Thank you all 
The story goes that our daughter, who lives in Spain, was worried enough to phone our GP and get us an appointment for the same day. I was feeling pretty ill that day and didn’t want to get out of bed to go. But the appointment had been booked so I had to get up, make myself presentable and drive us both to the surgery.
The appointment didn’t run to time and we both sat there wanting nothing more than to go back home again. Mrs m’s chest sounded awful and I just felt half dead. The GP saw us and said we both needed hospital treatment. She printed out the paperwork for us to take to A&E. I drove us home and we phoned our son to come and take us both to hospital in our WAV.
We went into A&E, looked at the room full of people waiting for attention and thought we’d be there forever. It must have been our history or something the GP had written but our names got called pretty quickly. We were put into a cubicle. A Urology doctor came and I was soon on the ward. We were up in the air about what would happen to Mrs m. They were talking about sending her home and setting up some home care.
I was on the ward without a phone to find anything out. and so it remained until next day. The man in the bed opposite was going home that day and offered to go and find out where Mrs m was. Such an act of kindness.
Our friend had been to our house having heard about the situation from Mrs m. She found my phone and taken it in to Mrs m. They had decided to keep her in as it turned out and the kind chap had found that out, written down where she was and came back with my phone and her location. I couldn’t thank him enough. There are nice people in the World.
I ran a fever all that day and next. They seemed to be forever sampling my blood. They decided to catheterise the bladder to get the old blood out. Not much pee getting down there to flush it but the uncomfortable feeling I’d had for days got a little better. Just call me ‘two bags’ from now on
I wasn’t eating or drinking so I was on a hydrating drip. The fever had died down by the next day and it was decided I could come home. I’m on anti-biotics and still off my food somewhat but I’m going to try and pick up a bit today. The silence here is deafening without Mrs m coughing.
They have now transferred her to a dedicated respiratory ward and I hope they can come up with some relief for her this time. There was talk about sending her to a rehab centre some miles away where they could work on her breathing and regaining some strength. I initially said to go for it but on second thoughts, we really don’t want to be separated for that long. We are hoping some sort of home care can be put in place instead.
A few weeks ago, we spent a load of money on a new bed for her. One that adjusts to various angles for her comfort. She hasn’t had the chance to sleep in it that much.
As well as the physical aspect, it becomes and emotional tough time as well. I came home to a cold house yesterday. Nothing was organised before we left for the GP appointment. I saw the wrinkles in the sheets of the new bed left there from the last time Mrs m got up. It’s just sad really.
Luckily, we have family and some good friends who are rallying round and helping when they can. Our daughter arrives from Spain on the 5th of November and she is a great comfort and organiser. If Mrs m isn’t home by then, she can sleep in the new bed.
