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

I'm in the middle of a "bad week"

On Friday I went to my youngest uncle's funeral. When I got back I received a phone call to tell me a friend had died. Whe I went to tell the local Parish Priest of the death he told me of another friend that had died.

Yet another friend had to be resuscitated the night before last and is now in hospital in the final stages of cancer - she really has not much time left.

If I don't seem my normal cheery self please understand why.

Vesty

Sorry to hear this, Vestie - a bad week indeed. Hang in there

And you don't need to be cheery to post: you've got a bucketload of friends on here and they're there for you if you need to talk.

Absolutely. My thoughts are with you, Vesty, old chap.

Thanks Trin. Sometimes things seem to gang up. S'funny how things get put into perspective. Today the garage told me that the £90 service had now turned into £320 worth of work and I couldn't give a monkey's. It seemed so trivial in comparison.

I know what you mean - nothing mundane seems to matter much. Including eating and sleeping, when it gets really bad ... though those things do matter and you end up having to force yourself.

I don't have any problems forcing myself to eat.
*noise of scales whimpering as I approach to weigh myself*
Sleeping is Ok at the moment. Sometimes I have to watch out that I don't sleep for too long (it can be a sign of depression).

It's a weird hierarchy of worry I find myself in. Another acquaintance, someone who is on the fringe of my circle of friends, but someone I know I would probably enjoy talking to if I got to know her better, has just told people that she has had a recurrence of cancer. Normally that would be the worst thing you could imagine but at the moment I'm having to put it to the back of my mind while I process all of the other stuff.

One of my friends who died was an old guy I really got to like. He was 87. His wife took him to the doc late last week with abdominal pain. The doc said it's constipation and sent him home. Friday evening he was crying out in pain and his wife called NHS Direct who said they would get an ambulance sent round. When no ambulance arrived she phoned them back. "Phone 999," was their response - so she did. Still no ambulance. She phoned again and they apologised that they were stretched and couldn't get an ambulance out straight away. Eventually the ambulance arrived and it took him to hospital.

They scanned him and put him in a side room. "Am I dying?" he asked the medics. "No!" was the reply.

He turned to his wife and said, "I really love you and I want to thank you for everything you've ever done for me."

Later in the night he died of septicaemia caused by a punctured bowel.

That's a great shame. I am very glad he got to say that, though, even if it doesn't sound like it was made terribly easy for him.

(Asking someone whether they're eating properly is just one of the pointless questions you ask, I think. And as you'll have seen from the 'Footbacon goes on a date' thread, this week we're all playing the part of Woody Allen's mum).

I think I'm playing the part of Woody Allen's Sister but hey-ho!

Vestie, I'm so sorry. If there's anything I can do other than just listen, you know where to find me.

Thanks Scandrea.

Thanks everyone.
My friend who was resuscitated has been moved to a cancer hospital in London and they are hoping to continue treatment. This is palliative (keeping her as pain free and comfortable as possible) as the cancer enters its final stages.

Every time the phone rings we jump, thinking it may be news about her.

I can do little but offer you a and if you need it, either a or a .

mmmm.

My friend's name is Sue. We have been told that they had to drain 750cc of liquid from her at the new hospital, but that means that she is now much more comfortable. Mrs Vestie and a friend will go up to see her today.

Sad news, Sue died yesterday morning. I got to see her in the evening before the nurses who were staying overnight arrived. She wasn't really awake but I got to squeeze her hand and say goodbye. She died just before 4 am with her husband and children at the bedside.

I'm really glad she was at home and that people got to see her before she went.

I'm lad you got to say goodbye.