Well, waddaya know?

Even a few years ago, you wouldn't have known it would happen, and so soon. I didn't want to watch Harry Potter again on the telly. So, I watched a different programme on the telly, in the same room and at the same time!

The good ol' BBC have come up terumps again. I used the BBC iPlayer clicky thingy on their home page, to find last night's Johnathan Ross and watched the brill comedian Chris Rock again. This was after watching this morning's Click that I missed.

Well, not one to enjoy just sitting watching telly while doing nothing else, I got on with my knitting (socks for nanny's best girl) at the same time, all in front of a lovely fire.

Yay, for multi-tasking. But, a bigger YAY for blimmin' technology, I say!

Acting's the best medicine

Nope, the back is still not better. It did get a bit better before Christmas but, as I'd gone back to work and worked hard, the bloody thing was back again, and worse. I jumped about in the doc's surgery cos I'd run out of Tramadine and was trying to cope with the co-codamol. Arrgh, sooo painful. Anyhow, she has made an urgent referral to a neurosurgeon, who will, hopefully take pictures and tests and may be able to do a small, keyhole op. to release the nerve.

But, in the meantime, I have learned lots;

- Before you go to bed, get everything ready for the morning, ie pills, water, biscuits.
- Put the plug in the bath the night before, to save one movement of leaning over the edge.
- If poss. get someone to run the hot bath, which I need in order to face the day and get me ready for my first walk of the day.
- Walk - despite it being nearly as much agony as actually getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom, it does do some good.
- Clean your teeth later. I cannot stand over the sink to clean my teeth first thing. If you're not going out anywhere, it can wait until later. But, I did forget, on Boxing Day, to put in my dental plate, and consequently had a whole day's visit to in-laws with a gert big gap, ho hum.
- Shower later. I can't wash my hair in the bath and again, cannot stand for long in the morning, and don't like to go to bed with wet hair, so I luxuriate in an afternoon shower.
- Request visitors to not put down the toilet lid. The seat, yes!
- Don't take your pills while standing over the kitchen sink, without the plug in place. - If you do drop a pill down there, it is a bugger to try and work out which one it was, having swallowed the rest.
- Drink plenty, doesn't matter if it's tea, water or lemon barley. Bad back plus constipation is not a good mix, and the lactulose medicine can be violent.
- Sex, no. Cuddles yes, most important.
- Can't hold a book while reading in bed? Download books onto iPod (or, use a tape or cd machine.)
- Can't see the telly from bed? Watch a film or BBCi programme on your wireless laptop, strategically placed.
- Have to be on your own in the house while in bed? Ensure the phone and laptop or telly remote are in arms reach. I spent a few hours without tea, company, breakfast etc one morning as Mr T went about his worky business, not realising I was a) awake and b) gasping for the above mentioned.
- Make sure you have at least two walks Every Day, and remember to take your phone and fags to have a rest, halfway through.
- When even the kettle is too heavy to lift, do at least use your milk from the jug.
- The bed is minging, after its not been changed for over a week. Remember the big lesson of courtesy - ask Mr T what he is up to tomorrow, then politely ask if he'll change it, same with any hoovering, laundry, toilet cleaning, medicine collecting, taking me out in the car for a change of scenery.
- The courtesy lesson is also useful in relation to food, particularly the food he has lovingly or begrudgingly prepared - lie if it's horrible, just get on with it with a smile and a thank-you.
- Food and diets, don't diet, but do eat a lot less as, without moving around the place so much, you will get fatter and that won't help so, too, do resist the temptation to eat toffees, chocolate, bread and jam, no, no, n0. Though, luckily, being so stuffed full of medication, and with a dental plate making me feel sicky, it's not so much of a problem.
- Be polite and full of thank-yous, it stops people from hating you or hating having to do things for you.
- Shop, it's what the internet was made for, wasn't it? And, as you are not out and about working, shopping, buying coffees or lunches, or meeting up with your mates, you must be saving enough to buy that lovely cardi M&S or Next have on sale, just in your size, surely.

But, the greatest thing I have learned over these last few weeks, is how to act. I act cheerful, and behave as if I am. It is only my best mate who knows how I really feel. I cry only when I'm on my own, the bath is the bestist place for this, and not sad at all, as I don't like crying in front of people. So, as I've been treading the boards of cheerfulness as 'twer, I've found it has not only kept my own spirits up, it has also done the same for those around me. Speaking of whom, Mr T and our daughter have been the biggest stars of this drama and its lessons. I could not have done without them. They not only have looked after me, they have done my work, ferried me to the chiropractor, and so much more. My love to them.

Here endeth the lesson for today. xxx