All is peace at Budd Towers, but we're maybe sitting at the eye of a storm. It has been a Big Month for us all.
Foremost in our minds has been Frank's insulin pump. We have now had two training sessions at Addenbrooke's Hospital at Cambridge. During the first week we all took turns wearing the pump, pumping saline into ourselves, making me even more of a salty old dog. Last week we started pumping insulin into Frank, and it's going well, but we have lots to learn about the kit, and how to use it. The main reason for getting the pump is to help the three of us better manage Frank's blood sugar, thereby (we hope) avoiding complications later in life. From Frank's immediate point of view, he is so happy not to have four injections a day, especially the morning stinger (the slow acting Lantus insulin), although he has more fingerprick blood tests than before, has to wear the pump 24/7 and has to have a "site change" (new plumbing into his body) every three days. Right now we are "tweaking his basals", which means we are trying to establish what are the best background insulin levels to suit his body. We should be testing him every two hours, round the clock, to get more data on how his body is reacting. Hence we feel like a couple of knackered rusty old cars.
And another thing. I've been given a redundancy notice from my employer in respect of my main earner job. The money runs out on 31 March, unless some more comes in before then. At the Colchester2020 Travel Plan Club, we have a couple of bids for external funding, and some unpaid subs from the past, so the job might continue.........
Otherwise it's basking in the sun, sitting on the bench in Castle Park, supping Special Brew, which sounds a good option too. And if it's raining, I can sleep in T-Bone Walker's car.
Despite it all, we are calm. We will get by OK whatever happens. And there's always stuff on the horizon. There haven't been many blogs here recently, as we've been busy fundraising for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund). There are several new pages on this blog - just click onto the tabs above.
And I'm very excited about my new adventure as a stand-up poet. My Fred Slattern act is hitting the road in May, touring the north-west Scottish Highlands by bicycle, and giving short recitals en route. Regular visitors to Big Swifty will be getting updates over the next few weeks. And join me on Facebook "Andrew Stanley Budd" and "Fred Slattern".
