Spelling mistakes

It is taking me a long time to discover some of the subtleties of my stroke last year. Some after-effects are very obvious, but others more difficult to discern.

I am finding that I am quite slow to notice spelling errors in my blog posts. Usually these get corrected but on my other blog I had a spelling mistake in a title for most of the day before I spotted it! I think my intellect is fine, but I do seem to have more problems with spelling and short-term memory.

Gaza in ruins

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29086193 . Exactly what are Israeli aims in Gaza? The wholesale destruction of the state? Looking at these images, one could be forgiven for thinking this.

It is high time the Middle East states around Israel accept Israel's right to exist in peace with its neighbours, and high time Israel forged real peace deals with its Arab neighbours. Live and let live, in a just peace, fair to all.

Stroke update

I read one of my posts from very early in the year. In it, I was hoping that after 6 months at home I would be fully fit. That proved optimistic!

It is now September and I still have great fatigue, speaking is poor (breath is short with little expression/modulation)) and effortful - people find it hard to understand what I say unless I speak very slowly and very deliberately - my balance when walking is not good and drinking can be hard work. Food is, generally, little problem now. Overall, I still have a way to go.

I believe I am now ready to drive the car again (I wrote a reminder to the DVLA this weekend as the neurosurgeon wrote to them in June saying I was fine to drive. My U3A course starts October 8th or 9th I think. It would be good to be driving again by then.

My aim is to be off my PEG before the end of this year and to be fully fit again before the spring. Please.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

A delightful photo of our two "Kent" grandchildren taken this autumn in a field near their home this weekend. They are lovely children. We love them lots.

Hope Cove, Devon - webcam

See http://www.camsecure.co.uk/SalcombeHopeCove.html . This webcam is not always on and is best viewed in good daytime light. They suffer from slowish broadband speeds in Hope Cove. You get a good view of the top of the beach from the Sun Bay Hotel, when on.

There are several other Devon webcams listed on this site.

For a full UK index see http://www.camsecure.co.uk/Camsecure_Live_Demo_Index.html .

David Haines - RIP

I cannot understand why, in this day and age, we have to descend into the barbarism of the Middle Ages in defence of any religion. I thought mankind had matured? It beggars belief that some young men choose the path of violent extremism. Surely hearts and minds are better molded by acts of kindness and love? Kindness and love encourage the same to be nurtured and grown. Violence is evil, by anyone.

Stroke - one year on exactly

It is exactly a year since I had my cerebellum bleed and operation. I am still giddy, still have difficulty with some drinks, but my limbs all work and I can eat most foods OK by mouth. At one (low) point I was told I might never, ever, eat or drink again by mouth. I still get frustrated that I am still not "right", but I guess I have come a long way and I should be grateful to have recovered as well as I have.