The Daily Echo: Day 210

I just need to get my brain into gear. It’s been a fuzzy old day today. Haven’t quite been able to think straight.

I had planned a bit of a lie-in after yesterday’s excitement, but the nurse arrived at seven o’clock despite the phone call yesterday to cancel them. I was sorry she’d had a wasted journey, and she was sorry she’d got me up. I went back to bed and had a little doze but it was fitful and I was soon awake again wondering whether to get up or not.

Michael and William did a video call to see what was what about eight o’clock, and Michael said he’d deliver the forgotten items to John in Heartlands. That, and the phone call with John shortly afterwards, got me out of bed, because John said he didn’t want his dressing gown after all, so I had to unship it from the bag that it was in.

I also wanted to give Michael his birthday present, as it’ll be his birthday next Friday. We had, of course, planned to be with him so I would have been taking the gift with me but, as we’re not going now, I thought he could take it today. So wrapping was at the ready.

Michael called in late morning to collect the bits and pieces. He also took delivery of another item we’d bought for William and Thomas, and one of which we’d given to Freddie the other day. While we were at the garden centre with Danielle last week, we had seen a plank of wood, nicely shaped and marked up with measurements, to hang on the wall to track the growth of your children. In the centre of the plank was inscribed, ‘From little acorns do mighty oaks grow’. It might be corny, but we loved it and thought it would a great keepsake, rather than scrawling the kids’ heights on the walls.

John has phoned through a few times today, and he is feeling a little bit better, although very out of breath again this afternoon until they put him on a nebuliser. He was able to use a landline first thing, as his battery on the mobile was flat. It transpired that he was stuck in a wheelchair until 2.30 in the morning before they found him a bed in a ward last night. They trundled him up to the general admissions ward but, later on today, they have moved him to another ward. We have no idea what sort of ward it is, although John thinks he is probably the youngest one there.

A haematology consultant came to see him, but John wasn’t totally sure what was discussed, other than the fact that there is no more Ward 19 at Heartlands, as all haematology is being moved over the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. They may move him over there but we’ll wait and see.

I decided to rest today and was sitting watching a programme we’d recorded that I thought John wouldn’t be very interested in, when Michael rang the door bell. Ha! I thought I was sitting watching it, but I was only asleep wasn’t I? I’d nodded off watching the programme. After Michael had left, I sat down to watch a second episode of the programme and found myself dozing off again. Oh, my days.

Not long after that, the doorbell rang again, and it was dear Margaret, calling in to see if there was anything she could do. Well, it suddenly dawned on me that I’d collected some tablets for Mum yesterday and I hadn’t yet taken them round. And I wouldn’t be able to take them round now until further notice. So, yes please. “Would you mind dropping my Mum’s tablets in please, Margaret?” Not at all. How wonderful – thank you, thank you.

The advice on self-isolation is that you can’t take yourself out for a walk. A pity that. It was just the thing I needed today and the weather was so beautiful. I spent some time out in the garden instead. I know we’ve got a big garden, but walking round it isn’t quite the same, is it?

I also watched the men’s tennis final, but only caught the last set. Disappointingly, our TV is a bit on the blink and it had failed to remember to continue the recordings today. So, when I went to watch the ‘recording’ it wasn’t there. Never mind, the last set was good and I enjoyed it.

I am very grateful for all the good wishes we have had today and the offers of help. What wonderful friends we have. Lucky, lucky us.

John has yet to have the result of his COVID test, but others clearly have had their results back, because 12,872 people are confirmed as infected today. 65 people have died in the community, and 37 people have died in hospitals. 9 people have been confirmed as infected in the village in the last seven days. Blimey, it’s ever closer.

Take care everyone. God bless.