January 2013 (The last bit)

Something I forgot to put into the previous post was that Moray now has its own Parkinson's Nurse Specialist, Heidi Simpson (Front right).  Others in the photo are the support group secretary, Gillian Gibson (Front Left), behind her is Elsie Watson, the support group chair person, Elsie, a formidable lady, is a retired ward sister from Dr Gray's.  Back row right is Dr Sands, a Geriatrician with a special interest in Parkinson's.

Tuesday 22nd, off to Gr Gray's for an 0930 appointment with Dr Sands.  It was a six monthly review of my condition and how it was responding to medication.  Well I guess it's 'so far so good' and if I'm happy with the state of things then she is!  So it seems we're both happy!
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were the usual run of spinning, coffee and planning the last bits of work I want to be doing to finish off the storage locker area.
Saturday 26th, an early start off up the road to Contin and the 2013 Strathpuffer.  The Puffer is a 24hr endurance race, the object of the exercise is to complete as many laps of the course as possible, it can be ridden solo, as a pair, team of three or four.  A lap is roughly 7.5 miles and was taking riders anything from 35min to >1hr.  The race started at 10.00 in reasonable weather with the riders being piped to a start line about 100m down the track from where they had a 'Le Mans' style run to their bikes and away on the course.

08.45 The team (Paul and Allan) arrive with all the kit, the Easy-Up and Med Base unit and both Med Marshal sets of equipment (Susie and myself were already there and waiting for the bacon roll van to open!).

Med Base, waiting for customers.

The piper leads the riders to the start of the run back to the bikes.

The riders heading for the start line!  And in real sunshine!!

Racing to the bikes!

Riders getting 'dibbed' at the transition point to log their laps and times,

Paul busy interrogating a casualty, wanting to know why he fell off and disturbed his evening!

OUCH!!! 

Not sure if it should be sutured, darned or patched!

Hardy soul, cold, dark, wet and another twelve hours to go!!

End of shift nearing, must have time for a brew before the relief team arrives.

A quick warm up before setting out again.

Shift handover time, Pip and Forestry Dave head off to relieve Susie and Allan while at Med Base Nurse Ann and Bex go over the cas list before settling down for the next twelve hours!!

I'm off home now, it's well past my bedtime!





Monday 28th.  Time flies! Christmas just over and January nearly done!!  Off to another Burns Supper this evening; this one is organised by our Local Heritage Group.

The Haggis is piped in.

Chef on the move to present the haggis.

Dan Ralph (The Clavie King) does the 'Great Chieftain o the puddin race' bit before.......

.......the poor wee haggis gets a richt good stabbin and it didn't even squeal once!

The sacrificial haggis is carried off back to the kitchen while we all sit down to a first course of Cock a Leekie soup.  The haggis is divided up and along with neeps and tatties miraculously manages to feed about eighty folk!  Pud was a choice of Tipsy Laird (A whisky Trifle) or Clooty Dumpling.

Just to see out January it was a trip to the Bothy for an Americano and a slice of their excellent gluten free flapjack!

See you in February.