Things are beginning to 'crank up a gear' with our impending move. It's been more than six weeks now since we accepted the offer on the london flat so I've started to search for properties locally so that we could have something lined up should we get to complete soon.

Found some real 'stunners' one of which was vacant possesion, however it turns out that even though they have the same postal address as us, because they are on the other side of the river they are in a different borough (river forms the borough boundary). This wouldn't necessarily be too much of a problem but it adds a bit to our journey time if we travel on foot/powertrike into town ;().

Have one property lined up to go and view next week, which is on THIS side of the river albeit in a different borough. It's still within 3 miles of where we are now though, so this has been an 'eye opener' how close we are to the boundaries with other boroughs -we sort of knew about the river , but were confused when the postal addresses were the same :(.

gom's condition is still very much up and down on a daily basis. Even though the weather is considerably cooler. We're still more or less sticking to the morning routine for everything we do. After his usual morning gym sessions he can invariable manage to get up the stairs in 'super fast' time (well for him it is), yet yesterday, we went out to a luncheon event at about 10.30 getting back about 3.30 and he really struggled to get up the stairs, and had a 'little accident' in the bargain :(

We usually take 'precautions whenever we go out by visiting the 'used beer department' before returning home, but yesterday even this didn't seem to help.

Today the 'used beer department' was occupied but he didn't feel any risk so we came straight home, but .... yep he got 'wet'. Then he went to work in the study and concentrated on the work he was doing that he left it too late and ended up leaving a trail before he reach the loo, fortunately the study has a vinyl floor but the rest of his route is carpeted :( So another change of clothes!!

Blimey!!! where has the last month gone. Hadn't realiset it was that long since I've posted anything.

Still waiting to hear anything about the sale of the flat at Battersea Our solicitor has all the papers and has issed a draft contract.

I've got one final? trip up there 2moro to pick up the last bit of furniture. Couldn't get a van, but it should all fit in the Kangoo.

Packing has shifted up a gear and I've cleared one of our wardrobes and got it dismantled ready to go into storage. I came 'flat pack' because it's made of 'real' wood and has been stained, so the only way to get it out was to dismantle it again. It's the smaller of the 2 so I was just able to do it myself. The top was just ligt enough for me to lift off, but when we have to do the larger one, that takes two people to lift the top. Any excess clothes have been packed away and have gone over to the storage units. I've started renting a smaller ground floor one which makes life a bit easier, but I will have to starte putting the smaller stuff upstaires as soon as I can as the gf one less that half the size of the one upstairs.

Well time to go

Mustn't leave it so long next time, but with the hot weather and all the extra packing, It's difficult finding the time at the moment

where has the time gone!!!

We've had an offer on the london flat, just got to get gom to do all the paper work now :(

The buyer wants to move in asap but gom won't PULL HIS FINGER OUT.

I asked him ages ago to cancel the phone account,as there's no equipment up there but did he?.........

He needs to get the last bills out for water, phone, electricity and rates to send to our solicitor but has he?.........

Our solicitor sent us the papers over a week ago but he he won't get going on it.

We got over the asking rpice so the omens are good for us being able to get soemthing good at this end, but AAGGHH he's driving me mad with his lack of activity.

A freind is taking me up to the flat on sunday to clear everything out - which means leaving gom on his own for about 4 hours but I'm not placing any bets that he'll get anything done

WOW another week gone and I didn't get into to post.... again.

On Monday I had a train trip up to the London Flat, only one of the agents turned up, but I can't spare anymore time, so we're going with these. Got curtains up, bed made, and a little vacuming and floor cleaning done.

Tuesday was our sole pool session this week- trainer on course on Thursday. Only did half an hour today. On previous sessions the fatigue has cut in even before we got home, so it's obviously too much. GOM was reasonably ok when we got home - managed most of the stairs but I had to meet him at the top to get him the last little bit in the 'glide about' chair /commode. Phoned Community Care this morning to try and get a commode that we can keep in the bedroom. The 'glide about' has been ok so far but now I have to keep moving it out of the bedroom for daytime use so it's a bit inconvenient.

David has started to double the dose of his medication. He's been on one a day, just taking am, but there has always been the option for doubling up, but he's not been too keen.... 'til now. It'll be a few days before we know if it's having any effect.

Heard from our london decorator that he can't remove the rubbish that we've left in the yard at the london flat because his van's broken down. :(

Wednesday contacted the agents about the rubish, but they say they want to continue so will post them the keys. Phone GOM's doctors - if he sticks with this double dose he's going to need a new prescription sooner than normal. Appointment next Tuesday. It's an afternoon one but if the tablets start working we may be ok, if not....... well cross that bridge etc.

Thursday, no pool session but a few errands to do. Post keys to agents and OH YES IT'S MY BIRTHDAY :().

Then we had a phone call to say that the commode is ready to be delivered so we had to be back by 12 noon. Bought David a shirt at debenhams.

Friday usual Waitrose shopping trip, nothing un toward happened.

And here we are back at Saturday again. GOM's therapist help me get some furniture down to the car. Then I can either leave it in the garage or take it when I go to the storage unit on Monday with the other stuff. It means I've managed to clear the lounge out a bit - I've been able to move one of the units into another room (study), so that we have a bit more room to keep the 'glide about' in one place during the day.

Chinese Street festival tomorrow which may be interesting

Can't believe where the last week has gone. I had a meeting on Monday, that meant that I didn't get up to the london flat to sort it out.

Tuesday we were getting ready for the usual gym session when they phoned to say the lift was out..... yet AGAIN.

At least that meant that GOM was able to get on with the Accounts. But had to make a trip down to the office to pick up some copies of missing papers.

At my meeting on Monday I met the Chair of one of voluntary Groups (the one that NEEDS the accounts completed) and she arranged to come round on Wednesday to 'chase up' GOM.

This meant that we were later than normal getting out on Wednesday, but we still managed to get back 'before the coach turned back into the pumpkin'

By thursday the lift was fixed so we had our normal pool session. I'd tried to book a doctors appointment for myself as I've had some strange discomfort around my waist under my ribs, but couldn't get one. Arranged for the doctor on triage on Friday to call me back (not convenient for me on the day as we've got the gym session) After we'd changed after a fairly longer session, we decided to try out the new concession that had recently opened in the club room. Only then (about 11.30) did we find out about the bombs. So we stayed for some lunch and watched their wide screen tv. Got home about 2pm. Unfortunately the fatigue had already cut in, so GOM had a little 'accident' before he got back (he can't control his bladder if he has to concentrate on 'walking), but we're getting used to this now. However he was completely deflated for the rest of the day and I had to push him around in the chair until bedtime.

Friday everything was more or less back to 'normal' (as normal as it can be). The doctor phoned me about 08.10 but couldn't offer much help over the phone, so he asked me to got down for an examination. Got there about 8.25, saw him about 8.35, but he still couldn't find anything so it's just 'wait and see'. GOM had to stay in bed while I was out - normally I won't go out until he's showered, but he wasn't even properly awake so it was better to leave him where he was. Got back about 8.50. We got out for our shopping just after 10.30 and were back about 12.

GOM's sister phoned to let us know she had got home - she'd had a business meeting in london on Thursday, and although this wasn't affected she couldn't get home afterwards so had to stay with a friend at Putney overnight.

Also found out that my b-i-l had been in Edware Road at the time of the blasts, thankfully away from the incidents, so actually managed to get home - he drove in.

And here we are back at Saturday again. I've got to get up to the london flat on Monday. Last bit of cleaning, make the bed, put up some curtains and the shower curtain and meet with two estate agents for valuations - should be interesting

Weather been quite cool again, so not too many problems for GOM, did our shop this morning, which left him free this afternoon to do some work on one of the THREE sets of accounts that he's SUPPOSED to be working on. Did he ? Did he ever AAGGHH. Instead he did one of the other two sets that have got a later deadline. I GIVE UP......

Regretably wrote a letter today to GOM's neurologist in London asking to cancel his next appointment on 18th July and for a referal to a neurologist at our local hospital.

The National Hospital of Neurology and Nervous diseases (NHNN) is the recognised 'centre of excellence' for MS and other neurological problems. It was very convenient to go there when GOM was working, however the last 4 years since he retired in 2000 have been increasingly difficult. At first we could still get public transport (train and bus), but the timing of our appointments always meant we got caught in the london 'rush hour'. Then we asked for the appointments to be switched from winter to summer months so that the neurologist could see how the heat was affecting him, but this resulted in having to get a taxi last year for an emergency visit. We didn't get much change out of £100. We were able to arrange hospital transport for the next visit, but this is very hit and miss and with 12 months between appointments it wasn't possible to arrange this time.

Then with the recent developments with the fatigue we took the decision that even if we could arrange a car, it was going to be difficult for GOM to get out, so we wrote the letter. Post it tomorrow.

We've had a recommendation of a neurologist from one of our local MS group, but don't know if we'll be able to get him or not. He's not based at the nearest fo the hospitals in our local group, but it will still be a lot cheaper than going to london. An d we already have connections with the local hospital MS rehab team, so it should tie up quite nicely

This time last year....... ah well. Second 'consecutive' hydrotherapy session today. Fatigue has cut in a bit quicker today though. GOM needed help from the top of the stairs and into the flat then had to 'retire to bed' during the afternoon. Hopefully should all be well tomorrow and we're trying another pool session on Thurday. We're still at the 'suck it and see' stage, we don't know what's going to be too much and what's goint to be enough to help him. We're trying to find a balance between the 'cooling' effect of being in the water with the extra exercise that's being done walking up and down the pool. We used to only do it once a fortnight, but now we're trying for twice a week!!!

Grumpy's mobility still pretty good, but then again the weather is still quite cool. Didn't need the fans on yesterday and got through the night without either having to 'shed the duvet' or turn on the bedroom fan.

We both got out this morning and sat in the riverside park to drink our tea. Also broke with 'tradition' and picked up some supplies at the supermarket. We would normall shop on monday after noons, but our revised schedule of morning trips only means that it would clash with the visit of our crossroads care attendant.

All being well I'll have another trip up to the flat that we want to sell in London, and get some more cleaning up done. Also I may be able to spend a little more time up there as I won't have to rush back for the shopping trip

Yesterday's session of hydro therapy may have done some good. We went out this morning to do our shopping and so far grumpy's still able to get around under his own steam. It is a bit cooler as well, so it's difficult to tell which has helped.

His appetite is still affected - we would normally have an indian or chinese on Friday's but he reckons he's OFF 'spicy' food. Alchohol is also off but for different reasons. Staple diet of salads for the forseeable. It's helping that he's able to get out, over last weekend he didn't get out between Friday and Tuesday and he hardly ate, but by going out every morning he is eating whatever I put on his plate for dinner.

Did some reading up last night on the effect that the heat has on somone with ms and have realised that his increased incidences of vertigo may also be down to the fatigue. There are quite a few things available, all with a price attached, that can help keep cool, but the cold 'splash' jsut before bed seems to be helping and also now possibly the sessions that he has in the pool have the double benefit? of getting the important exercise AND getting his core temperature down