Yesterday and Today

Yesterday was a mix of being patient and keeping my tongue firmly between my lips..... as Rob and me waited 8 hours for hospital transportation.....Earlier in the day I'd been told on the phone that mum would need to be stretchered out of the hospital. Ok. So Rob and me sat with a very weepy inpatient mum waiting for the phantom stretcher.

It never came....

After several chats with the ward manager I decided to grab mother by the scruff of her pale pink hospital gown and get her the hell out of there.
And so after a gentle word with staff nurse Godfrey we took mum out into the late night air in a wheelchair wrapped in a soft blue blanket

The delay in transport wasn't the nursing staffs fault there'd been an error in the transport office somewhere along the line of command.....
And as usual no-one was available for comment or to take responsibility.

We arrived home very late and before you could say bedpan my little soldier was propped up in bed with a beaker of tea. (the hospital beaker being 'lifted' by me).

It had been such a day.
And I was relieved beyond belief not only at being home but at having mum still with me.
She hadn't spoken much, hardly a sentence passed between us but she was fighting once more to live and that was good to see.

Much later round about 11:30 some 'palliative carers' turned up. Oh my Lord. It seems mother needs a proper bed. Like one you use in hospital. Ok.
So after much chattering and note taking it was decided a new bed would be delivered. At some time. All I could think of was "Oh no, my romantic creative type earth-mother drawing room is going to end up looking like a disinfected ward"
Blow You!

After many natterings the three man team legged it. Leaving mum wishing she was anywhere but here,
Ouch.
After some small hand holding I left mum, fully comfortable in all regions, and headed wearily to bed.

This morning, after a light breakfast, I made mum presentable. Dry shampoo, clean fingernails and garments and waited for more palliative carers to turn up.
They did. And how. Absolutely awful.
Two youngish tattooed women wearing too much jewellry and having too much to say. After hearing about what I'd already done for mum ( feeding, meds, personal care, etc they kinda looked stunned.
There wasn't anything for them to do except maybe tackle a toe nail.Slowly.....
Good God give me strength. If I was ever in need of assistance I would want to have faith in my carers. These two made me want to say shove off.
I'm sure they mean well. Or am I? But this 'care' they offered would be, I thought, for sick elderly people who didn'tt have anyone. Mum already has people. A whole army infact. Myself, John, Rob and the District Nurses.
Maybe I'm being ultra critical but I can manage, albeit with occasional emotional breakdowns quite well. Thank you.

It's sunny and mum is grumpy and so she should be. All this near to death stuff and icy bed pans..... it's enough to make anyone give up..................... 

:)

I'm making a Fish Pie.