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Continuing the journey

Hi All

Decided to drop the 'month' from the title of this thread as time moves so quickly and the date becomes irrevelant so quickly.

Hubby and I both feeling pretty drained today but not because of his illness. However it is something that has made both us further stressed and 'outside our control'.  Prepare yourselves for a rant or look away now.

Having put in a long work day yesterday (both of us). I switched on my mobile on leaving work to find a message from the social worker for Mum (regular readers of my thread will know what we have been going through recently).  The upshott of this message was that the Social Services panel have decided that they can offer Mum a place at a sheltered housing complex but not the most local one. The call was to advise me of the panel's decision and to tell me that a visit will be arranged this week, preferably by Wednesday, for Mum to be taken to visit the flat and be told about the package of care and how it will work. They require a decision from Mrs K (this is how my mother is addressed in the follow up e-mail!!) by Friday otherwise the placement will be offered to another service provider!  Unfortunately this means Mum has little choice but to move further away (closest sheltered housing has no vacancy and they are  not willing to help fund where she has spent the last 9 months 'settling in').  The guilt I feel at being unable to cope with this is overwhelming, my hubby is very supportive and angry in equal parts and I am dreading the days ahead.  I am unable to take leave and my negative feelings towards her social worker would not work in Mum's favour as she needs to go on the visit with an open mind and the care home staff state she is quite able to make her own mind up.  If she agrees I will be unable to visit as regularly (my problem not theirs of course) but apparently the social worker will accompany her and I have asked to be kept informed.

Even typing this is making me sad/angry/frustrated and emotionally/physically drained.  I was due to visit Mum today but this is on hold until I have spoken to the care home this morning. Hubby says I should leave it till later in the week when we know what is going on and I suspect he is right (bearing in mind my physical upset involves many 'loo' visits (enough said!!)).

Sorry for all the negativity but just needed to get it out and try and get  myself together before I start on the phone calls.

Hope everyone has a good day.  Regards Julesxx

  • Hi Brian, Jules and Hope

    Hope all is well with you.

    Hope I noticed you attended the Hospice Memorial Service on Sunday.  I am sure it was a very emotional time for you all especially at this time of year.  I now have a chesty cough that I cannot get rid of.

    Taking strong cough medicine and my honey and lemon as prescribed by my GP a few years ago when I lost my voice but to no avail.

    Brian I read that Mrs B had a diabetic turn.  Hope she is keeping OK and is back on her feet very soon again looking after that man in her life.

    Jules hope you too are keeping well and hubby and baby and the rest too.  Is the birthday party this weekend or next I can't remember?  My hubby wants me to go shopping this Saturday in the city centre.  I prefer to go on my own as I enjoy my own company.  I told him wait and see how I feel when the time comes but I probably will end up having to go with him.

    Well take care everyone and chat soon

    Mickied

  • Hi Mickied,

    Sorry to hear that you have the dreaded chesty cough, I do hope it doesn't linger like my bug did a few weeks back.  Coughs seem to go on for a while and then just go without us really noticing, but they are such a pain at night keeping you awake aren't they?

    Yes the memorial service was very emotional and I've been a bit emotional since; this time of year doesn't help as well as the dismal weather and the early darkness this time of year.  Still, have to try and remember all the positives in our lives eh!  Hope all is OK with you.  Wishing you a nice weekend and happy shopping on Saturday.  Hope xx

  • Hi Hope,

    I gather you found things rather emotional this last week.

    Although you found yourself to be emotional I bet you are glad you had the service.

    I hope you had a lovely day meeting up with your friends, sometimes it helps us to get out of ourselves and gives a little relief.

    I had a good day on Tuesday taking 3 friends shopping where they had not been before and apart from losing Jenny for a little while all was good fun.

    For me it was good to go somewhere else and get away, as well as the shopping.

    I hope you are looking after yourself Hope,  you have been through so much this year.

    Take care

    Annabel. xx

  • Hi Annabel,

    Thank you for your kind post.  Yes I have been emotional this week, I guess it is combination of the service, time of year etc.  I still got out with friends which was nice, it does help to temporarily take away the grief if only for a short while.  Glad you had a good shopping trip, hope you managed to treat yourself to something nice.  Take care.  Hope xx

    Jules, Good morning, hope you are OK?  Hope xx

  • Hi Hope

    Thanks for the reply.  You are right about this time of year.  I felt the same way this time last year with a chest infection the week before my father-in-law passed away.

    His first anniversary is next Wednesday and you start to relive what happened back then.  My husband seems to be coping OK until next week that is because he was at the hospital with him shortly before he died.

    I wish you too a nice weekend and chat soon

    Mickied

  • Hi Brian

    Pleased to read that your gp was able to put your  mind at rest with regards  your psa results as well as the side effects you are getting being caused by interaction with other medication.  Such a fine line to keep you well but good to know your medics on top of things. Hope you wife is keeping okay at the moment.  You both must have to have eagle eyes when choosing food items.  My son's girlfriend is lactose intolerent so when they visit I do a choice of desserts so that she does not have to bring her own pud (her suggestion was to bring the dessert with her to save any trouble) but these days there is always a viable alternative (once I found the correct aisle to look down.

    My son popped in for a few hours and was still here when I got in from work so we caught up on all his news and was able to give him our gift for his other half's birthday. He begins his new  job as an adminstration/marketing assistant to a Research Professor  at Brunel Uni on Monday and is really looking forward to the challenges it will bring.  Also pleased to be going back to mon to fri working after several years doing shifts.

    Hubby has picked up new anti depressant medication today so will see how that works out.  He had a call from his old employers today with a query for him to look at for them so for a little while had something to keep him occupied.   Tonight we are  both out as is usual on a Friday and then tomorrow my sister in law is visiting for dinner so have done all the preparation in advance so I can have a sit down tomorrow morning.

    Hope you enjoyed your time with the grandchildren (think you changed it to yesterday because of school event) and no doubt your cheeky grandson was on good form.  When my hubby picked up our eldest grandson from school on Monday he was apparently letting him know when there was no traffic coming whilst they were waiting at the junction to the main road just in case his grandad did not notice there was a big red bus coming!!!

    After a very frustrating day at work yesterday (lack of staffing main issue which led to so much pressure I felt really stressed) was pleased to get away and had to have a small chocolate bar to help me get me smiling again in time to get home.  Hey ho.

    Hope you and your wife have a peaceful and happy weekend.  Take care  Jules x

  • Hi Hope

    Am sure you are still feeling pretty emotionally drained so do try and get some R&R over the weekend.  Sometimes its hard to accept that we need that family support when we like to 'manage' it all ourselves ( is that something that comes from being 'an only child' with no siblings to share things with I wonder.?)

    I had one of those stressful days at work (not enough staff, not enough hours in the day) and in the end my emotions got the better of me and I had to have a 10min time out to get myself together.  Has not happened for a little while but I know its my body's way of telling me its all getting a bit on top of me.  Lucky my workmates can read me all too well and I was able to chat it through and  was feeling a bit more like myself by the time I left work (despite being a bit red-eyed!!).  Any how comforted myself with a chocolate bar on the tube on the journey home and gave myself a silent talking to so today is a slightly less frustrating day.

    Hubby has a new prescription for anti depressants and the GP wants to see him in a month to see if they are helping him cope with not having work in his life.  Its very hard for him being at home 24/7 even though he is still  mobile and can drive, has no interests/hobbies that were home based (sea fishing was his relaxation holiday!!). Huge adjustments required for both of us and think hes finding it difficult that I am coping (as far as he is concerned).  Thankfully, like you, we have close family support.

    Have a peaceful weekend and chat again soon.  Virtual hugs  Jules xx

  • Hi Mickied

    Hope you have had a reasonable week and know like many of the people on the forum, this time of year is extremely emotional for you.  Just wanted you to know you are being kept in my thoughts and thank you for being there over the months when I have needed to ramble on.  Take care my virtual friend and wishing you and the family a peaceful weekend.  Jules x

  • Hi Annabel

    Glad to read that you enjoyed your shopping trip - any bargains?

    I am out for the day to London with my friend from work on Tuesday. Can't tell you how  much I am looking for to it - its about 4 yrs since we managed a weekday off together (my official day off and she has holiday day).  We have promised ourselves a proper lunch with a bottle to share!!  Neither of us drive so will go up by underground.

    Hope you and the family are keeping well.  Virtual hugs  Jules

  • Hi Jules,

    Just the one bargain, a nice furry winter hat much needed at the moment as the temperature has dropped significantly with lots of frost each night.

    I am so pleased to read that you are having a day out with your friend on Tuesday in London. I do hope you have a seriously good time, and have a really good lunch. Don't get so legless, you've to get the underground back you know!!!!!! LOL. Will look forward to hearing about you day out next week.

    Strangely enough I have arranged to go out with another friend on Tuesday, trying to get more xmas shopping done. We too will have lunch somewhere not sure where yet.

    Daughter and her family all well and making arrangements to come up second week of December. Haven't heard or spoken to son for a couple of weeks, hope he is busy job hunting. Bless him.

    Well I am off to bed now , hope you and yours sleep well.

    Hugs

    Annabel. xx.