Lincoln has finally agreed that mum can be transferred to a nursing home very near to where they live. There are just a few pieces of paperwork and then she will be on her way PROVIDED she is medically fit to be discharged. There is a tiny doubt about the latter but I am crossing my fingers so hard I can barely type!!
Hopefully she will be discharged tomorrow and we can all start getting better.
In other news I played a lovely round of golf this evening with an old friend. Just a fun round and a good chat but good exercise nonetheless. 18 hilly holes, about 7 km.
So I feel a lot happier this evening. (Rich even happier this evening as he won his holf tournament today and is £50 better off!!)
Toodle pip.
Monday, 17 August 2015
One week on...
And nothing has really changed. Mum is still in hospital (2 1/2 weeks now) and is deteriorating as an acute medical ward is not the right place for her. She is unbelievably sleepy despite not being on codeine any more. She developed masses of mouth ulcers (which the nurses didn't spot until my sister (a GP) visited on Saturday despite my drawing their attention to her swollen face the day before) probably due to not being supervised for meals and not drinking enough. Dad and I have visited every day, always at a mealtimes, but that still leaves 2 meals per day.
But the worst thing is the utter frustration of the lying, obfuscation by the bureaucrats. We are told different stories by different people every day. What we need to do to arrange for her to be moved changes with every phone call. People say they will do something; then do not; then lie about having said it in the first place.
It appears that they are hoping that my father will become so desperate that he will discharge her and pay himself for her nursing care, and he probably will. So cynical delay, lies and poor nursing care will be rewarded.
That is not to say that everyone we have dealt with is awful but the good ones are few and far between (and much appreciated nonetheless).
So, suffice to say, I have not really been concentrating on dieting or exercise. But I've not been going mad either. I dropped a lb last week through all that so all is not lost. I managed a swim, a run, some golf and a few dog walks.
I also had a brilliant night out at a surprise 50th birthday party, bopping like crazy to a punk band and had a fun day out at Rich's golf club for Captain's Day. So life has not been unmitigated gloom. Richard has been a rock: a loving, caring, gorgeous rock. It makes all the difference to have someone ready to listen, cook, sort out cars, cuddle and just generally be there when needed.
Hopefully better times ahead for Mum, Dad and me.
But the worst thing is the utter frustration of the lying, obfuscation by the bureaucrats. We are told different stories by different people every day. What we need to do to arrange for her to be moved changes with every phone call. People say they will do something; then do not; then lie about having said it in the first place.
It appears that they are hoping that my father will become so desperate that he will discharge her and pay himself for her nursing care, and he probably will. So cynical delay, lies and poor nursing care will be rewarded.
That is not to say that everyone we have dealt with is awful but the good ones are few and far between (and much appreciated nonetheless).
So, suffice to say, I have not really been concentrating on dieting or exercise. But I've not been going mad either. I dropped a lb last week through all that so all is not lost. I managed a swim, a run, some golf and a few dog walks.
I also had a brilliant night out at a surprise 50th birthday party, bopping like crazy to a punk band and had a fun day out at Rich's golf club for Captain's Day. So life has not been unmitigated gloom. Richard has been a rock: a loving, caring, gorgeous rock. It makes all the difference to have someone ready to listen, cook, sort out cars, cuddle and just generally be there when needed.
Hopefully better times ahead for Mum, Dad and me.
Monday, 10 August 2015
A week late
I was intending to start again properly with weigh ins and SW sheets etc etc last Monday but was delayed by having to cope with a series of horrible events, some worse than others, which cumulatively have knocked the stuffing out of me.
I did, however, step on those scales this morning and I have a virgin SW sheet ready in my handbag together with SW compliant breakfast and lunch with me for the office. So, bloodied but unbowed I am starting again. I'll do the stats later when I'm not on my mobile and can work out formatting etc but I'm between my lowest and my highest weights this year so all has not been lost.
The crap you ask?
The main thing is my mum taking a nasty fall while visiting me last Thursday. Dad was upstairs sawing and hammering at a cupboard door and she got up to go and shout at Minty who was barking at the local free newspaper. I was on a work call but followed her through to the hallway and saw her lying face down having missed the (very stupidly placed) step and bashed her head on a cabinet. It was a sickening sight.
I carefully rolled her over and got her sitting up but then we realised that her arm was probably bust so we called an ambulance and off she went to hospital in Chesterfield. She was a star throughout despite being in pain. The hospital put her arm in a sling and tried to send her home!! An 84 year demented lady who my dad can only just cope with at the best of times but who is now almost immobile with a fractured humerus (she can't push to stand up). Luckily as 2 nurses and a paramedic tried to cram her into the car at 8.15pm with a 90 minute drive home ahead of him, he rang me and I asked them what he was going to do at the other end, leave her in the car all night?? She was admitted.
Now she is still there with Dad and I visiting on alternate days while trying to arrange a transfer to Lincoln Hospital and from there into a nursing/rehab facility. She has fallen between 2 Health Trusts. One doesn't want her but has her and the other should be looking after her but is quite happy to leave her stewing in Chesterfield for the time being. Gaaah!!
The other crap is just normal stuff which you cope with okay usually but when you're under pressure assumes larger proportions: a dog with a sore infection requiring cream and antibiotics, an expensive list car key, yet another fault to the car once the key replaced and time of the month. The car is annoying partly because of the money and partly because of the logistical difficulties it causes in visiting mum.
So, all in all, it is a tough time but that is no reason to make it worse by gaining more weight so now is the time to get back going on diet and exercise. Running, swimming and writing down is my new routine.
I'm nearly at the office now so will apologise for the typos and weird font size changes and press publish. Wish me luck!!
I did, however, step on those scales this morning and I have a virgin SW sheet ready in my handbag together with SW compliant breakfast and lunch with me for the office. So, bloodied but unbowed I am starting again. I'll do the stats later when I'm not on my mobile and can work out formatting etc but I'm between my lowest and my highest weights this year so all has not been lost.
The crap you ask?
The main thing is my mum taking a nasty fall while visiting me last Thursday. Dad was upstairs sawing and hammering at a cupboard door and she got up to go and shout at Minty who was barking at the local free newspaper. I was on a work call but followed her through to the hallway and saw her lying face down having missed the (very stupidly placed) step and bashed her head on a cabinet. It was a sickening sight.
I carefully rolled her over and got her sitting up but then we realised that her arm was probably bust so we called an ambulance and off she went to hospital in Chesterfield. She was a star throughout despite being in pain. The hospital put her arm in a sling and tried to send her home!! An 84 year demented lady who my dad can only just cope with at the best of times but who is now almost immobile with a fractured humerus (she can't push to stand up). Luckily as 2 nurses and a paramedic tried to cram her into the car at 8.15pm with a 90 minute drive home ahead of him, he rang me and I asked them what he was going to do at the other end, leave her in the car all night?? She was admitted.
Now she is still there with Dad and I visiting on alternate days while trying to arrange a transfer to Lincoln Hospital and from there into a nursing/rehab facility. She has fallen between 2 Health Trusts. One doesn't want her but has her and the other should be looking after her but is quite happy to leave her stewing in Chesterfield for the time being. Gaaah!!
The other crap is just normal stuff which you cope with okay usually but when you're under pressure assumes larger proportions: a dog with a sore infection requiring cream and antibiotics, an expensive list car key, yet another fault to the car once the key replaced and time of the month. The car is annoying partly because of the money and partly because of the logistical difficulties it causes in visiting mum.
So, all in all, it is a tough time but that is no reason to make it worse by gaining more weight so now is the time to get back going on diet and exercise. Running, swimming and writing down is my new routine.
I'm nearly at the office now so will apologise for the typos and weird font size changes and press publish. Wish me luck!!
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