Family

Are you a glass half-full or a glass half-empty sort of person? I usually try to have a glass half full, personally. And how do you like your news? The good or the bad first? Now that’s a bit more of a conundrum. However, I prefer to have the good first – it bolsters you up to deal with the bad, doesn’t it? So that’s how the day went today – the good, then the bad – I just hope we don’t get the ugly…..

I popped round to Mum’s first thing to give her the tablet that the carers can’t, and found she was much improved, even if she was still a bit sleepy. She was quite cheerful and happily took her tablets and, when the carer arrived, got dressed and had breakfast no trouble. All very good.

I nipped back home for a shower and was pleased to see that Andrew had texted to say he was on his way home for a garden visit. I was dancing in the aisles, as you can imagine. I was very excited but still in my dressing gown when he arrived. I ran about setting up a warm area for John just inside the patio doors, and a warm area for Andrew just outside the patio doors and then went and dried my hair.

I joined them once I had sorted myself out and, oh, it was just wonderful to be with Andrew. We walked up to the shops together to buy something nice for lunch and then picnicked outside on the patio. John braved the cold as we sat and ate our lunch. It was lovely.

Interspersed with the chat to Andrew, I took a few phone calls regarding the research I am doing for a care home for Mum, so I was up and down like a yo-yo for much of the afternoon and, all too soon, the afternoon was over and Andrew was on his way.

John and I thought we’d have a few minutes thawing out before getting our evening meal ready. The Sutton Sleaths phoned while we were defrosting and we had a lovely chat to them all. William was equally as excited as me at the thought of seeing ‘Uncle Andrew’ and fairly squeaked and giggled with excitement. Not to be outdone, Thomas did lots and lots of grinning too……

Mid-way through the video call, another call came in on my phone. It was one of Mum’s carers. Mum had had a fall and the carer had phoned for the ambulance. I cut the call to the Sutton Sleaths short and hot-footed it round to Mum’s.

Oh, dear, oh, dear. Mum was lying prone on the floor, full-length. She had clearly face-planted as she fell and, equally clearly, had been there for some time. She was conscious and able to speak to us, but unable to move. She said thought she had been there for hours. The ambulance service told us not to move her as long as she could breath OK. Well, to be honest, it was a bit of a struggle for Mum to breath as her nose was a bit squashed. She managed, however, until the paramedics arrived.

The paramedics checked her over and established that there were no bones broken before they turned her over and sat her up. They confirmed that Mum probably had been lying there for at least two hours given the pooling of fluids into her face. Poor Mum. Poor Mum.

The ambulance took Mum off to Warwick Hospital to be checked over. As I write, I am not sure what they have found, because A&E was very busy and, although Mum had been triaged, no doctor had yet done any assessment or tests. No doubt they’ll manage to review her shortly and decide what to do for the best. I only hope they don’t decide to discharge her late into the night and expect me to go and collect her then…… that would definitely be ugly.

On the day that all the major TV channels dedicated hours and hours of tributes to Prince Philip who passed away this morning, the status regarding the virus is still stable. Thank goodness something is.

• 3,150 people tested positive for the virus today
• 60 people died with the virus in the community in the last 24 hours
• 18 people died in hospitals with the virus on 7 & 8 April
• And it’s Day 12 of the lifting of Lockdown 3; Day 382 since Lockdown 1; Day 387 since our self-imposed Lockdown 1

Take care everyone. God bless.