Yes, Suzie finally got her way and dragged me screaming and kicking (well, more like a sullen sulk actually) round the new Westfield Shopping Centre (Mall to those reading in America). Well, at least we now don't have to drive 40 miles to find some decent shops - there's plenty of opportunity to empty one's wallet now right here in town. Suzie was so excited about going there again (she went on opening day, and this was her 4th trip in all) but I can't get excited about going and seeing if there's anything I neither want or need that I'm prepared to spend money on buying -- I just don't get the whole consumerism thing! The good news is that she treated me to dinner out at a Chinesse resturant, which we both enjoyed. Good grub reasonably priced, we'll definitely be going back there again.
The 26th was Gran Harrison's birthday - which now makes her 91 (or more) years old. She still lives with Do & Alan near Norwich, but is very forgetful. I'm going to try and get over there on the weekend of the 10th/11th while Suzie is in Dublin on her girlie weekend.
Mum & Dad had a good, quiet weekend. Dad spends much of his time asleep but at least that gives Mum a chance to rest up too. I managed to get down there Sunday morning for an hour and Andy went down and walked the dog in the afternoon.
Mark seems to be settling down into University life, coming home at weekends to get his washing down and empty the contents of the fridge with constant snacking. His girlfriend is on 1/2 term this week and will be spending so time with him at his digs on campus. He might be intelligent,but, I agree with Andy that he has no common sense. Still not renewed his scooter insurance. Still not got a job (part or full time) and not bothered chasing up any of the applications he sent off. Still not bothered to sort out the money in one of his bank accounts that he can't get his hands on because the bank have cancelled his ATM card. When will he realise that he has to join in with the world and that it won't go to him? Still, at least he took the max strenght Lem Sips we gave him last week and he's shaken off the cold he had - but now his girlfriend has caught it....
Today I finished the piece of work I was doing for a regular client. Bang on schedule (again - that's two out of two for this client) and I get to present my findings tomorrow. That means another early start (5:30 am) and a 180 mile round trip tomorrow (Derby to Milton Keynes and back). Oh what joy! Had a bit of an upset tummy over the weekend, which is persisting still.
Andy had to work Saturday morning but other than that he's managing just fine though both he and his girlfriend were a bit tired and snappy (with each other) over the weekend, but, things are back to normal tonight. He and some mates had a run in with the local police Saturday night -- the lads all chipped in and bought some fireworks and then went off down a local park and let them off. PC Plod turns up shortly after everything had finished going pop, bang, whizz and asked if they'd got a license to set them off on public ground, but as everything was over they'd no evidence against any of the group. Plod is a bit peeved so promptly decides to give all 8 cars present the once over -- only to give them a clean bill of health. All the lads were mighty chuffed but Plod wasn't (such a shame!).
Having started this one with Suzie, I'll finish with her too. Her phased return to work continues and she's getting the old fire back -- which is a good sign. She'll be doing 4 day weeks for this and the 2 following weeks and then hopefully, all being well, back to full time. Fingers crossed (as they say).
Monday, 29 October 2007
Monday, 22 October 2007
A good weekend
After all the stress of the last few weeks it was such a relief to have a good weekend. Angie and John drove up from Essex, and while they both stayed with Mum & Dad for most of the weekend.
The women all went into town to the new shopping centre for Saturday afternoon while John and I sat with Dad, and John came over and watched the rugby Saturday night. They both came over for Sunday lunch, where Sue excelled with a "double roast" meal and a "double strudel" for desert. It was good quality family time together, which was added to by Christine phoning from America just at the end of the meal (though she did sound a bit down). Angie stole the show putting on a "riser" chef's hat in a way that only Angie can.
Mark seems to have gone down with a bit of a cold, full of sniffles this morning so he'll be taking Lemsip this week to shake it off as his girlfriend will be about next weekend. Suzie's phased return to work appears to be going well, fingers crossed it continues to do so. Andy is still looking for a car to replace his Corsa. I missed out on a couple of ride-outs with the Deauville crowd this weekend but the family had to come first and it was quality, so that's enough compensation for me.
John and a work mate may be doing the Bike Show in Birmingham (24th Nov - 2nd Dec) so we may get to do that together - which would be nice. Have to wait and see on that one.
The women all went into town to the new shopping centre for Saturday afternoon while John and I sat with Dad, and John came over and watched the rugby Saturday night. They both came over for Sunday lunch, where Sue excelled with a "double roast" meal and a "double strudel" for desert. It was good quality family time together, which was added to by Christine phoning from America just at the end of the meal (though she did sound a bit down). Angie stole the show putting on a "riser" chef's hat in a way that only Angie can.
Mark seems to have gone down with a bit of a cold, full of sniffles this morning so he'll be taking Lemsip this week to shake it off as his girlfriend will be about next weekend. Suzie's phased return to work appears to be going well, fingers crossed it continues to do so. Andy is still looking for a car to replace his Corsa. I missed out on a couple of ride-outs with the Deauville crowd this weekend but the family had to come first and it was quality, so that's enough compensation for me.
John and a work mate may be doing the Bike Show in Birmingham (24th Nov - 2nd Dec) so we may get to do that together - which would be nice. Have to wait and see on that one.
Friday, 19 October 2007
Settling down
Following his short stay in hospital, father appears to have settled down and back into routine. The District Nurse has been out to check up on him (Tuesday) because the capheter he has fitted keeps giving trouble, getting blocked, but yesterday the doctor dropped by to check him over and said he was OK apart from a little constipation – which he treated.
Mother is better for having had those few days without dad to care for and is looking as well as we’ve seen her for a while now – since she had that break in the summer when she went and stayed with Sue & Godfrey for Simon’s wedding.
Angie & John will be coming up to visit for the weekend so hopefully between us we can give mother a bit of a hand and possibly a short break – Sue has suggested that the women go into the new Westfield centre which opened recently, just so she gets to find her way around without having to worry about dad.
Had a "from the heart" email from Christine in America this week - it's really cutting her up at this time being so far away from the rest of the family. All I can say Chris is that you're better off with your memories of dad as he was rather than seeing him now as he is. It cuts me up so much that I can't bring myself to go down and see them on a daily basis and "cheat" by ringing them to check how they are. It's not the same, I know, but it'll have to do for now.
Mother is better for having had those few days without dad to care for and is looking as well as we’ve seen her for a while now – since she had that break in the summer when she went and stayed with Sue & Godfrey for Simon’s wedding.
Angie & John will be coming up to visit for the weekend so hopefully between us we can give mother a bit of a hand and possibly a short break – Sue has suggested that the women go into the new Westfield centre which opened recently, just so she gets to find her way around without having to worry about dad.
Had a "from the heart" email from Christine in America this week - it's really cutting her up at this time being so far away from the rest of the family. All I can say Chris is that you're better off with your memories of dad as he was rather than seeing him now as he is. It cuts me up so much that I can't bring myself to go down and see them on a daily basis and "cheat" by ringing them to check how they are. It's not the same, I know, but it'll have to do for now.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
Highlights from the weekend
Dad's Back home - After saying on Frdiay that he'd be in for the weekend, on Saturday morning the senior doctor changed his mind and sent him home. Both he and mum seem happy and mum is rested from not having to man-handle him about for the best part of a week.
Saturday - Sue and I drove Andy down to Bristol to collect a BMW he'd bought on eBay. On arrival it wasn't as described so money did not change hands. Andy's quite disappointed but lesson learnt.
Saturday night - went to Paul Faulk's 50th birthday bash in Loughborough. Sue drove which meant I drank! An excellent night with his brother's band playing "Irish" music, a loverly buffet with curry or chilli con-carne and rice. Some familiar faces, so not. We both enjoyed ourselves staying right to the end.
Mark rode up to Manchester on the A6 through Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton and spent the weekend with his girlfriend Eleanor. Says the road is a brilliant bikers road (I already knew that, but it shows that he's a biker at heart that he can identify it as such) and that he's looking forward to the next time in a couple of weeks time.
Saturday - Sue and I drove Andy down to Bristol to collect a BMW he'd bought on eBay. On arrival it wasn't as described so money did not change hands. Andy's quite disappointed but lesson learnt.
Saturday night - went to Paul Faulk's 50th birthday bash in Loughborough. Sue drove which meant I drank! An excellent night with his brother's band playing "Irish" music, a loverly buffet with curry or chilli con-carne and rice. Some familiar faces, so not. We both enjoyed ourselves staying right to the end.
Mark rode up to Manchester on the A6 through Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton and spent the weekend with his girlfriend Eleanor. Says the road is a brilliant bikers road (I already knew that, but it shows that he's a biker at heart that he can identify it as such) and that he's looking forward to the next time in a couple of weeks time.
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Sarcoids update
In all the rushing around after Dad last weekend I forgot to post an update on my sarcoids. I had an appointment Thursday last week with the consultant who confirmed that all the test results over the last year now point to me having sarcoids grade 2.
Basically this means that I am now in remission and if it doesn't recur during the next 2 years then I have got it out of my system. If it comes back then I have grade 3 - which means it will go dormant for periods and then have active spells when I will have to have steroid treatment.
Fingers cross - here's hoping it's grade 2!
Update on father - he's responded to the antibiotics and is much better today. Back to being coherent as well and the doctors say that as soon as his temperature goes back down to normal then he can go home - possibly for the weekend.
Sue has started her phased return to work - did Monday morning and this morning. She's enjoying being back but still has a way to go, which is why it's a phased return.
Basically this means that I am now in remission and if it doesn't recur during the next 2 years then I have got it out of my system. If it comes back then I have grade 3 - which means it will go dormant for periods and then have active spells when I will have to have steroid treatment.
Fingers cross - here's hoping it's grade 2!
Update on father - he's responded to the antibiotics and is much better today. Back to being coherent as well and the doctors say that as soon as his temperature goes back down to normal then he can go home - possibly for the weekend.
Sue has started her phased return to work - did Monday morning and this morning. She's enjoying being back but still has a way to go, which is why it's a phased return.
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
A stressful time right now
Starting with some good news - Mark has started at University. He has been home both of the last 2 weekends to have his linen done after we helped him move in the weekend previous. He has a nice room in the on-campus accomodation and has settled in well. Still trying (not very hard I must add) to find somewhere to store his scooter on campus. His girlfriend Eleanor was home from her University last weekend so we had them both here Saturday night - they went out at 22:30 and got in at 03:19 - Doh! Kids! Who'd have them?
Father took a bad turn last Sunday 7th October and mother called out the paramedics to him. The distric nurse had already been out to him so we all waited while the paras called her back. She decided he had to go to the city hospital but he's too large for the 2 paras to move so we had to wait for another crew to turn up and help. 3 hours from the time the first crew turned up he's of in the ambulance. That night he was so bad that it took the constant attention of 3 doctors to keep him alive and he was so bad they couldn't move him to intensive care. Somehow he survived the night and he is medically much better, however, he just isn't with us in this world - talking gibberish, can't remember what he ate for dinner or tea..... It's very upsetting. Tonight as I drove mother home after visiting she admitted that she no longer has a husband, she just has a man she cares for. It's her I feel for most - she deserves better. It tore her apart when he asked why they'd not let him die, he thought it was time he went.
But life goes on. Suzie has returned to work after several weeks off work with stress brought on by work. She is on a phased return so won't be full time for a few weeks yet, but, she is back to herself and her old cheeky ways. She has been spending a lot of time walking mother's dog for her and that has really done her good. She's lost a lot of weight which I find disconcerting but she seems happy to have lost it - she's now just under 8 stone (circa 110 pounds).
Andy has bought a BMW 325 to replace his first car (a Vauxhall Corsa). We have to go down to Bristol to pick it up on Saturday and he should notice the difference as this has around 170 bhp compared to the 80 of the Corsa. For a few weeks he'll be running around in the Corsa while he does a few "modifications" to the BMW but then the little car is to be sold.
And I'm here for everybody. I ring round the family to keep them updated with dad's situation. I fetch and carry folks as they need it, and finance kids that can't remember their PIN numbers to get cash out of the ATM hole in the wall. Currently I'm getting up at 5:30 daily to drive to Milton Keynes for work - an hour and a half each way each day, mainly motorways, it's a real drag and so tiring. I used the motorbike for the trip last Friday - that was fun. Then I got a few hours to spare on Saturday afternoon so when for a ride-out to Leicester, calling in at MCA and bought some new motorcycle gloves ready for the winter. I'd have liked to have bought some boots but couldn't find a really comfortable pair - my old ones are really comfy - they just squeak as I walk which is embarassing and anoying in equal measure.
Father took a bad turn last Sunday 7th October and mother called out the paramedics to him. The distric nurse had already been out to him so we all waited while the paras called her back. She decided he had to go to the city hospital but he's too large for the 2 paras to move so we had to wait for another crew to turn up and help. 3 hours from the time the first crew turned up he's of in the ambulance. That night he was so bad that it took the constant attention of 3 doctors to keep him alive and he was so bad they couldn't move him to intensive care. Somehow he survived the night and he is medically much better, however, he just isn't with us in this world - talking gibberish, can't remember what he ate for dinner or tea..... It's very upsetting. Tonight as I drove mother home after visiting she admitted that she no longer has a husband, she just has a man she cares for. It's her I feel for most - she deserves better. It tore her apart when he asked why they'd not let him die, he thought it was time he went.
But life goes on. Suzie has returned to work after several weeks off work with stress brought on by work. She is on a phased return so won't be full time for a few weeks yet, but, she is back to herself and her old cheeky ways. She has been spending a lot of time walking mother's dog for her and that has really done her good. She's lost a lot of weight which I find disconcerting but she seems happy to have lost it - she's now just under 8 stone (circa 110 pounds).
Andy has bought a BMW 325 to replace his first car (a Vauxhall Corsa). We have to go down to Bristol to pick it up on Saturday and he should notice the difference as this has around 170 bhp compared to the 80 of the Corsa. For a few weeks he'll be running around in the Corsa while he does a few "modifications" to the BMW but then the little car is to be sold.
And I'm here for everybody. I ring round the family to keep them updated with dad's situation. I fetch and carry folks as they need it, and finance kids that can't remember their PIN numbers to get cash out of the ATM hole in the wall. Currently I'm getting up at 5:30 daily to drive to Milton Keynes for work - an hour and a half each way each day, mainly motorways, it's a real drag and so tiring. I used the motorbike for the trip last Friday - that was fun. Then I got a few hours to spare on Saturday afternoon so when for a ride-out to Leicester, calling in at MCA and bought some new motorcycle gloves ready for the winter. I'd have liked to have bought some boots but couldn't find a really comfortable pair - my old ones are really comfy - they just squeak as I walk which is embarassing and anoying in equal measure.
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