Snazy

For me anyway. After a few days of battling to get back on track I feel like I am finally getting somewhere now. That said, its 8.50 and I'm back in bed lol. So maybe not a great example.

Difference between today and yesterday is that I'm all geared up and mentally prepared to get the day started properly. My feet and legs are craving the morning walk with the dogs, so must answer their calling soon.

After that, a few more things I have to do, bank, shops, doctors... But all in hand I feel.

So first up, getting ready and going to give the dogs a good walk. From my panic list of to-do's from the earlier part of the week there is really not much left. Work contacted, chunk of rent paid, accounts balanced to hopefully cover the remainder of the months expenditures.

So really nothing too stressful to do for the day, other than make sure mum gets some fluids inside her, and takes her meal replacement drinks that the doctor prescribed yesterday.

Right, gonna step it up a gear now and get going. Back later with more, if I don't wear myself out with housework and walking.

Regards

Michael

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That's what I have to keep telling myself over the past few days. It seems that taking a day out from caring and stressing has had a profound impact on my ability to function. Ok, so I'm probably over thinking this, and let's face it, it would hardly be the first time now would it!
The night I spent away from home kinda threw my sleep pattern, but that's not to say I'm complaining, trust me IM NOT! But I just seem to lack the get up and go I have had over recent months. Little jobs stacking up, reluctance to get out of bed.
Hey, you know what, maybe its just my body and mind saying "chill the f**k out". After all, everything seems ok here right now.

That said, the past couple of days, mum is back off her food and drink again. Complaining she is feeling tired and weak, and is really quite wobbly too, which really isn't good. Not sure if she has not recovered very well from last weeks bout of being ill, or is just at another stage of the illness now.
I am trying to let her stay in control of seeing doctors etc right now, and we spoke about them yesterday, but her mindset seems to me that she will see one when she is ready too. Which anyone reading this blog will know, is usually too late.

So all these little jobs building up, anything major? Nope not really. Rent arrears need paying towards over the phone, but can't be bothered speaking to people right now. My mind is shying away from conversation like mad.
Also I need to speak to work regarding the current situation, but again, the thought of that conversation just makes me put it on a back burner and add it to tomorrows to-do list.

I also have a whole load of reading to catch up on too, which I am going to use today for. The crap weather is almost a sign saying, "nowhere else to go, so crack on with your chores".

So todays to-do:
Rent payment
Contact work
Reading
Housework
Shopping
Consult GP for mum
And I'm sure things will add themselves to it by the end of the day.

With that said, I guess I better get started. Once the carer is done with mum I can get going on the housework.
Speaking of the carer, I meant to say, she is getting on with them much better now, just the weekend one that is the issue. She still won't depend on them but is more at ease.

Oh one last thing, just as a time stamp for me really, but feel free to read on. Mums confusion seems to be playing up a bit. Nothing too serious, but not like her to get something like this wrong.

Yesterday, 9am the carer left the house. 9.30 I took the first dog out. 10.15 I returned to the house. On opening the outer door, the inner door blew open. Mum was in the hallway and said there was post for me. (Postie had been while I was out with the dog) I said to mum "did you see me in the hall and leave the door open for me", she replied no. So I asked why the door would have been open. Her reply was "those bloody women (carers) they keep leaving the door open, I will have to say something". Pointing out that I had left AFTER the carers, I tried to explain it could not have been the carer, but her reply was "well it certainly wasn't me". So I explained further that she was last to open the door as she had just checked for post. This made her quite angry, and she said "ok it must have been me" then slammed the door behind her. Oops!

Right this was meant to be a quick entry, so I'm done.

Have a good day

Regards

Michael

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And I'm home. A great 30 hours away from home. I am completely drained, quite literally, and had a great time and feel like I have truly shed a load!

As exhausted as I am, I am glad I took some time out, went to see my aunt, and feel I have achieved a great deal from one trip.

Can't say much more than that, as due to my exhausted mental state I am lost for words of any depth.

Now sitting at St Christophers Hospice waiting for a meeting with the family worker. Not sure how productive that will be because I am not quite switched on.

But worth a go lol

Regards

Michael

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Loving it!

Just popped the gammon on to cook for tomorrows lunch!

Regards

Michael

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Regardless of the fact they have got mum back on her feet and feeling better, they are of course the devil. (Well they are red!)

Her first comment this morning as I got them out of the packet was "those bloody steroids, I have been up since 3am"

I am starting to see a pattern now, and her comments moments ago confirmed that.

Speaking to the carer while waiting on a cup of teas, she was talking about her meds. She described her fluid replacement sachets to the carer a little something like this.

"I am meant to be drinking more to help clear a urine infection, but the doctor put me on these, and they stop me from going to the loo"

No dear, they replace the missing glucose and sodium in your body to allow your body to retain the necessary fluids to function properly. Any by all accounts, they seem to be working a treat.

After complaining to everyone for 2 days that if she drinks, she just wee's it out, now we are at the opposite end of the spectrum.

By her description the urine is getting weaker now, which shows the anti bi's are working, and flushing with fluids is helping, but now there is less to complain about there, its time to switch tactics. She has not mentioned kidney pain today, so has hopefully forgotten that for now, and its not really going to turn into a kidney infection (for her sake)

She managed to open the door to the carer herself today, which was impressive. Nice to see her motivated to interact with the new carers.

Right, let's see what the rest of the day can bring lol

Have a good one, enjoy the sunshine

Regards

Michael

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Yesterday, with all the medical people talking, visiting, and giving advice over the phone, mum made her stand and said she was sick and tired of being told she was dehydrated, as everytime she drank something it just went straight through her.

This was of course corrected by the doctors, and she was told it was doing its job of clearing out toxins on the way through, so doing more than mearly passing through.

Either way she said she would not be drinking more than she already was as she was tired of going to the toilet. Told that failure to do so would result in a urine infection which she may already have, then spread to the kidneys which would be very painful, she barked a reply which said no one knew what kind of pain she was in, and kidney infection was the least of her worries.

The doctor however prescribed rehydration powders, aimed at helping her retain a little water, and with persistence I have got her to drink 2 yesterday and 2 today. So you can imagine my surprise (or lack of) when she came to talk to me today and informed me she had made a decision. She said due to the LACK of going to the toilet today, and the building discomfort in her kidneys, she will NOT be having any more than one of these drinks a day now, as she WANTS to wee more to clear up the apparent kidney infection she feels she is getting now, as its very painful.

For the record, it is obviously important to both be able to retain AND pass fluids in order to stay hydrated and keep the toxins passing through your system. Mum however sees this as different doctors contradicting one another, and that either she needs to retain or pass water. Doing both is clearly impossible.

Dear oh dear!

Regards

Michael

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And probably the threat of hospital helped a little too. But this morning mum is making much more of an effort to get drink and food inside of her. Unsurprising but she is feeling a bit better, and is able to get herself in and out of bed, as well as to the loo, out for a ciggy and into the kitchen.

She says its all down to the steroids, but something tells me state of mind plays a part in that too.
Of course, its not all rosey. After being told over and over by the medics yesterday that she probably has a urine infection because of the dehydration, she didn't bother to mention the problem to the doctor when he came. So of course, they have let her down and she wants to know why the hell they are not treating it. Needless to say, it needs diagnosing properly before they can treat it.

The district nurse will be calling today to do mums blood sugar and wound checks. And a nurse from St Christophers will be coming around to see how mum is doing, and to see if anything can be done from their end to help with matters too. Thankfully things are better than yesterday though. As I type, she has just popped out for another ciggy, so has her priorities straight.

She ate before the carer arrived this morning, but was very positive when she did arrive, and they got on well, which was nice to see. Chatting, and just getting on the little things mum needed doing. After the carer had left, again mum was complimentary about her, and said it was lovely that she just did her thing and left.

Me and my sister wrote up a list of little things for the carer to do daily as her "plan" and she has been brilliant at following it, just need to do one for the afternoon now too. Then she can check it off against what mum needs, and if nothing else is needed, can go.

Going back to yesterday, just after I thought nothing else could go wrong, the dog threw up on the bed, which ended up costing £60 to replace all the bedding. But on the + side, the bread bin and biscuit tin I have been meaning to buy were in the clearance sale with 1/3 off. Balance restored.... Almost lol.

My birthday binge of food didn't go down well, and I could not sleep most of the night, so I was pleased when postie arrived with my weeks supply of Protikee this morning.

Right, I have physio booked for 3pm to get me sorted physically. Important things to do this week and need to be in my best possible shape to do them. So looking forwards to some violent pampering lol.

That's me for now, hopefully we are on the up now.

Have a good one.

Regards

Michael

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