Penrith

We arrived in Penrith at 1.00pm to be met with an icy world of minus 3 degs...

Cold to the bone

We were met by the super friendly staff there and shown to our room to settle in and unpack

A coffee in the dining area soon followed and I knocked off a few shots outside the facility of the frozen environs

A beautiful setting next to a river

We were given a nursing room and soon we had several friendly staff fawning over Nina and plotting the next day's activities 

Our room, one of several paid for and ran in the rehabilitation centre under the umbrella of The Firefighters Charity

A really nice room for a sharing couple

There's no way Nina would have come here on her own for her first visit so being able to be there with her and also benefit from the centre myself was brilliant

By far and away the highlight and most emotional part of our stay I would say

After almost a year she could walk without crutches for the first time with the help of the anti gravity treadmill

Her most enjoyable pursuit during the stay was the daily Wii Balance Board games

A great piece of kit essentially for family fun but also ideal to restablish lost balance capabilities in patients with leg injuries

The daily hydrotherapy was of supreme benefit to her as her therapy was one to one with a highly trained physiotherapist

Morning glory right outside our window

After two days of sub zero temperatures I went out for one of several walks that week taking me in to the nearby town

Whats left of Penrith Castle

On the Thursday Nina had a 'free period' and we were directed to nearby Pooley Bridge where we were advised to visit the local shop that sells hundreds of different gins....

You won't be surprised to know that we left with an expensive Rum....

Perhaps next time Nina...

We both had a very relaxing and rewarding stay up here in Penrith at Jubilee House

The whole staff were very friendly and attended to our every needs. It took a while for me to back off and just let them fuss after Nina and it felt like we were amongst family

Genuinely supportive carers making our stay very comfortable

On leaving we were given some more dates to attend next year post surgery which will be great once Nina is weight bearing again

We left after lunch on the Friday feeling revived, rested and looking forward to returning to this first class facility

Jubilee House is one of three rehab centres run in the UK by The Firefighters Charity which is a non profit making charity and relies solely on donations and the proceeds of fund raising events

Pre Op Consultation

This week Nina had her Pre op consultation with Professor Moran at QMC Nottingham

All went well after a very early start for us and arriving far too early. We were actually seen an hour early, a good omen for sure

Nina had further X rays and the Prof told us the intended course of action come surgery day

Basically the metal plate and most of the screws are to be removed and a new plate of similar length fitted without the need for a bone graft. The intention being to treat the ends of her non healed femur and bring them together before plating

It appears that her leg is twisted out of line and he will correct this

He also reassured us that he has several surgical back up plans should issues be raised during surgery and that his chosen method at present has a 95 per cent success rate in patients having a 'non union' femur fracture

The good news is her shattered knee has healed and when questioned he said he counted 10 pieces of bone that had smashed apart at the time of the accident

He also hopes to improve her leg flexion currently stuck painfully at 60 degs so that she can sit comfortably at 90 degs at a table. There's also a follow up operation involving muscle release from the bone to further improve leg flexion but thats for the future and he needs to concentrate on getting the bone fixed first

Downside is the metalwork will again need to be removed in the future and she'll have one leg shorter than the other

(Looks like only circular walks then in future...😉)

Its been a year now since the accident and barely a day goes by without Nina breaking down and crying bless her. Its all far too much to bear for her I'm afraid and I'm doing my utmost to prop her up (literally) and keep her spirits up

We are as ever eternally grateful to those of you that have helped in so many ways to lighten the load for us so wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year...

2020....surely a better year..!

Langdale

Some good news....finally

Nina's dates for pre op consultation and actual operation day come through, namely 16 Dec and 14 Jan and we are mightily relieved

This ties in nicely with a trip to Langdale followed immediately by a week of rehab up in Penrith

Friends Simon & Mandy had invited us to stay with them up in the beautiful lodge resort of Langdale many months ago and we never knew if it was on the cards or not likewise with our application for a stay at the Firefighters Charity Rehab facility in Penrith. Both were subject to cancellation should the dates not match up

Perfect timing was such that we could spend a few nights with our friends then drive through the stunning landscape directly to Penrith on the sunday

Arriving at Langdale we are impressed with the park layout and whats on offer

Individual lodges built 40 years ago, refurbished and beautifully laid out next to a river. There's a hotel, restaurant and spa on site and the management guys even own the pub just outside the grounds

We arrive to sub zero temperatures

Simon has it all sorted with a welcome dinner and mandatory Leffe Brun in the fridge..

Chef busy prepping steaks

Happy days

Next morning we are treated to breakfast in the Spa followed by several indulgent hours spent between being al fresco in the spa pools and the numerous steam and therapy rooms

A lovely relaxing experience laid on for Nina (and her carer)

This was a real winner. Mobility scooter turned off road adventure vehicle...

She loved this and radiated smiles....

With the speed button cranked around to maximum we had to run after her a lot but she loved the independance it gave her

Mandy joins us on the Saturday after handing over caring duties of her Mum to the rest of her family

The buggy is pressed in to action again and more countryside is burned up under those smokin' wheels....

Reversing down the ramp to a local pub was a bit hit and miss but nerves were calmed inside after a warm up and a few beers....

Strictly on the TV and another fine meal courtesy of Chef rounded off a very memorable day spent in the stunning Cumbrian landscape

Mandy & Simon came up trumps for us with this break and gave Nina a much needed morale boost. She loved the Spa experience, dining in the restaurant and had huge grins bombing around on that golf cart....

We said our farewells and drove off on the sunday morning in the direction of nearby Penrith in a relaxed state to begin a week of one to one rehab for Nina

On the farm for Winter

Seems ages ago when we were up in the field in the height of a pleasant warm summer and now staring at a long damp winter ahead of us....

How lucky we were to have spent the last few years wintering in the Iberian sun with endless days of blue skies...(You will no doubt guess that its raining whilst I write this post, three days of it!)

My random photos of some of the past few months are here....

Simon & Mandy stay over and join us bringing good cheer, goodies and loads of travelling tales from their very hectic life

We are hoping to visit these guys later in the year up in Cumbria where they have invited us to stay in a lodge with access to a pool for Nina's continued physio

Hopefully we can work it in around her hospital commitments, the break would do Nina a world of good for sure

We have a week away split between a stay with family up in Beadnell and down in Stowmarket with Emilja & Richard

We are blessed with great weather whilst Up North and bizarrely meet up with Baz and Mandy in Bamburgh for a few beers, the same day Ben Stokes performed a miracle for English Cricket

Saturday morning breakfast Stowmarket style at the cafe run by Keith, Richard's brother

More mayhem with the Cathcarts down in Bingham as we try to drink their local dry and eat the superb Chinese restaurant out of food one sunday afternoon

On return to the RV we find we've got neighbours...

Can you believe they got this double decker down the lane for a wedding at the church!

Another visit from Bobby & Malc on a beautiful sunny day sees us taking in the rays and discussing all things Bike and Benidorm, their winter destination

The sun is lower in the sky and autumn is upon us

My evening walks alone without my companion are made more pleasant with some beautiful sunsets

Hank and Kev invite me to watch rugby, stuff food away and drink real ales

I don't need asking twice!

Nina almost always optimistic and radiating positivity

Well in this shot anyway...

The days pass quickly but the waits in between consultations, scans, physio and the like get her down a bit as you can imagine

She just wants her Op and to be able to walk again...

Malc and me hit the road on a sunny dry day and cover loads of Derbyshire in the name of road safety and bike skills practice you understand...

The fish and chips at the holy grail of Matlock Bath were lovely sat in the sun 

What was amusing was to see all the other bikers there were of a 'certain age' and the machines they rode were definitely in the 'sensible class'

Different again to the weekend display of machinery that lines the kerbs of the busy tourist village

Its time to relocate down to the Farm and Mick and I run the sheep barriers up the lane to the storage barn for the winter

Loaded up and ready to make the trip south to get the servicing and MOT done in Somerset

Lea Hall which is on my 'round the block' walk

Essential refreshment and a reward for walking past the pub without going in each time

After picking a huge bag of wild mushrooms there is much debate with Mick & Mary as to whether they will kill us come eating time...

Thats us then for the Winter

Water, electric, radiators and a de-humidifier

Our lounge view

Christmas dinner in the UK, who would have thought it!