Back home...

23/9/2017

So after an eventful couple of days I wake up back at home in my own bed. It's Saturday, but I definitely won't be going out anywhere this weekend, or probably for some time to come. Now I am faced with a variety of challenges to do even the most simple basic things at home. My legs work OK in spite of having taken a bit of a battering in the prang. Not so my left hand and wrist which are now in plaster. I can get out of bed and get dressed without much trouble. I can use the toilet and have a basic wash, but a bath or shower is out of the question for the time being as I've been told I have to keep my legs dry due to my injuries - I can't let the plaster on my wrist get wet either. In due course I manage to get round the latter problem by taping my lower arm into a small bin liner, but I have to be very careful not to lose my balance in the shower as there is no one around to help me if I fall and further damage myself, break something, or knock myself out - the consequences are potentially fatal.

Breakfast presents new challenges. I can sort out two Shredded Wheat easily enough, but what about my fry-up? Cutting up and frying mushrooms isn't too difficult. Cooking sausages in the microwave/grill combo is no big problem, but fried eggs? Much to my amazement I manage to crack two eggs into the frying pan, cook them, and get them out of the pan and onto the plate without breaking the yolks! While also cooking mushrooms and sausages at the same time. I feel this is quite an achievement with only one hand, but I suspect I'm very lucky to have got away with it without mishap and I doubt I'll be so lucky next time.... Also, I realise that it is very easy to drop things or make a mess while cooking - and it's going to be a lot harder cleaning things up after any accidents. I decide fry-ups are off the menu for the time being. Fortunately making a bit pot of coffee isn't too difficult though. I later discover that opening a can of soup or beans isn't as easy as I thought. Although I have an electric tin opener most tins these days have those big ring-pull tops. I can pull the lid most of the way off after a fashion, but as I struggle to get the lid free it occurs to me that the edge of the lid is very sharp and I could easily cut myself badly - and then what? Stopping bad bleeding from a deep cut and putting a plaster on - with only one hand free - and that's the one with the cut! I decide trying to open tins on my own isn't such a great idea, so that's more things off the menu.

I had one nice surprise when I got back home: I found when I opened the fridge that my sister had very thoughtfully (and without telling me) done some shopping for me before picking me up from the hospital - so I don't need to go out shopping for a few days - thanks again Sis!