Bye Bye Morphine

This is an example of how bad things are for me.

There were times when I really needed some of this stuff when I was in hospital, mainly after the first chest drain and after the operation. Paracetamol alone just wasn't enough.

They gave me this when I was discharged. It's been sitting on the shelf since then. I haven't needed it, and even if I did I'd probably never take it.

Bye Bye Morrisons

Sooo.....

You probably saw that I was at Morrisons this morning for a capability meeting. This was to determine if and when I could return to work.

Given my ongoing health problems, and with no end in sight at the moment, the decision was made to terminate my contract and end my employment.

Week 28

 Soo.....

I'm now in week 28 of the current situation I find myself in. Over six months consisting of procedures, operations, countless needles, loads of drugs, partially-collapsed lungs, heart problems and much, much more. 

And as the situation continues perhaps the most painful thing is that I still haven't heard from certain people asking how I am.

I guess they really can't put any differences to one side.

Rest in Peace Alan

Tomorrow morning at 11am the funeral of my neighbour Alan Shaw will take place at the Cromer Crematorium.

Alan was one of those people who I knew for as long as I can remember. He worked with my Dad on the bins, and I worked with him for a short time at the newsagents on Mill Road before it closed down.

He may have been an annoying so and so at times, but he always asked me how I was whenever I walked past his house. He also always asked my brother Paul how I was when I was in hospital a few months ago, at a time that his own health was failing him.

Sadly my CT scan at the hospital tomorrow morning means that I won't be able to attend his funeral. It's the third funeral I haven't been able to attend because of my health problems.

Rest in peace Alan.

All the Best, Herr Klopp

I'm not a Liverpool fan, but I freely admit I'm saddened by the news that Jürgen Klopp is leaving at the end of the season.

I'm going to miss seeing him on my television every week. He always comes across as a nice and genuine guy, and in a sport filled with overinflated egos that's great to see.

So from the heart of a football fan, all the best Mr. Klopp. The English game will be poorer without you.

My Last Post of the Year

My final post of the year sees the new year spirit evading me as much as the Christmas spirit did.

The pain and scars on my right-hand side and the feeling of numbness on the right-hand side of my chest are a constant reminder of how seriously ill I was and how I still have a long way to go.

The support of friends, family and co-workers has been invaluable, and once again I thank each and every one of you for taking the time out of your lives to reply to my posts or to message me directly.

Happy New Year!

Maybe I Should Tell a Few Old Wrestling Stories

Seeing that a former friend has posted some of my old photos on their page reminded me that it was 18 years ago today that I officially quit the wrestling business.

After I quit I wrote a manuscript documenting my time there. There were a few people in the business interested in seeing what unsavoury things I'd written about, but in the end I deleted it and it never saw the light of day.

New Year Thanksgiving

 This one may embarrass some people I've known for nearly thirty years.

It's been a tough year for Beverley Birritteri and her family, losing their wonderful wife, mother and grandmother Sheila Smeda.

My Big Achievement This Year

 This year has been a bit crap, but if I've achieved anything it's this:

With the daily blood tests, the countless canulas in my hands and arms, the IV drip feeds and drugs, the antibiotics injections, the blood transfusions, the anaesthetics and the COVID, flu and pneumonia vaccines, it's safe to say that I've had more pricks in me this year than a third-rate Pornhub actress.

Renegades - Civil War Chapter Fifty-Three

The occupants of the planet Onara were surprised when a Federation shuttle started to land in the main port. One man was not surprised however. Although he had received no transmission Calvin Hudson knew who was flying the shuttle.

The door to the shuttle opened, and out stepped Thomas Riker. He looked as if he hadn’t eaten in days, and he was pleased to see Hudson again, although he wanted to see another.

“What are you doing here Tom?” Hudson asked.

“I guess you haven’t heard the news.” Riker replied. “The Lohengrin has defected. By now they should be at the Time of Legends. I didn’t want to go with them. I wanted to stay here. I have some information regarding President Servalan that could help us. I must tell Chakotay.”

I Wrote a Message.....

I wrote a message earlier, intending to send it to people who haven't bothered me for ages, just to let them know what's happened to me over the past few months.

Christmas Thanksgiving

As I haven't really got anything else to do this Christmas Eve I thought I'd give a few shout outs to some of those who have helped me along the way.

Let's begin with everyone at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. If you can't work out why I've put these guys first then you clearly haven't been paying attention over the past four months.

I Feel Like I've Let Him Down

I feel like I've let this guy down in the past few months.

Monty's been a bit under the weather with ear infections again, in October and again a couple of weeks ago. But because of my health problems I've had to ask Paul to take time off work to take him to the vet.

40 Years

I do this every year, but this year seems so much more different because it's 40 years ago today that Mum passed away.

Why does it seem different? With everything that's happened this year there were a couple of times where I thought I might be joining her, that I might see her again, the physical pain I was in was that bad.

If she'd lived she'd be 93 now, but there were times where I wished she was in that hospital with me, sitting in the chair next to my bed, holding my hand telling me everything will be alright, just like she always did during the first 12 years of my life.

Rest in peace Mum.

Morning Has Broken

I've grown to love this man's work over the past few years, especially this album, released just a few weeks before I was born.

Which is why I'm putting this here and now. Some may say the following is a bit morbid, but here goes:

Some good friends have passed this year, and my own long-term health problems have left me questioning my own mortality a few times, so if the worse happens I want this song played at my funeral.

Why? Quite simply because it's one of the most wonderful things I've ever heard, sung by one of the kindest and most beautiful souls I've ever learned about.

So if you're my family remember what I've said here. If you're my friend remind my family of my wishes.
And if I do pass before any of you make sure you're there to sing along.

You have your instructions.

Rest in Peace Cuffy

Just learned that my old friend Mark Cuff has passed away after a long illness.

The Story Behind The Song

Whenever I watch a Fleetwood Mac concert I always watch out for the way the guys look at each other when they perform certain songs, particularly Lyndsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

Can Somebody Snap Their Fingers and Make Me Well Again?

I have to admit I really didn't know what to write here at first. I've been out of hospital just over a week now. I'm feeling better, but I don't feel anywhere near how I felt before I first contacted my GP back in August and told her how ill I felt (and we all know how that went over the next couple of weeks.)
 
My back and side still hurt from where the chest drains were inserted, and it still feels weird not having to carrying around a plastic pot with me. I'm still having to walk around with a stick most of the time because I'm still quite unsteady on my feet.

The Hospital Blog

If you don’t follow me on social media and only follow me via this blog you’re probably wondering what’s happened to me. Well, yours truly finally got the treatment he needed when I was taken into hospital for treatment on what was originally diagnosed as a chest infection but which actually turned out to be pneumonia.

I spent two weeks in hospital undergoing various treatments, being poked and prodded, having various needles and tubes inserted into me. I posted a few updates on Facebook, but as many of you probably don’t follow me on Facebook a couple of the posts from there. I didn’t really write anything of length until about a week into my stay, by which time I’d undergone a second procedure to drain fluid from my chest and right lung.

Chest Infection Week Six

A health update for you:

Tomorrow will be the start of the sixth week of my chest infection. Yep, suck bloody weeks of this crap. I never thought the bloody thing would last this long, but it has.

I had a check-up at the surgery last Friday. The original intention when I made the appointment was to see if I could work with my sciatica. (Don't get me started on how I had to jump through hoops just to get that appointment.)

The sciatica immediately took a back seat when I told the guy how the chest infection just wasn't getting any better, how I had countless coughing fits every day, and how I'd thought I'd pulled a ton of muscles down my right hand side because of this.