Sorry, I disappeared over the course of last summer.
Next Monday marks one year since my partner went into hospital to spend her final 5 days. I visited her in her care home for the first time in nearly 4 weeks due to Covid restrictions. The doctor phoned me while on care call as I had decided to work in care after she went into a so-called care home, and that was the worst day of my life until the last day of her life. I called the care co-ordinator to ask for some time off in the afternoon as I was in no fit state to look after other people while I worked out what on earth was going on. All the doc said was Christel has a day, a week. a month to live and there was nothing they could do. The next client's key safe was a right scunner to operate until I finally worked out how to operate these things. Standing in a client's kitchen being given the bad news while trying to make sure they have the right medication and a breakfast she will accept was hard work. The client had dementia she would not accept.
I spent 5 days in that hospital watching Christel dying in front of me. Her daughter makes a lot of the time a day and a half before her final demise of the moment she clasped my had with both of her hands. That was the first time in months she had actually reached out to let anyone touch her due to an ongoing skin complaint. It was also the first time she had used her left hand voluntarily since her stroke 9 years earlier. Well, maybe not literally, but I hope you get the idea.
Now we are at the stage where we can put down a grave stone after having a temporary wooden cross for nearly 11 months. I put down some pebbles to brighten the plot, but am told that messes up the maintenance crews when they try to cut the grass. Fair enough, but another visit and my best intentions gone to pot.
A friend told me last night his dad is reluctant to get help and to seek a dementia diagnosis. C never quite accepted her diagnosis, so that is something that looks familiar. I hope he finds this forum and all the lovely people who helped me over the years are doing as well as can be expected.
Next Monday marks one year since my partner went into hospital to spend her final 5 days. I visited her in her care home for the first time in nearly 4 weeks due to Covid restrictions. The doctor phoned me while on care call as I had decided to work in care after she went into a so-called care home, and that was the worst day of my life until the last day of her life. I called the care co-ordinator to ask for some time off in the afternoon as I was in no fit state to look after other people while I worked out what on earth was going on. All the doc said was Christel has a day, a week. a month to live and there was nothing they could do. The next client's key safe was a right scunner to operate until I finally worked out how to operate these things. Standing in a client's kitchen being given the bad news while trying to make sure they have the right medication and a breakfast she will accept was hard work. The client had dementia she would not accept.
I spent 5 days in that hospital watching Christel dying in front of me. Her daughter makes a lot of the time a day and a half before her final demise of the moment she clasped my had with both of her hands. That was the first time in months she had actually reached out to let anyone touch her due to an ongoing skin complaint. It was also the first time she had used her left hand voluntarily since her stroke 9 years earlier. Well, maybe not literally, but I hope you get the idea.
Now we are at the stage where we can put down a grave stone after having a temporary wooden cross for nearly 11 months. I put down some pebbles to brighten the plot, but am told that messes up the maintenance crews when they try to cut the grass. Fair enough, but another visit and my best intentions gone to pot.
A friend told me last night his dad is reluctant to get help and to seek a dementia diagnosis. C never quite accepted her diagnosis, so that is something that looks familiar. I hope he finds this forum and all the lovely people who helped me over the years are doing as well as can be expected.
