Hi Jules,

And thank you for yours!

Ooh I would like to be a fly on the wall if you do win the lottery and have that 'conversation', or is that putting it mildly haha

I'm glad your mum seems ok, and it sounds pretty much like sitting with my grandad, I love to go see him at home, in fact I went yesterday to drop his card and some galaxy chocolate and advocaat for his bday tomorrow, and he has a tendency of dropping off, or just getting totally engrossed in a film on tcm so we mostly sit in silence and chat on and off about everything and nothing, and its one of my favourite times.

My mum isn't doing so good at the moment, they put her back up to icu on friday afternoon, after I'd visited in the afternoon, because she was on the max oxygen that they can give on the wards and if she needed any more they wouldn't have been able to give it, so it was a just incase really, I spoke to her yesterday and she was doing ok, just panicking about not being able to breath on her own just yet, which I'm sure is just because of the pneumonia, and said they were going to try her on a differnt mask to see if it helped her out more, and if that was no good she was going to get put on a ventilator. So this afternoon I get a call from the nurse on icu telling me she's deteriorated over this morning and that she was going to be put on the ventilator, and will I be coming up.

So of course I'm panicking now, was just about to leave for work, first day back! And spoke to my boss and she's had someone cover my shifts cos I'm going over shortly, just going to wait for he teatime traffic to die down a bit.  I've spoken to my stepdad since and he says they're having to do a tracheoctomy to put the ventilator in, and that she's going to have two lots of antibiotics, one for tb and one for an infection that's gone across to the other lung ( in assuming that's the pneumonia) and they're going to watch for improvements over next 24-48 hours. So we'll have to see what happens from here. Charlies childminder told me she was on a ventilator for 3 days after having her son to get her over it and she has no memory of it, so I'm holding onto that really, because you just assume ventilator = the end or somewhere near, but hopefully fingers,toes and everything else crossed it doesn't.

Sorry its a bit of a dismal read today isn't it. I will let you know what happens, but I'm sure it'll be a more positive message next time!

Hope you and the hubby are doing fine

Speak soon, take care and keep smiling xx

Hi Terri

Am sure your visit to see Mum would bring a smile to her face and hope she is more comfortable following the move/procedures to help with her breathing to give her lung a chance to recover from the infection. Am thinking of you and sending good wishes all round.  Many years ago now my Dad had the same sort of problems after his heart bypass and was in and out of icu for a week or so until stabilised and they have the staff with the extra expertise so hope it helps (and soon too). Please dont apologise for feeling a bit deflated by it all, you must all be very worried for her and if you can share your feelings on the forum any time it helps to chat.

Look after yourself too.  Virtual hugs  Jules xx

Hi Jules, sorry its been a long week!

Mums awake now, she's still on the ventilator but doing better day by day, sat in the chair for a few hours etc. Still got her sense of humour so its looking good still no results back though :/

I've been on nights this week at work, 90% of the shop had to be changed round which meant a lot if work, last one tonight so that's good! Going to see my mum again on Friday, can't wait although I'm doing it all again week after next because I volunteered to help another shop where I used to work and they've taken me up on the offer haha oops!

Anyway how are you doing? How's the hubby and your mum? I've been meaning to get on all week cos I've missed chatting! Anyway hope you're all well and still smiling

Take care Terri x

Hi Terri

You have been fitting a lot in (night moves in the shop rings bells, due to happen in ours in a couple of weeks but I dont get involved these days with the night shifts though may be called to cover extra day time shifts for the staff doing the nighters!!).

Pleased that your Mum is making progress and she is made of strong stuff to keep her sense of humour after all she has been/is going through.  Can imagine you are eager to get into visit and see how she doing now and I am sure she will love hearing all your up to date news.

Hubby on a roll this week - has done three full days and is going in again tomorrow.  Expect he will be spending the weekend dozing to regain strength but he seems to be coping quite well at present.  Mum's situation caused a few headaches at the beginning of the week with social services offering her a placement in sheltered housing and wanting an answer in three days!!  Upshott of this was the s.w. visiting Mum at the care home and being sent away with Mum's decision being not interested in even looking at what was on offer and declining to move!!..  Now that means she will have to use her own money to keep her in care until she has none but its her decision. Felt like I was having a meltdown on Tuesday but family and my online mates kept me company and Iam through the other side for the time being.  Will be visiting her later in the week but the care home staff inform me she was very firm and seemed to thrive on telling social services her true feelings.  Only time will tell if she has done the right thing but I am proud of her for sticking to her guns.

Do hope you find Mum in good spirits when you visit and look forward to chatting again soon.  Take care of yourself.  Jules xx

Hi Jules,

Disappointed cos I can't go to see mum today, I'm feeling a bit sniffly etc and got a great big coldsore too so I'm either getting a cold or just run down, but I don't want to risk it, so I'll have to wait til weds when I'm next off to go see her.

Shop done and looking good if I do say so myself lol......do you work at Tesco then? Wish I hadn't voluteered for the other shop now lol been a long four nights!

Wow, that's great your hubby has had such a good week at work

And good for your mum, sticking to her guns! If it makes we happy as long as she's able to stay there, that's the best thing really isn't it?

My mum tried sending me a text when my stepdad went to see her but I just ended up with a text saying 90 haha Mick says she got fed up and just started writing it on paper. But at least she's trying she's told nurses she misses the grandkids and just wants to go home now, so I'm going to print off some pictures of Charlie and my niece summer to take in for her

What have you been up to, anything good.....apart from avoiding night shifts that is......(I'm jealous!)

Anyway, I'll say bye for now, take care and keep smiling

Terri x

Hi Terri

Such a shame that you cannot visit your Mum but better safe than sorry and hope she continues to make good recovery and can get back home soon. I am sure she will be delighted with pics of her granchildren to cheer her up.  Take care of yourself and then hopefully you will be up and ready to visit next week.

No, not Tescos - WH Smith! don't think it matters which retailer you with, this time of year its all about seasonal moves.  We also have audits/counts going on and with so few staff on a two floor store, the Manager has his work cut out trying to balance the budget with staff hours.  Normally I only do around 16hrs a week (no weekends) but this time of year will do a bit of covering if it fits in round family requirements.

Not that much time to myself this week and still going to launderette as waching machine sits broken in kitchen!!  Managed some new clothes shopping with my birthday money yesterday which helped lift the spirits! and all being well will go out with my friend this evening.  Hubby missing out on his night out as he friend not free but suspect he will be catching up on some rest - only been up hour or so and already dozing as we wait to see if we are doing the school pick up at mid-day. Daughter at hospital now for monitoring (again) and if they keep her longer than an hour she cannot get to the school on time. Am on my day off so can cover her (school around half hour walk away but if hubby awake we can go by car (I dont drive)).

Good to chat - am playing around on the computer until I know what is happening as no point getting caught up with something (was at launderette by 7 this morning so washing now out in the sunshine!!) and then leaving it half done (my excuse for sitting down).

Enjoy your weekend an hope that you feel better soon.  Jules xx

Hi terri

Wonderful to read that your Mum is improving and, of course, you were right to be better safe than sorry as you would never have forgiven yourself had you gone on to develop an infection.  Glad it fizzled out and am sure you are right that you were probably a little run down (stress/worry coming out in the physical symptoms).  Think thats why I have had more 'little' headaches in recent months - has to have some detrimental effects.

I really dont envy you the night work - hope they paying you a bonus.  We have so much stock arriving at the moment we could fill a couple of other shops as well but I thiink many people spread their Christmas shopping over a longtime period now (me included and we only have small number to buy for and an agreed budget to stick to).  I always feel happy once I have started the present buying (and even happier when I have worked out what to get people).

Hope when you visit your Mum all is well.  Take it easy.Jules xx

hi jules,

well i might only have to do one overnight shift, as there aren't as many changes in that store, so they're trying to get more volunteers to get it all done in one go, so that'll be great if it happens!

it was brilliant seeing my mum, she looks amazingly better, than the last time i saw her, and she played a trick on me though! i went in all masked up, apron on etc (although still no definite results) and i said, hi mum, you ok? i'd kiss you but ive got this silly mask on......and she said just give me kiss silly. i was so shocked because she was talking! i cried lol such a softie. so nice to have her back! she'd had this new pipe put on which allowed to talk, she said she cried too when she realised bless her   she played the same trick on my sis who did the same as me ha they're hoping to get it changed again and get her eating herself in the next few days so its all getting good for her

but next blow is that jamies stepdad is in hospital now, hes been losing loads of weight, lost his voice almost and refused to go to docs for last few months, but at their anniversary party his sis made him promise to go first thing mon and he did (who knew he'd listen to her!) and he got a telling off from the doc and sent for a chest xray, results were due back yesterday and hes got another app on mon

but he was so confused and couldn't breathe properly yesterday so they convinced him to go to the hosp eventually (he's a v stubborn man!) and they said he had too much carbon dioxide in his blood and possible infections, hes on oxygen and they said if he'd have stayed at home he might have died, but he took all his mask off etc last night so jamies mum had to go and sit with him all night to make sure he'd stay, hes still quite confused, but at least hopefully will get better if he continues to stay for treatment that is! so fingers crossed!

anyway enough about my life!

how are you and yours? all good i hope?

speak soon take care

terri x