Thursday, October 01, 2015

The last day.

I was wrong about the rugby – the Scotland-SA match isn't until Saturday.

All is in reasonable order, I think. The tables I ordered (bedside, chair-side) have arrived at the disability shop. I'll pick them up today. My sister – still in London for a few more hours – has bought a zimmer frame which James and Cathy will bring with them tomorrow. Care seems to be in place.

The (impossible) idea is that the care provided by the City of Edinburgh will make my husband able to live on his own. The private care we have bought in, is icing on the cake and may not even prove to be necessary. My husband said yesterday that they keep asking questions, now that his release is immanent, implying that he lives alone. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of examples.

The downside to this pie-in-the-sky notion is that I may be cut out of some valuable instructions from the hospital about my husband's care. How are his blood sugar levels? I don't look forward to resuming that mental burden. Continence? That is greatly improved, I know, but he has been suffering from some diarrhoea this week, due I think to a laxative administered on Monday, and I need to talk to someone about how to deal with that.

I'd better buttonhole them when I'm in today.

My husband is slightly confused – “some mental impairment”, in their language. That doesn't help, but may be better when he's back here.

I'll keep you posted.

Knitting

Dunfallandy went well yesterday, with no further errors. I finished the amount I had assigned myself: the third square is done, and the fourth well started. I hope to reach its centre section today – maybe I can even press on to the second horizontal cable. Halmom, I'm glad to hear you're going to do it too. What yarn will you use? We can have a little KAL of our own here.

My husband asked yesterday how his sleeveless vest was getting on, but seemed to agree that concentrating on Dunfallandy while the house was empty and quiet, was a good idea. To my surprise.

I am slipping the first stitch of every row purlwise now, except for a couple of rows where it's impossible. That happens when cables reach the edge, to join up with other cables in other squares. It certainly makes a smoother-looking edge, and I may discover at the end, when I try to sew everything together, why the designer didn't do it.

Non-knit


I said I'd attempt to post a photograph today. Here is Perdita in the catalogue room.


Whoopee! I don't know whether to credit Google Chrome or simply the Advance of Technology, but it's nice to have photographs back.

13 comments:

  1. Took me ages to find her! She is a fearless mountaineer isn't she!?
    Don't expect too much of yourself in the next few days, and use everyone who might be expected to help and advise. And remember "Team Jean" are all sending encouraging thoughts.

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  2. Patience11:35 AM

    I'm wondering if the "as if he lives alone" questions are making sure that care is adequate if you were either sick in bed for a day or two, or needed to be away from home.

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  3. Anonymous11:41 AM

    At the hospital, ask to see the Continence Advisor. probably they already have made some arrangements, but you need to know.
    Secondly, and most important; is your husband likely to want to resume work on his Magnum Opus? If so, do you have an extra copy securely stored somewhere very safe? It would be tragic if an inadvertant keystroke caused it to vanish.
    Best wishes, Helen (anon)

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  4. Oh fun, our very own version of "Where's Charlie": "Where's Perdita?" She blends right in, doesn't she.

    As for your husband's confusion, I'm sure it will improve when he's home. In my experience, being in hospital or rehab or anyplace where others are in charge and the environment is never-changing makes for confusion in the best of us. Good luck to both of you in the days ahead, and just be sure to give yourself time to be alone with your cat and your knitting (although maybe not at the same time.)

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  5. Perdita is so well camouflaged - it took me ages to spot her with the CATalogues. Your new header photo is beautiful. The Unst shawl and heather wreath with a kilt in the background - lovely.

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  6. Thank you for the Perdita laughs!
    God be with you tomorrow.

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  7. Sending lots of strength and courage and luck for the return and settlement this weekend. Perdita no doubt will provide merriment. Will be thinking of you.

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  8. Best of luck with tomorrow, and here's hoping the slight confusion is just from being in hospital and being stressed about that.
    I'll light a candle for a smooth and as stress free as possible tomorrow and weekend for you.

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  9. Hope all goes well tomorrow. It may be helpful to contact your GP to ensure that the surgery know that your husband has been discharged. Lines of communication can sometimes break down. And keep the location of that excellent care home near the top of the pile, just in case.

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  10. =Tamar7:44 PM

    It's probably just having been in hospital so long. I have read that both slightly low and slightly high blood sugar can cause temporary confusion, and so can low-level infections. If episodes continue to occur, perhaps recording the time of day and how long since the latest meal would give you information to work with.

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  11. Your new header of The Bride and The Shawl lifts the heart.
    Prayers for a smooth transition from hospital to home and a stress-free settling-in for both of you.

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  12. Anonymous3:28 AM

    Best wishes for a smooth transition.
    Glad there is extra help. Please do make use of all help so you are not worn out or injured.
    Sincere regards
    LisaRR

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  13. Anonymous2:12 AM

    We are all pulling for you, Jean. By now you will have
    completed those first difficult hours. I hope you have had a good night's sleep and that some of the initial problems have been ironed out. Mainly I hope you have been able to sleep well. That makes such a huge difference in how we cope with things. So glad you have Perdita to help lighten the way. Chloe

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