Nine Feet Underground

After the highs of yesterday, down to earth with a bump: back to work. (There's always more!) Got up early and went for a walk after the first carer visit. After my walk I had a call with Q who's in a shopping mall in Perth, then time to make breakfast. The usual things.  Time to start work, as I've got a lot to do today and it begins with my usual 9 a.m. project huddle. Huddle,  buddle, toil and truddle. Something like that. It appears I've been confusing some of my friends with my whereabouts (cue jokey exchange from 'Carry On Screaming'). Time. Space. Relativity. That kind of thing. Well, I can categorically tell you that I am here right now. Or at least I was when I wrote this.   “A very short space of time through very short times of space” The community matron called to just to say that as I'd seen the palliative care nurse last week, he'd not be popping in until next week unless I have to call him for any reason. Mid-afternoon I had another call w

A different Bank Holiday Monday is in prospect, more on that later.  Before I can enjoy that I have a bunch of things to get done, unusually not involving washing.  I'll not go into details, but there's been some final painting-related DIY to complete, a quick shopping trip and a few other minor tasks that need to be done today. The plan is that a friend will pick me up around 11:30 and then we'll head off to the Wokingham Festival.   There are a few bands and artists playing today, mostly that are new to me, but the headliners are Focus (yes, that band) who I've never seen live but am intrigued to see what they are like 50-odd years later. Given I will be out for most of the day, this may well end up being a brief post. I'm home!  The festival was great fun. Very chilled. Great music. Great food. Great company. I might even have to go next year!  The musical highlight was Focus's performance. I didn't know what to expect of Focus, especially since only Thij

A slow start to today, for a change.  Began with a call to Q as she drove to Sydney airport through the tunnels under the city. She's flying from Sydney back to Perth today, which takes almost five hours (it's over 2000 miles) and will spend the rest of her holiday thereabouts.  The good thing is that Perth is only 7 hours ahead as opposed to 9 hours ahead in Sydney. Yesterday evening I got an invitation from friends to go to the Wokingham Festival on Monday, at which Focus are the headliners. Times are strange at the moment, nevertheless, I've gladly accepted such a kind offer.  Our GP has told me I need to get out and look after myself during this period and so I'm making an effort to do so.  There's also a Robyn Hitchcock gig coming up in September and I've booked a ticket for that (it's midweek, so it shouldn't affect any other plans I may have), subject to the current uncertainties. The plan for today is to take it relatively easy, subject to some t

Another lousy night's sleep, so I figure I might as well get up in time for the first carer call of the day.  Got lots to do today anyway. Before going shopping I put the washing on and so the 'getting things done' begins... During my shopping trip, I decided to check out the barbers, in case there wasn't a queue. The cut isn't urgent and I don't have time to sit and wait. Luckily, I'm next.  A young woman cuts my hair, which adds to the pleasure of the process. It turns out she's Polish, amongst many other things I learn during the brief time it takes to apply a grade one all over what hair there is.  Generally, I'm quite good at chatting during a haircut, but today I could barely get a word in. She spoke non-stop. It made me smile as it's rare for me not to get a word in. She did a good job (it's not difficult!) and it made a good start to the day. Whilst publishing yesterday's post I notice that I'd passed the 1000 post milestone o

I've got a lot of work to do today, so this post will be brief! Early morning the GP called to discuss E's care at home, but also to check up on me. She suggested I need to plan a break and make sure I'm taking care of myself. I am trying. She also sent me the numbers I need to call in the event the end happens as well as suggested I ought to start planning what will need to be done when that happens. She said that doing the planning now is a good idea because when it does happen, life will be chaotic.  Back to work. Expect the unexpected!  Just before lunch, the phone rang again and this time it was the Sue Ryder Community Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care (CNS). That's her full title, but I'll not write that again. Probably just stick to PC Nurse. Back on track. She was calling to arrange a visit this afternoon to see E and me. Arranged for later in the afternoon. A brief interlude for lunch, then back to work. Mid-afternoon the PC nurse arrived. She me

Unusually, (at least recently), when I get up it's raining and it doesn't look like it's going to stop. Quick change of plan: instead of walking this morning and going shopping tomorrow morning, I'll swap these and shop today. Before going shopping I have a quick call with Q as she's chilling at 'home'. Off out to get soaked! I'm back very quickly as I've a work call at 9 and still need to have my breakfast.  Whilst I was out our cleaner cleaned my office, so I can finish getting set up and eat in relative calm and tidiness. Once I start work there's no stopping, until the phone rings at around midday.  It's the community matron with an update from the Sue Ryder consultant. Now I know the plan. Or most of it. If E shows signs of getting an infection, we won't treat it, we have to call out whoever (depends on the time of day) and they will start administering the PC medication. We will also stop giving feed through the PEG.  After thinking

Slept like a baby. Unfortunately, an unhappy one that woke often and couldn't get back to sleep. Guess it could have been a lot worse, though that would be taking the analogy too far!  Hence today I feel very tired.  I have a lot of work to do so tiredness will have to remain in the background. An early morning call with Q before I shower finds her in Sydney and driving to Newcastle. Despite the time difference we have managed to keep in touch pretty well, so far. Walked for 20 minutes before changing, making breakfast and starting work.  It looked (and briefly felt) like rain as I headed for my walk, but no rain came, which seems to be the way things are going to be today. Work becomes the focus for the rest of the day, until the early evening. I need to find some time to think about some major future items, some of which I can't bring myself to write yet, including a book and CD clear-out. The latter needs a lot of thought, covering things like which do I keep, selling some,

Started the day with a chat with Q who's driving to Wellington Point as we speak.  This convo resumes as I head out for my walk. Some people can't half talk!   Breakfast then getting down to work, my day starting with a full-on technical meeting at 9. The community matron visits, as planned, and we discuss medication, E's care plan and then he gets on with changing her catheter and replacing the water in the PEG balloon. One of the key questions we both have will be referred by the CM to the Sue Ryder palliative care in the community nursing team. A big decision that I cannot and should not own. Before lunch, a good friend visits E and me for a catch-up. It was brief but good to talk.  There's much more to talk about next time. Making lunch next followed by the final catch-up with Q of her day (but not mine, hopefully). Tomorrow Q flies from Brisbane to Sydney whilst I am snoring away. (If you snore when no one is there, have you really snored?) Once she gets to Sydney

Last day of my weekend and lots of small-ish tasks to get done, the most important of which is posting cards to my father-in-law for his birthday this week. Aside from that, not much is going on today, at least not much out of the ordinary.   I'm slowly getting used to the multiple interruptions of the carers arriving throughout the day, again. Don't get me wrong, they are all wonderful and I like them a lot, and, more importantly, they do a wonderful job of caring for E, but it is incredibly disruptive.  As E can't speak, if anything arises, I always have to be available, plus her meds have changed a lot since before going into hospital and the non-regulars (the irregulars?) need to double-check with me. After lunch, I completed the last few chores (chopping up the box the new printer arrived in, putting everything back in the garage that was displaced by my painting, and washing down the side door ready for sanding down when I get a chance) which allowed me to sit down an

Today I'm planning a day of two halves, some chores carried out at a leisurely pace this morning, followed by an impersonation of Michelangelo in the afternoon (yep! I have a ceiling to paint). I've got to go and buy some more DIY shizz (filler for starters, if you're asking) once I've eaten my breakfast, with a plan to do the gloss painting after lunch and maybe, time permitting, to do the garage door as well. Perhaps today's post will be the shorter, 'not-much-to-say', one that I threatened to write yesterday? After lunch, it was time to get stuck into the painting. A bit of upfront planning meant that I was able to gloss all the woodwork as well as prepare, undercoat and gloss the garage door.   Painting is over.  Cleared up mostly now and, as required, I have paint on me. The stripper should sort that out. I'm pleased with the outcome as it only leaves me with the side garage door to do, which can wait until next weekend.  I'll probably clean the

My plan for today is pretty full-on, so less time than usual for thinking and writing and probably no time for reading the papers, at least not until bedtime. Shopping and washing, natch. After all, what is a Saturday without washing and food shopping? Heaven. I'm skipping heaven for this week and upping the ante with DIY product shopping as well as food. Have I lost my mind? Quite possibly. More on the latter later, alligator. Apart from the purgatorial chores I also fixed the shredder, again.  I am getting quite good at this. Perhaps this is a new business opportunity? I think I'd call the business 'Shredding Pounds', or 'Better Shred Than Dead', or maybe 'Inshredible'. Hey! It's a work in progress. After such an exciting morning, after lunch, I stopped by a dear friend's house to drop off a birthday present and card. Almost succeeded, apart from the fact that I left the card behind.  Silly me. It's such a funny card (IMO) I will have to po

It is Friday and it is also a working day. Pig's bum. Not much is happening here today.  I'm expecting my replacement printer to be delivered so I'm sure I'll be having fun installing that later.  It also means I'll have to do some tidying, cleaning and reorganising (a small amount!) Sure enough, the printer arrives early afternoon but I have to leave it for now as I'm very busy at work. After work, the fun begins and after giving up on the mobile app that's supposed to make installation easy (easy if you like going round in circles!) and doing it manually.  The printer was set up but still had network issues. It turns out that when you install the printer you have to choose either an Ethernet LAN connection OR a WiFi connection, it doesn't support both at the same time. The default is WiFi but the installation guide gives no indication of this. Eventually, I found out that if you connect by wire to the LAN you have to turn WiFi off on the device. Someon

The first full day of E being at home, with five carer visits beginning with K just before 7 a.m.  After the cleaner arrived I went for a 30-minute brisk walk before getting stuck in to work.  Work is very busy, but it has to fit around the carer visits, just in case they have questions or anything arises. The conflict between these two priorities does cause additional stress.  Oh dear, never mind. On a different subject (not shrubbery), this week's poem is 'Ozymandias' (if I recall correctly also the name of the main character Tarot 's owl in the kid's TV series 'Ace of Wands' way back when (I should choose the theme song one of these days) (Wasn't children's TV way more psychedelic, freaky and weird back in the 1970s? Super cool!)) by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This is such a well-known poem that I'm wondering if I need to change the poetry collection I'm reading.  Not that I have anything against it, as it does have some great lines, but ultima

Another working day, notable most of all because E will be coming home from the hospital in the afternoon. My focus has been on work from the off, as I know there will be disruption in the afternoon when she returns.  Unfortunately, this means I haven't managed to find time to walk or meditate, though hopefully, I will at least manage to do the latter. The ambulance arrived here mid-afternoon, with E, her belongings, medication and several documents describing her stay and the changes consequent on her discharge,  "Please continue EOLc at home" being the most important one, I guess. The carers also made the first of two visits and went out of the way to make E comfortable on the first visit.  Tomorrow carer visits return to the normal five-a-day, and you know it's good to get your five-a-day! There have been some other enjoyable aspects of the day too, but they are mostly in the normal range of daily positive things. The remainder of the day went as Wednesdays go, cul

Yep, you know what today means.  Back to work.  Usual caveats apply 😁 Walked before breakfast and chatted to Q while I was out. Breakfast then down to work, with my first meeting due at 9. Looks like it might rain today, finally. It's certainly a lot cooler! Sure enough, a little after 11, the heavens opened. Around lunchtime, I had three calls from the hospital in quick succession, all to discuss the medication E would be on after discharge tomorrow.  More changes! Mid-to-late-afternoon Q and I had a final call for the day, it being after 11 p.m. her end and therefore time for sleep. After work this evening I'm due to go out for a curry with a school friend I've not seen since the pandemic began way back when. Turns out we've not seen each other IRL for three years!  Lots to catch up on and we had a great evening of laughter and talk.  The restaurant no longer serves alcohol, so it was the first time I've ever had a curry without beer, wine or cider. No problemo!

Another week begins, with big changes in the offing. It marks the start of the first week of Q being away in Australia, the first of four. It's going to be hard (restraint) but we can at least keep in contact - we had our first video call this morning.  On top of that, today marks the culmination of a few days of soul-searching and discussion about where E should go when discharged from the hospital. This has been very difficult, weighing up what's best for E, the boys, and me. Initially, we had thought about a nursing home, primarily for reasons of close medical care when needed.  Since then I have been reassured by several sources (including the NHS) that this shouldn't be a problem in the community. Most important of all is what's best for E even if it might come with emotional challenges for us in the future. We have all agreed that E would be happiest and most comfortable receiving palliative care at home when the time comes. That way she would be in familiar surro

Slept OK last night, but not that well, despite being very tired. The heat may have played a part.  While I was sleeping, or trying to, Q began the second leg of her journey - the eleven-hour flight from Doha to Perth.  Sadly the plane departed a few hours late, meaning a longer layover in Doha. When I awoke the plane was over the Indian Ocean, heading for Perth at 33,000 feet and due to arrive at around 12:30 p.m. UK time (about 7:30 p.m. Perth time). Today is going to be a washing day, maybe the last chance to get things dry easily, with the chance to catch up with Q late afternoon before she goes to sleep. The time zone differences are pain (wait till she visits friends and family on the east coast!!) but we'll find a way. She's away for a month, which seems like a lifetime at this point. (Overly dramatic again!) Over lunch, I watched the last 40 minutes of 'Dune', then finished reading the weekend papers. Later we'll be going to visit E in hospital, once sons 1

Today will be a day of mixed emotions.   The day starts well and once ready Q and I head for the shops to buy bread and pastries and, more importantly, breakfast at a local lounge to set ourselves up for the day ahead.  I guess Q needs this more than me as she is facing the prospect of 17 hours on planes and even longer spent travelling until she reaches Perth (in Australia, natch!) After breakfast, we returned home for final packing and case luggage weighing.  Car loaded, it's now time to head for Terminal 4. I drove us to the airport, parked up and headed for departures. There was quite a queue for check-in as there are three Qatar Airways flights to Doha this afternoon. I was reminded that queuing to check-in is one of the things I hate most about flying.  Once we got to the desk, the fun and games began.  Q is a seasoned traveller and was not phased by it at all, but in all honesty, it was stressing me out and I wasn't even the one travelling! (I did wonder if I should ask