Tipping point...

Hi World's !!

It's another Tuesday, here in the wilds of England's South-West corner & I'm back !! If you've not realised, that I've been gone - for over 2 weeks... well, not to worry about it, I will not get too upset about it all !!

First off "The Family" !!

As I type - B is out in the side garden, hanging some washing out to dry. It's really bright & Sunny outside today - so, B is taking the best of it, to get stuff dry !! It was very windy, a few days back - and, luckily, it didn't rain - so, the washing dried really quickly... oh well...

As for the rest of the family....

Our Daughter ME is at home, but is coming over a little later.... not 100& sure what time, but when ever she is here, my little bit of the Universe brightens up !! That just leaves our Son... J.

At the moment, he is preparing for a move... I guess ?! I e-mailed him, to see how he was doing & to ask, if he wanted to come home, for the Summer. To which, I had a one line reply, about his starting a full time "placement" (I guess) in Newbury...... sooooo - I guess he has no plans on seeing his Mum anytime soon ?!

B has suggested that we dismantle J's bed & move it into the smaller room.... it's a good idea, but (there is always a "but") I want to give J every opportunity, to visit home & not feel that he no longer has a space here. If he decides, that he is never returning... well, that's a different thing all together, that will be his choice - and one I will respect... but, for now, it's still his room !!

Just because you hate my guts Son, there is no need to take it out on your Mum !! That's just incase you're reading my words, of course.... nevermind - each to their own !!

The music of the moment - well, I'm listening to the old album, by Yes simply called 'Fragile'. The tracks are:

1) Roundabout
2) Cans & Brahms
3) We Have Heaven
4) South Side Of The Sky
5) Five Per Cent For Nothing
6) Long Distance Runaround
7) The Fish
8) Mood For A Day
7) Heart Of The Sunrise

I had the Lp of this, from the day it first came out... a very many Moons ago !! Having really liked the 'Yes Album'... well, it was a no way type of Lp... I had to get a copy, followed by 'Close To The Edge' !! Ah - the glory days of 'Prog Rock' !!

Heck - I forgot to wish you all had a happy Easter !! I'm sorry about that - I've had things to deal with & life has been pretty hectic around here.... to explain....

As a lot of you know, I'm not the healthiest puppy around. I've been a bit poorly, for the last 14 years, but... these last 2 years have kind of rammed it all home !!

A couple of 3 weeks ago, I started to feel poorly & bit, by little bit, I went down hill.... until on Tuesday 24th March, I reach a kind of "tipping point" - where my body just gave up. I kid you not...

I went to bed early, because I wasn't feeling too good & when B came to bed, I was unconscious & she couldn't wake me. A couple of ambulances came over to the house & I was driven to the hospital, in Taunton. It seems like I missed quite a ride !!

With 2 medics working on me, in the back of one of the ambulances, B was torn between worrying about me & also the speeds of up to 95 mph, at which another medic was driving !! At some point, during the ride, I stopped breathing.... sooooo - I missed quite a bit !!

I - sort of - remember a bit of Wednesday afternoon..... with B & ME visiting me, but it was really the Thursday, that I really started to put things together. It was about that time, I started to realise, that I wasn't really too well - the stuff that I could normally do, well..... I couldn't !!

After spending a couple of very uncomfortable days & nights, in the ward, I started to get things together & - thankfully, I started to feel a bit better !!

I really wanted to leave the hospital, on the Saturday - but My Wife & Dearest Friend wanted me to stay in, so try & get better.... sooooo, I stayed & let things take their course. It took a while.... but, I thankfully had my little Mini Egg with me & I was able to play loads of music !!

To see the look, on the guys (nurses & Dr's) faces, when they would ask me what I'm listening to & I would say "Nine Inch Nails" or something !! One Dr. (Bruce) was facilitated by my Egg (iPod) and what was on it........ a great guy !!

I kept on his case... to try & get him to discharge me, from the hospital - but, it took to the Monday, before they decided I was well enough. My blood infection levels were down to normal-ish ( from 279 - when I first went in, to below 20 on the Monday) and with my blood pressure behaving itself, I was set free.... once more, to come home & relax, in my own surroundings.

As I said to Bruce - I was just laying there, listening to music, nearly all the time.... sooooo, I was going to be happier at home !! Eventually, his boss agreed & I was home by Monday evening... it felt really good, to look out of my own bedroom window, rather than the small windows, in the hospital !!

It's the sickest I've been, in a couple of years... but, bit by bit - with my families help & The Lord above, I am gradually getting myself together again !! It's going to take a while, this time, but life is good, so I'm taking each day at a time & letting things take their time. Life is good....

The music of the moment... I've changed it to an Allman Brothers concert, that came while I was away. It was recorded at the Beacon Theater in New York, on March 7th 2014... the tracks are:

CD 1

  1) Old Friend
  2) No One To Run With
  3) Trouble No More
  4) Leave My Blues At Home
  5) Worried Down With The Blues
  6) True Gravity
  7) Midnight Rider
  8) You Don't Love Me
  9) Dusk Til' Dawn
10) Ain't Wastin' Time No More

CD 2

1) Melissa
2) I Walk On Gilded Splinters
3) Dreams
4) In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed

CD 3

1) The Sky Is Crying
2) Revival
3) Whipping Post

So far, I'm only on CD 1 - but.... it's well good !! As is the last concert.... from the band. It was (I written all this before) recorded at the Beacon Theater - and the 4 Cd set is well good !! Being stuck, in the hospital - I was able to listen to all 4 discs, one after another - a great final concert !!

Ok - I ought to think about signing off...

It's April 7th today... I started off this year, knowing I was having to have, at least one more surgery & one stay in hospital. So far, I've had 3 stays in hospital & one surgery...... We knew, at some point, that my body would gradually give up, but it was a bit of a shock - for all of us - that we got to this point, as quickly as we have.

Whatever happens, I will fight all of this, for as long as I can...... I must away...

I started this "Blog" on March 31st 2010.... all of 5 years ago - it's been great to know, that sooooo many of you have taken the time to log in, over the years & have taken the time, to read my words.... I thank you all... until next time...

Bye Bye