In Week 30 of 2024, I suffered from bad back pain and was popping lots of painkillers, but I did get to see Tom Jones in concert in Murcia, which was brilliant.
Monday, 22nd July.
I woke up this morning in a lot of pain. My back was excruciating, and the first thing I did was have a couple of painkillers with my morning coffee. At 8:45 am, I went to the doctor's surgery for my regular blood test for my INR levels. The receptionist came in while the nurse searched for a good vein in my arm. The nurse said something to her in Spanish, and the receptionist looked at my arm pointed to it and told the nurse to try there for blood. The nurse did as the receptionist suggested and got blood the first time she tried. I can only assume the receptionist has worked in phlebotomy previously or still does and is taking a turn at the reception desk to see how it runs.
When I left the receptionist, I returned to my apartment to work on my website for a while. Before I went to meet Martin at La Sombre Pizzeria, I took another painkiller, hoping that it would give my back some comfort. I met Martin and we sat chatting for a few hours. When he left, I joined my friend Terry, and we were talking when Martin returned a short time later. Martin went to get some shopping, and I said I would meet him in La Zona on my way home.
I always have trouble getting into La Zona because they never properly open the gate. It makes getting in difficult for anyone in a disability scooter, people with pushchairs, etc. After I had managed to open the gate and go in, I sat with my friend Dave, and Martin joined us. Whilst we sat there talking the barman shut the gate again. I had a loud, rather heated discussion with him about it in which he said he didn't care if people couldn't get in; it wasn't his bar, and he got paid whether there were customers or not. I paid my bill and left.
I was on my way to collect a parcel at Euronics, but as it was not yet open I stopped at my apartment, parking my scooter outside. I went into my apartment to have a cold drink and take some more painkillers. I sat down in my chair after taking the painkillers and promptly fell asleep. When I woke up later I realised that Euronics would now be shut and went straight to bed, hoping my back pain would allow me to sleep tonight.
Tuesday, 23rd July.
When I woke up this morning, my back was still in a lot of pain, so I took more painkillers and sat at my computer with a coffee and some porridge. I messaged Jo from La Zona this morning, apologising for raising my voice to her staff yesterday and explaining the problem that I have getting into her bar. She told me not to worry and that from now on, she would make sure the staff left the gates for the parking area open so that I and other people in disability scooters could get in easily.
I was going for a swim but thought I had better plug my disability scooter in to charge before picking up my parcel from Euronics. It was then that I remembered leaving my disability outside the apartment when I returned for painkillers yesterday evening. I had fallen asleep after taking the painkillers and left my disability scooter outside. I quickly went downstairs and was relieved to see it was still there. I will have to make sure I put it away before taking painkillers in the future.
I got on my disability scooter, went to Euronics, and collected my parcel. I was pleased that the parcel had arrived so quickly and when I got home, I put my disability scooter in the garage and took my parcel up to my apartment. I unwrapped the parcel and was happy to see my new Arsenal shirt and find it fit well. I should be the best-dressed Gooner in Los Alcazares and will be ready for the new season.
I checked for yesterday's blood test results online when I got home. I was delighted when they were very close to perfect. I have been taking so many different drugs recently for pain or other treatments I was worried they may have mucked the INR levels up. I spent the rest of the day working on my computer, trying to edit some videos from my whale-watching trip to Alaska earlier in the year. I also chatted with my friend Debbie and arranged to meet her for lunch on Sunday. As my back was still in a lot of pain, I took more painkillers and went to bed at about 10 pm.
Wednesday, 24th July.
When I woke up today, my back was still in pain, but the pain had subsided a little. I got a coffee, checked my computer for messages, and then went to the Mar Menor for a swim. I floated around for about 40 minutes and collected more sea shells before taking them back to my apartment and scattering them around the base of my bamboo plant.
When I returned to my apartment I had a shower and then spent the rest of the day working on my website. I finished the video from my whale-watching trip and posted it on my YouTube channel.
Thursday, 25th July.
I was up around 7:30 am today. I did the Wordle puzzle, had a coffee and did some work on my website before packing a small overnight back to take with me when I left home to go and see Tom Jones in concert in the Murcia Bullring.
Friday, 26th July.
After arriving home today, I unpacked my small travel bag, worked on my website, and edited photos and videos from yesterday's trip to see Tom Jones in Murcia. By the time I had finished editing the videos and doing the work on my website it was 8 pm. I couldn't be bothered to go out for food and had very little to eat in the house. I settled for scrambled eggs with tuna on toast for my supper and then spent the evening watching TV before going to bed at about 11:00 pm.
Saturday, 27th July.
I woke up at 7:30 am today. When I got up, I got a coffee and sat at my computer to do the Wordle puzzle and check my messages. I then looked at a new video hosting package that I may use instead of YouTube. I will have to investigate it further, but it looks better for what I want than YouTube. I can have my videos playing without all the YouTube links, and it will even let me link to my website from the videos, which is what I want.
I got myself a second coffee around 9 am. I put some washing in the washing machine and then got some porridge for breakfast. I love the early mornings here. It was so quiet, and I could hear the birds chirping in the trees opposite my balcony this morning.
I spent the day working on my website and the evening watching TV. I had intended to watch the Arsenal Vs Manchester United game, but it started too late, so I went to bed around midnight.
Sunday, 28th July.
I woke up around 7:15 and got up. I took my tablets and sat down to watch the friendly game between Arsenal and Manchester United played overnight in America. Both teams took the opportunity to play some youngsters and made wholesale changes throughout the game. Manchester United started brighter and went into a 0-1 lead, but Arsenal grew into the game and eventually won the game 2-1.
After the game, I had some jam on toast for breakfast before shaving and showering. At around 1:00 pm, I left my apartment on my disability scooter and met my friend Debbie for lunch at Campbell's bar in Roda. As I crossed the motorway bridge, I saw Debbie walking ahead. I slowed down when I got to her, and we went the rest of the way together. When we arrived at Campbell's, we had a drink in the bar before entering the dining room. We both had the roast lamb and talked for a few hours. After the dinner, I had a piece of Bailey's cheesecake, which was gorgeous but not as big as I expected, as Debbie pinched a bit.
After finishing our food, we went to sit outside for a while and continued talking until we left at about 4:30 pm. We went back under the motorway using the pass under and we parted as Debbie went home and I returned to my apartment. When I got home, my back was in pain again, and I took another painkiller before sitting down to watch the TV. I was soon asleep and woke up at about 7:30 pm. When I woke I had some cheese and crackers and then watched a film before going to bed at about 11 pm.