We're walking, we're walking...

To my cautious delight the medications seem to be working. The shingles rash appears to have been stopped in its tracks and hasn't spread for 24 hours, the pain has diminished, and I feel more energetic. 

Nevertheless my clothing choice has progressed to the slightly more bizarre. The loose cotton pyjama pants irritated the rash around my midriff too much and I have resorted to a purple cotton kaftan, which is capacious enough to wear over a blouse and jumper. Socks complete the outfit. 

The fashion stakes are high Chez Mima.

My improved health and the bright sunshine saw us having a short walk at lunchtime. It was more of an amble on my behalf, but Bean made the most of the freedom and did some zooming. 

It was good for both my physical and mental health. 

There was awful news from the UK this morning. #3 brother has been admitted to hospital and is in ICU with a perforated bowel and acute pneumonia. Nobody seems to have had any inkling of either problem before a nurse checking him in the night found him struggling for breath. He was rushed to A&E and admitted immediately. 

He is sedated and receiving fluids and antibiotics, and for now there is no prognosis. It's a case of waiting. 

A family conference has agreed that there will be no further treatment if he doesn't respond to the antibiotics. #3 brother has been very clear in the past that this would be his choice.

It seems that my recent blip about end of life choice is being faced by my family far away very much sooner than any of us expected. 

I am still in some shock at the suddenness of it all. But I am quietly hoping that he drifts away and is out of the distress, the anxiety, the confusion and cruelty of dementia.