Thanks Deborah.
Things are getting there slowly. I'm out walking to build up fitness. Still limited mobility in neck and right wrist but there has been improvement and I am getting physio. The pain is there but I don't let it bother me.
I'm signed off until the end of August and then it will be reviewed. The stroke clinic won't allow any intensive physio on the neck due to the dissected artery.
Camping is off the radar at the moment but I have invested in a new side sleeper sleeping bag so it may be on the cards when I get back to sleeping through the night. Still very painful at night.
So, to sum up. I'm getting there. Fitness is coming back and weight loss is ongoing. Pain is constant and the hand and neck is a bit frustrating. Driving is still a no no.
Still have a target of a week's walk next year though
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
I have a sierra designs cloud 800 on order. It is a zipper less design with a sleeve to hold the mat. It is the regular size so a bit limited on which mats fit but my exped down mat should be ok. It turns out the new exped mats are wider and thicker. The mat sleeve helps if you are a restless sleeper and if you sleep on your side.
It is an interesting system but only really works if you sleep lying on your left side, not the right There is an oversized flap like a duvet so you sleep like in the bed and tuck it in. It is a three season which is good enough for me and I still have my 4 season mummy bag.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
Learnt something new as I did not know about side sleeper sleeping bags until today!
DK
------------- * Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
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- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 24/7/2024
Learnt something new as I did not know about side sleeper sleeping bags until today!
DK
I didn't know until the accident😂
I was looking at the Big Agnes Ranger which uses a quilt and their sidewinder bag but it is very expensive and seems a bit restrictive.
I've been putting up with mummy bags designed for vampires for 50 years. Now they realise we don't sleep in our backs with our arms crossed on our chest😁
Another solution is hoodless sleeping bags. I never got on with hoods, preferring to put a hat on.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
I love the description of sleeping like a vampire. I use one of these https://www.outdooraction.co.uk/snugpak-navigator-basecamp-sleeping-bag-p1724 , very roomy and cozy although it might be too bulky for your travels. It has a drawcord at the shoulder to keep the warmth in and I just leave the hood flat.
My inability to sleep in a mummy bag is behind the fact that I have not conquered Everest and do not go backpack camping .
Until recently I was OK on a 2.5Cm SIM but have always liked an envelope bag, wide as possible.
Now I have inflamed tendons on the outside of my L hip (‘very common in middle aged women’ was the damning and depressing verdict of the doctor) and succumbed to a 10Cm mat in the sale when the valve went on my old mat.
A 10cm mat sounds luxurious. Sorry to hear about the hip. It must be painful.
Unfortunately wear and tear is hitting all of us so called middle aged. I don't even feel middle aged anyway.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
I've had snugpaks in the past. That navigator looks excellent for car camping. When we take the Dutch pyramid, I use an ex army arctic bag. Very roomy and a centre zip.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
Quote: Originally posted by Ewen c on 25/7/2024
I've had snugpaks in the past. That navigator looks excellent for car camping. When we take the Dutch pyramid, I use an ex army arctic bag. Very roomy and a centre zip.
We are car campers so they're great for us. First time using them we emerged from the tent and were surprised to find thick ground frost as we had been lovely and warm.
A wee update. I tried to go back to work this month as my employer only gives 6 months sick leave. They wouldn't let me
I have to go to a company doc to be assessed but they have extended my sick leave. It is all moot anyway as I have been accepted for Voluntary redundancy after 17 years with them. I'll take a few months to get totally fit again and then get another job not retrain.
Healthwise - I am on physio and IT work for right wrist and fingers. I still can't make a fist or bend the wrist but there is slow improvement. I'm not allowed to do any physio on my neck until the stroke team give the go ahead due to the dissected artery. I'm waiting for an appointment for a CT scan for that. Until then I can't fly anywhere and have to be careful. Still in a lot of pain but manageable without drugs. My memory is a bit iffy, probably from the TIAs and I can't drive until I get the hand and neck sorted.
I'm doing daily walks but need to do other exercise as well. Just not up to it yet. As for compo etc. That is far in the future but the driver is going to court for reckless driving causing serious bodily harm.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
Pleased to hear that the upward trend in your improvement continues. And you won’t regret the Voluntary Redundancy: I took Voluntary Early Retirement when it was offered, and escaped the boss who was damaging several people’s mental health including mine. It’s a great opportunity to re-set what you really want & love to do and ideally get paid for doing it.
I'm one of the bosses😂 It was never in my nature to be one of life's bar stewards though.
I have 7 years left until retirement but not enough in the pot for early unless I get a good compo payout. The VR will give me a buffer to take my time to find something I want to do.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
It sounds hard going and I am sorry your still in pain and your horizons are clamped down with the compromised ability and no flying etc, but it is still good to know that progress is ongoing.
OK - I can see the conflict of interest as you are one of the bosses and of honourable intent-but if you are 7 years from retirement age, in UK law, redundancy agreements are by law more generous for the O-60s, so if you can wriggle it past your 60th b'day that might help! Though those ages might not be relevant to you anyway and you are probably younger. BUT (I have experience of this) get an Employment Lawyer. They have to pay for one for you anyway (in UK law) and they do cover the things you might not have thought of. And negotiating through them makes it more impersonal.
Also, it may be that the insurance company could make you an interim payout without prejudice to the eventual settlement if things get tight? This happened when one of our staff members was seriously injured by a convicted dangerous driver and the case was taking years. As they do.
I take it you have your own solicitor representing you?
Blah blah...I am sure you have all of this in hand.
I saw another coffee gadget the other day and thought of you - It was called Final Press and the idea looked sound - but it either seems v expensive for the real thing, or has been copied by cheap copies, and has mixed reviews. Some from people who clearly didn't press enough coffee in.
Thanks for the info. Alas, I'm in Ireland so not covered but it is more than the Government minimum by a good amount and we are comfortable enough at the moment. My wife earns more than me. Once I'm back to fitness I'll be heading back to work as I'm not ready for retiring yet.
I'll check out that gadget. As you know I'm always up for something for coffee.
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag
Quote: Originally posted by Ewen c on 23/4/2024
The physio seems slow to me but maybe I'm expecting too much. The worst thing isn't the pain but the boredom.
I put up a You Tube video.Very amateurish but if you like Trangia...