Its week 117.5 and this is my last post to this blog.

Well it’s week 117.5 since my bilateral quadriceps rupture on the 1 April 2014. It’s now 4th July 2016 American Independence Day. imageIt’s been six months since my last post and this post will wind up the blog, so we have come full circle. I’m as repaired as I’m going to be, and have about 80%  of function. I recently received a significant sum in compensation and have invested that in an property to let. imgres-2Once upon a time if someone had given me that amount of money in one lump sum, I’d been off to the South of France in a fast convertible with an appropriate fast woman.car-you-drive

But hey I must be getting sensible in my old age……… OMG. In fact I did make a sort of frivolous purchase…. My new bike, well it’s all part of my on going physio regime. The bikes called ‘The Hoff’ the reason being is a Kalkhoff from Germany. She’s a pedelec which means basically she is electrically assisted.csm_khe16_include_8_prem_dt_f2_923cb99cc6

It’s a fantastic machine and I can highly recommend to anyone thinking of buying an Electrically assisted bike. I’ll be taking her out for a spin after I have finished this post. One thing to be noted there’s no room for a fast woman……. can not have it all.

One or two other things the reader might be interested  that I have been filling my time with…. My new business seems to be progressing well you can find me at www.chauffeurme.biz   bmw service mot Also I’ve published my first book, second coming soon, it’s a bit risqué so don’t go buying it if you’re at all prudish…….Erotic Tales Front Cover

I have also started my own publishing company to help aspiring writers like myself……Smugcat logo with address.3What might be of interest to readers of this blog is that I intend to publish the blog as a book. It should be in the Amazon Store in September, keep an eye out. All Bi-Lat sufferers will be given a free copy, even Mr Derek Jacobi….

So that’s it I suffered the BQTR it put my life on hold and changed my life I’m hoping as I write this for the better. I wrote this as I said back in April 2014 to try and help anyone out there who had been unfortunate enough to suffer a Bilateral Quadriceps Tendon Rupture. I hope this has been helpful it certainly helped me while a way a few days.

So we come to the thank you’s……….

First and foremost my Surgeon Mr Bailey who did a great job in putting my knees back together.

Joan and Bob the couple that found me propped up outside their house they stayed with me for the two hours it took the ambulance to get to me!

My good friend Peter (Pedro) Coulson who made it possible for me to be mobile at home in those first dark days.

My physiotherapist Hayley Milburn who got my knees working again.

The support of my Friends and Family, and also our Quadder family. The Band of Quadders, Don Williams, Stever Gartner (who has written his own book), The Quadman, James Clawson (The Quadfather), Mike Gilham.

So there is life after the Bi Lateral there are lots of us as living proof….. This is not good-bye, meet me at the Amazon Book store in September…… Hey Steve you never sent me a free copy Tut Tut. So I’m off to ride my bike down by the beach….. Bye Bye…..

Its week!!!! well its been a lot of weeks.

Hi, It’s been a while since my last post, well in reality nothing much has happened since then. I am still waiting for my solicitor to progress the claim I am making for damages. After 18 months, I am beginning to lose faith in him and the legal system. I know you guys out there that are or have suffered a Bilateral would be horrified if I told you that our injury comes at the lowest level of general damages. The highest in the book describes the injury to a tee, but sadly for me I have tried to hard and made myself 75% better. I am technically repaired, as far as the legal system is concerned.qccartoon22apr2013

So word to the wise stay broken if you want the fucker who gave you all that pain and suffering to pay out; or rather his insurance company.shutterstock_107400536

Oh and if you’re older, sadly I have to report I am, you can go and get fucked as well. So not only do you have to suffer the pain, the problems that go along with the injury. (Please read this blog if you’re a newbie) Have to take six months off work, and then the fuckers fire you because they are frightened you might injure yourself again while at work. They flower it up with ‘We don’t think you’re capable of doing your job anymore.’ Oh excuse me, wasn’t it while working for your fucking outfit I sustained the injury in the first place.

A middle aged man is upset upon receiving very bad news on the telephone.

So you see I’m not in a happy place at the moment. I’m being disingenuous, I am happy that’s only because I am a happy person. And of course, there was EPW she’s put a smile on my face. Oh and I nearly forgot Gizmo.funny-cat-putting-its-head-into-a-glass-for-milk Gizmo is a very cool black and white cat, 17, I rescued him. He had was dumped in the RSPCA’s in Enfield, London by his previous owner. Apparently they emigrated to Canada…. Hope the boat was maxresdefault‘The Titanic.’ poor ‘Gizmo.’ Anyhow, he’s living it large in Bournemouth now. See his blog at gizmodarcy.wordpress.com.

So life at the moment is what it is, the injury is 75% repaired, I still have trouble going downstairs and walking down inclines and according to my specialist have a 25% chance of a rupture within the next five years. Well, whopped-de-do.

Since I lost my job I have been working for myself, well no other fucker is going to employ me with a pair of doggy knees and a whole bunch of years behind me. It’s been a year now, not doing to bad made a profit in my first year. Card BackMy website is at chauffeurme.biz

Well, Gizmo’s snoring on the sofa, and I’m in the middle of creating my Christmas Cards so I better get back to it; if I am to bring in any new clients this coming year.Card front

Hopefully in the next post, I’ll tell you all about home much I got for damages…. so see you in 2017……..

Week 38 and its coming up to Christmas……..

Well to all the other quadders out there (I include Mr Jaccobi) ignorant sod…. seasons greetings to and may your deity to whatever persuasion you might be. Live long and prosper ……..

Well, just to keep you all up to date it seems I am doing ok. Physically R o M is good, I am back to doing most things I used to do if not slightly impaired. My Physio says I’m never going to run again, we will see about that. No golf either apparently? Walking downhill is still difficult, people must think I pissed but hey what it is, is what it is. Stairs are difficult and getting up from a low seat fooking painful.

Went to see James Blunt on the spur as you do, ticket was good sadly not enough room for my legs to stretch out. you quadders out there will know what I mean. I was willing the people around me to get up and gigg about but did they, Fooking no. I lasted an hour and a half before I had to get up oh the relief……….james_blunt_bournemouth_pg

One bit of very good news, my claim….. The old dairy company on whose property I came a cropper…… have admitted liability. So now, it’s not if, but how much. The accident has cost me personally around £15,00.00 so if I get the back plus the lawyers fee I’ll be happy. A bit extra would be nice for all that discomfort and disruption to my life. So we shall see……..

So Happy Christmas my Quadder mates…… see you in the new year…….

oh another big disappointment in my life…… Charlton Athletic…..

charlton-logoXmas card inside FacingXmas Card Inside not facingXmasd Card Front.1Personal Card Back Malyon

Its week 29, and all is well; I hope……. 13 Otober 2014

Well its been awhile since I last posted shame on me, but life has been hectic and stressful. Bilateral quadricesps Tendon Rupter

So how am I getting on, well as far as the injury is concerned ok, had my 6 month check up at the hospital and have been discharged from their care. So now it’s just me and my Physio. Work Life Balance signpost

I have good ROM and the strength is coming back all good, I wished I could say it was all good.

knee flexion 1

Stairs still present a problem, I can go up much easier than coming down and still have to hang on to the rail for dear life. Went to the cinema for the first time three weeks ago, it was ok walking up the shallow steps to my seat; but fuck, going back down in the dark that was scary. Oh on the going out and about Lynne and I went to see the Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theater in London oh that was good. Bilateral Quadricepts Tendon RuptureI had got the tickets before the injury, so the day arrived 28 August 2014. We had Royal Circle seats second from the front, well if it had not been for the guys sitting in the seats to my right doing a no-show I would have been buggered. But I laid myself out over three seats very lucky, no point doing the lottery now. So going up and downstairs is doable but ungainly.

Walking have not used sticks now for at least two months, Walking on the flat is ok I look a bit pissed, up hill very good; downhill is a not so good. But getting better. If someone had told me I would still be struggling to walk down hill I would not have believed them. But it could all so be much worse.

So I can walk, swim, do the bad thing, too bad women. Drive go out and socialise, go to poo properly, shower and ride a bike…… so I am nearly back to normal in a way. I can only run and jump in the swimming pool don’t think I’ll be playing golf for sometime, but hey on the balance of things it’s all going well.

Work, well I went in for a meeting to discuss my return to find out after five months they had found out how to do it without me or rather realised how much I cost. So it was, redundancy for me. So now with the help of my ex employers I have set up for myself. Chauffeur Me Launched on the 1 October 2014, providing executive transport to the corporate sector. You can find me at chauffeurme.biz, I’m building the website myself so don’t expect too much.

bmw service mot

So there you have it for now, My legs work to a fashion but I have to take on board they never going to be the same again. Maybe I’ll get up from sitting one day and not feel it, I live in hope.

 

 

 

Highs and Lows; Week12 (Its my Birthday and I’ll cry if I want to)

Just to hark back to the weekend, Peter and I got into the office, my first time since the accident on 1 April. All the work that needed doing got done over the Saturday and Sunday, thank you Peter for giving up your weekend to help me. Not that I could do anything, I just sat there and directed what needed to be done. Anyway alls well and all that stuff, well not really it transpires. I later found out on Monday thatImage its got to go back the way it was……. words fail me. But at least that can wait. Oh of course then, there was England!

Monday was a good day, Had my fit note through. Fit note its more an unfit note, written and signed by a GP who has never met me or delt with my injury. The ways of the National Health Service are a mystery. I had physio session on Monday,so thought I would cab it round to the office after to drop my fit note in. I got to thinking it’s fairly flat from the Physio Clinic to the office, so I would give it a go at walking it. If I got stuck I could always call a cab. Well I made it, another step on the way to recovery. It was really nice to see everyone in the office.

Tuesday was a low day, I had been trying to get hold of the hospital, in particular my consultants coordinator. I spent all Tuesday morning trying to get hold of him, eventually after threatening to throw myself out a window, he calls me. The reason I had been trying to get hold of him was to enquire if I had any options on hospital transport. As this Friday 20th I should have gone for my 12 week check up, it now transpires as I am not eligible for hospital transport its going to be my 15 week check up. Its a 100 mile round trip to the hospital, the irony is there is a car I can use but no driver. Most of my friends who might be available are all on holiday. So because I could not guarantee getting to my appointment today Friday 2oth, it had to be changed to a date I know I can make, courtesy of Nurse Lynne. This has set my recovery back by three weeks, as I can not till I’ve seen my surgeon move on to the next phase of physio. Fuck!

imgres

Wednesday is a better day, well it was my Birthday…… And to celebrate its was another Groundhog Day. I share my birthday with a number of famous people, Paul McCartney, Alison Moyet, oh and Fabio Capello, god that brings me back to England. To my American friends reading this that’s a reference to our National soccer team, that’s if you can call them a team; more like 11 overpaid individuals. All with varying degrees of mediocrity.

Thursday is a high and a low day. Its Physio today and as it’s such a lovely day I thought I would try and walk it. Well it was not easy, the bit up St Peter Road is quite steep and was a challenge but I made it. Screen Shot 2014-06-20 at 16.39.32A 10 minute walk took 40 minutes, but its a win. That was the high, you just know whats coming next. Yes the Low, England once again, I’m lost for words.

wallpapers-england-football-team-national-team-hd-1280x1024

Friday 20th, its been a quite day today, reflective about our boys. I am really feeling for them, it must be so distressing for them. Did they really have to go all that way to Brazil, to prove what a bunch of overpaid, underperforming bunch of dates they really are. There combined weekly wage would pay off the national debt several times over. Rant over, see you next week.

It’s all coming along; Week 11 (Friday the 13th)

On Monday had another little win, I asked my friend Johnny Penistone if he would pop over with his car, to see if I had enough range of movement (ROM) in my legs to actually get into it. I had no luck with work sending one of our spare cars over, so was forced into begging favours. Anyhow after several attempts I made it. So now I can get out.

Image

This is important for three reasons, one, I am now paying for my physio sessions, so home visits cost £76.00 and sessions at the physio centre £40 so it’s a no brainer, if I can get into a car I can get a cab and save myself £26.00. Twice a week for another month at least is a lot of money. Particularly if you’re a church mouse; like me.

Image

The second reason I have to get to see my surgeon on the 20th June, it is a hundred mile round trip. So I need to get there by car, irony is I have the option of a car but no driver. So at this point it’s a worry. On Monday I’ll ring my consultants secretary to see if there is any chance of hospital transport. I’m not holding my breath. The third reason is work; we have an office reorganization going on over the next two weeks. I have been asked if my friend Peter can go in and move a lot of equipment stored in the finance department to our over crowded store room. He cannot go in on his own in reality so I need to get in with him, as I have the key and security fob. Not to speak about the alarm system. It’s a mute point if I should, but as I have said in emails to the office needs must.

But now I find not only do they want the equipment move from the back of the finance office, but for my work area to be dismantled. They must be joking. One man and a cripple; really! Not only that it will be the first time in 11 years I have not had my own work area, and I am not happy. Its actually making me feel undervalued. This is all going on while I’m unfortunately off sick; well I’m not sick but severely injured. It really makes you feel that you don’t matter. Well tomorrow I’m going to do my bit, you get thanked in to most strangest way.

But in all this week has been a positive moving forward week. My OAP chair is now redundant, I can with the aid of two cushions sit on the sofa. That’s so good, the OAP chair was good, but uncomfortable. Also I can now sit in my office chair that I have here at home, so for the first time I’m writing this at my desk in the living room. I can manage about an hour at a time then have to walk about for a bit and rest my legs for an hour or so. But it’s coming on and in the next few days/weeks should maintain longer.

Thursday was my first physio at the clinic; got there by cab, all went well, have the required 90 degrees in my right leg, but only 70 degrees in my left. So I have a week to get the left to 90…. It’s doable. I keepmoving forward.

Image

Next week I’ll tell you the reader how this weekend went, should be interesting.

Putting your kit on and other stuff…….. 6 June 2014 (70th Anniversary D-Day Landings)

6 June: Its coming to the end of week 10, and progress is painfully slow. I thought I might have got out and about by now. Had an email from Jim Falvo in Dallas Texas last night, he’s another quad brother so to speak. He and Jim Clawson had been in contact since their Quad Ruptures in 2006. I read Jim Falvo’s experience and wished I hadn’t. But as he said in his email last night, it’s like watching grass grow.

ImageAnd you can do more damage than good, by pushing to hard. So it’s all going at tortoise pace.

Piece of advice number eight don’t go looking on the Internet, you may not like what you see.

Image

Anyhow enough of the gloom, the subject of my blog this week is getting dressed. A relative simple process if you’re able bodied. When you have BQTR, it becomes more challenging. In the first few days I didn’t really have anything I could wear.

I lived in my dressing gown until Nurse Lynne got me some granddad nightshirts, they were adequate, but a challenge for the commode. The problem was the splints; most of my regular trousers were not big enough to go over them. That’s if I could ever get regular trousers anywhere near me. So I started thinking about those three-quarter length shorts. But would I not have the same problem with the shorts, and then the brain wave hit me; get them three sizes to big.

So I looked on the Marks & Spencer website and found something that would do. I then sent Peter off to M&S to obtain them. On his return I experimented on how to get them on. First your need your underpants, lay them on the floor making sure you have your helping hand (device for picking stuff off the floor), to hand so to speak. Then try to shuffle your feet into the leg holes. When your feet are in the appropriate right and left hole, remembering you’re held up on your crutches grab the helping hand and grasp the elastic of your underpants, now pull up. This is not as easy as it sounds, they get stuck around the bottom of the splints, eventually your get them up and round your privates. Bit of advice number nine, always wear your underpants, sweaty undercarriage is never a good thing.

Bilateral Quadriceps Tendon Rupture

Now for the shorts so basically it’s the same procedure, shorts on the floor, try to locate the leg holes and shuffle your way in. This is a bit harder and takes up more shuffle space. Pull them up using the helping hand and you’re halfway there. You’re have to wriggle them up past the splints. Now for a shirt and something for your feet. Bit of advice number 10, your need something comfortable for you feet, slippers are too fliperty flopperty  to get your feet into, so I suggest a pair of leather Dingo’s.Bilateral quadricesps Tendon Rupture

You will have to buy on-line in the Uk, the only place I have ever found them on sale to actually try them on and buy, is in the market in St Tropez. You can wiggle your feet in this type of shoe, what also helps is one of those long shoe horns.  And you’re dressed and ready for another Groundhog Day. So by the time you have done a bomb run, washed and dressed the best part of the morning has gone.Bilateral Quadricesps Tendon rupture

This week has been slow, Hayley came on Tuesday and is coming today Friday 6 June, physio is going well. Just not as fast as I want it to. I have another two weeks today before my next appointment in Winchester. I hope to be able to get into a car by then, but am hampered by the fact I do not have a car here to practice on. What a strange concept having to practice getting into a car.

My car is stuck in Eastleigh, the weekend before my accident I was driving to London and had engine problems just before junction 13 of the M3. I managed to get off the motorway, and found a convenient place to park. I got a bus to the station at Southampton Airport and continued my trip to London with the idea I’d get back later that week to have her recovered back home. I’m sure it’s a fuel management problem, easily fixed. But 10 weeks on and she is still there; I hope. So until I know I can get in and out of a car getting to the hospital is a little uncertain at the moment. What I don’t want is a taxi turning up, and me taking half an hour trying to get in. What will be will be.

Bilateral Quadriceseps Tendon Rupture

Apart from that not much else has happened this week, no visitors, my friend Sandra sent me some more St Repair, oh and did you see that guys head explode on ‘The Game Of Thrones’, I did not expect that.

One other thing, there is a meeting going on not 200 yards from me, it’s a work meeting at a hotel; as I say not 200 yards from where I sit writing this. I would have liked to have gone along, but the hill down to the hotel is to challenging at the moment. How pathetic am I……….

I hope to report in next weeks post, better progress. Well I had better as next Saturday 14 June I am supposed to get into the office with Peter and supervise him moving gear from one spot in the finance department to our storeroom. You may never know I just might make it.

A thought for the day; today is the 70 anniversaryDSC00105 of the D-Day landings, I have been watching some moving coverage from Ouisterham in Normandy. My father was part of the D-Day landings, he flew two sorties in his Lancaster on D-Day and later in life told he me, “That they heard the BBC announcement on the aircraft wireless, as the breaking news about the D-Day invasion was being transmitted all over the country. The bombing offensive that we’d taken part in, had been the start of the Allied landings in France. My heart began to beat somewhat faster….” Following the second sortie of the day, he wrote in his log, “We landed at Mildenhall for a second time that day…and then thanked our lucky stars for having survived such a memorable day.”

Bilateral Quadriceps Tendon Rupture

 

Today I remember my grandfather who was wounded on the ‘Somme’ rescuing two comrades from the 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. After convalescing in Bournemouth he was sent back to the front and survived the fourth and fifth battles of ‘Ypres’, my father who flew 42 sorties over Germany between 1943 and 1945. At the start of their wars they were 16 and 18 respectively. a sobering thought.