Monday 5th October

Wet and horrid in Lewes

23 degrees in St. Remy

Dad pretended to be sleeping and wouldn’t open his eyes when we tried to get him up. The carer and I told him he was going out to the day centre (The Phoenix).

Bugger the Phoenix he said.

Spent half an hour trying to coax him up but he pretended to be asleep. As soon as the carer left he got up and demanded tea and toast.

Fortunately the carer promised to come back a bit later to get him dressed. I cancelled the transport and said I would drive him down later.

We needed to do a new care-plan so spent an hour with the admin person writing out the same plan we had last year. I moaned about the lack of carers over the weekend and the fact that we had no domestic either.

Got the usual mantra that it was all booked……I’ve heard it all before. I dread to think what happens with other patients who haven’t got anyone.

I hear the odd thing from the grapevine and last week a friend’s mother, who is in a similar situation as dad, dislocated her hip whilst in bed. The poor woman was in agony and vomiting. It took the paramedics two hours to get there.

Couldn’t get dad to the Phoenix, he wasn’t keen at all. I wonder if something happened on Friday as I heard him say to the transport lady that he wouldn’t be seeing her again!

I sat up in our room during the afternoon and I heard him come upstairs. He came in and asked me if I had told Martin about “what we had found downstairs”

What did we find downstairs I asked.

“You know, the animals."

What animals, I can’t remember any animals.

"Well - you know, - have you told him."

When was this, I asked,

“last week” he said.

I asked what sort of animals, big or little ones….

He thought they were mouse size, maybe..

I agreed to tell M.

There were no animals big or little but he definitely saw them in his mind. Same as he sees people in the sitting room.

Two lots of trousers today and three washes of pee soaked bedding, clothes etc.

Dad asked where mum was. I reminded him, gently, that she died nearly four years ago.

I am having a day out tomorrow, something to look forward to.