On the 14 December I got up as usual around 05.00Hrs, walked into my lounge tripped and fell on the hardwood floor. The result: a fractured femur. Somehow I managed to get to a phone to ring 111. After a major operation I was kept in hospital right up to the last day of Dec, simply because I lived alone. I've lived alone for the past 13 years since my wife passed away due to Alzheimer's as I chose to care for on my own to the end. On my release from hospital I was in a far worse state than I first entered. The problem was they failed to take account that I had a Total Gastrectomy. It was a matter of "take it or leave it" when it came to meals. They served three meals a day on a tray, dinner time it contained soup, main meal and desert. Most of the meals were unsuitable and I ended up losing two teeth. When I was finally allowed home it was my daughter that helped me into her car and assisted me into my home. There was a trolley in the kitchen for me to get around with. But like most things in my life I got on with it in my own way.
It's now nine and a half years since I had my Total Gastrectomy and I've found I was back to all the problems I had in the early stages: dumping, loss of a great deal of weight etc. The good thing is I'm making steady progress as I'm back using dumbbells to strengthen the upper body and push-up (30 with hands facing forward and 30 hands to the side) with my knees on the floor to start with. Life is for living as far as I'm concerned as I'm five months in to my 89th year I intend to enjoy the most precious wonderful gift while it's on offer: "TIME". Other health problems I encounter I view as experiences to overcome and learn from.
