I am having some better phone calls, real conversations with my daughter now. She is sharing how things have been for her in the last 18 months, for example relationship issues and depression. Like her father, she has reclusive tendencies but still a strong faith we can talk about.
I am so grateful to Our Dear Lord for this and thank you for all your prayers. PTL!
@Cheery Gardener Everything is happening really quickly! On Friday the man from the removal firm came round to assess what I've got, and he will give me a date for moving in the next few days - I'm hoping to avoid Hay Festival week, because moving then would be Madness! And I've set up the standing order to pay the charity that runs the almshouses.
My present flat has already gone back on the market. I was amused to see that they have increased the rent by £100 a month, and describe it as "spacious". I'd say "compact" or possibly "bijou" would be better descriptions!
And I have a date! 20th May, just before the Hay Festival (basically, the removal firm said 'Please don't make us do it in June - we'll be very busy!')
It's all been painted, and the previous resident had a new fitted kitchen put in! Luxury!
Meanwhile, I am frantically packing - thank goodness I work at a big bookshop where we use a lot of cardboard boxes!
Three months ago I told of our friend who had moved to a hospice, expecting to be there for two weeks after dialysis was stopped. He's still going! One day we were talking about favourite foods and he remarked that there was nothing to beat Robertson's ginger marmalade on toast for breakfast. I didn't say anything, but set out on a mission to find some - not easy here. It was a praise and thanksgiving moment for him when we eventually found it, but as he shows no signs of giving up yet, we took the easy way out and ordered the next batch from Amazon. He'll probably surprise us all in a few weeks, but meanwhile, we are very happy to still have his company.
PTL we have found someone, a dear local clergy person, Fr. R, to feed our cats T and S when Mrs RR and I go to a much-looked-forward-to poetry festival in early June. It has been a worry, because, thoughtlessly, all our usual feline feeders are away at that time.
P&T for my husband's extremely transient TIA yesterday, which lasted around 5 minutes, after which he seemed completely fine. If I hadn't been there to witness it, I'm not sure my husband would have reacted to it.
That gentle nudge of a brief TIA got him into A&E where the far more serious issue of scarily high blood pressure (falling within the category of hypertensive crisis) was swiftly discovered.
Both CT scan and carotid doppler scan were clear, so no damage from the TIA, and no indication of previously overlooked issues.
P&T for our amazing NHS. I dropped him off at the door of A&E and by the time I had parked and returned to A&E he had already been triaged. The staff were both professional and kind. No-one wants to spend 8 hours in a bed in a bay in the A&E ward, but now that it's over, our feelings are entirely warm and fuzzy towards the whole experience. Everything just worked - the monitoring, the scans, the prescriptions, the whatever-it-is when he was hit all over with a hammer and had his feet tickled. Twice. Everything was explained in a way that was both scary but also reassuring that it had been caught in time. And the tea and biscuits! Never has an own-brand custard cream tasted so good!
There's still a long way to go to get his BP down, but he has a follow-up appointment with a nurse next week, and there's a referral to the Stroke Clinic in the pipeline.
P&T for my husband's extremely transient TIA yesterday, which lasted around 5 minutes, after which he seemed completely fine. If I hadn't been there to witness it, I'm not sure my husband would have reacted to it.
That gentle nudge of a brief TIA got him into A&E where the far more serious issue of scarily high blood pressure (falling within the category of hypertensive crisis) was swiftly discovered.
Both CT scan and carotid doppler scan were clear, so no damage from the TIA, and no indication of previously overlooked issues.
P&T for our amazing NHS. I dropped him off at the door of A&E and by the time I had parked and returned to A&E he had already been triaged. The staff were both professional and kind. No-one wants to spend 8 hours in a bed in a bay in the A&E ward, but now that it's over, our feelings are entirely warm and fuzzy towards the whole experience. Everything just worked - the monitoring, the scans, the prescriptions, the whatever-it-is when he was hit all over with a hammer and had his feet tickled. Twice. Everything was explained in a way that was both scary but also reassuring that it had been caught in time. And the tea and biscuits! Never has an own-brand custard cream tasted so good!
There's still a long way to go to get his BP down, but he has a follow-up appointment with a nurse next week, and there's a referral to the Stroke Clinic in the pipeline.
A friend took me to a small town north of Christchurch for lunch as a birthday treat. I chose the town as the last time I went there I discovered some great craft shops - alas they are no more. I did visit a wool shop and the woman there confirmed the needlework and fabric shops had closed. I bought a fundraising bookmark while I was there. the next day I discovered I didn't have my phone.
I charged the wee phone I use to find my phone, but it wasn't in the house so I rang my friend in case it was in his vehicle. It wasn't, but he had been rung by the woman in the wool shop and drove there to pick it up. I don't know how she hit on the one person listed on my phone that knew that I'd been in that shop, especially as he's listed by his deceased cat's name (Mr Cat). I"m stitching her a thank-you card.
Weirdly I did find the fabric shops I was looking for about 2km from home, in a small shopping area, with a very poor bus service.
I've been thinking of you and the NE Man @North East Quine . So glad the NHS worked as it should. @Huia, hurrah for kind people, but boo to the closing of craft shops. Our twon could sorely do with one.
Grandson Huxley/ Little Beaky and family are at Disneyland Paris this week. Huxley absolutely adores the "Toy Story" films and is in heaven!
I'm rejoicing that his health is holding up, the carers are doing a grand job and that the family are having the best time.
Life for this little boy is so uncertain and very precious and I'm really thankful.
A friend took me to a small town north of Christchurch for lunch as a birthday treat. I chose the town as the last time I went there I discovered some great craft shops - alas they are no more. I did visit a wool shop and the woman there confirmed the needlework and fabric shops had closed. I bought a fundraising bookmark while I was there. the next day I discovered I didn't have my phone.
I charged the wee phone I use to find my phone, but it wasn't in the house so I rang my friend in case it was in his vehicle. It wasn't, but he had been rung by the woman in the wool shop and drove there to pick it up. I don't know how she hit on the one person listed on my phone that knew that I'd been in that shop, especially as he's listed by his deceased cat's name (Mr Cat). I"m stitching her a thank-you card.
Weirdly I did find the fabric shops I was looking for about 2km from home, in a small shopping area, with a very poor bus service.
Maybe there were a few recent calls/messages between you? But Alleluia indeed!
Grandson Huxley/ Little Beaky and family are at Disneyland Paris this week. Huxley absolutely adores the "Toy Story" films and is in heaven!
I'm rejoicing that his health is holding up, the carers are doing a grand job and that the family are having the best time.
Life for this little boy is so uncertain and very precious and I'm really thankful.
Oh @Mrs Beaky, that’s very lovely to hear. It must be so hard to make all pieces fall into place for a family trip like that to happen.
The amount of preparation my daughter (it's mainly her as husband works full-time) has to do for any family trip is mind-boggling.
Booking accommodation and passage for both family and carers, ordering and packing all of Huxley's medical requirements let alone all the normal family stuff!
Thank you all, they're on their way home now, tired but very happy.
Comments
I am so grateful to Our Dear Lord for this and thank you for all your prayers. PTL!
My present flat has already gone back on the market. I was amused to see that they have increased the rent by £100 a month, and describe it as "spacious". I'd say "compact" or possibly "bijou" would be better descriptions!
Meanwhile, I am frantically packing - thank goodness I work at a big bookshop where we use a lot of cardboard boxes!
She is the cat of a friend of ours and had gone missing.
PTL!!
Relief!
Eeeks!
Very glad now there is a priestly, pristine feline feeder. Good news indeed.
That gentle nudge of a brief TIA got him into A&E where the far more serious issue of scarily high blood pressure (falling within the category of hypertensive crisis) was swiftly discovered.
Both CT scan and carotid doppler scan were clear, so no damage from the TIA, and no indication of previously overlooked issues.
P&T for our amazing NHS. I dropped him off at the door of A&E and by the time I had parked and returned to A&E he had already been triaged. The staff were both professional and kind. No-one wants to spend 8 hours in a bed in a bay in the A&E ward, but now that it's over, our feelings are entirely warm and fuzzy towards the whole experience. Everything just worked - the monitoring, the scans, the prescriptions, the whatever-it-is when he was hit all over with a hammer and had his feet tickled. Twice. Everything was explained in a way that was both scary but also reassuring that it had been caught in time. And the tea and biscuits! Never has an own-brand custard cream tasted so good!
There's still a long way to go to get his BP down, but he has a follow-up appointment with a nurse next week, and there's a referral to the Stroke Clinic in the pipeline.
Alleluia!
I charged the wee phone I use to find my phone, but it wasn't in the house so I rang my friend in case it was in his vehicle. It wasn't, but he had been rung by the woman in the wool shop and drove there to pick it up. I don't know how she hit on the one person listed on my phone that knew that I'd been in that shop, especially as he's listed by his deceased cat's name (Mr Cat). I"m stitching her a thank-you card.
Weirdly I did find the fabric shops I was looking for about 2km from home, in a small shopping area, with a very poor bus service.
Yes, indeed. Such good news
I'm rejoicing that his health is holding up, the carers are doing a grand job and that the family are having the best time.
Life for this little boy is so uncertain and very precious and I'm really thankful.
Maybe there were a few recent calls/messages between you? But Alleluia indeed!
The amount of preparation my daughter (it's mainly her as husband works full-time) has to do for any family trip is mind-boggling.
Booking accommodation and passage for both family and carers, ordering and packing all of Huxley's medical requirements let alone all the normal family stuff!
Thank you all, they're on their way home now, tired but very happy.