I'm Still Here

 despite multiple frustrations.

For a start I'm still only able to access my Blogger Dashboard on Firefox and I can't comment on anyone else's blog  with any other browser if they use Google for their comment section. Weird and irritating if hardly earth shaking.

Much more concerning is that my eyesight is worsening. I've known this was coming eventually - I just hoped eventually would be a lot further off. This change means I'm having to take some practical steps to make life easier and safer. As I think I've mentioned before I've been seeing an occupational therapist who specialises with vision impairment as well as back problems and she has been helping me with the equipment I'll need to be able to stay in this house in the long term. 

This is not a cheap exercise. So far I've got a new bed - and very comfortable it is, too. Why I didn't realise just how much a sagging old bed was affecting my back I don't know. I guess I'd just kept compensating by adding pillows, none of which was actually doing the job. So now I'm sleeping better - and Puss and I still have room to share. In a side note which is probably of no interest to anyone but me  my old bed was taken away by the local council this morning to wherever old beds go and the space it was taking up is now free.

Then there's my office where my old chair had just become unusable when I started this process. Virgo had left an old one of hers when she moved out and although I'd made vague attempts at giving it away no-one had been interested. This was just as well as it turned out as it filled the gap while I was waiting for a better replacement. The new one finally arrived a few days ago - where it's been since it was ordered nearly five months ago I have no idea - we've been joking that it must have required someone to make each component by hand - and it is so, so much more comfortable.

The next step is to sort out the lighting. My artist niece introduced me to daylight lamps and -  now there's a floor lamp for the family room where I have a new armchair which offers back support - and before anyone asks, yes, I should have realised long ago that trying to use an armchair with no back support and designed for someone with much longer legs than me was making my bad back worse. I guess until now when my back injury is affecting my ability to walk, there hadn't seemed any necessity. Well, there is now if I want to stay here living a relatively normal life. There's also a daylight desk lamp for my office about to come into my life - and there is to be under the cupboard bench top lighting in the kitchen. Swoon - as my vision has declined that whole area has become impossible for me to use except in bright sunlight. Since the last item is quite  cheap we're also going to invest in cupboard lights that come on when you open the door. Who knew such things existed!

The next thing to deal with is the garden. With my mobility somewhat impaired and unlikely to improve we need steps and rails and raised beds so I can continue to move around safely and work in the garden - we're on the side of a hill so there is more than one level to the yard - and we're busy getting quotses for these items. We do already have new rails for the existing steps so I can get to one of the lower parts of the garden safely - and safety is a crucial factor in much of the outside area. Some of the rest will have to wait for a while as will updating the rest of my office at least until we save up a bit. In the meantime things are already looking better and I foresee a brighter future - pun definitely intended.