Here again at last! Lots seems to have been happening. Mum has been in hospital at least 3 or 4 timeswhich has meant me having to use the wheelchair more. This has meant that my legs have got weaker but I’ve tried to keep their strength up by doing my excercises regularly. My new sports injury physio is great and improvement is slowly happening but I need to stay determined and focused. I’ve been to see my renal specialist and things are good as for the last 18 months or so my kidneys have been stable.  But after seeing him I got a bout of gout in my left big toe, very painful. I had to have the doctor to me who just prescribed pain killers! But it cleared up in 2 or 3  days conveniently before Kevin and I went on holiday. We had a really good time. We went to Bexhill-on-sea. We stayed at the Cooden Beach hotel, which was lovely, and like it’s name suggests was right on the beach, beautiful. Breakfast and dinner in the restaurant was really lovely. The staff were lovely, friendly and very helpful. The journey was horrendous, six hours of driving in rain and motorway spray! The best thing was I managed to drive the first 90 miles! A huge achievemen and big improvement! Just shows how much better I am at concentrating etc. We had a great few days. On august bank holiday Monday we went to the Bexhill 100, a car show. There were loads there stags, mg’s, mustangs, Aston martins and loads more. I loved it. We went to Chapel St Leanards etc. We also went to Brighton for the day. It was great enjoying an icecream on the new pier. We also went up on the brush airways i360,450ft high. You could see the Isle of Wight from the top really worth a visit. We also visited Herstmonceaux castle! My word what a great castle, but not disabled friendly at all! The disabled toilet was shocking. It looked ok, had all the right handles etc it seemed big enough but in reality the door opened inwards which the made it almost impossible to get the wheelchair in and close the door! Impossible! Then just over a week after getting back I was due to fetch my new motability car, a BMW, and on the Friday night before a bout of gout came on that was affecting both feet, ankles, knees and elbows! So badly that I couldn’t hardly walk. i had to use the wheelchair and wasn’t in a fit state to drive the new car! Kevin was on the insurance so he had to. I then went to the cloakroom when I got home and then was stuck on the loo for 2 1/2 hrs. An ambulance had to be called and I spent 3 nights in hospital! The gout in my right leg, the redness and swelling had reached halfway up my leg. I had to have morphine to ease the pain and was given colchicine to clear the gout! This made my muscles weak cost reacted with the statins that I’m on also is likely it’s affected my kidneys too. But I won’t know til, I have a blood test ina few days time. The doctor wants me to  control my gout through diet which is proving difficult. I’ve looked up high purine foods I should avoid. So far I’ve eaten some of those they say are ok like salmon, chickpeas and eggs and they’ve upset me and made me sick. So now I’m bothered to eat anything! So.....this is the reason for the plateau! I’m still working on it but mum‘s in hospital again.

We recently had great meal with all the family for my dads 90th birthday! We had a great time and lovely meal.