HEAR TODAY SONG TOMORROW BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good day Bloggets.

What a morning. Well yesterday I booked a taxi to take me to the medical centre. As I have not been to this one before. I’m too disoriented to work Waggatail as my hearing was so bad. The worst it’s ever been.

 

Last night when we were out with friends as they asked about me getting them fixed. Ears that is, I told them I was off today and they kindly offered to drive me there. I always feel bad about people doing things for us. We never ask for help and I wouldn’t have asked. But they offered. I did suggest I got the taxi there and they picked me up, but they said no they would do both. Bless them.

 

So, cancelled taxi and got in my friends car. We drove for fifteen minutes. Stood for ages in this new place I have never been. Lots of muffled sounds coming from the receptionist’s mouth. Breathing heavy and so on. I had that sinking feeling. Bodies were coming at me. They expect me to move out of the way and normally I would but because I can’t hear them, it’s tough.

 

“Sorry, it doesn’t look like we have you down for here.””

 

No, you have, I replied. No, we haven’t she said. Well, I asked where should I be as it says Lilly lane. Oh, she replied. There is another medical centre with the same name…

(How stupid is that)

So off to the car, drove by now I was late. Got to the other building me thinking if I had come by taxi and he dropped me off at that other place, I would have been well stuffed. So, in we went. It was a nicer place than the other awful centre I went to. I gave my name. she made the same sounds as the other lady. Then she said the dreaded words.

“oh, no, we don’t have you down here. It’s the other place you need to be.””

My friend said well we have just been there they said come here. She replied well it must be the other side of the building. But, now Bloggets, get this, she continued…

“I don’t know how you will get there!!!””

If it’s the other side of the building, she works there, how on earth does she not know how I would get there? She then asked me such a funny question.

Wait for this one…

“Is it the Cardiologist you are after?””

Say whaa’aat?

Hey love, I know I’m mahoo’oosive, but there’s nout wrong with me heart…

Hehehehehe. No, I replied. My heart is fine, it’s my ears.

Oh, she replied. If its your ears, it will be with Sharon.

So, she presumed it was my heart? Oh my God…. it was the funniest thing ever.  But it was only funny, after I learned that actually I did have an appointment and it was at the right side. That was after we went to the wrong building.

 

Well we sat and waited only half a minute. Went in there was an adorable student sounded Indian by her accent. She was so sweet. Indian people are so good when it comes to blind people. So caring. Just need to get them to like our dogs now, smile, but I didn’t have my Waggatail today. The nurse who did my ears was great she said it was the easiest job ever but my ear canals are so tiny. Well something is, why can’t it be my waist though?

 

Seriously, as she unblocked me, I floated to the ceiling. Few, I was so pleased it wasn’t anything worse that meant I couldn’t hear right again. But I will say, my tinnitus is worse than it was before I went deaf. She said there wasn’t a cure for that which I knew, but she said you can get a hearing aid, that I could wear at night time, as there is nothing worse than trying to sleep when all you can hear is screaming. It sends out white noise that I wouldn’t hear but blocks out tinnitus. Now, I’m not going for that, not yet, but for those who didn’t know about it, she, the nurse said they are fantastic and really work.

 

So, I have a screeching in my ears, but I can hear again but I wouldn’t say my hearing is as good as it was. She did say it may take until tomorrow. But I’m so grateful. And I hope one day there is a cure for everyone who can’t hear as this ten day have been so hard. I’m still dizzy she said it would be like this until tomorrow.

 

I went back to my friends as she kindly asked me if I wanted a coffee. We had a lovely chat without stress of me being able to hear her. Such a lovely person, a lovely couple.

 

Hub is working from home and he said that Waggatail cried the whole time I was out. Haha. Poor baby. I swear they worry about us when we are out without them you know. I bet she thought, how is Mummy managing without me?

 

Well it’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining. The warmth coming through our windows is appreciated. There is a gentle breeze and the birds are singing. And. I can hear them.

 

I come from a beautiful part of England called Northumberland. It’s really Gods country. Fresh air, beautiful beaches. Stunning countryside. Castles, history, the best shops, lakes, ponds, rivers magnificent bridges stone walls, churches and miles and miles of green, woods forests and so on. But what we also have there is clean fresh water. So pure. So, when I moved to this city, I was shocked to find we have hard water. It doesn’t taste as nice, and worse, it ruins your clothes, fading them and forget having a kettle or iron for over a year. As for washing machine? We are onto our third in seven years. It stains tiles in the bathroom and I could go on. Is there anything we can do about it?

 

A water softener is what you can buy and though some cost thousands, you can buy some for a couple of hundred. But you have to keep the maintenance up and buy salt tablets for it. The main awful thing about water softeners is for every 1000 gallons of water you use; 100 gallons are waisted. This is a huge amount of waste.

You have to know what size of softener you need. So how many bathrooms are in your house and how many people are living there. But there are some that are easy to use and some that you quite frankly need a degree in chemical engineering to use. Regeneration is something else you should consider you can get automatic or manual softeners.

 

Something I was reading about earlier was foods that build lean muscle. So, firstly can you get fat muscle???

 

Apparently eating certain foods can make you work harder. Burn off more fat, and tone your body more easily.

 

So, you have to exercise and eat well if you just exercise, you won’t get the body beautiful…. Body beautiful?

 Body not bad would do me!

 

 What should we eat to get lean? Foods that contain a high amount of proteins can help you build muscles but fats and carbs are also good sources of energy.

 

First food no good for me. Lean beef. Hmm. I won’t bore you with the benefits of that, but there are loads. Eggs. Again, loads of benefits especially the yolk of an egg. Salmon, again no good for a vegetarian. Chicken breast. OK, this is serious now, no wonder I’m not lean, right? Hahaha. Ok, now we are talking. Beans…. Yes, yes yes. At last. Something I can eat and I love all kinds of beans, oh, well, apart from broad beans.

Kidney, black beans and pinto are the most popular that are good for us.  Oatmeal. Cottage cheese. Peanuts, foods with carbs are bananas, pineapples and nuts.

So now we know. Hahaha.

 

What are you all up to this weekend? I’m out over the weekend not sure where it depends on the weather, but we are meeting up with my lovely friend Girl Friday. Love her she is adorable. Our dogs are going for a free run they will love that too. One lovely person I know is going to a vine yard tomorrow that is local to me. I never even knew about it until recently when they said that was what they were doing… somehow it doesn’t have the same appeal as somewhere like the south of France… oh how I love that place. I wish we were going back this year.

 

I have received a couple of emails from my readers asking why I no longer publish what groups I have been asked to join of late? Apparently, some of you found them amusing. Well most have been normal, until this morning I came across this.

Multiple Chemical sensitivity group.

O

K

Em, I’m not joining that one. Not today anyway.

 

I have been asked to write about ways of helping us to be calm. So that is my next home work for you. We can de stress together in my next blog.

 

And finally, a link that sounds promising, but we once again are right at the start, but this seems like it may work for all kinds of RP, so everyone. And that would be the best thing ever. Here goes, new country in the so-called race. I just wish someone would run a bit faster and win!

 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/olix-pharmaceuticals-expands-ocular-disease-pipeline-adds-olx304a-for-the-treatment-of-retinitis-pigmentosa-300847844.html?fbclid=IwAR2nh3dhuRlRHR48p0oewKeN2bIsToq7MwOXp_yhyvgjf2dmUvBK3MUrsJA

 

 

 

 

DIARY OF GOOD FOR YOU BY FIONA CUMMINGS #InspirationalDiary

Good day Bloggets. How are you all today? This morning I asked my Alexa as I woke what the weather was like? She replied 18 so I asked her was it going to rain? she replied it was raining right now. well as I took Waggs for her morning pollutions, I couldn’t believe how nice it was. Sunny and hot. No rain…. good job I didn’t dress in me waterproofs!

 

Not ventured out much this week because of my dreadful annoying poor hearing. I’m praying tomorrow will be the best day as I’m off to the nurse in the morning. I’m not taking Wagga going to get a taxi as it’s somewhere I haven’t been and I won’t be able to work her properly as I can’t even hear where I’m going so will be totally lost. Hence getting a taxi. I just hope I will hear the taxi and I don’t get into someone else’s car. Haha. It has been known. And that was when I had sight…

 

Hub is working from home so won’t be able to go with me. I hate going for anything medical on my own. But such is life. its things like knowing where I’m going. A new place. Will I be able to fine the reception desk? Will tomorrow I hear my name being called or with it being a new place, do they call your name or is it one of those awful situations where by your name comes up on a screen? If so, I may be sitting there for a while! Just shows though, I tried to book an appointment with our private health care Hub has with work, they couldn’t help. I also tried to pay privately with a local seeing and hearing place, where they charge a lot but would have been worth it not to have gone through this suffering for almost two weeks. But they were booked for a month. Good old NHS has worked for me this time. First time in years I can pat them on the back. Mind you, after tomorrow, I may have to eat my words, but I hope not.

 

As my lovely friend said. Being blind is tough but not being able to hear right too is so difficult.

 

Oh, you would have laughed last night at the dinner table. I was sitting with our Son. Hub was still working it was half seven in the evening. He worked in the sitting room so Boy Wonder and I were in our dining room. I sat with a cup of tea as our Son ate his late meal, he was late because of his after-work activity he had been to. More on that in a mo jo.

 

I was telling him about the loud tinnitus and saying because I wasn’t hearing properly from the outside of my head, I was hearing inside of my head so the screaming from the tinnitus was so   loud. He replied in a calm voice.

“so, Mum, are you hearing voices?””

Whaa’aa’aat?

I’m deaf son. I’m not hearing voices. Don’t worry, I’m not needing other kinds of care….

Well, not yet.

 

He went to the sauna yoga.

It’s in our city it’s a town house that has been turned into a yoga centre. So, you pay quite a bit of money to be tortured. Haha. Our Son said that one man had to leave half way through and his colleagues were shaking. So, it’s hot and you do yoga movements. But I’m delighted to say, he loved it. As did his colleagues. I didn’t know until yesterday, he organised it. Bless him. He’s a real leader. Thank God no one he knew passed out….

 

I love the way he gets his colleagues who are older than him to do activities. It’s great. He is doing a long day on Saturday overtime again. Bless him. Shamrock is going away for the weekend with family and friends.

 

Now for men, or ladies who care about their loved ones. Prostate cancer I have been reading about today as some of you know, that is how my beloved Dad died. It took seven years to catch him, but in the end because I am sure he neglected signs for too long, he suffered. That was a long time ago and I am pleased to say now that adverts on our TV and discussions are now more open. There is more information out there and if you catch it early enough, you will be saved. Once you turn fifty, your risk for prostate cancer increases. More than 80 per cent of diagnosis are from men over 65. northern Europe and northern America leading the trend. There are new drugs out there now and new treatments which is great, but what is even better is you visit your GP for five minutes first when you get early signs or even if you are over fifty, get checked out even if you are not showing signs.

 

Signs of prostate cancer are as follows. Incontinence, erectile dysfunction, problems urinating may be pain and loss of libido.

You don’t have to have all those signs together either.

4 in 10 prostate cancers are diagnosed in late stages. It is the most common cancer among men.  

 

Something else I have been reading about. The best foods for our brain, memory and studying…. The brain is an organ and needs the right organs. I’m so bad. You know, we take our body for granted, don’t we? But if we think of it like a car, or in my case, a bus…

Who said jet?

Back of the class for you…

We should treat it better. So, foods for our brain… caffeine can help us to retain information. Dark chocolate is good for us. Berries are really good for helping our brains to make new connections… nuts and seeds are great for us. They have vitamin E which helps to protect our brain as we age. Sunflower seeds, hazelnuts and almonds are the best seeds and nuts we can eat. Walnuts are great for the brain and heart. Fatty fish is great to lower clumps to our brain which fights Alzheimer’s disease.

All those foods, well, apart from fish… Yack…. Are quite nice, well no, really nice. Something good for us that is tasty, bonus.

There has been a lot in our press about cruel individuals hurting pets so I thought I would write about how we can help our pets if they get ill.

Blue flowers in our gardens are poisonous for our dogs. Chocolate, raisins, grapes, currants, sultanas, onions, lily’s, cleaning products and things you put in your car and slug repellent as well as weed killer and dog flee treatment is bad for cats, also pork too is really bad for dogs. But when they are out and about, we can’t tell what they are eating if they sneak off somewhere to forage.

 

You will know they have eaten something bad as they will be sick. That is the best thing for them to get rid of whatever they have eaten. If they are sick for hours though you must take them to the vet. It’s also best to not feed them their food that day. I hate doing that, I feel so cruel. But it is the best thing. Or give them a tiny bit of plain rice and chicken but only a tiny amount and remember to give them drinks of water. Our Little Fella Hubs guide dog is so funny. He will not drink water. We put it on his dry biscuits for his dinner, and how he does it I’m not sure but he manages to eat his food and leaves the water till the end. And then he drinks it as it must have a tiny bit of flavour of his kibble. I was told if you put water on their food, if they are dry biscuits, it will make them feel fuller and it stops the biscuits from getting stuck in their throat. Did you know you can also buy dog dishes and I guess cat dishes with bumps in the bottom to slow their eating down if they are fast eaters?  Well back to the Little Fella, so, give him plain water no way. But milk? Oh, my he loves it. So, I did a test as I never give him plain milk on its own, I put water in the dish then may be one inch of milk. So, a few weeks ago, I washed the milk bottle out and put water in. opened the kitchen door to let him in, he saw my bottle, I poured this water from the milk bottle and LF thought it was his birthday. Hahaha. He actually thought it was milk?

 

If God forbid your dog is in a fight, try to distract the dogs rather than get involved separating them though our natural instinct is to part them. Check them out nose to tail. Wounds that are near a joint or are more than 1 centimetre big, best to take them to the vet. Small wounds can be bathed with cooled boiled water but that important word, cooled… or a saline

Solution of 1 teaspoon of salt to 500ml / 1 pint of water if the wound smells or becomes swollen, then please take to the vet.

 

CLX wipes are great to keep if you have a pet.

If you notice your dog eating grass, this acts as a protective layer over sharp objects. It’s clever how our pets know this, isn’t it?

 

Best not feed our pets any human foods. Remember they wouldn’t be able to pop to the groceries in the wild… as for chewing things, Christmas is the worst. Those dam chocolates we hang from trees? Really dangerous. They try to eat them get tinsel and that wraps around their insides cutting them and usually they have to be put to forever sleep. Tennis balls are lethal too. They can get stuck and they block their windpipes. Those squeakers from toys as well. Not at all sure how they are legal. If a toy is cheap, there is a reason for that. I buy a lot of KONG toys. Their normally better made. And you can get different sizes for small or large dogs.

 

If you think of having a pet a little like looking after a toddler, you will be fine…

 now, where is mine?

 

EYE ON THE CURE BY FIONA CUMMINGS #InspirationalDiary

We got our shopping delivered. Hub is working from home. He took a ten-minute break to carry things in for me. I dropped a pack of biscuits on the floor. In wrappers in a pack so they would be fine until I remove the bags from the floor and put things away. Great, only where are those blooming biscuits? Seriously I can not find them anywhere. Are the diet fairies trying to tell me something?

 

We got our shopping from Tesco. We have just started doing on line shopping with them after many years. I must say their website is accessible much better than it used to be. But still the best is Ocado and Morrisons. But they are much more expensive. So, when we get plastic bags from the other shops, they ask if we want to return any and we hand over from the week before. Tesco say they are green as they use paper bags for fridge things like fruit veg and salads. Well, apart from five oranges that were just loose in a basket we had to empty and return the the driver. Whilst he waited at the door. Paper bags fine, but, other things do come in flimsy plastic bags that you couldn’t use for anything else as A, they are tied in a knot. B, they are so thin. And C, they have labels stuck on them. And they don’t ask for bags back either. So, they don’t recycle their plastic bags?

 

And the other funny thing is, they do delicious bread sticks. Oh, they are soooooooooo goooooood.

But that isn’t the funny thing… the funny, or odd thing is, they are 45p each but if you buy three, you get them for less. So, I bought three of two different kinds last week thinking they were round rolls as their description was baps. I received 6 long begets. So, this week, armed with knowledge, I ordered two of one kind and one of another. Three sticks in total. Right?

Wrong.

7

Yep, seven lo’o’ong bread sticks. No way I could eat one on my own. It would give someone two enormous sandwiches. So, 14 in total. Hahaha. Guess what we are all, having for dinner tonight?

 

I bought hub some white crab prepared of course. So, he will be having that with salad. Our Son will be having salad with vegan burgers and me just salad. I could eat the bread just with butter.

 

I had to smile at part of our news today as the headline read. UK needs more overseas workers of vets and architects. Hahaha. Really? Architects? Well, come to think of it and vets? Our vets get paid a fortune, so why is there a shortage? Could be because it’s so hard to study for it but I do wonder if the vets in other countries study in quite the same manner? I think we have to study until about the age of 27. Longer than a doctor for sure.

 

It’s in our press about how people who own bars shouldn’t be giving free glasses of tap water away. In our restaurants and bars, if you say tap water, it’s free. To be honest, I think there should be a small, very small charge as you are using a glass and you are taking up time by them pouring it for you. The glass still has to be washed it still can break. So, may be 20p?

 

I hope you in central US are OK with tornadoes? Gosh, it’s awful for you. Double of the amount of them of late. That is scary. That is climate change.

I pray for the animals too.

I was also reading today that new Filipino law requires students to have to plant ten trees if they want to graduate. I love that idea!

 

I love trees. I’m so happy when I am amongst trees. I love the smell of them, the way they shade you from the sun, the patterns in my minds eye they make against the sky. Again, in my memory the shadows they create. The way they seem to wave at you. The leaves that drop-in autumn that provide crunchy paths for us to walk through. The life they give the homes they provide and the amazing wood that you can carve from them. I’m so pleased we have protected trees in the UK. I have always believed that there is more to trees than we know.

 

Eating dinner last night, the three of us got talking as yet another shop in the UK is under threat of the Highstreet. Hub asked what will become of our highstreets if there are no shops? My answer was houses. More blooming houses. Our grand children will ask us, what was a shop? Were you alive when there were shops to buy things from? It’s all internet now. even for our Son who can go shopping with ease. He buys on line. It’s so sad if I could see I would so love to shop rather than having to do it all on line. How lucky people are who don’t realise it that they can, go and shop.

 

You know, we are adults. We know what we are getting into. So, why is it when trials for blindness is going on, sometimes, why do we use only three people? There would be hundreds queuing up surely? This study used three people… but the results are good.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6919821/British-scientists-say-theyre-cusp-curing-blindness-stem-cell-treatment.html

 

but this sounds good. As they are saying a magical number of five years. And this document was from last year, so, four years? Here’s hoping.

https://www.aop.org.uk/ot/science-and-vision/research/2018/10/19/new-cause-of-retinitis-pigmentosa-is-identified

 

 

be safe and hopeful. X

 

FAMILY HOME BY FIONA CUMMINGS #InspirationalDiary

I am lucky to have two beautiful soul sisters who see things for me. If I need to know what something looks like on line, I copy the link and send it to them. Bless them, they are so kind and write back telling me what something looks like. I love them. Terry and Sheila, bless you both.

 

I saw something a while back which said something like why is it those you love the most are far away from you? That is the case for me my closest friends and family live a long way from here. Canada, America, the South and North of England and of course my lovely Blogget and dearest friend in South Africa.

 

Wouldn’t it be great if all the people we love we could scoop them up and all live together in a village?  How happy would we all be then?

 

Jack, a Blogget was asking about the stalker from Australia I had some months ago. Well Jack thank God he’s gone for now no doubt he will be back. But my Solicitor is keeping my files open at no charge thankfully as I know her well. She is a friend. It isn’t his fault; I know him well and he is just crazing all the time for attention.  It’s sad really for him.

 

Our Boy Wonders Girlfriend Shamrock has a new job. Bless her she is really tired as there is not much to do so, she is bored, it’s so quiet compared to where she used to work and she has more responsibility. But she doesn’t do that many hours. She came around earlier, it was nice to catch up with her.

 

We are out again this week with our friends. Just the four of us this week. Looking forward to it. And hoping to meet up with my brother in law and sister in law soon. Again, we don’t see enough of each other. Same with my brother and family. I really hope our Son has lots of children. I spent most of his life saying only two sons… but now I hope for three at least. I long for family get togethers around the table. Hub will make the best Grandfather, though he says he will totally spoil them.

 

Sitting here just before I close the house for the night, there is a chill in the air. We have had rain all day and next week it’s forecast to be so lovely, hotter than parts of Spain. Bring it on. We may go to the beach if the sun has it’s hat on for this weekend.

 

I dream of living near the beach. It’s my wish to smell the sea air. Hear the waves clashing against the rocks as I sit on my balcony sipping morning tea! A beautiful guest room for my friends to come and stay and family too.

 

Our Son says he is moving out next year. Not sure where he is going to live, but it won’t be my home town of Newcastle as he says where we live now is his home. I used to wonder would he go back home. I also wondered if we would, but now I doubt it. Unless we win the Lottery and then we will buy that sea house next to the wonderful beaches in Northumberland.

 

I do miss where we used to live. It will always be my home. What makes a place our home? Is it where we grew up? Is it where our parents last lived or where we made our own hommes with our children? Or, is it just where we feel at one, at peace?

 

I just read.

 Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.

 Isn’t that so true?

 

Home is where our feet may leave but our heart remains there. I love these quotes.

“A house is made from bricks and beams; a home is made from hopes and dreams.””

“Home is a shelter from storms. But you know, not everyone feels that way about home. If you are one of those people, then I hope you can make your own home one day and it will be as perfect as these quotes.

 

Your very own home is what you make of it. “Life takes you unexpected places. Love brings you home.””

“I left the light on in my heart in case you ever want to come home””

Family, like branches on a tree. We all go in different directions, but our roots remain as one.

 

I wish I could see pictures of my family on places like facebook. My software speaks only words. So, every word I type or words that are written. So, it doesn’t tell me of pictures or pics of texts. I wish I could see what my family looks like. I feel so distant from life sometimes. My Husband asked me a question last night that I didn’t hesitate to give him the answer, though afterwards felt a little bad. He asked. Why do you like people taking photographs of us all and why do you like doing videos of us? My answer was simple. One day I dream to see. If dreams come true, I will sit going through all photographs and videos. And if I am never able to see, then our Grand children and our Son will be able to look back at photographs of his old Mum and Dad…

 

It’s been so long since I saw the faces of my parents. They died 21 years ago and since then I have been blind so, can’t even look at their photographs to remind me what they look like. About five years ago, their faces started to fade in my minds eye. It broke my heart. Since my Son was one year old, I have never known what he looks like. Again, it kills me that.

 

One day please soon, let there be a cure for blindness. We with RP, get told there is treatment on the way, but when? Not just for me, but my Sons children, God forbid if they are given RP too, I pray not. I don’t think anyone in my biological family have been cursed with RP. I am the only one but that doesn’t sadly mean that I will be the last one. As I always say, they can send a man to space but not cure those with diseases on earth. Something is very wrong.

 

Blindness isn’t just where we can’t see. But we can get very depressed. Leading to not being able to sleep. Leading to being very tired during the day combining no sleep with depression can also cause obesity. Some may turn to drinking too much. If you don’t eat well no sleep and more, that can cause loads of medical issues. And the list goes on. It’s not just, and I say just very loosely, blindness. And when you have RP, it’s the fear of the thought of going blind. How will that effect your life? I have friends who have RP who had great sight didn’t even know they had RP they even drove until a few years ago. But they were the lucky ones. They didn’t’ have to go to boarding school. They did have chance to drive and even see their children grow up.

 

But we are lucky too, as there are a lot of people much worse off than us. People getting tortured. I feel I did as a child, but there were many good days mixed in with the bad some people never know what it’s like to have a good day. We as people who are blind do laugh. And can do so much. But there are a lot of people who have poor sight who have forgotten how to laugh. I just hope your happy days come back soon. Right now, they may feel a thousand miles away, but your day will come again. Just you wait and let me know when that day comes.

 

  

TUESDAYS THOUGHTS BY FIONA CUMMINGS #InspirationalDiary

Good day to you all. I hope you have had a lovely weekend and if you are in the UK, a great long bank holiday weekend.

 

Tuesday, back to real life. yesterday my Husband found on line a great idea. So, we have an optician called Specsavers. And we learned they now deal with hearing. What next? So, you pay £35 per ear. Result. I shall go there. Wrong. There is a month waiting list as they only do it in our area on a Thursday. So, if there is a month waiting list, why not at least twice a week? Surely by the time you wait a month, you are either OK, or so bad nothing can be done? So, back to the drawing board, I phoned private health care Hub has with his job. Oh, they don’t deal with such matters. Well now to my local GP. A couple of years ago, there was a huge waiting list before I could see my doctor. Then they had to refer me to the local hospital as they didn’t deal with ears either. Then so I was told today they now did but to go to the local one, I would have to wait a long time but I could travel to another surgery. Brilliant. I would have to get a taxi though because no way I would dare risk going out with Waggatail especially when I’m like this. I have ventured out locally but no way I would go somewhere I don’t know the route. So only a few days to wait before I pray, I will get sorted. Being deaf and blind is hell. For me I’m lucky, because I hope, once this is done, I will hear again. There are so many of you who are blind and deaf. I have huge respect for you. I am so exhausted. Walking into doors and walls in my house and I never do that. Friends say when they see me in my own house, they would never know I’m blind as I walk fast and never miss a gap and know where everything is. But I rely on my hearing for that. I hear walls, doors, spaces, furniture and so on. I can’t even hear the TV. My lap top is turned up so loud apparently according to Hub I have given him a headache. Haha. I bet he’s glad to be back at work today. When people are talking to me, I hear every one word in may be 10/12? Then I just use my imagination to put the jigsaw together to see what people are saying. Reminds me from when I was at school. I could see so clearly but only a pin prick in each eye. So, to read was really a challenge. My eyes used to kill. So, when we had to read then write what we had read about, I used to pretend I was reading, wait the right amount of time and flick the pages on time read the first middle and last line of each page and then the synopsis at the back of the book. I always got top marks for what I wrote. And when I was at college, I received A’s, so it’s a skill. But I haven’t had to do it by hearing and I really don’t like it. I can’t even hear where my dog is in the garden and remember we have bells on their collars so we know where they are. I was ironing today and I really burned myself. Something I may do three time max per year. I iron loads of clothes twice a week so three times a year isn’t bad. But I have really hurt my arm so I’m not ironing for a while…. If I’m blessed to hear right again, I wonder when it comes to ironing, can I have selective deafness?

 

Hub and I always have chats about what we would rather be, deaf or blind. He says no way he would want to be deaf. He would   rather be blind any day. For me, I still say I would rather be deaf as blind. If I had full sight   and no hearing, I would be able to see my loved ones faces, friends’ expressions, read menu’s clothes shop with ease, drive and just see the beauty of nature. Don’t get me wrong, I would hate it, as to hear a bird song is such a gift. To hear music too. But not to be able to see can be so lonely. So frustrating too. I just wish there was a cure for both being deaf and blind. But for those who have both, God bless you all.

 

I’m making Hub a fish pie for dinner tonight. We had cooking gate last night in our kitchen as our Son made his food prep as he calls it. He made a huge lasagne and portioned it out. He also made some kind of hot meal for his breakfasts for the next three days. Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about our dog food. Haha. Actually, talking of dog food, I may have to order some. I may wait until my ears are fixed though, as I can’t  hear the phone very well, unless as it’s right in my ear. I can’t hear text coming through, so every now and then I will check my phone as I have it on full volume. I just noticed I have a text from Boy Wonder. Our Son texts. “I have a package coming. X””

That’s nice. If I hear the doorbell?

 

Gosh my dog is getting her summer coat. She is really shedding her fur. I groomed her this morning and got five loads of fur from her. It’s so therapeutic combing a dog don’t you think?

No?

Oh, maybe it’s just me? Haha.

 

Well I have loads of housework to do today. I have put a load of washing in, needs drying now, then I have dusting cleaning floors and bathrooms. Not saying it will all get done, but

in my head it will.

    

Some scientist news I have been reading today include headlines like ancient Egyptians feasted on water melons, according to findings in toom.  And why not? They are delicious!  

Japan made the headlines a stabbing killing people at a bus stop.  Gosh, such a calm country I don’t hear such stories from Japan.

 

 They are making lap tops now out of wood… why can’t they use all the plastic that is getting recycled? Did you hear about the new not sure if it is a fish, something that has been discovered in our oceans that is eating plastic. It was written like it was a good thing. No, it’s bad. Whales are found dead with tons of plastic inside of them. But we think because these new founded creatures are eating the plastic up, it’s a good thing, no, it’s cruel.

 

Countries joining our blog page today include. Ukraine, UK, US, Canada, Albania, Brazil, Germany, Honduras, I’m sure that is the first time I have seen that country, so a very warm welcome. Thailand and Sweden. Any countries just out side the top ten, hi to you to. And a very happy birthday to Tim. If it’s your birthday today, sending best wishes.

 

Just before I go, never give up on something you really want, no matter how many times an object gets in your way or people keep giving you negative comments stick with it and you will never regret that choice. We are all here for a reason we just need to follow our heart soul and dreams to find the right path to take in life. xx

 

 

 

THE HOT AIR BALLOON @PoetryByFionaCummings

 

Take me there again please

Where we glided above the trees

I felt on top of the clouds

You made me ever so proud

I looked down at a crowd

They were waving at you and me

They looked so happy

Take me there again please

Flying over the trees

Where you got down on one knee

And then asked me to be your wife

You took my hand in yours

That was the best day of my life

I wore your beautiful ring

Even the birds began to sing

Take me there again please

Looking down at the beautiful trees

Flying in the sky so blue

A multi coloured balloon

I felt as if I could touch the moon

I was so in love

Butterflies above

My stomach joined my heart

From that day we would never part

Take me there again please

 Oh, the greens, reds and golds of the leaves

Gliding over the trees

Looking into your eyes

Such a beautiful surprise

We landed on the grass

We were handed a glass

From that we drank champagne

Little did I know, I would never feel like that again

We didn’t have time to plan our marriage

The pretty flowers

A horse and carriage

Seasons of life

Summers, autumn, winters and April showers

I never got to be your wife

Once again you flew above the trees

But not in our air balloon

If only I could have that day again please

Fly with the angels now my darling

I will never forget you

Our love was so true

How cruel life was to us

Ashes turned to dust

I hurt so much

I long for your touch

Your voice I miss

Just one more kiss

If only we knew

You would be taken away that day

I thought we would be like glue

I was to marry you

This wasn’t how it was meant to be

You made me so happy

If I could have said goodbye

But I didn’t get the chance

We didn’t have our first dance

Or say I do

But my love as far as I’m concerned

I did marry you

The day we went up in the air balloon

 

© Fiona Cummings

 

HI THERE EYE CARE BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Here we are it’s a Saturday. I had water melon for breakfast. Cheese muffins too. With a cup of tea. We are all sitting outside in our garden. Our dogs have been on their free run for an hour. My Waggatail is puffing like a steam train. Our Son is off work today and going to a new gym. Next week he is joining a Yoga steam sauna class. Steam sauna? Gosh. He says he wants to make himself uncomfortable put himself in a situation where he is out of his comfort zone. Torture?

 

  I told him he can stand on his head in our conservatory. Haha. It’s seriously hot in there today. It was supposed to rain today, and now it is going to apparently later on, so we are making the most of what there is now.

 

I’m still unable to hear. It has its benefits. I can’t hear Hubs early shower or shaving, or, noisy electric toothbrush. So, I get an extra half hour sleep. But I now want to hear all the annoying things as this is getting too tiring.

 

Some tips on eye health. Please no matter what eye condition you have, even if you have perfect eyesight, wear sunglasses. In the sun you can get cataract on your eyes but if you wear sunglasses or a cap then the chances of developing cataracts, will be reduced. Even in the winter, use your sun glasses to prevent wind from blowing dust in your eyes and try to avoid sitting in front of a fire as you will dry your eyes out. Same as don’t put the fan or heater in your car so it is facing right into your eyes.

 

Keep a look out for the Met office’s UV forecast as even when it’s cloudy, still there could be UV that could damage your eyesight. Don’t think it won’t happen to me. Whenever the UV index rises above 3, you need to protect your eyesight.

 

Snowy conditions can also affect your eyesight as the snow can reflect UV radiation into your eyes so if out in snow or doing winter sports, remember to wear sunglasses.

 

Leafy greens can provide nutrients such as Kale, chard, and spinach as well as lutein tablets.

 

Did you know the link between smoking and sight loss is the same as smoking and lung cancer?

Smoking tobacco can cause biological changes in your eyes that could lead to sight loss. Cigarettes contain toxins that enter your eyes    that can increase blindness up to 4 times and tobacco damage the blood vessels in your eyes and smoking damages your retina as well as interferes with your tears. You have a much higher risk of developing cataracts if you smoke. Smoking also causes diabetic retinopathy. You also could become colour blind if you smoke. If you wear contact lenses, you could increase corneal ulcers. Smoking during pregnancies could give your child a squint.

 

I know it’s so hard to give up smoking, not that I ever have smoked, but it’s like any habit eating drinking, anything that you enjoy doing, it’s so tough giving it up. But it’s much more difficult if you lose your eyesight especially if it can be prevented.

 

I can’t wait to go out tomorrow. I’m so looking forward to it. I shall tell you what we got up to when I know what we have done. Smile. I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

 

Are you going abroad this year? Spain is still the most popular place to go for those of us from the UK apparently. Personally, I loved Italy and the South of France, I would like one day to go back to Spain but my only experience of Spain is where there were loads of drunks. English drunks. That’s not me. Haha. Greece is also popular for the UK’s. I have never been there but again would love to go. Especially for the food. Croatia is another destination that is popular I have never been but it does look so beautiful. Well, the description sounds beautiful. Thailand is another place, well no way I would go there. Not ever. I don’t like how they treat animals. In the UK, the Highlands. Scotland. So beautiful for skiing as well as beautiful summer walks. You can stay in lodges where from every window, you can see mountains. The highlands are so popular for Europeans coming to the UK. Mumbai in India, is somewhere I was reading about today? It has a beautiful sounding hotel, The Chedi Mumbai. Standing above a lake, the five-star hotel has six restaurants and a rooftop lounge. My husband has been to India so many times with work. He says it’s his favourite country he has ever been to but a very close second was or is, South Africa. He has had some amazing experiences in his last job. Life changing for sure.

 

Well we are not going abroad this year. Not even having a holiday, but we have each other. That is the most important thing and who knows next year? It’s a big anniversary for us, so you never know. Next year is a Biggy for us anyway.

 

Well I shall go for now but just before I do, some words.

The most popular banana in the world started its life in England. Sunflowers can help clean radioactive soil. The real Buddha, was incredibly skinny. African elephants have been evolving without tusks, this is really bad as it hurts their species. It’s written that they are doing this to stop them getting killed by poachers. In 1923, a jockey had a heart attack but the horse finished the race winning making this the first and only time a jockey has won a race after death.

       And finally, some more useless information, haha, at birth, a baby panda, is smaller than a mouse. Just saying.

 

PLAN B BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Oh, my goodness. I’m back. My lap top is fixed. Seriously I have missed you all. I was at the real stage of polishing my bronzes and cleaning windows, that’s how bad it got. Hahaha. My very kind neighbour and friend took my lap top in for me to our city. I was first told it wouldn’t be ready until next Tuesday. But thankfully it got fixed right away. Now if I could see I would jump in my car or get on a bus and get to the shop, but, as I can’t, I had to do plan B.

 

Plan B was to think for 24 hours what to do. Hub suggested to get a taxi to collect my lap top and deliver it. There was a lot of trust around this idea as firstly I had to pay for my lap top repair over the phone, without collecting it myself then trusting a taxi driver to pick it up for me and bring it to my house. Well the company I trust as far as taxi’s and the repair company are new to me, but have been going for thirty years. Though the taxi bill was what we normally pay to come back from our town plus half again. Not sure why, but never mind it’s here and I am so happy.

 

So, lots to catch up with today. What have you all been up to? As for me, I’m still so bad with my hearing. Really awful tinnitus screaming in my left ear and both ears blocked. I have been out a couple of times with Wagga in the past two days and have totally relied on her to guide me.

 

Passing the monkeys in our local zoo today, they came to the fence. Well, at least two of them did. And there is a new bird in the neighbourhood. Well new to me. I have not heard it before. I really am rubbish when it comes to bird sounds, but it had what I would call a double tweet. And it was so loud I could even hear it.  The sun is shining it’s boiling out there but no sweet floral smells today. Lots of overgrown shrubs and trees to tease us along our journey. Waggs is cheeky, she avoids the low ones that interfere with her, but the tall ones that don’t bother her, she isn’t well, bothered. So, I get them in my face…

 

I again have huge respect for those of you who are blind and can’t hear. I am so dizzy with this and exhausted. You know when you can’t see, you get tired as you concentrate and use more energy doing that, but not being able to hear right too, is really too much.

 

Crossing roads has been so awful. I have just relied on Waggs and my faith. Haha.  Oh, and other drivers to watch out. Well I made it and I’m back home.

 

I seem to hear far away rather than close up. So, on my way back today, my girl stopped. I asked her to find the way, as it wasn’t in a place where there could be a car or fallen tree or dug up path. So, what had she stopped for? well I realised bless her, she stopped as a man was about to cross in front of us. Very polite Waggatail, she doesn’t normally be that kind. Well when he spoke, I said sorry, saying I didn’t know he was coming and please go ahead? Well I waited just the right time for him to come in front of me. Not being able to hear his footsteps and I didn’t feel his presence as I was so bad with balance only in my head, I didn’t look drunk to onlookers, honest….

 

Waggs still wouldn’t move. I asked her again. Find the way, but she refused. So, I took charge and stepped out. Only to find a man. Hahahaha. He decided to go ahead about thirty seconds after I told him to and we both just moved at the same time. Oh, well, looking incompetent is what I’m good at.

 

On we went and she was great after that. So many corners of buildings we had to go around today. Normally I use my hearing to know when I’m at the end of a building. Oh, it’s awful. I went to the chemist to get a spray rather than drops today. Put that in when I returned and it’s made them worse. I have never used the spray before. I pray by tomorrow I’m OK. The screaming is giving me a dreadful headache.

 

Last night we went out with friends and our friends’ brother and sister in law. We had a lovely evening. One of my friends had a really bad throat. I thought, that’s all I need. But it was great to see them. And we got on well with their relatives. Our friends’ brother is so clever. He drives a £70,000 car and earns a fortune; he lives in Scotland and has designed their new home which is amazing. But you know what? I really wouldn’t like their lifestyle. But they are good company and it was lovely to have some intelligent conversation. Though we did start to chat about politics and that isn’t a good place to go as their opinion is at the other side of what we believe in. I know this by what my friend has told me in the past. So, I quickly stopped the conversation and moved onto something else. It’s called being diplomatic. A skill I learned way back from my visits to the former USSR.

 

None of us could finish our meals. Really crazy I had two starters rather than a starter and main. It was delicious. Out of six of us, no one finished. What a waist?  But good food it was and I had some fizz and my normal lemonade. I only had fizz as Hub bought some because it was an anniversary of ours. The day we officially started dating. I, completely forgot. for Hub that date is more important than our wedding anniversary. I blamed my lap top. Saying that is why I didn’t know what date it was. Hahaha. Few….

 

Today our PM has given a date when she will step down. I feel for her. She has been really bullied. Treat so badly. She also hasn’t given what the voters voted for, and that is a shame.

Who we will end up with? Boris Johnson? Oh my God.

 

Well a long weekend for us, as it’s what we call Bank Holiday weekend. So, Monday off. Our dogs are on their free run tomorrow and we are out and about on Sunday. Can’t wait for that. Really excited about what we have planned.  Off to watch our soap now and then chill for the night. But before I go.

 

Finally, here are some great links for news on RP and other vision sight loss or blindness research.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01107-8

 

 

https://retinauk.org.uk/research-news/encouraging-early-stage-results-from-stem-cell-therapy-trial/?utm_source=Newsletter-May19&utm_medium=Email

 

WILL BE BACK BY FIONA CUMMINGS

I really hope to be back in a few days. Going to be without my lap top. It’s going to be hell. Writing is the breath I take. I’m going to have to do things like polishing bronzes and cleaning windows. Yep, that’s how bad it’s going to be! May be take a look at some older blogs, or you too take a break from me, but please come back as I will miss you…

 

A very happy birthday to dearest Sheila, Ifechukwubbeni and lovely Joel.

 Stayed tuned. To be continued. Smile.

 

BORROWED TIME BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Well I’m on borrowed time with my lap top. Not long left as I can’t charge it now. I am hoping to get it fixed rather than buy a new one the only trouble is, getting it to the repair shop. Nightmare. Hub suggested sending it by taxi, not a chance…

 

I have never had trouble with my hearing or ears. Until about seventeen years ago. I did them damage with my earphones and loud music. I had to get them fixed and I was told once I got them syringed, they would never be the same and that nurse was right. So, I am totally deaf in my left ear and half deaf in my right. In my left the tinnitus is shocking so loud is the screaming but nothing is even muffled from it it’s totally blocked and when you rely so much on your hearing, it’s not nice.

 

It’s bad enough around my house, as I’m really dizzy. But today I had to go to the chemist to get drops. Oh, gosh, thank goodness for my dog and thank goodness no one spoke to me along the way or got in my way.

 

Well I managed even to pop into the shop. Oh, but it’s awful. On my return home, a huge sigh of relief, I went into our conservatory to open windows. Oh my, one sense that hasn’t goes is the ability to smell things. And I could smell a really strong burning fragrance.

 

Was my house on fire? Without seeing flames or hearing the crackle, it was really frightening. I stood for a while to try to listen with my ear that half hears and nothing. But the smell was getting stronger. I can only hope it’s someone burning something very close to our house. It really is like a big fire. The smoke is awful. But I’m not as far gone as not being able to hear our smoke alarms. With my half ear.

 

God bless those of you who are blind and deaf. Gosh, it’s so hard. Even sitting here now the ringing in my ear and the feeling that someone has their thumb stuck right inside of my ear is awful. I can hear the voice on my lap top but as if it’s in the distance.

 

One good thing about not being able to hear today, was the sound of the traffic on  the road from hell, was much quieter in fact in some parts of our walk, nothing at all and I know for a fact we never have no cars on our road, so that was a little scary, though more peaceful allowing me to enjoy the summer to come smells of stunning flowers and shrubs.

 

I had to cross a busy car park and I totally had to rely on Waggatail. I made sure I used the correct hand movements so hopefully on coming traffic would see me about to move forward. Well we got back and I just hope in a few days I can hear again. Oh, this is just awful.

 

It’s a beautiful day. I’m not in the mood to do any housework today. But, am I ever?

Just got a message from our friends asking us to go to the pub at the end of the week. Remember when we used to go to the pub quiz? I loved it, but the people who ran it left so we are waiting for someone to take it over. Hub said he would love to. Yeah love but we struggle knowing what bottles we have in our fridge, let alone a pub, but got to love his idea.

OK, I shall go for now sorry about a short blog, I hope I’m back in a couple of days. All fixed. Lap top and ear. Haha. Stay healthy get healthy, stay happy, be happy