Friday, November 4, 2011

Notes

The grassy square opposite the house is strewn with fallen leaves, innumerable shades of yellow and ochre. In the late afternoon sun a little boy - fair hair, bright red jumper - pushes an equally bright red bicycle through the leaves. The bike is a bit too heavy for him to control and he swerves from side to side as he makes his way home, his small body consumed with effort and concentration.

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Guarded forays into the outside world - no more than one a day followed by rest - but so much time is spent on my own. Reading. Watching TV. Surfing the internet. (TV has tended to take over when pain levels are up; at such times escapism and distraction rule). These days the recovery consists of small spurts of progress followed by consolidation. Energy levels are still horribly low so graded but regular exercise (important not to miss a day), a good diet and fresh air, along with fortnightly cranial osteopathy sessions, are what is needed. I can't speak too highly of cranial osteopathy and of my practitioner. It has saved me.

So hard to focus, to formulate ideas, to string thoughts together. If my ego were writing the script I would have used the past two years to produce a first novel or learn another language or read the complete Russian classics. What a joke. Such achievements as there have been seem pretty paltry from the outside but that's not what this period has been about, not at all. It's been about survival, being stripped back to the core.

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The cat's blood test results are in. The problem doesn't seem to be kidneys as I had feared. Instead one of his liver readings is higher than normal, plus he has lost a small but noticeable amount of weight over the last three months. These symptoms could point to something ominous or they could simply be a consequence of his age. Vet's advice: bring him in for regular weigh-ins every three weeks or so. If he continues to lose weight then another blood test to clarify exactly what is going on.

Meanwhile he's happy. Eating, sleeping, purring. To be honest my instinct is to leave him in peace.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I've just found your lovely blog.

How do I formally "follow" it please because that way it'll appear on my reading list every time you post.

SP

mm said...

SP, welcome and thank you!

Re "following". I don't actually use this myself, I just use Google Reader for the blogs that I keep up with. But I would imagine that if you want to follow on Blogger you click on the Follow icon on the left hand side of the Navigation Bar right at the top of all Blogger blogs. It looks as if this gives the option of becoming either a private or a public follower.

Hope this helps - I'm afraid I only really know what I've discovered myself along the way!

Relatively Retiring said...

Hello MM, I'm so delighted to see that you are gradually coming back.
Love and best wishes to you and the Great Ginger Geriatric.

mm said...

RR: Hello again! Thank you. I love the cat's new soubriquet. 3G perhaps for short?

Sky said...

i would like to know more about cranial osteopathy. are the manipulations more similar to massage or perhaps like chiropractic adjustments? i have had a year of fairly intense pain to such a degree that we had to cancel 2 trips. my mobility has decreased signifcantly which of course contributes to my feeling even worse and to even more weight gain. this might be something i would benefit from. so glad you have found some relief. wish we could have kept each other company during these painful days of "house sitting" and hibernation! x0x

mm said...

Sky: xoxo. I am so sorry things have been this hard for you.

It is very hard to describe what cranial osteopathy is! The link I put in the post helps a bit, I think. It is a little like a laying on of hands and you might wonder at first if anything is happening, but the practitioner is making very subtle adjustments through her hands all the while which I certainly am aware of during a session. As I lie on the couch (fully clothed) the sensation is similar to floating on water. After each session I feel more balanced, more "whole" and definitely more relaxed At the same time, in my experience it has been effective for me when a more "serious" adjustment is needed.

I would definitely say give it a try, Sky - it is a very gentle therapy and I have never heard of any major side effects. In the UK, only qualified osteopaths who have gone through a rigorous and lengthy training basic osteopathic training and then have specialised in cranial techniques are entitled to call themselves COs.

Yes, I too wish we were closer.
It would be lovely to share a cup of tea from time to time. Maybe one day??