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

give her a from me please, my mam had hers on the 17th

My mother will be 95 next month. I feel such guilt that she's still absolutely fine and, apart from repeating herself more and more often, she is mentally quite capable, too, while you have more than your fair share of worries and work.

Many happy returns to your Mum, GB, and have a lovely day. I'm sure you'll be allowed on the bus if you're carrying a cake.

Many happy returns to both Mums for attaining a grand age.

Websailor

I hope your mum enjoyed her cake! It's a tribute to your fine caring that she has survived to such a ripe age.

Thanks everyone, we did have a lovely day. I also bumped into an old friend and a new friend,

My niece took a short video clip of Mum on Monday night, (perm day) as they were delivering cards & pressies. It's only 15s long: http://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152711891691970&set=vb.552421969&type=2&theater it is public so I don't think anyone should have any problems viewing it. The question was, what advice would you share with us, that you have learned over your 95 years?

She's having another birthday today as son Keith & his wife are coming over from Nottingham to take us out to lunch.

I know this! that! and t'otherso there's at least 2 of us eh!

We had another lovely day full of new memories. Lunch at the Trawlerman (carvery) followed by a drive along Cleethorpes promenade boat- and bird-spotting, with me and my brother reminiscing about the old Wonderland (nothing there now but rubble). He noted the propensity of wind farms on Spurn Head, I thought they'd been there ages but obviously not. We'd just had lemon cake and a cuppa when the tea carer came and it was Bev, the registrar who'd registed my Andrew's birth and married my younger brother & sister-in-law. After an engaging chat Mum fell asleep and Bev's half-hour flashed by. She told my older brother that she didn't consider what she does now as work. What she did before was very stressful and full of red tape. I can understand that as I have a friend whose birthday is approaching, who gave up a good job in a Building Society to become a domestic helper, working to her own hours and her own boss. I guess it's all about finding something you love!

Must set off for Mum's while the sun's shining

We're all still plodding on. My sister and brother booked the same weekend away (again) which means I'm walking there today for the 5th day on the trot (and also tomorrow). However, my son, his new wife and my two youngest grandsons are visiting and hopefully bringing fish & chips to great grandma's house. I've already got a chocolate cake to celebrate two of the family October birthdays while we're all under the same roof. (Mum 95 and Harrison, 6).

Hang in there, Galaxy Babe. Enjoy and grandkids!

Yesterday was great, although Mum got very tired and found the youngsters a strain. When Harrison arrived, I asked if he'd had a birthday, he said yes, he was 6 now. I said great grandma just had a birthday too! He said, did she? How old is she now? I said she is 95. He replied: "Ninety five (raised eyebrows), she's had a LOT more birthdays than me!"

Allan's new wife didn't come with them as she's poorly. So there was room in the car for me so we all went to Tescos when we left Mum's. I offered to sit in the car with the boys so Allan could pop in and get what he wanted, but he said the boys would be ok, and they were! Jaxon held my hand, and Harrison held Allan's hand. They were perfectly behaved. I'm very proud.

So very glad it was a good day for you GB! Please remind this ancient old biddy - how old is Jaxon now? It seems only yesterday that you were announcing his birth.

I can do better than that, scorp.
http://plus.google.com/photos/109163337517290185142/albums/5561319114697834337/6070002834298724674?pid=6070002834298724674&oid=109163337517290185142 (I hope that link works)

my son took that photo and put it on my Facebook page on Sunday night. Jaxon was born in January 2011, so he's almost 4 years old. What is remarkable is he's the exact double of his daddy at that age. He melts my heart. Harrison looks like his mummy, and look how tall he is! Big boy at 6, and doing well at school, despite some behavioural problems which remind me of Andrew. Oh and he was showing off his Head teacher's award for good behaviour

Wow, sorry about the two-month gap.

Mum's well though her swollen ankle/leg gives cause for concern, my sister & younger brother keep writing in my log to ask for medical help even though I've told them it's her heart not working properly and her lack of exercise causing the oedema.

We've had another visit from my older brother and his wife, a lovely treat for Mum getting taken out for lunchwhich she did full justice to. They delivered Christmas presentsand I was dreading having to do Mum's Christmas shopping as well as my own, being dependent upon buses as I am now, when my sister announced she'd done it allexcept for my 3 grandsons and my own gift, which I'll choose and bill my younger brother.

I'm pleased the same arrangements are in place for Christmas Eve-Dec 27th as was last year, Mum's going to my sister's, hopefully someone will give me a lift to the usual Boxing Day party at hers, and also a lift home for Mum on the Saturday.

I really miss my car

i bet you do. I had the joy of my son taking me shopping today so I did all the heavy stuff, and can manage with my trolley for normal stuff.

Hope you get a restat Christmas, it is about time someone looked after you.

Take care,



Websailor

Things are all in place for a festive Christmas and time off for me,

Laura's picking me up at 10am and taking me to Mum's, we'll exchange gifts there.

I'm staying with Mum as there's no lunch carer in situ on Wednesdays due to her normal routine of being at the Curzon (and we were very disappointed that the Vicar mistimed his visit to Mum *last Wednesday* even though I'd told him that's the only day she goes out)

I'm staying at Mum's until my sister arrives, she's at work until at least 4pm (Scunthorpe) so I don't expect to be home before 5pm. Ian is coming here when he arrives, he's got a key and can avail himself of the Internet access. I'll pack Mum's suitcase for her 3-day stay at my sister's I just hope I don't forget anythingI did start a list but now can't find itit's probably at Mum's.

Have a happy Christmas everyone from Mum, Ian and myself, and not forgetting Goldie of course

Thanks for the good wishes and have a great Christmas yourself. Don't work too hard having fun.

I was just wondering about you so this came just at the right moment!

Everything went as planned until Boxing Day when my sister called off her party as she was so ill her husband took her to A&E

As she was in charge of Mum, it was a worrying time for all, I've never felt so helpless.

They coped though, and this morning my (younger) brother went to collect Mum then picked me up before delivering us to Mum's house. We'd missed the lunch carer but I got everything done and Mum settled, before leaving for a just before the tea carer was due. There was a note in Mum's suitcase from Y apologising for not bathing Mum as she'd been too ill to attempt it so could I do it? I decided against it as I had no help organised!

My daughter's loaned me her car for the next two weeks. I'm so happy I could burst but am dreading handing it back

I watched The Sound of Music on the telly with Mum yesterday, I can remember her taking me to see it at the cinema, many moons ago. She recognised all the songs, tried to sing them but got most of the words wrong, and she can't sing anyway but who cares? I was reminded of the lovely scenery of Austria at the beginning, never knowing then that I'd be in Austria myself at the age of 15 when I went with my school, I had ten days in Austria, Italy, Belgium and Germany. Mum still swears she paid for it, but they paid the deposit of £5, and I paid the other £45 myself, I saved up the trip money and spending money from 3 newspaper rounds and a Saturday job at Woolworths, which took me months. Taught me the value of money!

GB

My 2 weeks with the car was wonderful, it was like a magic carpet running me to Mum's and back although it cost me £25 to replace the petrol I'd used

Mum's been giving cause for concern, sleeping a lot and off her food. Her INR was high last time as well. I walked there early yesterday (left home at 8.15am, beat even the school-runs) to coincide with the District Nurse visit, beat her, collected a urine sample off Mum and gave it to the DN when she came to collect Mum's blood. DN rang me later to say Mum had a urine infection (as I suspected) and was organising a prescription for antibiotics which would be signed by GP at lunchtime. In the meantime the chemist delivered Mum's eyedrops so I asked him if it would be possible to collect the prescription post-signing, cash it in and deliver back to me this afternoon (I thought I was probably asking for the but if you don't ask...) I fluttered my eyelashes and he said no problem. The second delivery was after 5pm and my brother had already arrived with fish & chips for him & Mum, he was shocked to see me still there but I said I was waiting for Mum's meds (I had to write it up in the carer file and give Mum her first dose). So I hang on until Robert was ready to leave and got a lift home in his magic carpet.

Today is Mum's bath day. Ho hum.

That's not a day I ever want to repeat

The morning carer omitted to give Mum the antibiotic, even though I'd written it on the meds sheet under the usual morning tablets and creams, and wrote it on the "special instructions" on the reverse.

As the lunch carer and I were lowering Mum into her bath Mum panicked and dug her elbow into my side which feels like a hammer has been taken to my ribs now. I'm going to get onto Occupational Therapy next week for a bath seat because this can't continue.

Clee Medical (Mum's ) didn't ring me with the INR result as per usual the day after the test. So I rang them after bath/lunch. The receptionist told me there was no result so there can't have been a test. I said I was there when the test was taken and she said "there's no need to shout at me" (I hadn't realised I was shouting, but was probably trying to make myself heard over the volume of Mum's TV). I explained slowly that there was a test taken, so she said to ring the District Nurses and find out why they didn't submit the blood. I rang the lovely receptionist at the DN station, who I could tell was writing down all the details. She even knew the name of the nurse who'd visited Mum the day before and also that she'd had a urine sample taken. About ten minutes later I got a call from the usual caller from Clee Medical who said they'd had a call from the hospital after the District Nurses chased up Mum's sample saying the sample tested indeterminate (which is not the same as no sample taken) so there'll be another blood test on Monday