Health update.

[Guest]

Great news Barry, pleased for you.

[stillp]

That's good to hear Barry.
Pete

[minitnkr]

Great news Barry. The youngest is a godsend.

[BarryW]

Well thanks everyone. Everything is a bit exhausting at the moment but I will be in the pub at lunchtime followed by the best pizza in Dover…..

[Guest]

Pleased to see you are home, that is a healing process of its own....
I had better cancel the Red Cross food parcels and the SAS hit squad that were on their way to rescue you....
Pizza, Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!! Jealous.....

[boatman]

HI Barry now you are out of hos an home how are you getting on an any bench time yet ?
chrisb

[rtfoe]

Chris, Barry's son is currently staying in his modelling room therefore no modelling until then.
Great to see you're back home Barry. Getting into a rhythm with the surroundings in a wheel chair is not easy but you'll get into it I'm sure. I've had to help some people in and out of wheel chairs in my time and it is real hard...good that your son is around to help initially until you get the hang of mobility in and out of the chair.
I'm guessing furniture has to be rearranged to accommodate your little buggy. Hoping this will not be permanent and you'll be out and about. You've already been to the pub and enjoying the food and that's a good sign.

Cheers,
Wabble

[Ian M]

Great to learn you are home and have wheels. Hope the power chair don't take too long to arrive.
I strongly suggest a pick up stick thing. When it is most difficult to get down and fight the carpet monster is exactly when you drop things. Well it is for me!
Hope you enjoyed the beers and the pizza!

[BarryW]

Great to learn you are home and have wheels. Hope the power chair don't take too long to arrive.
I strongly suggest a pick up stick thing. When it is most difficult to get down and fight the carpet monster is exactly when you drop things. Well it is for me!
Hope you enjoyed the beers and the pizza!

I have a pick up stick Ian and, yes, it’s a great help. Not used it at the bench yet but it will definitely be useful there.

This wheelchair use really is a big learning curve but I am getting there. Next Friday I have the mobility people coming to see me about the power lift. I expect that it will be made bespoke to me after they have checked out the flat and measured me up.

[boatman]

I have a pick up stick Ian and, yes, it’s a great help. Not used it at the bench yet but it will definitely be useful there.

This wheelchair use really is a big learning curve but I am getting there. Next Friday I have the mobility people coming to see me about the power lift. I expect that it will be made bespoke to me after they have checked out the flat and measured me up.

Jen an i hope things turn out ok for you Barry
ATB to you sir
jen an chrisb

[Jim R]

Wishing you all the best Barry. From your posts you sound determined and up beat. I'm sure that a positive outlook is important.

[BarryW]

Wheelchair life is a massive learning curve but I am coping well and every day I feel I am coping better.

Well yesterday I had a visit from the mobility company and I tried out two powered wheelchairs around the flat, trying one outside. Happy to report that both fitted under the bench, one of the things that needed testing out!!!

I have ordered one of them made to fit my body shape with all the functions I need. It’s expensive, the base cost being £7,000 and with the modifications bringing it up to around £12,000. It’s a lot of money but it is well worth it given how important it will be to me. I could have gone cheaper but I don’t believe scrimping would have paid off. It is for this kind of thing that you need to plan your retirement for, that’s the investment adviser in me talking!!! The wheelchair will be delivered anywhere between 3 and 8 weeks time, depending on availability of parts.

Incidentally, the other one I test drove and didn’t order was an ‘off the shelf’ chair that, in theory could have done what I need costing under £4,000. However, it was chalk and cheese in the way it drove, while responsive it just did not ‘feel’ as good and it would struggle a bit more outside. The extra cash goes into providing more power, comfort and speed with the ability to climb steeper slopes and handle rougher ground with increased safety.

Still not really able to get to the bench, my son is sleeping in that room and, quite honestly, I could not manage without him while using a manual wheelchair. I might be able to work something out though, soon, I have itchy fingers to get on with that Lancaster…….

My spinal operation wound is healing slowly but is giving me a fair bit of discomfort. My son though, is giving me better wound care than I got in hospital, washing it with salt water twice a day, and applying Savlon and dressings for the night.

My cancer treatment continues and I have had a further consultation about the next stage of treatment. This will be hormone tablets with lots of horrible side effects. These will start on the 2nd September…in particular fatigue can be expected and thinning of my bones so I will need to be taking a lot of care.

My son will be with me until January for when he has arranged to start a new contract and will go back to sea in the Antarctic region. That should give me plenty of time to acclimatise to both the new treatment and the ‘powered wheelchair’ lifestyle. During that period some changes will be implemented, with the help of my son, to ensure that I can live alone in the flat.

I will have Alice with me Friday nights through to Monday mornings while my other son will be spending Wednesday evenings with me for a
‘movie night’ with beers and pizza! Something we have now started…. Therefore I won’t lack company from January and, besides, that powered wheelchair will get me to the pub alone….

Anyway folks, that’s my current news. So happy modelling…… Hopefully I will join you in that soon.

[boatman]

HI Barry jen an are very happy to see you increase in your new enviroment an yes quite right on the chair no good buyin one if it cant handle all the steep rd an rough ground an we hope you get on well with it an be nice to see back at the bench building that big lanc
ATB from jen an i
jen an chrisb

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Barry

I can only begin to understand the life-changing events you’re going through. But your upbeat attitude and your determination are an inspiration to us all. I am glad to hear that your son is there with you to help you through this. Also, the chair (although more expensive) will, I’m sure, be the better investment. The comfort side alone may be worth the extra expense.

I hope the coming treatments go well and the side effects are not harsh. The sooner they can get you to the modeling bench and working on another masterpiece the better.

Wishing you all the very best
Paul

[stona]

I'm glad to read that you are emerging from a most difficult time, albeit with challenges ahead. Your positivity is something to behold. People always say, rather tritely, that it's 'half the battle', but there is more than a grain of truth in that.
Good luck with whatever comes next!