Day 8 - Looking Forward.

Sometimes it's a fact of life that the saying "he who shouts loudest..." often works, even though undoubtedly others may miss out because of it.

This morning cleo's brother, and I, both made a couple of calls to relevant people, within the care team at the hospital. Result: Action, and almost immediate as well. It really is amazing that if you push a little more than others, and are not prepared to simply accept, but ask questions, and make a bit of noise, and as long as you do that in a sensible and diplomatic way, things happen.

Well, today things happened. More of that later.

You've got a friend..

Remember the song, by James Taylor, a line of which says:

"...and you know wherever I am,
I'll come runnin' to you, to see you again."

Today I have to say that I saw an example of true friendship, for which cleo and I will be eternally grateful. A friend of ours, whom we had never met, but who we have chatted to on the net for some years, and who is, I am sure he won't mind me saying, confined to a wheelchair and who has to contend with more difficulties each day than most of us see in a lifetime got in his car and drove some 80-odd miles this morning to meet me for lunch. We then visited cleo in the hospital, and we thoroughly enjoyed his company for the afternoon.

When someone in that position can make the huge effort that goes into doing something like that, you know what friendship really is. It was so moving to see him and cleo chatting, like old friends, bearing in mind that we and he had never met face to face before today.

Alan brought e-mail messages from many friends and each one was read with interest and happiness; that these people could take the time to send their good wishes is both pleasing and comforting to cleo and I. We thank each one from the bottom of our hearts, because that's the best therapy there is.

I just want to say to Alan, you are a star, and what you did today cannot ever be repaid. The incredible lift that it gave cleo was immediately apparent.

Thank you Alan from the bottom of my heart. I owe you.

Stand by Your Man

I said earlier that sometimes we have to push the system to get it working. The gentle shove we gave it this morning got the physiotherapy team, and the speech therapy team into action. cleo was given help this morning from the speech people about how to eat, and some exercises and coaching to help her talking. ( Do I really need someone else to tell cleo how to talk? Not really, she can talk for England can my cleo) Seriously, up till now she has been, as I have mentioned before on pureed food. Well today they re-examined her swallow reflex and after a little coaching about how to swallow, without choking, by moving her chin down against her chest they decided that she can have "proper" food again. So tonight she feasted on mushroom soup, egg sandwiches, and rice pudding. Even then she was, as is cleo's way, trying to prove she could eat and I had cause to slow her down a bit, finally taking control of the eating again, and feeding her the rice pudding.

Now the days best news: physiotherapy also came up trumps this morning. Having had these fainting fits a couple of times there was concern about what was causing them. Tests had proven inconclusive, but what has happened the last couple of days as cleo became more settled was she was eating better, getting some proper food inside her. This morning they tried sitting her up again, and to everyone's amazement, she didn't faint, and her balance is improved too.

I think maybe she just wasn't eating enough those first few days, and so her bllod sugar was too low; each time she was sat upright, she fainted as a result. Anyway, not only did they get her upright, they sat her in the chair by the bed, and even taught her how to stand, aided at this time of course by someone to hang on to, but just the fact that they showed her how to do this, by placing the weight on her good leg, and by locking her paralysed knee, has made her feel that she is making progress. She insisted a couple of times that I help her to stand, and she hung on to me so tightly, with an arm round my neck. I have to say it felt so good. Just to have her standing, albeit unable to move once she gets there, was wonderful, and testament to her grit and determination, and the fighting qualities that make cleo what she is.

Next step of course is to begin working the arm and leg to try and regain some motor activity, which at present is absent. However, that will come I am sure. The physiotherapists have said that when they were moving her there were definite signs of involuntary muscle movement, and that is a good sign.

Hospital Corners

I left Alan at the hospital and returned home to meet the girls from school, to take them to see their mum. They too were amazed when they walked in to see cleo sitting in a chair, looking pleased as punch, and laughing and joking with Alan. Once dinner was over, the bed needed to be made, and as there is a distinct lack of staff at certain times on the ward, because the whole NHS is very understaffed, the girls decided they would make the bed. One nursing assistant got all the bits, and proceeded to show Sarah and hannah how to make a hospital bed, including the famous "hospital corners" on the sheets. I asked Hannah whether her bedroom was going to be all tidy like that, but I doubt it will, going by the clothes and stuff that presently seem to inhabit the floor of her room pretty much all the time.

They were so pleased though that they had made the bed, and got it all tidy for their mum, and it is nice to see them wanting to be involved that way. They are two great kids, and I often think to myself how lucky I am to have been given the opportunity to call them my family; nothing is too good for them, and while I can never replace their dad, and wouldn't want to, I feel so proud that they have accepted me as their mums new partner. It certainly can't have been easy for them, to have to adjust to a new life, with a new person and all that entails, and their acceptance of me has been just one of the magical moments that i have been part of this last four years.

Thanks girls, and no you cant have any more money!

After the girls had gone off to their dads, cleo and I sat quietly, as we enjoy doing, just being in each others company. Matron came round and we talked about rehabilitation, and it seems there may be a chance, if only a slim one, provided cleo works hard, and does what she is told, of being home for Christmas, if only for a couple of days. We will see what progress is made over the next three weeks

Now that will be a special time.