h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I weighed Mum last week, she's back to 40kg so put on 2kg since December.

Her INR last week was way out (4.9 - too thin) so they stopped the Warfarin for 2 days and restarted her on 4mg on Sunday.

I spent yesterday morning shopping in Tescos then went to hers, adapted a ready meal to include her favourite veg then left at 2pm. I had been hoping to see my sister and/or brother but both visited on Saturday even though Mum said she had no visitors (other than me) but when I received their replies by text I asked her again and she said "oh yes, but they didn't stay very long".

Around 4.30pm all hell broke loose in Mum's house, apparently. The tea carer arrived, turned on the kitchen light, a bulb blew and the entire house plunged into darkness. Of course she rang me to ask where the fuse box was so she could reset it. I didn't know so I gave her my sister's mobile number so she could ask my brother-in-law who would know. The phone rang again about 5 mins later, I answered, no-one spoke but I could hear an alarm going off... I rang Mum's landline on my mobile - it was answered by the carer who was in a state as she'd set the house alarm off but couldn't stop it. I was scrabbling in my handbag for the code to tell her when it went quiet, I thought she'd rang off but then a man spoke, he said he was the next-door neighbour and he'd run round when he heard the alarm as he remembered Dad telling him the code. I was speaking to him on my mobile when my landline rang and it was the neighbour the other side telling me that Violet's house alarm was going off.



I have no idea how Mum coped with all the stress of that going on. As it's Monday morning and the domestic is there I'm not going til this afternoon - hopefully she'll have forgotten all about it by then.



She's got a busy day on Thursday, I've booked the chiropodist and Ian's daughter to do her hair. My sister had left me a note in my carer's log saying Mum wanted her hair cut & styled and she thinks Mum could do with a venture out, and perhaps her old hairdresser (Taylor's Avenue) might book her in? A good idea dear, when are you going to take her (and wait for her) then? I was a bit miffed considering the logistics involved so I booked Caroline, who can do as good a job as any hairdresser in a shop!

funny ain't it (not in a bad way of course)but it don't matter how poorly a woman is - they STILL have to have their hair done

Rant away, love, You're inspiring.
I hope you get Tuesday or Wednesday off.

Prof, my hairdresser is better than any doctor Not sure it makes any difference to how I look, but I feel great Genuinely it is a tonic.

GB,
Hope you get some time off for good behaviour.

Take care,

Websailor

this I know Webbie, mam will get to the hairdresser come hell or high water, for her regular "trim"and at 87yrs, I just don't want her getting that purple streak in (white hair) ??that some "oldies" do

I shall hide my purple streak then Why ever not Prof? I am sure you know the poem 'I shall wear purple' and if she wanted to I am sure she would not ask her son's permission if she is a dyed in the wool Yorkshire girl.

Websailor

After a certain age, ladies may wear what colour hair they like, say I.

I know what you mean, though. If someone gives you a good haircut, you feel better. First, it's the attention. Second, you feel tidier. It's sort of a morale boost.

actually, purple is my favourite colour
when at home, my bedroom had 4 shades of itwalls AND ceilingalthough one wall was virtually covered in beermats(all different)

Webby, I'm going purple at some point tomorrow - not for the first time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kl46UHpSwE

It's feet & hairdo do. Plus the district nurse will make an appearance at some point to collect blood for INR test. I am sure Mum will be exasperated at all the attention but tomorrow will be saying "you go days when no-one visits then 3 come at once" (I don't count as a visitor, obviously.

On my "day off" from caring for Mum I took Ian to visit his Mum and was shocked at the sight of her, the difference in a week really shook me. I insisted the staff call a doctor out and he diagnosed a mini-stroke, prescribed aspirin, but Ian said he didn't want to have her sent to hospital (the Diana hospital no longer has a stroke unit anyway) because she hated it on New Year's Eve and couldn't wait to get back to the Library "where she belonged" and she's already told him she is ready to go. I gave her an extra few kisses and a big hug, as gently as I could.

It's feet & hairdo "day"

Sorry to hear that Ian's mum is not doing so well.


And a mention to Websailor for posting that poem, I found it really helpful. Thank you.

Glad to hear your mum will soon be in top-to-toe fine fettle GB!

Thanks Lanza.

Mum's been blood-letted, nail-trimmed and hair-doed. I shampooed her hair, tidied up all the mess, and now I've come home for a rest.

Wish I was there to serve you some so you could relax and get your up

I appreciate the thought. I've had a lovely shower and pamper session, so I feel human again

Sometimes I get an unexpected giggle. I'll share this with you, if I may. I have my own Carer's Log, and there's a blue folder containing all the paperwork required by the paid, visiting carers from Farringfords. Their log is something I read every time I arrive, just so I know who's been and what's been going on since the previous day. The spelling is a little haphazard (I sometimes have to guess) and some handwriting is illegible (wish they'd been doctors?)

What made me laugh this weekend was one entry "Escorted Violet to the toilet. Urine pissed." (It should have been "passed")

"I get an unexpected giggle" that could cause problems in the middle of the night


"Urine pissed" ? that's funnyI had 2 cups of before bed, should have been typoo ?

My older brother K from Nottingham rang me on Sunday, first time this year, he and his wife are visiting on Friday and would like me to have lunch with them before they go round to visit Mum. This is *usual* behaviour.

**RANT ALERT**
Unfortunately I asked my younger brother R for help with car costs, seeing as how I've been Mum's carer for a year now, and I've not asked for any petrol money all last year. All I put in claims to him for are Mum's shopping and other expenses, all directly Mum's. My younger brother opened a joint account for him & Mum when she became ill, agreed with all the siblings. Mum *used* to give me £10 a week before she got ill, to cover my car costs, as I used to collect her, take her to the then shopping then dropping her shopping off home then going for lunch then back to hers for and It was an agreement between the two of us which had worked since my father passed away.

My younger brother R replied that he didn't like being piggy in the middle as it was Mum's money and he was responsible for it; if K and Y (other siblings) were agreeable then he would give me something towards my car costs. Then I told R & Y that K had rung and was visiting this Friday. Silence for a day... last night K rang me again (never happened twice in one week before) and suggested picking me & Mum up, as he'd had a chat with Y who said she's well enough to go out. I texted my sister and asked if she was joining us, she responded immediately, she couldn't as she had a meeting at work, but she'd like to see photos (of a lunch??) and that I shouldn't think too badly of R as he's only looking out for Mum's interests and we may need her money if she has to go into a Care Home. She also said that she'd do Mum's shopping online to save my petrol costs. (Haha! Don't supermarkets CHARGE for this privilege? And doesn't someone have to BE THERE to take it all in, and put it all away?) I feel like I'm being accused of trying to bleed her dry, I think Y rang K to warn him I'm after an allowance off Mum. I currently live on Carers Allowance of £59.75 a week which Income Support tops up to £105. I have cut all the corners I can with my budget.

I've pondered whether to post this or not, but s*d it.

*presses post message*