Nice young man

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 22 December 2005 16:43:11

Well, the speech therapist has been working hard with Mum today and she is onto food now - well, a sort of thick, fortified yogurt which she seemed to enjoy. The guideline for the gastric tube is still in place but no further work appears to have been done with this. I am wondering if they are going to leave it as Mum is eating quite well.

The physioterrorists (sic) have also been on her case. They had her out of bed and sitting in a wheelchair for a couple of hours. All this work tired her out and Dad and I did not stay as long as intended in order for her to get some well earned rest. Denise and Jan are there now but are unlikley to be expecting much of her and she should be back in bed by now.

We left her in the wheelchair, knowing that it was time she was back in bed (it said so on the board above her head). This distressed me a little, as did the fact that the drip was left unattended to. It actually angered Dad by his own admission. We know that the nurses have so much to do, but when it is someone you love that is suffering due to their overwork, it is not easy. The best we can do at the time is gently remind the staff if they appear to have forgotten, which Dad did. Makes you wonder, though. At the end of the day, nurses are only human (as evidenced by Jack the Lass' comment - thanks btw *8-) and it is the kind of job where things can slip your mind. Now, in some jobs, this may just mean an annoyed customer or mail not being delivered on time, but in the medical profession it can affect the wellbeing of some very ill people. Thankfully, on the whole, I am happy with the professional and caring attention Mum is receiving, which helps us all when we know a job is being done well.

Now to explain the heading! Dad had left the ward to get a paper and a doctor entered. I noticed him at the desk behind me and turned to see that Mum was looking at him. He was pretty easy on the eye to be honest. I caught Mum's eye and she gave me a meaningful look. I mouthed at her 'Nice young man' - which is her phrase when in the presence of, well, a nice young man. This raised a smile. It is good to see that after all that has happened, she still has not lost her touch!

Thanks again to you all for your thoughts and prayers, keep 'em coming.