Home Week 3

17/11/2008 to 21/11/2008

Days 87 - 91

Margaret is settling in to a more familiar routine.

Sleeping patterns are now regulated and she gets up about 8:15 to 8:30. Has some breakfast cereal followed by toast and marmalade. I adapted a wooden cheeseboard and put some wooden stoppers down two sides with a corner gap so she finds it easier to spread butter etc.

Most nights now she will prepare the evening meal and set the table for dinner.

Some days she will go up to the garage or just walk around the block for exercise on the leg and to keep fit. On friday she made the trip to ASDA with her trolley to do a little shopping. I think she was exhilerated by the experience although she was very tired afterwards as the trip took about 1.5 hours in total.

Speech therapy is coming on. Currently she is having two sessions per week, one with Emma which is private at home, this will last another two weeks. Kinga at the West Middlesex is on a weekly basis but once Margaret masters the local busses she can go more often. Treatment here is only limited to access and is ongoing.

Give me a call

Margaret is reluctant as yet to join any support groups. I feel that she does not get enough external contact or stimulus especially to help her conversation skills. If you can, give her a call, may want to co-ordinate days and times. Better times are 12:30 to 1:00 before her nap and probably 3: to 4:pm.

I find it difficult now to discern progress on a daily basis so you may want to comment on your conversations. Cheers

Home Week 2

Friday 14/11/2008 Day 84

Margaret had her first trip up to the garage for a few provisions. Hopefully this is the first steps to her own dependence.

Thursday 13/11/2008 Day 83

Marie went home this morning. I have taken the day off so that I can take Marie to the Airport and we also have our first appointment at the West Middlesex hospital this afternoon.

Many thanks to Marie for her help this week.

It was a straightforward trip to the hospital, just over 20 minutes without pushing too hard. Kinga, the therapist was most welcoming and I think Margaret will do well with her. She also stated that there was no specific timescales for Margaret's treatment so she can have two or three sessions a week if needed.Margaret opted for just one for the following week, Thursday again at 4pm so I can leave work earlier to transport her there until she feels comfortable in taking the bus.

Wednesday 12/11/2008 Day 82

Today they walked down to the shopping centre which took about 20+ minutes. They tried out Margaret's trolley for the first time. I don't think they quite got the hang of it. It was supposed to be for convenience to store a few goods to transport rather than seeing how much they could get in it.

The few hours out plus the 20 minute trek back took it out of her and she was shattered by early evening. Although Margaret is at home it takes a lot of energy working and moving around the house.

Tuesday 11/11/2008 Day 81

Nicola picked up Margaret and Marie into Staines in the afternoon for some shopping and I picked them up after work to take them home.

Monday 10/11/2008 Day 80

Home Alone

This was the first day Margaret had to manage on her own. It seems to have gone well. Margaret spent the afternoon preparing dinner.

I met Marie at the airport, eventually. After 1.5 hours of being moved on from the drop zone she eventually arrived. Nicola and Joseph then came over for Pasta Sauce. First time for 3 months and it was wonderful.

Home Week 1

New Format. Will now use a weekly format and enter against each day as appropriate so you may need to visit several times or at the end of a week.

Friday 7 /11/2008 Day 77

Shopping trip.
We had another visit to the shopping centre. Hope Marie likes chicken.

It has been a long week for Margaret, although there has not been the therapy sessions she would have got in the hospital, but getting about the kitchen and up and down the stairs along with the outdoor trips have been taking their toll and Margaret was very tired today.

Have been trying out the TENS machine on the arm and it seems to help stimulate the nerve ends. There seems to be a lot of free movement in the fingers. I am sure it wont be long till she is back playing the piano.

Thursday 6/11/2008 Day 76

Back to work

Margaret took a giant step forward today as we made a visit to the workplace. We first visited ThamesSide House and it was quite an emotional encounter with her friends and colleagues. Kal had obviously seen her several times but the rest were astounded by how well she looked and the obvious progress she had made. I think that they were also relieved at the visit as they could see for themselves how she was and could see the possibility of having their Margaret back again, especially with her sense of humour as she took great delight in recanting the tale, again and again, about my floor washing episode.

It was the same in Cedar House and for once it was as much a relief for me. I have to constantly reassure everyone of Margaret's progress so I can have a little relief from repeating the tale. I am sure they will still ask from time to time.

It will be interesting to see the changes by Christmas.

Wednesday 5/11/2008 Day 75

Margaret decided it was time for a tidy up. So, guess who moved all the furniture and got down on their hands and knees to rub and scrub and wipe and polish and sparkle the floor....yes you know whats coming... Margaret got me to do it. Guess what I did not miss a bit being supervised by obergruppenfurher-mags.

In the afternoon we went up to Bedfont for a walkabout and a little shopping. We bought a trolley thingy for Margaret to go to the shops on her own to buy a few bits and pieces if needed and it is light and easy to manoeuver. We had a little practice around Budgens and she managed very well. On Saturday she will be going up to the garage to get a newspaper and put on the Lottery, maybe our luck will change.

We had a call from Hounslow Speech Therapy and an initial appointment has been made for next Thursday the 13th. We will need to work out how Margaret gets there on her own.

Tuesday 4/11/2008 Day 74

First little scare today. Margaret had got down on the floor to wipe up a spillage on the floor and then discovered that she was unable to get back up on to her feet. No matter which way we tried she was not able to get up on her own. Will need to work on something.

Eventually got through to social services only to be told that Margaret was put on the priority list sent by the Wellington on 23rd October but would still be another couple of weeks before treatment could begin.

Contacted Emma Gale to arrange some private speech therapy for the next couple of weeks until the community rehab kicks in, this is a separate dept from above.

Monday 3/11/2008 Day 73

Day off today. we decided that we would just get familiar with the surroundings and work out things that need to be adjusted or find alternative ways of doing things.

Margaret worked out how to put the oven on. She has to hold the gas nob in with her hip while using the igniter with her free hand.

We went down to the shops for a walk around and Margaret is getting more comfortable in a crowded situation. We were looking for a jacket/ coat that buttons down the front as it is not possible as yet for Margaret to hold the zipper with the right hand and she needs to be able to get properly dressed to go out, when I am at work.

Day 72 Sunday 2nd November 2008

Home Day 2

Sunday lovely Sunday

Firstly apologies for the following statement.

It was as Margaret now says, NICE. Nice to have a quiet peaceful day. Friday and Saturday were wonderful days with all the family but I think we needed the rest and tranquility.

We had a quiet morning and watched X-Factor from the previous night then went a walk up to the garage to get the papers.

Margaret is having a great time running up and down the stairs with her new hand rail.

I managed a day without, washing and ironing or even shopping. How long will it last?

Day 71 Saturday 1st November 2008

HOME Day 1

Happy Birthday Rory

Rory is 13 today.

We all met in Staines to get Rory his presents. Possibly with the credit crunch a bit of bartering took place. Joseph 7, has an XBox 360 hard drive which he rarely uses and Rory wanted one so a deal was made for a contribution to be made to help Joseph and Santa hopefully get him a Wii for Christmas. Rory also got an extra controller from Nicola and a game from grandma and I. I must admit that these type of games are beyond me.

Later that evening we went to the Gurka, a fusion buffet style of Chinese, Thai and Indian.

My thanks to everyone.

Margaret and I went home while everyone else went to Nicola's for some fireworks. Rory et al, has missed them as they are banned in Ireland in enclosed gardens. When Rory lived here he thought the fireworks were a part of his birthday celebrations before he knew about Guy Fawkes.

Chris and Celeine are back to Dublin tomorrow.

Our new normality begins tomorrow.

Day 70 Friday 31st October 2008

Wellington day 44 - FINAL DAY

The end of the beginning- goodbye

Margaret completed her schedules for the day and got her final instructions from the Therapists. There is no doubt that Margaret had a good bond with the therapists and it appeared that she was well liked with the staff. It may also have been that the majority of the patients were male and we all know what difficult patients men make. Also I think they were encouraged by the progress Margaret made and got satisfaction in helping her make as good a recovery as possible.

Time to pack up. Easier said than done. Despite taking home a large bag full of clothes I struggled to get everything into a suitcase plus three large carrier bags. Struggling downstairs we eventually left at 5:10pm right in the middle of the Friday rush hour traffic. We kept updating home with a prospective arrival time as everyone was waiting to eat.

Halloween

As we pulled into the street we stopped to chat to Brennagh, Rory and Joseph who were out 'Trick or Treating' We eventually pulled in at 6:30pm. The house was decorated for the evening with other children doing the rounds. We had a really good night with baked potatoes, chili,2 types, cheese, coleslaw etc, etc, plus a few beers.

Thank You

I would like to say thank you to everyone who had prepared for Margaret's home coming. As they say in the reality shows: In no particular Order: well alpabetically:

Brennagh: Celeine: Christopher: Jason: Joseph: Nicola and Rory

Day 69 Thursday 30th October 2008

Wellington Day 43

Last chance saloon

Christopher was at work today in town and Celeine, Brennagh and Rory flew in from Dublin for a few days.

Celeine had her hands full as she was also bringing Joseph back from his half term break with them. As usual they arrived early for their flights, 7.00am, only to have the flights delayed and they did not arrive into Heathrow until 1:30pm

Celeine then went up to the hospital with Brennagh and Rory and were joined by Christopher and they went out to the Sofira? restaurant for dinner. They thought it was Greek, but found out it was Turkish, anyway Margaret and Rory had Pizza. They had a lovely time and Margaret was a little tired by the time they returned at 9:00pm

A lot of the nursing staff came to say goodbye today as they were going to be off or starting a late shift on Friday when Margaret will have left.

P.S. I had the leftover half a Subway sandwich from the fridge. That will teach me to have another night off.