Just to let you all know been told she has only a matter of weeks left

Hi Candy

Sorry I am only getting back to you now.  My hours at work have all been changed.  I am so sorry to hear the update on your mum Candy and my heart goes out to you and your family. You are all in my prayers.  Sometimes you wonder why but suppose we have to hold on to the power of prayer don't we.  I have asked myself that many times.

It is going to be a tough few weeks for you all.

I read you are worried about work.  Just explain to your employer what the consultant has told you and if he/she has any compassion they will understand fully how you feel.

Spend as much time as you can with your mum Candy because nobody knows the hold this cruel evil disease has on people.

Don't be worrying about having to reply Candy because I know you have enough to cope with at the moment.  I will be checking in to see how you are coping.

Constantly in my thoughts Candy

Take care and look after yourself (hugs)

Mickied

Hi Candy,

I am very well, thank you for asking. Hospice's are very good at controlling pain and this must have made such a difference to your mother. The fact she that she is eating better now also has a bearing on how she is feeling. I hope this continues. With regard to you continuing working, I think you are doing exactly the right thing. I too had to work when my mother was in hospital/ hospice and like you helped to take my mine off her suffering if only for a short while.

Sending best wishes to you both, Brian.

Hi Garf! Oh dear that isn't very good! How did you all get home!! Oh congratulations that's amazing :)!

She was good, a little tired but we caught up on some soaps and had a look through some of my childhood photos and had a laugh at them! The hairdresser was due round either today or tomorrow my mum couldn't remember for sure which day, so hopefully she will have had a nice wash and blowdry! I painted her nails the other week so they are still ok not needing re done just yet!

I am feeling a little sad today not sure why! Maybe cause I am tired and having a rubbish day at work !

Are you upto much over the weekend?

xx

Afternoon Brian, that's good I'm glad you are well!

Yeah it's amazing the difference proper treatment can make to a person!

I find it easier keeping routine and coming to work for now. And although I'd love to be at the hospice all the time I don't feel I need time off just now since she is doing ok and would rather keep my time for when it's really needed. She has loads of visitors during the day anyway my aunt and her friends etc so she's never alone.. Although sometimes I think she finds all the visitors a bit much and it tires her out.

Feeling a bit down today.. Must be having an off day lol

xxx

Hi Candy,

Sorry to hear you are feeling a little sad although that is to be expected sometimes especially if you are having a bad day at work.  That plus being tired in general is bound to make you feel low occasionally.  Maybe we could start a "having a bad day at work" club together as I have had a couple of difficult days in my job too.  At least my boss from head office is coming down for a visit in three weeks which means a meal and a few drinks so I am looking forward to that.

I am hoping to get a round of golf in this weekend but this hideous weather we are having to put up with may put an end to those plans.  Whatever happens I can guarantee that I will be sharing a small part of the weekend with my good friend Mr Boddingtons.  He doesn't talk much but is good company none-the-less.

I hope you can have a good weekend yourself but whatever happens try and find some time to relax and wind down.  Maybe watch a favourite film or listen to some music.  Whatever you can do it is important to charge your batteries.

My thoughts and best wishes are with you.

Garf. xx

Hi again Garf

Awk I am feeling ok now , think it was just me being tired and having a long day at work. Visited mum tonight and she wasn't so good, they think she has taken a dip, back on painkillers via pump in her am and she was very sleepy so I only stayed a few hours and left her to get an early night, she looks so frail and thin laying there, breaks my heart everytime I see her! Yes I am all for creating this club, I'm sure people would be queueing up to join! That's good that will give you something to look forward to and give yourself a wee break

Oh dear are you in amongst all these floods and storms? I see them on the news but luckily up in scotland we aren't so bad.. Yet! This weekend I have a night out with my friends.. Well I hope anyway! I feel bad going out but I will be going to visit after work as usual and up the next day.. I guess I can't put the rest of my life on hold.. Just not sure I will enjoy myself but I shall try

xxxx

Hi Candy

Sorry for only getting back to you now.  Pity you couldn't finish work a few hours before you are supposed to just to give yourself a wee break - time to wind down a bit.

I always found music helped me to wind down but everyone is different.  I see you are from Scotland across the way from me in a wee town called Belfast.

I read your mum has taken another dip in her wellbeing but remember Candy she is in the best place and they can't do enough for the patients in the hospices so she is in very good hands.

I know it may reassure you but it must be so hard looking at her almost feeling helpless.

Still in my thoughts and prayers Candy and I will keep checking in to see how you are doing.

Mickied

Just like Mickied I have just noticed from your "accent" that you are Scottish.  My boss at head office who I am looking forward to seeing is from Glasgow.  I on the other hand couldn't be further away as I live on the South Coast although I am originally from North Wales.  We are managing to avoid most of the flooding for now but the constant rain and wind along with the already saturated ground means we are pretty fed up with the weather right now.  I had no idea that one sky could hold so much rain.

Candy I am sorry your Mum seems to have had a dip and I know exactly what you mean when you say that seeing her so thin is heartbreaking.  As people seeing someone we love fall ill we feel utterly helpless but you have honestly been amazing in the way you have dealt with this and I for one am proud of you.

You mustn't feel bad for going on a night out with your friends as like I said you have to find some "me time".  To contradict myself though I remember being invited out by my boss and work colleagues one time while Dad was ill and I turned them down because, like you I didn't want to feel bad about trying to have fun and I figured I probably wouldn't enjoy myself either.

Stay strong and I will be interested to know how your night out goes if it happens.

Garf. xx

Hi Mickied. No need to apologise

I know it would be nice to get out of work a bit earlier and chill for a while before coming to the hospice but oh well not to worry!  I will have a chilled out weekend and try to relax. Yeah I like to listen to music too and read a wee book!

Oh you are from belfast, lovely! I visited there a few years ago although don't ask me about it as it was a wild weekend and I do not recall much lol! Took the ferry there and back, not good with a hangover!!

Yeah the hospice have been amazing much better than the hospital. It is very hard watching her become weaker but I am just trying to be strong

xxxx

Well done I am indeed Scottish! Yeah I am pretty near Glasgow :)!! It is strange thinking everyone on here is from so many different places! Yet we are all brought together by one awful disease! Oh I know what you mean, we are used to this rubbish weather up here in scotland ! Although it's nothing compared to what those poor people are dealing with in amongst the floods!!

Yeah it is hard seeing her so frail. She seemed a bit brighter tonight although still confused. The old friend I mentioned before came back to visit again which was nice surprise for her! Aw thank you that's very nice of you to say you are proud of me thank you!

Yeah it's hard to decide whether to go out and try have fun.. But I think I might just go and try enjoy myself. I will visit during the day and stay until after dinner then leave to get myself ready and back up the next day!

Are you doing much over the weekend?

xxxx

Hi Candy,

Hope both you and you mother are feeling better today. Yes, I expect your mother does tire easily these days, I know my mother did. But when I went to see her, her face lit up and she was always so pleased to see me. There were times I wish I could have done more but at that time mum was in hospital our youngest grandson was born and they found he had a lot of problems. He had a cleft palette which was successfully repaired but he also has facial palsy meaning he cant smile. He also has moebious syndrome. Several times of an evening I had to take my son and grandson to the hospital or ended up looking after my other two grandchildren when he was taken ill. It was such a stressful time. But the little feller has proved the doctors wrong when they said he would never talk even though its not as clear as you or I would talk. these gays he talks non stop and is such a cheeky lad who I love to bits along with his brother and sister.  I regret so much that mum never got to see him. 

Take care and hope you have a good weekend and that you mother is okay. Best wishes to both of you, Brian.

Hi Candy,

Hope both you and you mother are feeling better today. Yes, I expect your mother does tire easily these days, I know my mother did. But when I went to see her, her face lit up and she was always so pleased to see me. There were times I wish I could have done more but at that time mum was in hospital our youngest grandson was born and they found he had a lot of problems. He had a cleft palette which was successfully repaired but he also has facial palsy meaning he cant smile. He also has moebious syndrome. Several times of an evening I had to take my son and grandson to the hospital or ended up looking after my other two grandchildren when he was taken ill. It was such a stressful time. But the little feller has proved the doctors wrong when they said he would never talk even though its not as clear as you or I would talk. these gays he talks non stop and is such a cheeky lad who I love to bits along with his brother and sister.  I regret so much that mum never got to see him. 

Take care and hope you have a good weekend and that you mother is okay. Best wishes to both of you, Brian.

Morning Brian! Up nice and early today lol.. I am in work sadly, although its been quiet this morning so thought id pop on here

I am sure you done more than enough for your mum so i doubt you need to wish you done more. Oh i am sorry to hear about your grandsons tough start in life. But i am sure with a grandpa like you he will do just fine later in life! It is a shame that your mum never got to meet him but you and your family can tell him all about her !!

Are you doing much over the weekend?

xxx

Hi Candy,

Hope work is still quiet this morning.  Haven't got anything much planned for the weekend.  Everywhere my grandson goes he always make people laugh. He has a lovely attitude to life; he told his dad, I was born like this so I can make people laugh. One thing I will be doing at the weekend is writing some more of my stories. For some years I have written stories for my grandchildren and I have jigs made up so I can print them out and make them into paperback books for them. I have about thirty books done ranging from 40 to 80 A4 pages. Keeps the old grey matter active at least.

Have a great weekend and try and find some time to relax. Best wishes, Brian.

Hi Candy,

Just checking in with you and hoping everything is o.k. as you haven't posted for a few days.

Thoughts are with you and your Mum.

Garf. xx

Hello Garf and everyone else! So sorry I haven't posted in a while my computer has been broken...

Everything is still okay. Mum is still with us and doing okay except for a lot of confusion and struggling to get her point across. We've had to ask for pain relifef a few times as well as she's had sore head and back but other than that not much more to report!

I went on the night out with my friends and had a good time. Straight up to the hospice the next day feeling a little fuzzy but still made it!

How was all of your weekends?

I have signed up to do the race for life again this year.. Was thinking of maybe posting my just giving page on here although I am hesitant to as my family etc don't know I use this site....

xxxx

Hi Candy

I was glad to hear you went on your night out with your friends - different scenery and all that and you enjoyed yourself.

I didn't do much over the weekend.  I have a 30th birthday party this Saturday - hubby's cousin and nothing much else planned.

Will keep checking in to see how you are coping.

Take care and in my thoughts

Mickied

Just want to say to Garf I was thinking about you the other night when I heard about the floods in London.  My heart goes out to all those people caught up in this freaky weather.

We were all complaining in Belfast yesterday about the heavy rain etc nothing compared to what England are facing at the minute.

Hope you are keeping warm and dry Garf

Mickied

Hi Candy,

Sorry you have been having computer problems but very pleased that your Mum is still fighting and that you managed to enjoy your night out, even if it did mean paying the usual price of a fuzzy head the next day. My weekend wasn't up to much except for an unsuccsessful round of golf on Sunday although it was difficult to concentrate after finding out my Niece was in hospital with doctors trying to find out what is wrong.  She has been in for a week now but different consultants seem to have diferent ideas so we are still playing the waiting game.

Hi Mickied,

Thanks for thinking of me but I can promise you that, aside from being woken up in the early hours by the occasional, apocalyptic downpour and the fact that the saturated ground is doing nothing for my golf game we are not being too badly affected by the weather --- so far!  I really do feel for the poor souls in the South West who have been flooded for so long and Criccieth, the town where I originally come from in North Wales, was actually on the national news yesterday during the storms.

Take care both of you and here is wishing you a good and peaceful weekend.

Garf. x

Hi Garf

Some people were complaining in Belfast the other day about the terrible storms we are getting.  I told them that is nothing compared to what the people in England and Wales are facing at the minute with more storms on the way.  When you think of it Garf some people have been facing that type of weather from Christmas and their houses are completely destroyed.  My heart went out to the family of the man who was electrocuted during the storms on Wednesday night.  It is scary when you think about it.

You take care too Garf and hope you have a nice peaceful weekend

Mickied