Today got off to an unconscionably early start, my son and I were both wide awake at three but we both pretended to have another hour before finally getting up and having coffee at four. Neither of us felt at all like eating and so we sipped another coffee while we waited for the taxi to arrive as it soon did right on time. Goodbyes were said at the gate and then after having a look around the garden I crawled back to bed and this time I did sleep until six thirty.
Pa had an important hospital appointment this morning so I began the process of waking him, not a task for the faint hearted,endless patience, and a loud voice combined with persistence and a tough hide are required in the performance of this daily routine. With coffee and encouragement he was up and dressed in time and off we went.
After what seemed like hours in the waiting room we were eventually ushered in to see the consultant which was fine except that he had no idea why Pa was there although he spent quite a while assuring us that he was quite able to see to Pa after reading his copious notes he sent him off to the x-ray department and told us the we would need to see the senior consultant when we returned.....which was what we had been trying to tell him for a full fifteen minutes.
Clinical imaging is always busy so we waited....and waited ...and waited... and hell began to freeze over when at last the radiographer call Pa in. Almost at once the nurse from orthopaedics came to see what had happened to us “ You have been a time.” she said, and I began to feel that the staffs ability to state the obvious was rather wearing to say the least.
Back in the orthopaedics waiting room that is exactly what we did....for an absolute age and when at last we were told that the senior consultant could see us we had been sitting about for so long that my knee had seized up and I could not stand without assistance.
Today the big discussion was whether to operate or not, this in Pa's case is fraught with difficulty and danger;for apart from the need of a knee replacement he has a ruptured glands behind the knee, oedema, and a seriously compromised immune system . Any one of these things is a problem but taken all round it would make the operation dangerous.
Still worse is the fact that in order to operate he would need to be taken off the medication which prevents the arthritis from spreading as it is this which lowers his immune system. Prior to an operation eighteen months ago Pa was told to stop taking this medication for some weeks before surgery and it was during that time that the knee joint was attacked and his present problem is the direct result of that. Now I do not know about you but neither Pa or I see any point having one thong fixed it it is going to cause another problem, especially as the surgery poses such a serious risk. Than the Gods the consultant agreed and the have decided to have him fitted for a much more sophisticated leg brace which will stabilise and support the joint....something that Pa has been asking for for over a year.
We left the hospital jubilant, very relieved and absolutely worn out so I got Pa home in a taxi and then I went off to do some shopping. I was very quick but it was still almost four before I reached home again, what a day.
During the morning I received calls from my son from time to time to tell me off his progress. He caught his train from with plenty of time to spare and arrived at Weymouth in plenty of time to have a good breakfast before catching the ferry to Jersey. Luckily he is a good sailor and is never seasick so bacon sandwiches were his breakfast of choice. The ferry arrived at Jersey an hour late but still in time to catch the ferry to Sark and although this will mean the the shop will be closed and he will have to buy shower gel and toothpaste tomorrow he was happy enough. I have heard nothing more and I expect that he would want to eat and settle in to his B And B so that does not cause me any worries at all.
After such a day I am sure that he will be as tired as can be and like me will have as early a night as possible. Dinner for Pa and myself was a plate of cold meats and salad with new potatoes and asparagus covered in melted butter with a couple of pannini and lots of lovely olives, with a Danish pastry to Finnish the meal.
Now all that remains is to see Pa safely bathed and bedded down with a nice hot drink and I can collapse in to a heap and sleep. Twiggy is already missing my son and as we all disappeared for a long while this morning see is inclined at the moment to be rather clingy, poor old puss she hates it when we go out ,she really is a dear little cat. Tonight she shall have fresh cat mint from the garden and her favourite cat treats before bed, and if she does not spend the night in my sons room I shall eat my hat!
My son just called to tell us that he has landed safely on Sark, his guest house is lovely and his room is large and pleasant, most important of all the bed is soft. His luggage is being sent up in a pony cart and then he is going to eat. He sounds so happy and excited, and that makes my happy to.
No comments:
Post a Comment