Hi Jules,

Just a quick update regarding my dad. Had a small e-mail from my sister. He has had an operation on his hip to remove/treat the infection. I suspect he may have been in to the hospital previously to have the joint replaced but am only guessing. This could explain how he has come to get the infection.

My sister is still not home yet so not easy to get information.

Take care, best wishes and thank for asking about him, hugs, Brian.

Hi Brian

My what strength of character your dear Dad is.  Fingers crossed that the small op has removed the 'problem area' and no doubt a course of antibiotics to help as well.  He is certainly in the best place and I am sure your sister will up date you again as soon as practical (thank goodness for e mail - so helpful with long distance communication).

Well, rain finally stopped here (and now raining at the tennis in Italy!! so am on a break from viewing!!).  Hubby is having another 'sleepy' day today and has only just managed a small lunch having snoozed through the morning.  Now laughing at repeats of QI and perhaps the meal will give him a little uplift for a few hours.  Bless him he never complains and probably gets fed up with my encouraging him to eat/drink sometimes but there is not much else I can do for him.  He, no doubt. will be pleased that I am off to work tomorrow and can suit himself as to what he does and when (does not like it when I interfere).  He tells me he is not in pain, just tired.Its hard as he has no energy to do anything (unless he gets a call from work!!) and I am powerless to help.  Hey ho its certainly an up and down journey thats for sure.

Sorry to read in your earlier message that your granddaughter has been unwell and missed out of the shopping for her new bow.  Fingers crossed she will soon feel better and has something to look forward to at least.  Take care and thanks for updating me.  Jules xx

Hi Brian

Not suprising that your grandson has a special place in you heart.  As you say he has been through so much and must be a delight especially if the nurses love to see him.  I love that he keeps your books in a special place.  No doubt when you publish online he will be letting everyone know he was the first to get one of your books.

I do hope the news about your Dad continues to be good and that the op has removed the problem area.

I tried archery once and was no good at all.  Daughter gave it a go and was actually quite decent.  Says that in September she may well join an archery club at Uni as she will have a bit more time on her hands. Obviously not in the same league as your granddaughter.  No doubt she will have been practising with the new bow, hopefully to good effect.

Best wishes.

Gill

Good morning Jules and Gill,

Just had another e-mail from my sister to say dad is feeling better. It started off with a bad bladder infection which spread to his hip which he had replaced about nine years ago. She has no idea when he is coming out as yet but doctor has told her his days of independent living may be nearing an end which I know he will not like. She said he is seeing things but later she said he is on morphine so no surprise there really.

I gave my two grandsons their books yesterday rather than making them wait until Wednesday when I normally visit. I had them in a carrier bag which was taken out of my hands by the youngest hardly before I had got in the front door. Daughter in law told me he has been like a cat on a hot tin roof ever since he found out I was bringing him a book and any blue car that went near his house, made him stand by the window to see if it was me. For once he told me I was a young man not the 9,000 year old that he normally calls me

Jules.

Sorry to hear hubby is rather sleepy but the the weather yesterday may have had an influence what with all the rain as even I kept yawning yesterday. Bet your grandson is looking forward to Easter. It's our wood club meeting on Wednesday so looking forward to that.

Gill.

I hope your daughter does well when she starts her archery. I think Its nice to have a hobby and I am lucky to have several.

Anyway take care, hope you don't mind a shared response but I have quite a busy day with several jobs Mrs B has lined up for me.

Best wishes to you and your families, Brian

Hi Brian

Shared responses are fine and it was so good to read that your Dad is responding to treatment for his infection. Can understand the 'seeing things' whilst on the morphine.  Have had contact with quite a few people (even before hubby diagnosed) who had similar experiences when taking it.  Hubby so far not seeing anything unusual but often refers to converstions we have had (when we haven't) when he opts to take the top up morphine tablet.  Suspect when he has to move to more regular doses we could notice other changes but will cross that bridge when we come to it.  It is hard when the elderly have to face the fact that they need to give up their independence (not something I would relish either!) but hopefully knowing its a 'safety issue' he will come to understand the need for assistance when the time comes.

Have just returned from weekly visit to Mum.  Not much difference in her feelings but the staff told me she came third in the Grand National Sweep so she did participate in something!  I spent time giving her all the family/friends news and encouraged her to drink more (staff said she was reluctant at the weekend as far as eating and drinking so they are keeping close watch and gentle persuasion means she is back to normal with eating (did not like the idea of a hospital visit like before) and she took coffee and biscuits whilst I was there plus a glass of squash. I refilled the glass again before I left and was treated to a scowl.

Hubby much the same and the sleeping seems to be a process of 'switching off' though fatigue is one of the side effects of his cancer too.  We just have to make the most of the times (usually when we have visitors) when he is more social.  Still waiting to hear from his sister or brother as to how their trip to Isle of Man turned out last week - no response yet to hubby's enquiry and I am choosing not to interefere as would not want to upset the applecart so to speak!!

Wishing you and your family a good week ahead.  Sunny in Middlesex but earlier was pretty chilly. Definitely a day for working indoors and just watching the goldfinches on our feeders - lovely.  Take care. Jules xx 

Hi Jules,

Well sun is shining here today and I've realised what a big impact it has on my mood.  Yesterday although out with friends, life seemed far more depressing in the rain!  Hope you are OK, I read your post to Brian and it must be difficult for you to watch hubby sleeping so much.  However like you say making the most of times you have visitors when he has more energy seems to make sense. We are all off on a little break to Italy next week, am so looking forward to it. I think I'm slowly feeling a little better, (although of course still have my days where missing Mum and Dad is very hard) but I've kind of made the decision to "be happy" if that makes sense.  I hope your grandchildren are doing well, I'm sure they keep your spirits up.  Hope x

Hi Annabel,

Thanks for thinking of me.  I do hope you are doing OK and that your granddaughter is keeping you busy, I'm sure you'll see a lot of her over the Easter hols?  I'm OK and trying very hard to move on - not always easy but I think I'm slowly getting there.  One of my coping mechanisms is to keep busy, but I do try and come onto the site as much as I can.  It's strange because when I joined this site I only thought about that moment; it was one of my darkest days and I didn't know what to expect.  If I'm honest I intended to use the site short-term to get through, however what I discovered was a mass of fantastic, supportive people like yourself and I will never forget the help you all gave me.  Now I feel I will always touch base with everybody, even if it is slightly less often than I use to in the early days.  I'm away for a few days over the hols and am hoping that will be a good tonic.  I really hope you have a good Easter, I expect it is a busy time for you.  Take care and love to hear from you again.  Hope x

Hi Jules,

Have had a busy morning as I had a phone call to say the hall we normally use for our wood club meetings had been booked by the town council. Panic stations. Couldn't contact anyone much but eventually got through to the right person and after several phones calls we have booked another hall which is just next door for tonight. So then had to sent out an urgent flash message e-mails to members telling them of the change. I will have to get there earlier tonight to get keys for the other hall. Panic over.

So things I was going to do this morning have now got to do this afternoon.

Hope you get time to get into your garden this afternoon, if only for a little while. Have to dash now will talk again soon. Best wishes', Brian

Hi Jules,

Have now completed most of my jobs so just took a photo of our tulips and this is a close up of the bottom of the flower.

Will talk again soon, Brian

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