These had sprung up down the lane yesterday; it feels disconcertingly spring like. I keep wondering when winter is going to arrive which it inevitably will but at least that will break the grey and wet January dreariness.
Last week’s highlights were a blood test and I was allowed to have my flu jab (not sure why I couldn’t earlier but I had to wait after my surgery). My reflexology was cancelled on Friday as Dawn was ill so I missed my relaxation. There is some bug doing the rounds which amazingly I haven’t caught.
I am still very low on white blood cells and having meds tweaked to try to get them up. The increase in one of them (Tacrolimus) has all sorts of unwanted side effects one of which is giving me blurred vision and shaking. Makes doing everything difficult. I’m not sure how much is that and how much my vision has been affected by the steroids. I’m told not to have an eye test for 6 months as it could still change.
I’m getting used to the regimented meds and have now stopped one of the prophylaxis antibiotics and reduced another so it’s becoming less onerous. I always worry about forgetting my main anti- rejection one though.
It is strangely difficult to adjust to my new lungs. I feel I should be on a high grabbing at all life has to offer but I feel more subdued than that. I have a new start but with no aim in mind (other than to be able to do normal things). It's almost like I was abducted by aliens and put back with new lungs: weird!
Maybe I’m being impatient and things will come gradually. I forget what a major shock to the system the surgery was and I’m still on plenty of mood altering meds which I need to address asI feel all muddled. I’ll see the psych at Papworth next week who will hopefully help me to make some sense of everything.
There is a new bakery in Melton Constable that we went to selling really good sourdough bread with a nice cafe. A touch of Hackney in North Norfolk;
Last night I watched the first episode of the choir programme on Aylesbury Young Offenders Institution. I thought it captured some of the despair of the place and how hard it would be to change in there. There wasn’t quite the full flavour of all the mental health and self harm though and the violence wasn’t illustrated that well. They didn’t show the horrific home made weapons they make. But I suppose he wanted to focus on the positives, even though there weren’t many of those. I think episode 2 has everyone in tears though.
I’ve been continuing to paint watercolour still lives:
And I’m trying out acrylics:
I like the translucency and delicacy you can get from watercolour and conversely I like the solidity and strength of colour from acrylic.
There are so many painters to get inspiration from. Here are some still lives by Milton Avery:
Ralph update: we pick him up on 29th February which seems and age away. I think I will get him his own Instagram page when he arrives.
I have art this afternoon which is a good way to start the week I think. Jane is doing something on acrylic techniques which will be interesting. The group occasionally gets an artist to do a session with us but mostly we just paint. It is a companionable group and nice to spend the afternoon painting and having a chat over tea and biscuits.