Month: February 2021

Who’da thought it? That Paul would be 40 already? How time flies. It feels like we blinked and missed it.

However, we made the most of celebrating the day as best we could under the lockdown and hospitalised circumstances.

John wasn’t out of hospital after all, although there had been a suggestion that they were hoping to discharge him today. So he did the next best thing and chatted to Paul on the phone. I went over to Kenilworth and we took a walk in our ‘bubble’. It was lovely because the weather was really good, as was the company.

Despite the fact that Paul had said he really didn’t want anything for his birthday everyone had made an effort and got him something. We had sent a hamper of food, which we hope he will enjoy. Other gifts of alcohol seemed to predominate.

Harriet had organised an afternoon tea which looked lush, and afterwards, the whole family met up on ‘Zoom’ to sing happy birthday to Paul. Then this evening we met up again for a Murder Mystery evening, which was good fun, if a little confusing at times. The most amusing thing was watching Jess, Harriet’s sister, hover in a ‘virtual kitchen’ background (she was playing the maid), disembodied and often with just her head visible, floating free. Everyone had dressed up and made an effort though, so it created a good atmosphere. I think Danielle won the prize for the best accent and acting.

Meanwhile, John is still languishing in hospital. He texted this morning to say that a nurse had popped his head round the door to say they were making plans to try and discharge him today. Regrettably, the words didn’t translate into actuality, and John is still in his hospital bed champing at the bit. I phoned the hospital to see if I could find anything out, but nothing much was forthcoming. “We’re still monitoring his kidney function. We took a blood test this morning, and will do the same tomorrow.” said the nurse. When I asked about the plans going forward, she didn’t know, and said she’d ask a doctor to phone me this afternoon. Needless to say, they didn’t – and I shall be phoning again tomorrow.

In between the trip to Kenilworth and the ‘happy birthday’ singing, I popped into Mum’s to drop some off some supplies. I am not confident that she is fully well yet, and she was rather dithery, a bit confused and especially deaf – until I realised she wasn’t wearing her hearing aids. Had to hunt to find them and, once I had and she’d put them in, it made things a bit better. In the end, I gave her paracetamol and hoped for the best. The report from the carer this evening was more hopeful, however, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that she’ll feel much improved tomorrow.

In the outside world, things still seem to be improving on the COVID front.

• 6,035 people tested positive for the virus today
• 144 people died in the community with COVID in the last 24 hours
• 86 people died in hospitals with the virus on 26 & 27 February
• And we’re through Day 53 of Lockdown 3; Day 341 of Lockdown 1 and Day 349 of our own, self-imposed lockdown.

Take care everyone. God bless.

I love the unexpected when it’s nice. And I have had ‘nice unexpected’ today.

Just sat in bed, waiting for the water to boil in the ‘Teasmade’ (although it’s not a Teasmade, it’s a Breville ‘hot water boiler’) when the phone rang. It was the carer at Mum’s. It transpired that Mum didn’t want to take her tablets this morning because there was one extra, making seven in total. She asked me to speak to Mum. I had no hope that Mum would hear me, let alone understand me, but she did. “You need the extra tablet, Mum, to stop you feeling poorly like you were yesterday.” I explained. “You mean I’ve got to take seven tablets?” Yes, please Mum. So she accepted that and that was that. I mean, that was nicely unexpected – Mum acquiescing like that.

Not long after, the phone rang again. Surprise, surprise! It was Graham on the other end, phoning our little WhatsApp group the ‘Chapman Sleaths’. He got two for the price of one, with John on the other end of the phone in his hospital bed and me in my bedroom bed. Having read the blog, he thought he’d give us a ring to see what was what and cheer us up a bit. Lovely long chat we had – just over an hour – before he was getting tired after having spent the day playing (and winning) a bowls match. I think the group phone call is a first for us and I hope we can do it again. Another ‘nice unexpected’.

Afterwards, I thought I’d get up and get on. No plans to do anything today so perhaps I might relax. I took my book with me downstairs and put it on the breakfast bar, next to my breakfast. Well, that was it then, I was glued to the book all morning, still sat at the breakfast bar.

I had just torn myself away from reading and was doing a little tidy-up when Margaret and Chris called in and we had a lovely doorstep natter. She had brought me a gorgeous little writers’ notebook which I shall be using immediately. It’s got sections for ideas and notes and collections of things and all sorts. Marvellous. Wow – another nice unexpected.

This afternoon, I opted to go out for a walk. And it was amazing weather with the sun shining for all its worth. The birds, too, were singing their little hearts out and the sheep bleating in the fields, so it made for a very good backdrop to the walk in the countryside, beyond ‘The Yellow Brick Road’. Loved it.

John, Andrew and I were all looking forward to the rugby this afternoon. Regrettably, we were all disappointed. The Ireland v Italy match was a bit of a whitewash, and the England vs Wales match…..well, what can I say? The referee made some very odd decisions – not in England’s favour, and we lost. Very disappointing. I think we were all spitting feathers after the match. I mean, fair play, we don’t mind being beaten by a better team, but to have poor decisions by the ref deciding the game is a bit much.

John and I had a video call this evening, but he is very fed up and we were struggling to find things to talk about, let alone to cheer him up. No doctors came round today and, when John asked the sister whether anyone would come to see him, she said that the doctors were ‘busy with patients who were poorly‘. Of course, we know what that means, but it doesn’t help to know that you are not a priority and feel like you are languishing, forgotten at the bottom of the pile. The throw-away comment by the doctor yesterday of ‘we might try and get you home at the weekend’ has obviously been overlooked, and now such an event is unlikely to happen. It’s very distressing when you’re on your tod looking at four walls, and can’t even see the sunshine or the sky from your room. I shall phone the ward tomorrow to see if there’s any movement on anything.

So, all in all, no ‘Ragdale at home’ as such, but a much better day for me, but not so much for John. Prayers still welcome.

• 7,434 people tested positive for the virus today
• 290 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 129 people died in hospitals on 25 & 26 February
• Lockdown 3 – Day 52; Lockdown 1 – Day 340; and self-imposed Lockdown 1 – Day 348

Take care everyone. God bless.

Hospitals and paramedics – wonderful aren’t they? I love them mostly because they have looked after John so well over the years and because he’s in hospital now, being conscientiously cared for, but also, because we had occasion to use them twice in the last 24 hours with other members of the family too. What patience and compassion they show. Amazing.

And so it was, that little Thomas spent a few hours screaming the house down and raged a temperature for a few hours. No amount of soothing worked, so after dialling 111 for advice, the paramedics turned up and whisked him off to hospital. In the middle of the night. Danielle went in the nee-naw, while Michael stayed at home with William. Thomas was better enough to come home at three in the morning, so Michael winkled William out of bed and set off to collect them. The Sutton Sleath household didn’t have a great deal of sleep by the sounds of it. It turns out it ‘was probably a viral infection’. Heavens. Don’t know what to make of that, but there you are.

Then, this morning, I had just started my ‘Ragdale at home’ with a little gentle meditation and prayer routine before beginning a chapter of my book, when the phone rang. Mother was unwell. “Phone the doctor,” I said to the carer, and waited. Fifteen minutes later, the carer rang back in a bit of a panic, “She’s vomiting now. The doctor doesn’t have her on their books. The paramedics are on their way.” So, what else could I do but hot-foot it round there?

The paramedics were already ministering to Mum when I arrived, but I was able to give them a bit of a low-down on Mum’s health and told them that it looked to me like she was suffering from one of her ‘turns’ i.e. a dizzy spell brought on by Meunieres disease. I hunted for her tablets and found two packets – one of which was out of date, and the other that had just one tablet in it.

I phoned the doctor, who found they did have Mum on their books after all, to see if more tablets could be dispensed. Well, yes, of course, they can. Phone the pharmacy and they’ll send a prescription request…… oh… come on! It’s a Friday and do you really think tablets are going to arrive here in the next half an hour? No……they won’t…. well, the paramedics are there, best let them take her to the hospital. So I waved her on her way.

I spent a little while chatting to the warden and tidying up at Mum’s after she left, before making my way home at lunchtime. Grabbed a bite to eat and spent half an hour or so chatting to John and unfolding the saga of the morning to him. Had another chat, too, to Michael to hear all about their disturbed night. Afterwards, I thought I might watch a programme on TV I’d recorded. However, I had just loaded it up when the phone rang. It was the hospital wanting a bit of history on Mum.

The upshot was that they were satisfied that her illness was related to her Meunieres disease and they were happy to discharge her. “Can you come and pick her up?” the doctor asked, tentatively. Yes, of course, I can. Nothing else to do today, might as well have a run out in the car in the sunshine.

Although Mum was well enough to be discharged, I must confess that I think she is not recovered. She is rather confused and has started going to bed in her day clothes this week. Hmmmm…..we’ll see if the tablets help. Had to pop round this evening to make sure she had this evening’s dose and she was fast asleep on her bed fully clothed. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

All in all, I didn’t do ‘Ragdale at home’ today after all. Maybe tomorrow?

• 8,523 people tested positive for COVID today
• 345 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 131 people died in hospitals with the virus on 24 & 25 February

We’ve hurtled our way through Day 51 of Lockdown 3; Day 339 of Lockdown 1; and Day 347 of our own, self-imposed lockdown.

John is feeling exceedingly fed up as he is pumped full of fluids in an attempt to re-hydrate his kidneys. I am ever hopeful and am keeping my fingers crossed they will see fit to discharge him shortly but he’s looking on the black side. The trouble is that he’s on his own in a room, alone with his thoughts – and they can’t half mess with your mind, can’t they? Positive vibes, please, everyone.

Spring is on its way; there are frogs in ponds, daffodils blooming; crocuses positively littering the greens alongside the roads; and the birds are a-twittering like mad – so we’ve got to be hopeful, haven’t we?

Take care everyone. God bless.

At this time of the year, as the winter months begin to take a back seat and spring hoves into view, I am normally to be found in a different habitat for a few days. A habitat that boasts of swimming pools, spas and treatment rooms. A habitat that is peopled by wonderful friends. A time of ‘time out’.

This year, sadly, there is no ‘time out’ in a spa retreat. No walking in the fields, candlelight stretches or walloping great dinners. No hanging the bottle of Prosecco out on the external windowsill to cool, no night-time swimming under the stars, or cosy ‘heads together’ as we puzzle over a crossword. This year, it’s a ‘do-it-yourself’ job and I intend to drift about at home in my dressing gown for a day or two, pretending I’m at Ragdale.

With that in mind, I made myself some Atholl Brose for breakfast (without the whisky, I hasten to add), spent half an hour in meditation and prayer this morning, and then had an hour at yoga class. It was good, but it wasn’t Ragdale…… And, as soon as I finished yoga today, I found myself even more wistful than before. Never mind…. there’s always next year.

John is still on the mend and the doctors are pleased that his lungs are not too bad, with the scan showing no deterioration since the last scan in November. The doctors are still bothered by the situation in his kidneys, however . “How much are you drinking, John?” Hmmm… a couple of jugsful of water and a few cups of tea/coffee a day. “Ok. We’re not sure that that’s enough. Try drinking a bit more. We may have to do a biopsy to see what’s going on if the kidneys don’t respond to the hydration therapy.” Crikey! If he drinks much more he’ll be afloat.

Fingers crossed, everyone, that 24 hours of drinking loads of water/tea/coffee will do the trick.

By now, of course, the ol’ man is getting a bit fed up. He’s run through his repertoire of listening to stories on his phone and Kindle Fire, reading his poker books, scrolling social media and watching telly. I said I’d take his laptop in. At least he could play poker if he wanted to. The only problem is, of course, is that the Wifi in the hospital is pretty naff. I normally buy some data on a SIM for a dongle when he’s in hospital, but we hadn’t done it this time, because we weren’t expecting him to be in this long.

Getting him some data for the dongle proved a little more difficult than normal. The Vodaphone shop is closed due to lockdown. The only thing I could get from the local OneStop shop was a ‘pay-as-you-go’ SIM card. Whether that will do the trick we don’t know. We’ll see.

In line with a ‘Ragdale habit’, I am planning to get into bed now and read my book. Might fall asleep. When I am at Ragdale, I spend a lot of time lying in bed asleep – catching up, usually, on a year’s worth of lost sleep and expended energy. I am going to try and take some ‘time out’ at home. I wonder how long that’ll last? Probably until tomorrow morning when I find a job to do…..

• 9,983 people tested positive for the virus today
• 323 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 135 people died in hospitals with the virus on 23 & 24 February
• And the days grind on in lockdown: Lockdown 3: Day 50; Lockdown 1: Day 338; self-imposed lockdown: Day 346

Take care everyone. God bless. And enjoy this, from Pam Ayres – made me smile, anyway.

For many months now, we have felt on the skids
We can't meet our friends, and we can't hug the kids
But friends, be emboldened! All may not be lost
For the crocus of hope, she has poked through the frost.

John is still languishing in hospital, much to his chagrin. It hasn’t stopped him from enjoying himself, however, and he joined in this evening’s Quiz Night on Zoom. He was even with it enough to offer answers to some of the questions, which no-one had any argument with, and he proved to be right.

I thought he has looked much improved all day today. Not quite so grey about the gills. And not so out of breath when he talked. The medics are going to hang on to him for a few more days yet, though, because they want to give him ‘a good week’ of IV antibiotics before sending him home with antibiotics in tablet form. They are also keen to keep an eye on the kidney function which, to my relief, has now stabilised. Unless they find anything bizarre in the next day or two they will put the drop of function down to dehydration and… dare I say it?…… the aging process. He might be home sometime over the weekend, or early next week – as long as he keeps up the current good behaviour.

For my part, I was spurred into action today because the window cleaner was coming. Pleased the window cleaner came, of course, but it made me actually look at the windows. Pretty grubby on the inside as well as the out. Normally, we are so busy with one thing and another that windows are my last job. Anyway, stung by the obvious neglect, I set to and cleaned our bedroom windows and the mirror doors on the wardrobes. Having nice, shiny windows in our room highlighted, of course, the dust in there…….. oh, gawd, housework!! It’s never-ending isn’t it?

Washing, ironing, dusting, sweeping, changing the bedsheets, cleaning the bathroom – all of that was on the agenda today, but I did enjoy myself too. I potted up the lovely bulbs I got with my flowers yesterday. And, all day, I have been admiring my flowers and enjoying their scent. The hyacinths and the narcissi in the bouquet from Linda and Brendan are heavenly heady.

I also sat for a few minutes after lunch, on the sofa, and ate chocolate. Bliss. And after tea, I sat upstairs in our sparkly room and did some meditation whilst soothing my eyes with an eye mask. Lovely.

This evening then, it was the quiz and I acted as quiz master. I was a tad nervous because my track record originally wasn’t great and, with John in hospital unable to guide me, I felt exposed being all on me own. However, it wasn’t too bad and we had a laugh as well some stretching of the grey cells. I do enjoy these evenings. Long may they continue – lockdown or no lockdown!

Not only was the quiz enjoyable for its own sake, but we had entertainment from John’s hospital bed. We’d not long got started when a healthcare assistant came in to offer John a cup of tea. “Oh, yes, thank you,” he said, “milk, two sugars. Biscuit? Oh, yes, please.” We were all rather jealous of his bourbons.

A little while later, it was tablets. Then after that, another healthcare assistant came in and said, “You’re moving.” What? “You’re going to Ward 10,” and she started packing up all his things. Honestly, they take no account of how a patient might feel in these circumstances at all. John looked and sounded upset. “What’s Ward 10?” he asked. “It’s gastrology.” she replied. Ah – well, perhaps it’s a renal clinic too. But puzzingly, the doctor that both John and I had spoken to earlier in the day had made no mention of having to move. John said goodbye to us and logged off.

We hoped to see him later, but I wasn’t holding out much hope as I thought he might be very cross. Anyway, ten minutes later, John logs back on again. “Nice to have you back,” we all chorused. “Where are you, John?” Malcolm asked, ” You look like you’re in the same room.” John grinned. “I am in the same room. They wheeled me to the end of the corridor and said, ‘You are Christopher XXX, aren’t you?’ Nope. So they wheeled me back again.” Pffff…….

• 9,938 people tested positive for the virus today
• 442 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 131 people died in hospitals on 22 & 23 February
• And it’s Day 49 of Lockdown 3; Day 337 of Lockdown 1; and Day 345 since we hunkered down

Whilst I do count my/our blessings, I’m still a bit miffed to be in lockdown. It’s Paul’s 40th birthday on Sunday. But how will we celebrate? Don’t really know, but thank goodness for Zoom. I shall certainly be opening a bottle of bubbly to toast our wonderful and dearest son, if nothing else. Full-on celebrations – maybe next year? (Any excuse).

Take care everyone. God bless.

It’s been a very mild day today, and when I got up I thought it looked so lovely outside that I’d sit on the patio and eat my breakfast. It was very enjoyable but it was a tad breezy. I had forgotten that the weather forecast was for a windy day. Anyway, I stuck it out because it was such a lovely day otherwise.

As the day has gone on, of course, it has got windier and windier until this evening the chimney has been playing me the most haunting of tunes. And then, you start thinking of all the things outside that might get ‘blowed about’, as my Dad used to say. Ah, well, whatever is going to get blown about will just have to be so, because I ain’t going out there this evening!

This morning, despite the loveliness of the day, I was determined to sit at the computer and compile the quiz for tomorrow evening. Although it looks like John will be joining in from his hospital bed, I thought we be honour-bound and, to uphold our name, I had to sort it out in his absence. Although Linda tells me she’s got a quiz ready, just in case…..

I was half-way through doing the quiz when John phoned. Well, he was phoning me back because he didn’t answer earlier when I’d tried to video-call him. He’d had an exciting morning and had been downstairs having a CT scan on his chest. They had whisked him down to the radiology department and within a minute he was called in; within five minutes he was done and dusted….. and then he sat there, like a lemon, for the next hour waiting for a porter to take him back to the ward. In the end, they phoned for a nurse to come down and get him, which she did, grumbling…..

Anyway, they didn’t find anything different in his chest we understand, so that’s good news, but they are still working to get his kidneys to function more efficiently. From what John said, his kidneys are only operating at half, or even less than half, of their normal capacity. We are not sure why. I thought I’d phone the ward and see if one of the nurses or the doctor could give me a bit more information, but regrettably, the phone rang out in vain on the two occasions I tried. I’ll try again tomorrow, see if we can make some sense of what is going on.

The quiz compiling had to take a break towards the end of the morning, however, as the man from G-Plan came to inspect our new sofa which has an unsatisfactory dent in the arm of the chair where John sits. We’ve only had the thing a few weeks…….. Apparently, the indentation is known as ‘puddling’. He took lots of photos and measurements, including weighing the foam inside the leather and wrote a report. In a week maybe, we’ll hear something.

Not long after, I happened to be in the hall and a couple of parcels caught my eye in the porch. Ooooh…… what’s this, I thought. Well, to my absolute delight it was flowers! A stunning bouquet of white tulips and hyacinths (maybe?) from Linda and Brendan, complete with their bulbs. What a smashing idea – you cut off the bulbs and plant them for them to come again another year, while you enjoy this year’s flowers.

Not only was my cup full, but it overflowed as I opened the second box of flowers which was from John. Tulips. They are my absolute favourite. Tulips and chocolates…. what more could I ask? The pictures really don’t do either bouquet justice, but here they are anyway.

After I’d popped the flowers into their respective vases, I thought I’d strike while the iron was hot and plant the bulbs. Nipped into the garden to get the compost for the tubs only to find there was none…….oh, I remember now! ‘Project Oak’ needed rather a lot as I recall. OK. I’ll nip to the garden centre to buy some more.

Just as I was about to set off, Paul phoned. I am temporarily on my own, so how about a ‘bubble’? Well, that sounded like a good idea, so I spent the afternoon ‘bubbling’ in Kenilworth in the open air, keeping our distance and having great fun. To see them all was just bliss and I’d quite like to do it again……

Naturally, when you go to the garden centre to buy a bag of compost, they sell you three. So when I got home, I hiked the three bags of compost out of the boot and now plan to plant the bulbs tomorrow. And what else do you do when you go to a garden centre? Buy all the things that you’ve been wanting for ages….. like some new silk flowers, and two very large pots for the camellia that Graham and Gail sent me for my birthday and now need potting on. *Does a little dance* Yee-ha! I spent some money! I spent some money! (to the tune of: ‘I’m in the money’, don’t you know.)

This evening, I was unaccountably tired. Hmm…. I think it might have been all that running about and fresh air this afternoon. A bit of an earl(ier) night tonight then…..

• 8,489 people tested positive for the virus today
• 548 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 160 people died in hospitals with the virus on 21 & 22 February
• It’s Day 48 of Lockdown 3; Day 336 of since the beginning of time…. oh, sorry, the beginning of Lockdown 1; and Day 344 since John and I shut ourselves in.

We are heartbroken that we have had to cancel our holiday. We were all looking forward to it so much. Just keeping my fingers crossed that we will find another opportunity to go this year. And I should be packing for Ragdale now…..eeesh.

Take care everyone. God bless. Keep smiling.

I woke up with the lark this morning. Or was it a blackbird? Or a sparrow? I don’t know, but whatever it was, it was jolly noisy. But delightful. It sounded lovely and reminded me of spring. I pulled back the curtains to greet the day, only to find that, actually, it was rather grey and raining. Oh….. shame.

Never mind, I was up then, so I might as well stay up. The priority was to gather things together to take over to John. I put together a little container full of goodies – fresh fruit, chocolate bars and dried mango – and then thought I’d add a packet of cashews because he likes those. I popped his book about poker into the bag as well, fished out some of his eyedrops from the freezer, wrote a little label of the bag’s contents, tied the handles of the bag together and was ready to go.

Oh…. hang on!! He said he needed PJs too. I pushed his clothes into another carrier bag and set off. All good. I confidently marched into the reception at the hospital and made my way towards the volunteers handling incoming and outgoing goods, and handed over the bags. I explained what was in them, (it’s a bit the like a gestapo interrogation, to be honest) and said I would wait for John’s washing to be sent down from the ward.

It was at that point that the Cashew Nut Policewoman (CNPW) came over. “Did you say nuts? I don’t think you can send nuts in.” Well, they were cashew nuts, not peanuts, so they’d be alright, surely? The CNPW stalked over to the girls behind reception, and asked one of them to phone to ward to check. Nuts? Whatever are you sending them in for?

Before the receptionists had time to make the call, however, the CNPW scanned a list pinned to the wall for ‘FORBIDDEN ITEMS’. She turned to me triumphantly, and said, “There! See? Nuts. No nuts.” Oh….ummm… cowed, I dipped into the bag and retrieved the offending item. I had to text John then, ‘Don’t get excited. It says I’ve packed cashew nuts, but they’re not allowed in, so I’ve taken them out….’

Despite the disappointment of no nuts, John was very happy with what I had sent in. In reply to my text, though, he said, ‘Blimey! This weighs a lot. Hope you didn’t overdo it carrying it in!’ No, no, darling it’s all fine, she says, staggering back to the car, whip marks from the gestapo beating still visible…..

By the time I got home, the weather was improving. The clouds were thinning and the sun was trying to peek through. I took a wander round the garden and inspected the pond. I was hoping to see frogspawn but I think it might be a bit early for that, as there was none. But my!! The birds were in their element and creating a real chorus of song. It was delightful.

John had been asleep when his parcel arrived, and we had a bit of desultory WhatsApp conversation, but nothing much. He wasn’t feeling too bad, but he was having a busy morning with tablets, breakfast, drips, cups of tea, doctors’ visits and then the parcel arriving. I let him sleep.

One promise I had made to myself recently was to phone people up so, yesterday, I phoned John’s cousin, John. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in, but he phoned me back this morning. Probably for the first time in about a year, we had a long and lovely chat. Each Christmas we promise that we’ll get together and sometimes we have, but mostly we haven’t. Anyway, it was nice. And, just so you know and for clarification purposes: John’s cousin, John, is married to Anne. Not me. Another Anne. So we send Christmas cards to each other: ‘To John and Anne. With love from John and Anne.‘ Tee-hee.

This afternoon, it was time to put a second coat of paint on the windowsill and sort out the washing that John had sent home. But, on the advice of several of my friends and family, I treated myself to a bunch of flowers and relaxed. I sat on the sofa and watched the activity in the garden and enjoyed the feel of spring in the air.

After tea, John phoned and we had a nice long chat. He feels a bit better I think, but we had a chuckle as we were both struggling to remember what’s going on. In fact, John only asked me three times what I was doing this evening. And who IS the Prime Minister, again….?

A few more days in hospital is promised, so we are not sure when John will be released. They are treating him for a chest infection with antibiotics, but they have also found a fungal infection. Actually, he’s had that for nearly a year, but medical opinion is divided on whether to treat it or not. The doctor he saw today said that he was deviating from his colleagues’ opinion and planned to treat it. So antivirals, antibiotics and antifungals…… owt else?

This evening, just in case John has forgotten, I have been attempting to sort out papers in the computer room. They are strewn all over the bed because I couldn’t be bothered to file the darned things. Anyway, some headway has been made, but I was thankful for a mini-break in the form a telephone call from Fran. Really enjoyed talking to her and, by the time we’d finished chatting, it was too late to carry on with papers, wasn’t it? Shame. Maybe tomorrow.

• 10,641 people tested positive for the virus today
• 178 people died in the community with COVID
• 109 people died in hospitals on 20 & 21 February

With the numbers coming down, the Prime Minister has announced the Government’s ‘roadmap’ and exit plan out of the lockdown for the coming weeks. Unfortunately for us, it looks like it’ll all be too late for us to take our family holiday in Dorset at Easter. I could weep.

I am still counting the days.

• Days into Lockdown 3? 47
• Days into official Lockdown 1? 335
• Days since our unofficial Lockdown? 343

Take care everyone. God bless.

After the excitement of the last couple of days, the ride is beginning to slow down. Although John had a rotten night. Attached to a machine into his arm, he had to drag the darn thing with him every time he needed the loo. And, because the drip is pumping oodles of fluid into his body, he seemed to need the loo every hour. Not only that, but the machine was a pump-driven one which, for some reason, would stop working every half hour or so and start beeping. John would have to press the buzzer for the nurse to come and re-set the machine. As you can imagine, he didn’t get a lot of sleep.

This morning, the nurse was so frustrated with the pump-machine that he changed it for a gravity drip which doesn’t beep. John thought he might get a bit of shut-eye then, but no. They woke him up to give him tablets, or to take his vitals signs and then, at various intervals, to take blood – including another phial for another COVID test. John seems to think that they’ll test him for COVID every day now. His arm was covered in a selection of plasters, bandages and bruises where they had poked at him throughout the morning. My poor, darling husband. I am keen to get him out of hospital and back home as soon as we can.

I, on the other hand, had a better day and relaxed a bit. The COVID test I had done yesterday came back negative this morning, so that meant that I could go over to the hospital to take some things for John. However, by the time the result arrived, it was a bit short notice before I was due to take part in an on-line writing course at 2 o’clock. John said not to worry about taking his stuff today in the end, so I took him at his word.

The on-line course was wonderful. It’s called Writing for Wellbeing and it is intended to help you capture your life in a positive way. Today’s session was called ‘Finding Beauty’ and I came away from the session very much uplifted.

I was also uplifted by dear Margaret and Chris calling in on me with a bar of chocolate. *Does a little dance* We had a fabulous doorstep chat, too, so that cheered me up no end. Also, unexpectedly, Anita rang on the little WhatsApp group we’ve set up for the college girls. She had been texting to the group and, by accident, caught the phone button and rang us all. I was the only one who answered (the others were being saintly and potting up plants in their gardens), and we spent a good fifteen minutes chatting, with Anita offering me wise advice, before I had to say au revoir as it was writing time.

There was also a dose of Sutton Sleaths injected into the day, with Thomas crawling all over the place and interested in anything but his toys. Why is that? Why do kids always make a bee-line for the prohibited? No idea. William had been watching Paw Patrol and was letting his imagination run riot with ‘those scallywag pirates’ having stolen his life jacket. I had a grin on my face from beginning to end of the video call, I can tell you.

I had been hoping to catch up with Paul today, too, for a bit of a chat, but he called me just as I was getting going on the writing. Then I called him just as he was at the park – but he was unable to talk. He was about to trundle Harriet to A&E. Oh, Lord, what now? Now, some of you will understand this, and others won’t. There was a rope swing, you see, hanging from a tree….. Harriet, a girl after my own heart, acting her shoe size and not her age, decided to have a go on the swinging rope. The rope bit back and she fell. The bone in her finger is now broken into 4 pieces and the nail bed is ripped out, too. Ouch.

In better news, baby Arthur is home! Such exciting news. Lovely photographs of them all arriving home with Arthur in his car seat/carry seat, and another beautiful photo of him snug as a bug in his Moses basket. So pleased for them. Of course, the hard work begins now, doesn’t it? I wish them all health and happiness and God speed.

With regards to the COVID situation nationally, the figures are continuing to improve, with the rate of infection slowing and those infected today down under the 10k mark.

• 9,834 people tested positive for the virus today
• 215 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 140 people died in hospitals on 19 & 20 February
• We are now through Day 46 of Lockdown 3; Day 334 since official Lockdown 1 began; and Day 342 since John and I hunkered down.

On the bright side though, spring is on the way! I opened the window in the lounge while I painted the windowsill this morning and the birds were singing their little hearts out. It was so beautiful. The crocuses and snowdrops are out, and the daffodils are burgeoning. Stay focused people, better days are coming. God bless. Oh, and here’s a picture of the snowdrops I was talking about, to cheer you up.

Or is your preference a rollercoaster? Take your pick, we’ve got lots of rides to choose from!

I was tired, so I thought I might go to bed early last night. Blog done, ablutions abluted and snuggled in bed by just after eleven. Lovely. Read for a little while then settled down. Ping! The phone went. I looked over – it was dead on midnight – a message from John.

‘Just been woken up to be told I have COVID…….I have to move to a COVID ward.’

My reaction was predictable. Thunder. Surely a positive test was not possible? We have taken every precaution and been so very, very careful. My mind racing, I suggested he ask for another test. It must be wrong. John thought the staff wouldn’t take ‘no’ for answer on the move to the COVID ward and said, ‘Well, if I don’t have it now, I soon will have!!…. But can’t really refuse to go.’ Erm…. let’s see now. What options have we got in the middle of the night? Refuse to move; ask for another test; make a fuss; check himself out of hospital?

John momentarily considered the option of checking himself out of hospital. We talked about it, but I wasn’t confident I would know how to look after him if he was poorly. I opted for ‘make a fuss’, which he did. He told them he wasn’t moving because he didn’t believe the result of the test – it must be a false positive. The member of staff who’d delivered the news was nonplussed. He said he’d go and discuss it with senior people.

A bit later on, a very articulate and kind senior nurse came in and showed John the evidence. The pathology report. It definitely showed he’d got COVID. She also explained that he’d be taken to an isolation room which was specifically set up for people who were yet to have their diagnosis fully confirmed.

At one o’clock in the morning, however, on John’s insistence, they agreed to do a re-test. And they also arranged to move John, having reassured him that there were no confirmed COVID patients on the ward. He agreed to go. And, in the meantime, he said to me, ‘You need to get tested immediately’.

We finally said goodnight to one another at a quarter past two in the morning. But I couldn’t sleep then. I was mulling over where we/I had been in the week, what we had done, who I had seen and had I worn my mask? Had I got closer than 2 metres to anyone? Had I brought it home to him? I did fall asleep about four o’clock in the morning and then found myself very busy on Mars where I had joined a colony of settlers and was employed as their skivvy.

The morning was busy, one way or another with discussion about the COVID situation. A specialist Infectious Diseases Consultant visited John and agreed that all the precautions we’ve been taking would probably preclude him having COVID. And he didn’t have any symptoms. She agreed to do another test, on top of the test he’d had done in the middle of the night.

By lunchtime, however, it was not only John shouting at me to get a test. The kids were too. I looked on the website. ‘Is the person who needs the test an essential worker?’ Er… no. So tests ‘need to go to essential workers first…’ which I took to mean I couldn’t have a test and, if there were no symptoms, just to stay home and self-isolate.

The kids told me otherwise. Go and get a test, Mum! Oooh….erm….the website won’t let me. Honestly, the poor kids – they were fairly screaming at my incompetence to get all the way through the website to book a test. In the end, Paul said a rude word, ‘xxxxx, Mum – read it!’ Ah… OK, OK…..oh, look I’ve got all the way through and managed to book a test. For this afternoon. In half an hour’s time.

So I toddled off to Car Park 5 at Birmingham Airport and was tested. Phew! Sent a photo of the test barcode as proof of it to the kids to stop them all shouting at me. Within half an hour, John texted: ‘Glad you had that done, Anne. However, I have just had the official lab result from my third and fourth tests and they have come back negative’.

Hysterical laughter.

‘What do we do now if your test is positive?’ asks John. ‘Panic?‘ I offer, just as the official notification pings into my inbox: You must self-isolate for 10 days until 1 March……… oh, for goodness’ sake! Thanks, John. More hysterical laughter.

So there we are. Fun and games. There is so much to choose from isn’t there?

By the time I’d got home from the COVID test centre, I felt a little agitated. I roamed the house for a few minutes, ruminating on what to do with myself. In self-isolation you’re not supposed to go on a walk, which I could have done with just then. Watch the telly? Nah – too sedentary. Run round the garden? Nah – too wet and anyway, it was raining quite hard. In the end, I decided to clear out the utility room which was still full of painting and decorating materials, and I also got out the paint to put a layer of undercoat on the windowsill in the library. That did the trick and the agitation soon subsided.

I was soothed by the kids too, who sent witty comments on social media and photos of gorgeous grandsons. Thomas, eight months old, is now clapping in time, to the song ‘If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands’. So cute.

I had originally planned to go over to the hospital this afternoon to take some eyedrops, fruit and books to John, but being in self-isolation I realised I couldn’t do that, so he’s had to forego those treats. Fingers crossed his eyes don’t get too sore without his eyedrops.

Oh, and in all the kerfuffle, we have forgotten to ask how John is doing. Not too badly but not well enough to be returned home yet. On a drip, sometimes oxygen, and IV antibiotics, the doctors seem more concerned about his kidneys rather than his chest. Not sure what to make of all that. Apparently, when you get older your kidneys shrink. Who knew? Oh, alright, you medical people knew, OK! However, they have asked him to drink plenty to try and rehydrate them a bit. No instructions about his chest yet, so it’s a ‘wait and see’ job.

And, of course, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t become one of the statistics with a positive COVID test, of whom there have been 10,406 people today. There have been 445 people who have died with the virus in the community in the last 24 hours; and 187 deaths in hospitals in the last couple of days.

Prayers are still needed for everyone going through difficult times now, so on Day 45 of Lockdown 3, Day 333 since the start of official Lockdown 1 and Day 341 of unofficial Lockdown 1, I will remember them. I will also be saying my prayers for John in his single cell, too.

With grateful thanks to everyone who has sent good wishes today, I can confirm that positives thoughts and vibes help no end.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Early Blog. The reason? I am going to bed early. Oh…… you mean, what is the reason I am going to bed early? Ah….. well, we had a middle-of-the-night-dash-to-the-hospital last night…… so just a few hours of snatched sleep.

John’s chest and his breathing were bothering me. Might have mentioned it yesterday. Once or twice. Anyway, once I’d done all my nightly chores and put the bins out, I got into bed at around midnight and sat listening to a musical concertina next to me. The concertina was really struggling to take air in….. and push air out…..I couldn’t help myself of course, and patted John to say, “Are you alright?” He was irritated; he’d been asleep. Of course he was alright.

Well, there ensued a debate for the next hour as to whether I should take him to hospital or not. His vote was for waiting until the morning. My vote was to go now. He turned over, intent on going back to sleep. I got up and packed his case. Just in case.

I woke him up again and told him his breathing (or not) was worrying me. “Oh, alright then,” he said, “Phone 111 and see what they say.” The health professional on the other end of the phone on 111 was very good and very patient. Asked a lot of questions and then said, at the end of it, “We’d like you to go to a treatment centre, within the hour, given your symptoms. I’ll try and book you in.” We balked at John being booked in anywhere other than Heartlands. There’s always such a kerfuffle when he goes to any other hospital because they don’t know his case. “That’s fine,” she replied, “If you can get over to Heartlands within the hour, please do.” She repeated: “within the hour.”

So we set off. Got there just after 2 o’clock in the morning. “You can’t come in,” said the receptionist, motioning me away. However, John was so out of breath that she couldn’t get a word out of him. She reluctantly took his details from me. “Knock on the nurses door,” she told John, “and the nurse will see you.” The nurse motioned John in…… “but you can’t come in,” she said to me, wafting me to one side. “I know,” I said, disappointed – and then I added as afterthought, hopeful, “John’s hard of hearing.” OK, that’s fine, we can deal with it, now just go away, relatives are not allowed in.

I waited outside in the cool middle-of-the-night air, chatting to a robin who had come to play at my feet. I asked the robin if he knew it was nearly three o’clock in the morning? He said, yes, but he’d just thought he’d keep me company for a bit. How nice. Actually, it was nice. I enjoyed watching the robin hopping about, putting his head first on one side, and then the other; turning over bits of what-might-be food. At that time in the morning I was grateful for the distraction.

After an hour of kicking my heels in the cool night air, I thought I’d give John a ring to see what was happening. Oxygen, IV antibiotics and hooked up to a heart monitor. “You’re staying in then?” Yes, sounds like it. But he didn’t want all the packing I’d done. He didn’t want pyjamas, underpants, socks or dressing gown. Are you sure? He was adamant.

Rued it this morning though, didn’t he? He was phoning me up asking me to bring them today. Which I did, of course, plus the Kindle he hadn’t wanted, and a pen and some paper and some fruit. He was pleased to have all of that today.

So there we are. On the Merry-go-Round again. Poor John. So frustrating. He’d only been congratulating himself the other day that he’d got through January without having to go to hospital. Well, we’ll see what tomorrow brings and what advice they’ve got for him this time. Keep the prayers coming please.

For those of you who may be interested, the respiratory nurses did phone up early this morning. They had clocked that John was in hospital and were pleased about that. “That’s what we would have told you to do,” said the nurse, “there’s not a lot we can do when it’s got to that stage. Better to get the doctors to check him out.” Boom!

I really haven’t taken a lot of notice of the news today. Funny that. However, I know that the cases of COVID are steadying, so I’m keeping hopeful. John has strict instructions to keep sanitising his hands…..

• 12,027 people tested positive for the virus today
• 533 people died in the community with the virus in the last 24 hours
• 209 people died with the virus in hospitals on 17 & 18 February
• Today is Day 45 of Lockdown 3; Day 332 since instructions were issued to stay home last March; and Day 340 since John and I stayed home voluntarily.

Thank you to everyone who have sent good wishes and were fully aware of John’s predicament. Love is all you need – and I’m feeling that.

Take care everyone. God bless.