After the saddest week of my life to-date, I would like to share a very unexpected positive experience:
My parents live abroad. My Mum was taken ill on Friday. I kept in touch by regular phone calls and was under the impression that she was on the road to recovery. On Mothering Sunday, we had a relaxed and upbeat conversation – at 6.30pm on the same day I received a most unexpected call from Dad, urging me to come ‘home’ immediately ……. My husband (with advanced AD, who is being cared for at home) was already on his way to bed. He has never been in restbite, as I always worried it might upset our well-established and reasonably successful routine.
I went into overdrive: Called SS Emergency Duty Care Team. Both numbers which had been pinned to my wall for a couple of years were
‘not recognised’. Directory enquiries gave me daytime office numbers. Eventually, I managed to find the right number, and with it a most helpful lady who started immediate phone calls to find an emergency restbite bed. Numerous calls and several hours later, restbite was arranged and I proceeded to book a flight, label clothing, type up information about hubby, pack bags and try and grasp what was ahead of me.
Somehow, I arrived at my Mother’s bedside an hour before she passed away. Such sadness!!
Yet, meanwhile, my husband could not have been cared for better if we had had weeks to prepare for his respite: the staff were utterly wonderful, exceptionally generous to the entire family who rallied and visited several times a day. I was unbelievably relieved and grateful, and able to give my Father total support and comfort at this most stressful time.
I was forced into this situation, and we were very lucky. My husband spent a week in a care home with friendly staff who respected his own needs and routine, and who knows – I may, as a result of this experience, be prepared to arrange respite for a happier break some time in the future …….
Just thought this might balance out the many less glowing reports that haunt every carer who is worried about emergency situations.
My parents live abroad. My Mum was taken ill on Friday. I kept in touch by regular phone calls and was under the impression that she was on the road to recovery. On Mothering Sunday, we had a relaxed and upbeat conversation – at 6.30pm on the same day I received a most unexpected call from Dad, urging me to come ‘home’ immediately ……. My husband (with advanced AD, who is being cared for at home) was already on his way to bed. He has never been in restbite, as I always worried it might upset our well-established and reasonably successful routine.
I went into overdrive: Called SS Emergency Duty Care Team. Both numbers which had been pinned to my wall for a couple of years were
‘not recognised’. Directory enquiries gave me daytime office numbers. Eventually, I managed to find the right number, and with it a most helpful lady who started immediate phone calls to find an emergency restbite bed. Numerous calls and several hours later, restbite was arranged and I proceeded to book a flight, label clothing, type up information about hubby, pack bags and try and grasp what was ahead of me.
Somehow, I arrived at my Mother’s bedside an hour before she passed away. Such sadness!!
Yet, meanwhile, my husband could not have been cared for better if we had had weeks to prepare for his respite: the staff were utterly wonderful, exceptionally generous to the entire family who rallied and visited several times a day. I was unbelievably relieved and grateful, and able to give my Father total support and comfort at this most stressful time.
I was forced into this situation, and we were very lucky. My husband spent a week in a care home with friendly staff who respected his own needs and routine, and who knows – I may, as a result of this experience, be prepared to arrange respite for a happier break some time in the future …….
Just thought this might balance out the many less glowing reports that haunt every carer who is worried about emergency situations.