody but I'm not allowed to say anything or contact them although I did last time when Paige was in because one of the nurses came into the room to give her a dose of insulin.  She told Paige she was diabetic and fortunately she knows she isn't and told the nurse to check the file.  The nurse had picked up the wrong notes!  Honestly, it really doesn't bear thinking about.

The peg goes directly into her stomach

The tube goes from the syringe to the peg.
She looks to have a bit of a muffin top in this photo to the right!  We wish.

I'm going to be talking about books next.

Depression

I'm sinking into depression today, which reminds me that I haven't had my morning pills which does indeed include a Happy Pill (or mental as my daughters call it).  They say it takes 3 weeks for them to be out of your system but my family know within a few days if I've not had them.  I'm not nice when I don't take them.

No, the reason for my sadness today is that I've just calculated how much money comes out of our bank account to pay home loans, finance on vehicles, insurance including funeral plans for Steve and moi etc., etc.,

So, it's unlikely that we'll be staying in the Eastern States when we return to the mainland after visiting Tasmania.  Instead, we'll come home and get the house ready to be sold.  When we're not on the road we're going to live in the caravan either in Beth's back yard or we have some friends who have a lot of land in Pickering Brook and they've said we can go there.  And when we have money in the bank we'll start looking at Plan B with regards to seeing the rest of Australia.

If Beth and her family weren't moving in while their house is being built we could have had it on the market while we're away but I don't think it's fair to ask her to keep it looking nice when there's three kids, a dog and cat and Jimmie living here.

This is Lily, Louisa's daughter.  She used to be referred to as the demon child, I think you can see why!  However, we seem to have exorcised said demon and she's a delight now.

I downloaded the Fifty Shades Trilogy to Louisa's Kindle and a few weeks after reading them she surprised me by telling me she's pregnant with Harry who's due when we're in Tasmania.  For years they had problems conceiving, there was a couple of miscarriages and Matthew was born at 26 weeks and lived for only three hours so when she was pregnant with Lily (and then Adam) we were all anxious in case all was not well but everything was great.

So when we get home there'll be a new baby for me to cuddle.  I just love new babies.  When Adam and Beth's youngest daughter Sienna were babies they used to breast feed which ever baby needed it.  Beth is wondering if she should take some tablets to bring in her milk, she had gallons of the stuff with Sienna, then they can take turns feeding Harry.  Unfortunately I no longer have real bosoms or I'd be wanting to feed him as well, I breastfed all of mine and loved it.

Caravan upgrades

The caravan has had its first service by Kye from Quality Caravan Repairs (0428 897 746).  He's a really great guy and his children go to the same school in Pinjarra that Paige went to before she was registered at Byford.  Both Paige and Charlie will be at the same school this year because Beth and Andrew are building in Byford.  When they move out of the rental they're coming here while their house is finished off.

The reason they're moving to Byford is so that the Hospital in the Home Service, who don't go to Pinjarra, can go to their house instead of ours.   As it is now once she's stable in PMH she comes here and the treatment carries on here.


We've had solar panels fitted to the roof of the caravan.  We should be totally self sufficient now and will be able to do more free camping because we have an extra 49ltr tank for water and another one for diesel.  We always have lots of drinking water which we've never run out of but I panic if we don't have enough to flush the toilet.

Steve went to BBQs Galore last week to fill the 9kgs gas bottle.  They've increased the price from $19.95 to $29.95 so he went to BCF and it was $19.95.

After speaking with a guy when we were away last time Steve went to a place in Osborne Park and bought a new digital satellite finder as the one we had was more trouble than it was worth.  The new one is brilliant and he's got it all wired up and fixed the dish to the same mounting as the spare wheel at the back of the caravan.  It looks really good but it does cover up some of the address for CFWA but this may encourage people to do a search on it.  Once they get into the site who knows what they might find. 

More ramblings

I'm so lucky with the people who look after me, starting with Steve who I really couldn't live without.  He does everything for me.

Saw Caroline, my dentist today.  I've been with her since 1990 and there is no way I'd ever go to anyone else.  She must have been quite young when I first met her because she's not that old now.  It takes us 45 minutes to get to her but she's well worth it.  Today she was taking the impression for the plate she's making me.  I had to cave in and let her remove one of my side teeth.  The damn thing had been rebuilt and repaired so many times, all because I wouldn't let her take it out because I didn't want to look like White Trailer Trash.  Well, I've done that for the last two weeks and I have another two before I'll be like Beth and have a one tooth plate.

WHITE TRAILER TRASH

Beth had to have the same tooth out and she's so funny with her plate.  She only wears it on special occasions, never in her house and she'll come here and take it out and leave it on the worktop.  Steve said I should try it for size and if it fit I could borrow it.  Caroline said to make sure I don't leave mine next to hers or we might try putting the wrong one in.  I suppose you had to be here to appreciate the humour.

PAIGE'S FIRST PORT 

Paige and Beth are in Princess Margaret Hospital so Paige can have a tuneup and learn some muscle building exercises so that she has more strength to put into her coughing.  The bathrooms have mould in them and mould is detrimental to Paige's health so they'll stay there for as short a period as possible and come here to do Hospital in the Home.  That means Gavin, the physiotherapist and Sam, the nurse will be coming to visit. There's others as well but they're my favourites as you'd expect.

LAST HOSPITAL VISIT

Paige has a port so that when she has her massive doses of antibiotics they don't need to take her to theatre.  She also has a peg into her stomach so that she can have very high fat fluids introduced in an effort to put some weight on her.  Poor little soul has probably had more visits to the theatre than I have and I've had a few.  This week she also had a C.T. scan and other tests to see how the Cystic Fibrosis is going.  All the team know she's vegan now and the dietician says they can deal with it so it'll be interesting to see what they feed her.  Steve used to do up frozen meals for the people who stay with Paige overnight but there's no point in him doing it now because they've removed all the fridges in the rooms.

http://www.cysticfibrosis.org.au

I had a lovely surprise earlier in the week.  My friend Sue Chook called me to thank me for the birthday wishes I'd sent her.  I can't forget her birthday because its on the same date as my dad's.  I didn't realise it was five years since we'd caught up but because she's computer savvy she called me again on Skype. She looks just the same, as does Frank, her husband.  They were in Bali when it was bombed but it doesn't stop them going back and they spent the new year there.

Chook was very supportive when I had breast cancer in 1998.  She came to see me nearly every day after the bosoms had been chopped off.  She always came at lunch time and would drape herself on my bed so she could watch The Bold and the Beautiful.  It got so that the lady, who was known as Cuddles, who brought the lunches round would bring her a plate of sandwiches.  Funnily enough when she left the hospital she went to work at the same place as Chook.  

Getting ready for Tassie

and we're hoping all the fires will be out by the time we get there.

I can't imagine what it must be like to be surrounded by fire, watching it and wondering if its going to come your way.  My heart goes out to everyone who's affected by fires, anywhere.

Our intention is to leave Perth on the 1st February.  We have appointments through January with my dentist, orthopaedic surgeon and Bob, our doctor and Steve also made an appointment with the physiotherapist people, just to make sure all is well.

Our pharmacy is putting together six months worth of medication for me, I had a heart attack in 2003, a month before Louisa's wedding and take medication to keep everything okay.  My cardiologist (who looks as if he should be playing rugby for Australia) doesn't know why I had the heart attack.  He tells me I'm unique but I already knew that.  I may have already written this, it seems familiar but I don't have the patience to read through what I've already written.

Oh, I broke my foot a few months ago.  The floppy one and this is  photo of Steve covering it in cling film so I can go in the shower.

He makes the joke that I've done nothing for the last 12 months and he's right.  He's fed and watered me and kept me clean and I'm forever telling him how important he is to me but he just laughs it off.

Mind you, since I read the Fifty Shades Trilogy and my libido came back with a vengeance he can't complain about his sex life, other than to say he's too tired (because he's looking after me).  It's like going round in a circle.

I had to stop working in February.  I loved my job, it was the most cruisey job I'd ever had.  I couldn't walk properly, still can't.  I spent most of 2012 in a wheelchair being pushed by Steve or Louisa and Beth, sometimes with small children sitting on my knee for the ride.