Tales From The Crypt - Saturday 4th June and Sunday 5th June 2022

In stark contrast to yesterday, the slow and chilled start to the day was rudely interrupted by news from the north (by which I mean home).  A call from son #3 alerted me that the carers were worried about E's cough and concerned it had moved to her chest. The carers wanted authorisation to start antibiotics but, based on the symptoms, I thought it best to drive home to check her over (especially her blood oxygen levels) and decide whether or not to call the out of hours service.

Home now...E seems OK, with no obvious signs of impending illness, but when I check her oxygen sats they are hovering in the 85 to 90 area, which is a bit lower than ideal.  Time to call the OOH service, I think!  

Early afternoon I get to speak to a GP who says we should start her on antibiotics (lucky we have a standby stock) as soon as we can.  When the carers arrive after 2 p.m. we start E with a double dose and see how she responds.  I stick around for a while and check E's oxygen levels, though the carers have said they are happy for me to leave.  Once I'm happy that E's responding and is stable, I decide to return to the south coast and continue our planned weekend.

Apart from a very tasty quiche that Q made, we also managed to watch the final episode of 'Killing Eve', which was as dramatic (and hopefully as final) as one could expect.

Another early night is in order as we're off to a friend's combined Platinum Jubilee and (very) early July 4th party in Milton Keynes.  A chance to meet some old friends I've not seen for several years as well as to introduce Q to them.

I awake on Sunday with a very sore throat after a broken night's sleep. First off a covid test, which is negative, thankfully, and then dose myself up with cold and flu tablets. Breakfast then time to head for Milton Keynes.

We eventually got there around 2 p.m., despite leaving just after 11, mainly because of diabolical traffic on the M25 and M1.  There was still food left, some rather tasty chicken and chorizo paella, and so with laden plates, we sat down to eat with old friends.  I haven't seen some of them for well over 6 years, probably since the last time E and the boys accompanied me.  This time I had to explain my new situation, forgetting that I'd not really explained it (apart from to our hosts) to most of them.  I did clarify but probably didn't explain fully enough, given I'd arrived with Q, but I think friends warmed to the situation.  Hopefully, I didn't put Q in too difficult a situation, as I hadn't fully taken into account the fact all of these friends knew E over several years, but I think overall I explained enough and will still pass on their best wishes to E, even though she may not understand.

It was great to catch up with old friends and we will hopefully have more joint social events later this year as a result.  Throughout the day I was half-expecting to have to return home to be with E, but luckily it did not happen, though this is an ever-present concern.

The weather was like autumn or winter, being overcast, slightly rainy and hitting a maximum of 12C while we were there, despite it being June, and so we were glad to move indoors as people began to disperse. We stayed and chatted with our hosts and others before heading back to the motorways and the south coast.

A quiet evening of dinner and word games before an early night, as E needs to be at work early tomorrow.  I am also feeling like shit as my cold is getting worse. 

Washed Out / 'Eyes Be Closed' / 'Within and Without'

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