Hi, my name is Roughyed1485!

Hi all,

I’ve been on here previously under a different username, but took a step back into the shadows. Just call me Count Duckula! I can find things too overwhelming at times due to the many mental health conditions I have, I can be especially Grumpy at times, well saying that I am old - well I feel it and my body does even though I am almost 420 next month. Of course the youthful looks are down to the WD40 I use morning and night. It’s hard to stay positive at times, some days I have the grim reaper from Bill and Ted for company, although my mind is telling me why am I still around, or why am I still breathing, or what’s the point of me carrying on here just gives me a bash on the head with the Scythe and tells me it’s not my time and that I’ve still years to cause chaos!! My adventure days of camping and the walking may be in the past, but I’m determined to do what I can to make my life better over the coming years. Got a trip to Cape Verde in 16 months, still time for me to get the old body Baywatch ready (more David Hasslehoff than Jason Mamoa) Some gentle exercises to free up the old Arthur in the hips and back! I rattle as I walk thanks to all the tablets I take!
Having ADHD, Autism, Depression, Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Osteoarthritis in the hips, back and shoulders, Acid & Bile Reflux, Long Covid, Asthma, mild cognitive impairment and short term memory problems. All of these mean I live independently in a Supported Living Flat, I have Grab Rails, Stools to Shower, Wash and Shave, Frame around the Porcelain Throne (nah it’s not the Iron Throne) then a walking stick, if pushed I’ll trip someone up with it 😂

For the old mental health, I use Scottish Gaelic to sharpen the old brain alongside Lego, Reading (150+ books & Counting) and Meditation as a form of a coping strategy, if all else fails then I head off to bed and stream stuff on the old iPad, or just sleep for many hours!

Be it binge watching old tv series, watching Football (Oldham Athletic, Rangers, Chelsea, Dortmund and Scotland) Formula 1, Moto GP, Cricket - Lancashire Lightning & Scotland, Scotland in the Rugby Union, Comedians such as Billy Connolly, Lee Evans, Robin Williams, Laurel & Hardy, The Pub Landlord, I’m a big movie geek - Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, Action Films, Autobiographical, Thrillers, I’m into getting the head pierced and love tattoos and tech. I love gardening - being an ex Private & Public Sector Gardener alongside a Public Sector Estate Ranger on my local countryside team, hopefully at some point I’ll get around to putting some pots up outside the flat.

Big Music fan, be it rock, metal, death metal, prog rock, soul, blues 90s Dance, Celtic Folk Music, Bagpipes etc Watched bands such as Queen & Paul Rodger’s, Motörhead, Saxon, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Elton John, Kaiser Chiefs, Texas, Halestorm, Avatar, Status Quo, Black Label Society, Metallica, Pogues etc I really want to get back out watching live music, comedy and theatre but my mental health just days no to me having the confidence to do so!

As it stands I’ve not left the flat, bar one GP visit in just over two and a bit months! I have been on the waiting list for counselling for over 7 months, the same amount for a Social Prescriber as well, Spoken to the newly branded Well Being Team (I still say Mental Elf Team) they are going to see what help they can offer me going forward, I’m on the waiting list for the Psychological Team (I’m not off to Arkham Asylum yet) I’ll probably have to wait until later this year into early next year for a discussion with a jnr dr with stabilisers still attached!
I’m a Grumpy old Northerner, now living in Middle Earth, proud of my working class roots in the Cotton Capital of the World, although many of the mills have been flattened for housing with some chimneys being toppled by the late Fred Dibnah! Some of my DNA may be labelled under English, but I’m more akin to my Scottish Ancestors, with Welsh, Irish, Danish and Swedish chucked in to make me an Heinz 57!! Hopefully this old mongrel will later 2026 into 2027 I’ll be adopting maybe a Portuguese Water Dog to build a bond with and train alongside to be my assistance dog.

Of course relying on PIP, ESA (in the support group based on earnings and limited capability to work) and Universal Credit, is a red hot trigger at the moment thanks to Rachel Reeves and her buddies!

I apologise for the lengthy Hello, but in the words of Neil Diamond “Hello Again” 💎