The day started well

Kate and I went to Acomb Woods for a walk first thing this morning. It was very windy, but we were sheltered in the woodland.

I expected to see scarlet elf cups (Sarcoscypha austriaca) and was not disappointed.

As we neared the end of the walk, my phone rang. It was Julie, one of our carers, to say that Mum had fallen in the bathroom and split her head. We were near the car so I rushed home.

It was clearly an ambulance job. Mum was bleeding heavily from a head wound and she was in terrible pain. I thought she had fractured her pelvis and I was correct (although it was several hours later when this was confirmed).

There were waits all day. The ambulance might have been more than 2 hours, but she developed chest pain, so was given more priority. We could not go to Hexham, our first choice, because of the head wound. So we went to the RVI in Newcastle.

I won't bore you with the many hours of waiting in corridors. Mum was on a trolley and in a lot of pain. It was hard to know who was looking after the corridor people.

Eventually, she was scanned, moved to a bed at the end of A & E and then to the Assessment Unit. She will be there until there is a bed on a ward, possibly 48 hours.

It was a stressful and very difficult time. When I left her at about 10pm she was asleep from exhaustion and still caked in blood from the fall. I am told she had a "comfortable night". I'm off to Newcastle to see her after lunch.

They could not suture the head wound and could not find a way to dress it unless she had a bandage around her chin. That was choking her so they abandoned the attempt.

I can only hope that the pain relief is being given regularly.

The corridors were full of patients when we arrived and when we left. Joan drove to Newcastle to collect me. I was so relieved to see her.