2025 revisited

Posting just 2 days ago made me realise I'd missed (another) whole year of blogs. Last time was 2016, when I missed that out entirely, so I've not done too badly, but haha... tell me I talk too much! So I want to, really just as a reminder to myself (scrambled memory that I have!), write it all up here. I will now never know what happened in 2016 as I lost all diary entries at one point, arghghgh! So, 2025... what did you do, Caroline, and where did you go? I actually couldn't tell you off-hand... need to consult that pesky online diary, without which I can easily forget what I did even last week if I don't fill it in. So, lemme see... okay now...

January was a 'work on the house' month, and we got new bedroom blinds fitted... remember the blinds? HAH. The bedroom blinds

Also arranged for a couple of estimates for finally getting this place painted and brightened up. It's been a long time coming! Date confirmed with one Gabriel. Half the price of another bloke, time'll tell!

February, March and April we were in PORTUGAL, Albufeira again. Three months this time, plus 1-3 May in Lisbon (which was terrific and finalised our 'holiday' very nicely). We had a studio apartment right up the hill in the old town of Albufeira, which was terrific, wee as it was. Great views over the main beach... awful trek uphill of an evening though. We have monthly bus passes, which is ideal, I have to say. You can cover the cost of them easily within a week. Emma and the boys surprised us with a visit in March, with a whole carry-on, her going to the wrong address to start with (next visit's place, haha). Was lovely though. We made loads of new friends, to be honest, some we are sure to meet again. We do like it there and have already booked for five months again, from November 2025! So, first, 2 months, now three and starting in November this year, five months, followed by six starting in November 2026! I think we can officially be called what our many Canadian friends call, 'Snowbirds' :) They, of course, leave driveways buried in feet of snow; we just avoid the cold and maybe a dusting, a few inches at most. Cold is cold, though, and we definitely escape it in Albufeira. Wore a light jacket only a few times and open-toed sandals, mostly. We did get quite a bit of rain, torrential even, but somehow, you still get out and about, and it's not freezing!

May 22nd-27th, I was in SCOTLAND, Larkhall, to see Emma and the boys and read from 'Lizzy...' at Partick Library... was great fun, again. As usual, I get great weather when I'm over.

June 20th-27th, we went to SPAIN, Benidorm again, this time to properly meet up with L&A. That was a lot of fun. At least we got the dates right this time. Saw a lot of  'shows' which we otherwise wouldn't have gone to, and it was great fun so very glad we did it. Loads of laughs as usual with our two old pals.

July, 7th-15th and we're all set for painting and decorating. This entailed emptying the ground floor, which took me weeks, as there was no way I was going to do it in a rush. Lots of crates upstairs (at least six from the cabinet alone - do we really need so many glasses), lots in the shed, lots of stuff offloaded too, to be fair. Furniture in the garden, wrapped in tarpaulin for the duration. 4th until 12th, J went to SPAIN, Valencia, to puleeaase be out of my way when it all goes down. Best for all concerned, really :) He had a lovely time, other than falling downstairs and giving himself a big rip from ear to thigh - liability of a man, going about in the dark on unfamiliar stairs. 

The guy doing the painting (for Gabriel) is a great wee worker, but not, I think, a qualified painter. Still, he got the work done and all for the price quoted, and we're very happy with the result. Took ages getting everything back in place, but it was nice to do, and I just took my time. Had to wait on the stupid floor drying properly, too, so the furniture was in the garden for way longer than intended, but we had luckily wrapped it well enough.

August, not away anywhere (either of us), but ate out for J's birthday in Amsterdam at Il Pacioccone, which we have intended returning to for years. Was nice but expensive. Using this time to clear a lot of junk from the attic and give stuff away too (voedselbank and kringloop, and Gratis Almere, sort of thing). Got rid of loads. Met a couple who may come and rent the house while we're away from November.

September, and we finally get a stair carpet laid. Happy with it - goes great with the new decor. First trip this month is me with L&E for a fabulous trip, 9th-14th, to SLOVENIA, Ljubljana. What a lovely place. We had a ball. Our apartment was really top-notch, and the whole place was walkable. We hired a car and drove to ITALY, Trieste for the day, as well as a day-trip to Lake Bled and the mountains farther up. Stunning entirely. Great wee trip. Was comical as Lissa did the car hire, then never brought her licence! Emma did great, though, despite not being used to left-hand drive. 

Home on the 14th, I'm off again on the 16th already to CANADA, Toronto (Oakville), to see Pam! That was a quick turnaround! Home on the 2nd of October. What a lovely trip. Pam drove me everywhere to meet everyone, family and friends. Everywhere there seems to be miles and miles away from everywhere else. She even took me to meet pals from Portugal, W&H, for 2 nights at their lovely home in Gravenhurst, and they took us to Lake Muskoka. We visited C-J in Barry and our old pals M&F in Oshawa. Pam held a full-on party for me in her gorgeous apartment, where I finally met E again (L wasn't well), and we visited Pam's friends at several other places, where I was welcomed like the prodigal. Paris for lunch one day... it was shut! Hysterical. R&K gave me a lovely day touring around Toronto, too, which was good fun. Everyone knew I was coming... it was so nice. Treated like royalty all around. I totally love the fridges over there, btw! Pretty unimportant, but man, they're great!

October, I met up with Pam's friends C&W at Heineken Experience in Amsterdam on the 8th already... it was nice to try and return the favour of dining with them in their lovely home, although they ended up paying for dinner. Tenants for the house here all signed up for while we're away. Lovely young couple. Whole place cleaned and prepped for them coming, want it to be nice. 20th-25th, we went to SCOTLAND, Larkhall, as a surprise for Hunter's birthday, as we won't see anyone from November until at least the end of March '26... long time! We stayed in a Holiday Inn in Hamilton, which is pretty nearby.

November and December, we are in PORTUGAL, Albufeira again, from the 1st, until at least the end of March '26. This time we're in Quinta da Barracuda on Rua Vasco da Gama, opposite where we stayed the first time and in the same complex as W&H stayed last time. Was a great decision, one flight up, but level with the pool at the back, so only 15 seconds to walk to there for a sea view. Nice wee place with everything we needed, but no sun on the balcony so a different location will be arranged for next trip. We had a terrific time, though, and booked NEXT November through April already, so six months next time. J is still hoping I'll sell up in NL and move there, but... not yet. Not yet! 

We made even more friends and cemented friendships already made - Brits too, Irish, Welsh, (me, anyway). Had a lot of fun, walked a million miles (seemed like) and drank and ate way too much. We ate in a fabby restaurant for my 71st birthday. Christmas away from home was... kind of strange but okay, really. My turkey on Christmas *Eve* was a triumph as per :), then we had a lovely Christmas dinner in a nice restaurant on Christmas Day. We were on the beach on Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve was actually fun, only three minutes from the apartment on the beach, too, to watch the fireworks display from afar. 

So that was 2025, folks. 

2026 will be written about elsewhere, eventually. Will 'only' be Portugal at the start of the year, then Portugal at the end of the year again, probably, although I'm fishing for a wee trip somewhere in August. Time'll tell.

As I write this, it is actually June 2026, and we're still acclimatising to being back in NL! Had some good weather, which has helped. I won't say any more here, though, as this is supposed to be all about 2025 :) I'm currently recuperating from my cochlear implant revision, which has long been planned (see previous blog for more info). Yesterday was yukky, anaesthetic wearing off still, I think. Sound Processor not giving me what I'm used to (yet), but I have every faith. Feeling okay today and minimal discomfort from the wound. It's all go though, as there's still lots to do in the front garden, but that's all on the back burner for a week or so at least. Sort of glad it has been raining.

My CI is revised!!

Cannot believe it, but didn't post AT ALL in 2025?! Must do better, Caroline.

Anyway, this is an important one as (see title) my CI has been revised... and as this blog started out documenting my CImplantation (see what I did there?) with only a few scattered posts about CI in the following years, I thought I would bring it all up to date.

The thing is, I've said from early on that my implant seems to be moving. I brought it up at every checkup and especially at requested visits to the ENT when I asked specifically BECAUSE it damn well HAD moved, but... it was always kind of put off as 'nah, not really, not much, not significantly, not hindering you, blahblah, come back in two years'. 2nd-to-last time, he said, 'not a good idea to do anything, you might lose the good hearing you have and... more blahblah, all negative, best not mess with things,  come back in two years'. Last visit, I asked, 'Do you really not think it has moved then? Because funnily enough, it was at least 2 finger widths above my ear to start with, and it's now right behind the flap of my ear!'

More negative talk about it, so I told him (he's very approachable, have to say), 'you shouldn't be so negative to patients like me! I understand that you are covering yourself to ensure I don't have the wrong expectations, but this thing has migrated about 3 inches; it cannot be denied. Where will it end up?! in my neck?!' 'Can't go further ('you said that before too') 'No need to mess with it' then 'ok, will discuss it 'in the team''(I really did rather nag). I honestly think he just wanted to shut me up.

The thing is, I'm 71, still healthy, no medications or anything. Who knows how things will be in the years to come, and then they will only say, 'can do nothing about it now'! That's me, just surmising, of course, but it's not so far-fetched, I don't think. So anyway, I waited to hear what 'the team' had to say, and hoped it wouldn't be 'leave well alone' as was already written in the surgeon's report. Two weeks later, I'm put on the schedule for the op. It could have happened in '25 already, but it was too short before we left for our winter sojourn in Portugal, so I got them to keep me on the list (without starting the whole check-up procedure anew), and they'd try and get me scheduled in for April/May this year ('26).

It's not like I'm excited to have them cut my head open! I just want this sorted. Yes, I hear great with my CI, but the lump actually aches at times. Then, last year, on holiday, my occular migraines stepped up in frequency... harmless, sure, but connected? Still don't know really.  I started to worry a bit about having put off the op. Then my left eye had a funny turn, but I was sent for a CT scan in Portugal (great service, have to say), and all was clear, no stroke or anything serious. Then I also collapsed a 2nd time, sort of similar, both occurrences scaring the shit out of J. I don't know, could have been other reasons (what, I don't know. It's not like THEY know either!), but maybe it's getting near a nerve or something? Anyway, I was glad to hear that I was scheduled for the end of April... until we realised that was interfering with both our trips to Scotland, and I had asked specifically for after the 13th of May. Turned out it was just the preoperative screening with the anaesthesiologist, phew. But then why tell you to bring pyjamas etc. (words to that effect). Anyway, I heard later that the op was for the 1st of June... woohoo. Yesterday already.

So it's the 2nd of April now, and I'm all done and sorted. Well, the op has taken place at least. The jury is still out about how well or badly I will hear. Will update when appropriate. Let me tell you how things went.

I left the house at 06:30... half an hour earlier than intended, but had lain awake for hours already, so I thought I might as well. No point in J coming with me, as he couldn't come further than reception anyway. I was at UMC Utrecht at 8am for my 08:45 appointment. By 09:15, and seeing folks coming and going already, I figured it was time to enquire as I had originally had a 10:00 appointment... surely I wasn't waiting until then? It was officially changed. 'Nono, you're at the right place, and 08:45 is correct'. Okay then. I had just sat down again when my phone buzzed in my hand. Now, I never pick up the phone. I don't hear well on it, too stressful, although I manage if necessary. No caller ID, thought maybe a cold caller, but then thought I heard 'this is UMC calling...' so I rushed back to the reception desk, practically swiping an old lady out of the way, to pass to the woman there. Haha. I did apologise.

I was in the wrong place!! A bit of my own fault, as I had indeed read it when the appointment got changed, but hadn't printed out THAT letter and used the 10am one for directions. BUT, the new girl on the reception hadn't noticed either, and it was writ large on her screen!! Hmmmph. Anyway, a nice girl walked me to where I should have been (I would never have found it with directions, UMC is huge and took us 5 or more minutes to walk there!). Barely sat down there, onto a bed, operation nighty on, BP taken (182/xx!! must have been all the agitation!) and whisked off to the portal to the OR :) Just in time, apparently. I actually think they still had me in a 10:00 slot. But all good. Intravenous thingummy inserted in the crook of my arm, various monitor stickers attached, BP cuff, puffing up at regular intervals.

Surgeon Dr Thomeer (from ENT conversations) comes to reassure me, and that it should only take 35 minutes... 'see you there'. Everyone is very nice, and of course, I can still hear. Then I'm gliding into the OR, and I shuffle onto the table where a lovely warm blanket is put over me. Thomeer asks me if I know why I'm there, and dotted my left ear with a pen when I told him. He just laughed when I said, 'and also a full implant on the right side'. Huh. It was worth a try. Then I took off my ear (my sound processor then... my HA was already left in the bedside drawer) and placed it safely in a container on my bed for later. The dreaded mask is placed over my nose and mouth, and I was just about to protest that it wasn't letting any air in! when I woke up back in the recovery room, all done and dusted. Two hours later!

My jaw hurt, and the wound was starting to nip, the more I woke up, so I was given a drip with some painkiller or other... didn't seem to even touch the sides, so I asked for something stronger. I repeated about my jaw hurting, but of course, I'm deaf now and can only read lips slightly. All I see is him phoning to ask about it, and 'no, that's not good' didn't exactly put me at ease, haha. But then she wrote me a post-it with 'all good, will get you more pain relief, but eh, you've had an operation!' Like I don't know that? Sheesh. Work on your bedside manner, Mrs. Anyway, half an hour later and a repeated call for more, she finally came with whatever it was (can't remember, did ask). 'You might feel a bit light-headed.' You think?! I was OUT of it for at least 20 minutes. Did not like that at all! I can never seem to get 'high'... no 'oh, I like this', ever! But yeah, did dampen the pain, from a 7 to about a 4, very doable, thank you very much. And I was then 'back in the room'. I really hadn't wanted to open my eyes, though, haha.

Thomeer came again to tell me it had been harder than expected, which is why it took longer. But no replacement or upgrade, just all the same and MOVED it back to where it was originally. 'Oh, so you finally agree it had moved!' I asked him with a grin. It hasn't been screwed, or stitched, or glued or whatever, because (ahem) 'not necessary', so I hope not to be back again in another 12 years!! But right now, all good. The reason there is no change to a new one is because it is best to use what is there, and messing with the electrodes inserted into my cochlea could spoil things. (I get that. But had still kind of hoped on an internal upgrade... seeing as they're in there! The newer models are suitable for getting an MRI up to 3 Tesla; this one only to 1.5, and you need your head really tightly wrapped. The chances of needing an MRI are always around, so it could have been handy, but I'm happy enough.) Of course, my lovely invisible scar had to be extended, so it is no longer entirely behind my ear... eight stitches, bit of a zigzag now up above the ear... but the mohawk shave is minimal and will soon cover it over. I see him again once I've had a CT scan to check placement, then again in a week or so to get the stitches out.

Wheeled back to the day ward, with no mention of me not going home today, so I'm hoping J is saved the trip for a visit. L will collect me otherwise, sweetheart that she is, also saving him. I'm starving by then and am immediately served a cup of the best tea ever (seemed like) and a cheese sandwich. Bliss.

Around 3pm, I'm collected for my CT scan. The run from the day ward to there was 15 minutes or more... a motorised scooter affair tagged onto the head of my bed. I was basically driven through the corridors, up in one lift, down in another, along miles of tunnel and ending up at the nearby Willelmina Children's Hospital, then all through there to the scanner... who knew they were connected underground? In and out of there pretty quickly and back to the ward, only being pushed this time. They don't half make up their steps there, lugging big beds about too!!

My BP is regularly taken, but when she said, 'it's great, 107/xx' I said, 'take it again, please?!' It hadn't puffed up at all, so NO idea what she had done. 120/xx okay, that'll do. Silly girl. Honestly, your life is in their hands!

By five, Thomeer comes again. CT scan looks great, you can go home. Woohoo. I'm to wear my sound processor for five minutes tomorrow (today). The audiologist was in the OR and measured things to the same settings as my last audiogramme (not actually sure I haven't had things adjusted since then, but...),  then he'll see me at my next appointment for stitches coming out and further checks at audiology. So have to wait on the letters with appointments. 

Got J called off just in time, and L had the car booked already, so will be duly collected (wheelchair to the car, haha). Meanwhile, I'd had an unordered hot meal, actually quite nice, but had trouble opening my mouth far enough... jaw still sore. Further pain about a 3. Paracetamol is working okay still, thank goodness. The nurse asked me about current meds (I'm not on any) as listed in my file... jeezo, things from years ago for various reasons I can't even remember. Must get the surgery to delete all that. If it even had a corresponding date, or why prescribed, might help! I seem to remember that online thing being useless really... listing oooooold painkillers for one thing, (probably for my broken wrist 10 years ago!) and NOT listing other (important) things, for another. Hmmph... maybe up to me to let them know, but bad show really. You need it to remember things at all - or well, I do! 

Anyway, we were just leaving the ward when I realised I should ask if the bandage needed sorting as it had fallen off during a snooze. It did need reapplied... why they just let me roll out of there with a wave, I don't know. Then we were almost at the hospital door when I realised that the intravenous port was still in my arm. So we had to go all the way back to get it removed. I'm home around eight-ish and it was bedtime before I found the three monitor stickers still on me, haha.

So, it's now the 2nd of June, and I slept pretty well, thanks for asking, even on my operated ear. I took off the turban affair even though they had said to keep it on 'for any bleeding', but there is none, and it wasn't tight anyway, so it rode up on its own. I had left the gauze stuck to the wound, but that was off when I awoke this morning, revealing the 8 stitches. 

I feel okay, not as fragile as I sort of did yesterday. Taking it easy, I lay in bed until 2 after being served a lovely breakfast in bed about 11. Jaw is still a bit stiff, like I've been punched a couple of times, but I'm guessing that's with all the pulling about, so I'm not worried about it. No bruising as yet, and I'm told I won't get a black eye, but they said that last time, and I did, after a week!

I have tried my processor on and couldn't find the magnet on my head, so I thought perhaps still too swollen? But then I tried my old one and found it... definitely higher and further back. BUT... not sounding great! Hmmm. No panic. Tried my Rondo3, sounding the same as the old one... very Mickey Mousey. It is higher than originally; I can get three fingers between the bottom of the processor and the top of my ear. Maybe I didn't measure until it had already moved? Anyway. Will try again later now that I know where to place it, haha. Maybe just needs to 'normalise'? Hope so, but I have faith it will, or it can be adjusted. I didn't even think I could wear it at all for a week or so, so not worrying... yet.

I will update this here when I know more, but for now, suffice to say I'm happy enough. I didn't really 'advertise' about my implant moving. Partly because I kept being told it was mostly in my imagination, partly because it's negative, and I love my cochlear implant... just seemed like being unfaithful to it to be negative. But it is a fact that the implant migrated from A to B over the 12+ years. Now sorted and I have every faith the sound will be corrected to as terrific as before. My sister is scheduled to receive her CI shortly, and I know she's nervous, but I'm sure it will go as well for her as it did for me, and I'm happy I'm able to let her know how well this part has gone, too. Slightly unscheduled, as it's 'not supposed to move!' but ach, sorted now.