Argggggg!!!! This blinking tight / itchy skin caused by the GVHD is really getting on my nerves at the moment. Apart from the odd wheeze from my chest I guess the only “Health Problem” I’m having at the moment is this skin thing but it’s more than making up for all the rest. I have a number of sores on my legs and stomach etc caused by it breaking down in places and the steroids etc stopping it heal properly and although they are very good the skin underneath them, and some of them are about 6”x3”, is extremely itchy and no amount of rubbing relieves it. I will have get back on Merlin’s case when I see him in a couple of weeks, to try and get him to hurry up who he needs to hurry up regarding the extracorporeal photochemotherapy treatment I have been waiting to hear about as in am I having it in Birmingham or are they buying the machine and giving me the treatment here. He is, at the moment convincing himself and others too that the GVHD is actually burning itself out slowly and spreading further down and out of the bottom of my feet so to speak, but I’m afraid I don’t fall into this group of people, as living with it daily, with the tightness and the constant itching it is nowhere near giving up the goose. Besides he did say before Christmas that he should have a decision for me in January and it’s now rapidly heading towards April.

Maybe he is related to “You Know Who”, who also seems to have a problem with dates and stuff. Now Now John!!!!! I really must learn to not be so sarcastic!!! Nah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a much lighter note then I thought I would let you know my experiences yesterday when I decided to do my little part for the Local Economy as we are always being bombarded with requests from the local council and shop keepers etc to “Buy Local”. Well I went into Barry, a medium sized town centre where they are currently spending millions of pounds renovating the roads and pavements etc and although there are some horrific, dangerous obstacles for the less mobile person like myself to overcome at the moment I can envisage the end result being quite impressive. Okay then after hanging around a while to try and get into one of the Disabled Bays which as per usual 3 of the 5 available are taken up by that breed of “Lazy Arse Gits” who need to park there because the packet of fags and bottle of bud they are buying from the shop is so heavy to carry they need to be close to there. Tara put the chariot together and she headed off with her mate to do a bit of shopping for her “Girly Stuff” and left me and my chariot free to “Ride The Wild Wind”, well do what I came into town to do. I only wanted to go in 2 different types of shop although the 2 shops would probably end up costing me a fortune as I know what I’m like when I start. They were a Butchers and a Green Grocers not much to ask is it? For those that don’t know the area and I guess that’s pretty much all of you, Barry Town Centre is pretty much one road with smallish type shops on either side. There is an area of it that has been pedestrianised with the slightly larger shops like Peacocks, Boots etc etc which is paved but annoyingly they have this like really steep 2” high sloped curb either side of the middle section so that it sort of defines the pavements for when vehicles are allowed down there in the morning. In this area I found the one and only Green Grocers in the Town Centre. It looked well stocked and the staff looked like they would be really nice and helpful. All those bright coloured Veg and fruit looked so inviting from where I was sat. “OUTSIDE ON MY BLOODY SCOOTER” because there was this huge step into the shop and when I asked or rather shouted into the shop from outside to one of the “Lovely Assistants” to enquire if they had a ramp or maybe another entrance that was flat and I could use I got a resounding “NON”

Okay then deep breaths, calm down, you know what you get like when you get all flustered!!! I travelled on past all the shops which I would have been able to get in like Herbalists, Cards and toys, Banks etc even a bloody tattooist!! In search of a Butchers. After going all the way up one side then the other there was only one Butcher too. I’m sure there used to be about 2 or 3 along there?? Never mind. I must say the meat looked really nice and fresh and well presented. The stereotypical Old Butcher shop handed down from father to son etc “BLOODY HUGE STEP AGAIN” so I enquired/shouted from the door which thankfully was left open as I wouldn’t have even been able to do that if it was shut, “do you have a ramp”?? “Why”? Was the reply. Ummm now let me see?? Could it be something to do with what I’m sitting on and the Mount Everest of a step standing between me and you??? Oppps there goes the sarcasm again sorry!! “No, sorry we don’t get much call for it round here. What do you want I can bring it out for you”? For one I want to see what looks nice and makes me want to buy it, so if you start on the left and work your way round bringing me ALL of your product to look at outside in the street we might just about be done by next Tuesday sometime. He couldn’t quite understand that he had to make arrangements for people like me “BY LAW” and not just because he felt like it, so I promised to send him a copy of the Disability Discrimination Act highlighting the points I was making. Aren’t I a nice man?? With that, Oh and the old “2 Finger Salute”, renown world wide I headed off back to the car to meet up with Tara to go to the Huge Out Of Town Supermarket to buy the stuff I was hoping to buy from a Local Supply. Instead I am having to eat this week, Chicken from China, Liver from New-Zealand, but the Beef is British although it does come from Scotland.

These supermarkets are all geared up for us wheelie dude’s, well pretty much anyhow, and I guess as a result of this they must be taking complete advantage of the market share that includes the disabled and elderly etc etc as the Local Shops sure as hell are not doing anything to stand in their way. In fact I would go as far as to say that they are handing it to them on a plate and all for what, in most instances, at least the 2 I mentioned today about £50 to sort out. Not much is it?? Think of all the extra business and therefore profits you WILL GET!! As I’m sure that a lot of people like me would support your local businesses much more regularly if they were to at least try and help themselves.

There you go then, rant over for today. I can go back to sleep now!!

See Ya!!