Devotion

I was really tired this morning after yesterday’s events, so I stayed in bed late. I pottered to the village shop for potatoes, but they were all sprouting! I found one that was OK for baking.

Daisy did not come home last night. I was relieved when she bowled in this morning. She was then very clingy all day and slept on top of me when I had an afternoon nap.

Margret came with delicious strawberries for dessert.

I had just eaten and was about to pour a second glass of wine, when Maureen phoned to say that Brian’s condition had worsened. She was going to Newcastle in a taxi but hoped I could go too. I wasn’t first on her list to ask, but the others were not able to go for a variety of very good reasons.

She went by taxi and I drove. We met outside the ward. Thankfully a porter had brought her to the right place.

Brian had a new hip last week after he fractured a femur in a fall. He now has pneumonia. He looked very frail and his breathing was laboured.

I am about to have a rant!

Since he was on palliative care at home before the fall, I was surprised that they have put him on antibiotics. He isn’t allowed to drink because he aspirated soup earlier today, but a tumbler and a jug of water were just in front of him.

All he wanted to do was to go to sleep and he kept asking if something could be done to help him sleep. Guess what, he has to wait until the Palliative Care Team come on duty on Monday, then he can be referred to them.

I am pretty speechless. It all reminds me of how I could not get adequate pain relief for Mum when she was dying, 5 months ago today as it happens.

Maureen and Brian held hands for the whole visit. They cannot understand each other’s speech but they tried hard. Maureen was very tired when I drove her back to her care home.

There was no one to answer the door until I phoned the home but then a friendly face appeared to take Maureen to bed.