26th April - CCH - A bit of a nothing day

Last night was uneventful. Went to bed at about 10, listened to news then radio. Woke up at around 3, turned radio off, had a drink, then back to sleep. Woke up at around 7; blood sugars 5.1. Usual doze until breakfast. Meds before breakfast, and was thanked for taking them! Bran Flakes reappeared. Washed (I was going to wear my new trousers I wore on Sunday as I had no physio and they are too long for physio, but nurse had already got my grey ones out) loo, and dressed by 9.30. Then just sat. 

Nothing really happening.

Did my usual emails (interesting one about someone we knew who has new job), googling, bit of reading and a bit of writing. I seem to be in zombie mode.

Loads going on in the ward – R was off and said goodbye. Someone else left. Mid morning cup of coffee and biscuits. People coming and going into rehab room. People being walked up and down corridor. Conversations about moving, including reminders about left and right – I assume this must be a result of a stroke.

Had my remote borrowed a couple of times. People came in for a quick chat. Lunch time approached, but thought I might want to go to loo, but no feeling, so didn’t ask. Pre lunch sugars (by me) 14.8. Nice lunch of salmon bake, potatoes and mixed veg. Then needed to go to loo, so rang bell. I walked to loo, and again managed to get myself on it. Left to myself, then rang bell when finished. Ellen came, and we had a chat while getting sorted. She does have some interesting tales to tell about patients she has known – talked about a couple of patients with MS when she was working in a respite centre years ago. My desert (Apple) arrived whilst I was in bathroom, so ate that and then had a cup of coffee, with another biscuit.

No news of carers and going home, so I logged on remotely to my office PC that has the ridiculous user name for the GP surgery that you can’t change, and cancelled my GP appointment for tomorrow. Did a user survey from Age UK from whom I bought some of my continence supplies.

I am feeling very zombie like this afternoon. More new people arrived, and then it was visiting time. Loads of people, many having conversations with staff outside my room for some reason that I couldn’t help but overhear. I am feeling a bit neglected (not by Juli and Sian, but as a patient) with nothing to do, but don’t have the energy to do something physical or intellectual, so I’ve been playing games for hours. I will do something better later. I need to stand up a bit, but have been doing my chair exercises. Lots of pins and needles. I have watched some tv, too, but it really is quite difficult with all the background noise – and P, Mr Shoutey, has been in fine form calling out every few minutes.

Blood pressure 104/57.

I think I will try to buy a radar key that lets me in to disabled toilets, and see if I can find out when I can expect my blue badge.

Ok, I have rung the council and they have my blue badge application on hold and not done anything with it. This is my fault – I had an email from them saying they’d got the application and would be in touch regarding paying. However, there was another email 4 mins later saying they needed proof of identity. I had assumed it was the same email as it had the same subject. This has now been sorted.

Pre supper sugars 17.3. Supper thick veg soup (trade descriptions – it  was very watery), tuna salad and cheese and biscuits. New volunteer doing the hot drinks, and I asked for a coffee with a sweetener. Stupidly, I didn’t specify milk as well (it’s odd that if you say “coffee” it usually means white, whereas you need to specify “black” if you don’t want milk). Sat and did update while waiting for Juli, who usually arrives just as I am having my hot drink.

Julio was a bit late for visiting, so we didn’t have much time (although he did stay later than theoretically allowed!) He brought me a t shirt  for tomorrow and a clean nightie (as a spare in case of accidents), and two pieces of post that had arrived for me at home. One was, bizarrely, a wee sample tube and a request that I wee in it and “drop it in to GWH”. Yeah! I will discuss this with Dr Shaw tomorrow if she does her rounds in view of the junior doctors strike. I will also discuss my blood samples, their regularity and what happens to the results. I have assumed that someone will be told if it’s not within the prescribed limits, but I didn’t get an answer last time I asked.

I have also had my appointment letter for my next visit to the NMO outpatient clinic – 16th August at 10am, but you have to be there 10 mins early, so it will be another early start.

At this point, I needed to go to the loo, so Julio walked me in there and supervised my sitting down, then waiting in my room. Rang bell when I was ready, and confused Ellen as they saw it was the loo light, but no-one had taken me! Ellen’s partner lost two nephews at Hillsborough, so she wasn’t sure what state he’d be in when she got home. But then we talked about P, Mr Shoutey, who has been calling for her all day! She said that he was doing her head in, but she takes no nonsense and tells him off if he gets too demanding. He is having a family meeting tomorrow, so it will be another difficult day!

Juli refilled my biscuit store, and left just before 8, when I have started watching bake off crème de la crème. It features a team from the Celtic Manor, so I texted Ria and Sian to let them know.

So, not a good day particularly, with nothing particular happening. I hope tomorrow will be better, and at least I have another physio session scheduled.

Good night!