Never a dull moment

“What are your plans for the day?” John wondered, as we awoke this morning. “Hmmmm…. I’ll have to consult my list.” I replied. He was scornful. “You and your lists.” he said. I felt I had to justify myself and started on a long spiel as to why I needed a list, ending up saying, lamely, “…….. and, you know, I might forget….”

So I consulted my list which consisted of: ‘make lots of phone calls to agencies about Mum’. Well, obviously, I couldn’t do that, it being Easter weekend an’ all. Next, it told me to do some running about the village to deliver the Easter cards I’d carefully written. I could do that, and so I set about thinking of the route I’d take. I also planned to shoot over to the Kenilworth Sleaths to take Easter Eggs. “Do you fancy cutting my hair?” John wondered next. “Ah…OK.” I replied, quickly re-calculating my day.

I just had time to deliver a couple of cards to people living a stone’s throw from us before I did John’s hair. Then Michael phoned and wondered what we were doing this afternoon. Was a garden visit on the cards? He didn’t have to ask twice. Most definitely, please come for a garden visit – and you can help me put the gazebo up! I can do my deliveries later – perhaps across tea-time.

The Sutton Sleaths duly arrived and William found that the Easter Bunny had also arrived – a little bit early at our house, but he wasn’t to notice and he hunted round the garden to fill his basket full of eggs. We had a lovely afternoon – quiet and gentle. Peering into the pond, playing in the sandpit, chatting softly, and dandling baby Thomas on our knees. Marvellous.

The nurse arrived mid-afternoon to give John his infusion. She struggled to feed anything through the cannula. She said it was blocked and needed to be replaced, and promptly sent for someone else to come and fit another one. Two hours later they were both still here, however, having failed to get any access to any vein anywhere in John’s arms. Black and blue the boy is – black and blue.

The solution to the problem? Phone for the paramedics to come and put a cannula in. They’ll be here within 4 hours. Oh… OK. We waved goodbye to the Sutton Sleaths in the middle of this little bit of excitement, and then we waved goodbye to the nurses too, and sat down to wait.

I started thinking about food. I realised that we didn’t have any sweet potato, which I was planning to cook, so I nipped up to the shops to get some. On my way, the phone rang. It was one of the ladies at Michael Blanning. Mum wasn’t feeling great. Oh, crikey! I explained that we were waiting for paramedics to arrive so I couldn’t immediately shoot over to Mum’s. “Sit her in her chair, please and put her feet up. The carer will be there shortly.” I hoped for the best.

I cooked our evening meal and we were still waiting for the paramedics. I was also still waiting, with trepidation, for a phone call from Mum’s carer. I hadn’t yet delivered all my Easter cards, nor taken the Easter Eggs over to Paul’s. Never mind, there’s still time…..

By 9 o’clock this evening the paramedics still hadn’t arrived, but neither had I had a phone call from Mum’s. I checked the app. She seemed to have recovered and was OK. We had, however, taken a phone call from the ambulance station to say they were sorry that the paramedics were delayed.

Finally, they arrived at about half-past nine. And they were successful in their mission to cannulate. It’s amazing what a bowl of warm water can do to tease out a vein. Next part of the jigsaw, then: phone the District Nurses to come out and administer the medication – which takes an hour to infuse. The nurses arrived at 10.30, and were satisfied that the cannula was operative. Whoop! Whoop! The paramedics left.

What a relief. We had had visions of having to go to the hospital to get sorted, if this plan hadn’t worked. Fingers crossed that the cannula will stay in situ for tomorrow and Monday…..

And so, just before midnight – with the infusion infused, the nurses have left. Aaaaand breathe…… I think can now remove that axe that seems to have lodged itself between my shoulder blades…….. not sure John has yet, though, poor man. It’s tough.

Deliveries? Shall I run and do them now? No, said Monika, the District Nurse, as she left the premises. You need sleep. Eight hours is what you need……. hmmm, deliveries then – maybe tomorrow? Yes, maybe tomorrow.

Just for the record, and ‘I’ve started, so I’ll finish…’ here are today’s COVID stats.

• 3,423 people tested positive for the virus today
• 10 people died with the virus in the community in the last 24 hours
• 13 people died in hospitals with the virus on 1 & 2 April
• And it’s Day 6 of the lifting of Lockdown 3; Day 376 since Lockdown 1; Day 381 since our self-imposed Lockdown 1

Meanwhile, the clock hands have moved smoothly over the hour and we’re now into Easter Day. Alleluia! Happy Easter everyone!

Take care and God bless.