Irises

A quick snap from the front door!

Last night was awful. Both of us managed just two and half hours sleep, and they were in half hour snatches. At 5 I decided not to try any more. 

Grateful to Daniel, who got me first thing on FaceTime and talked sense and practicalities to me while I struggled to hold it together. When the carers arrived, they advised I call the duty nurse at the hospice for meds advice. She decided, like me that this was probably an arthritis flare up, and not the cancer and to call the doctor. He called back within 20 minutes, and prescribed steroids and a strong ibuprofen gel. He also told me how I could combine cocodamol with the liquid morphine but to hold off on the stronger morphine until I stopped cocodamol ( the only pain relief that works for his arthritis).

Peter and Michaele arrived around 11:30 (with cuthbert the dog) who Jasper still doesn’t like, and it was hard keeping him back from annoying him! A nice visit though and Peter was able to help me lift B into a comfortable position in the bed. I also took the opportunity to go to the chemist and get the meds. I was surprised to be asked to sign for them, until the pharmacist told me I was signing for the ‘just in case’ drugs that are controlled. I had been told about them on Monday, but having them now was a shock, and tired as I was, I needed to just tell someone. Thank you Stalker, who is holding my job together for me, doing her own, and struggling with teachers who don’t appear to be able to listen or read information properly! She still took my call, and was there just when i needed.

Back home I gave him the steroids, applied gel and within a couple of hours, could move the legs without great roars of pain. Phew! Liam popped down for an hour this evening and it was good to also have some light relief and normal conversation. 

In between all this during the day, the phones have not stopped ringing. Different agencies seem to have different numbers. Some have the landline, some mine and some B’s. The result was a physio assessor coming tomorrow, a hospital bed coming tomorrow and a cancelled commode delivery! 

This evening he ate a custard tart! The legs are better, and moving him in the bed is much easier, and he’s definitely in less pain, because he’s been nice! My hope is that the steroids increase his appetite too. Here’s hoping for some sleep tonight!