It was John’s nuclear bone scan today. Had to be at Heartlands for eleven o’clock where they injected him with some nuclear stuff before sending him away for it to take effect, with instructions to come back later for the scan.
It was a bit of a rush to get there on time this morning. I hadn’t realised he was still a-lounging in bed when I took him his cup of tea and breakfast, so he had to quickly do his medication and inhalers to try and get out of the door by 10.30. Oh, and can we get the new bumper out of the garage to take with us? Of course we can! John fished it out and put it in the boot, ready for delivery to the electroplating company, but it all added minutes to the start of our journey time and we were a few minutes late arriving at the hospital.
As it turned out it didn’t matter, and the medics dealt with John in their own time anyway.
Once John was radioactive, we drove over to Smethwick to the friendly guy who had re-chromed John’s other bumper that didn’t fit, and dropped off the new one, that does fit. We are hoping that the company will get it done in next week’s batch of things to be re-chromed and then John can get on with attaching it. Fingers crossed the rust on the bumper doesn’t put holes in it when it’s chromed…..
Once we’d done that little job, we drove over to the Jewellery Quarter to collect Andrew’s necklace that I’d taken for repair. While I was in the shop, I asked about polishing up Mum’s rings. “Are they too tarnished?” I asked, worried that they’d never come back to gold again. “No,” replied the jeweller, “I can sort that out for you. It looks like they’ve been soaked in gin or whisky!” I laughed. That was unlikely!! The girl in shop offered another explanation, “Could it be the alcohol gel or hand wipes they use in the home?” Maybe.
Anyway, the jeweller went on, “I can do it now, if you like? Give me half an hour?” Well, I did like, so I left the rings there and John and I went to our favourite café and partook of a cappuccino and a sausage and bacon brioche for him, and a peppermint tea and avocado smash on toast with eggs for me. It was lovely to actually be out at lunchtime eating together. Just us.
Half an hour later, on our way back to Heartlands for John to be scanned and beamed into space, we went and collected Mum’s rings, which were sparkly and like new. I was pleased with the result. Although I don’t quite know what I am going to do with them now! Mum laments the fact they are not on her fingers, but I am loath to give her them back, for them to drop off again. Should’ve had them made smaller maybe? Something to think about.
Once I’d dropped John off, I spent a good ten minutes trying to park the darned car – the car park was so full I had to go round it three times. Finally squeezed into a disabled spot and set off up to Ward 21 to visit Mum, where I’d been told she was, having been moved from the Old People’s Assessment Department (OPAD).
Ha! They had no idea who Hazel was and shook their heads as they looked through their printed lists, then the computer lists. I went back to OPAD – what have you done with my Mother? It transpired that she was on Ward 30. Ah…. OK.
Mum was very sleepy today but had drunk a fair bit. She hadn’t eaten anything much though. She had a little bit of conversation but was keen to close her eyes.
We had a bit of a kerfuffle trying to get her nightie sorted out though. She had put her arm through the neck hole and was half strangling herself with it. A nurse helped me to slot her arm back through so that she was all in the right place. She howled and howled as we did it, much to John’s amusement as he was walking up the corridor and could hear her half a mile away!
The doctor, who wasn’t a day over 16, discussed her case with me. He advised that he recommended taking her off some of her medication. She wasn’t taking it anyway, and its therapeutic effect is only any good if you take regularly. I agreed. He explained that they were preparing her for discharge and to be aware that she may go downhill again now that she isn’t on the drip. Yep. Got it. Prepared for anything now.
Quiz Night tonight – and what fun! Always, always lifts my spirits. We always have a laugh together. Such dear friends. Lucky, lucky us.
Take care everyone. God bless. Look after yourselves and your loved ones. Tell ’em you love ’em.