Streeeeetched

It's Tuesday the 31st January, it's early o'clock and sun isn't quite up yet but we are.  The air outside is fresh after a very hot and humid day yesterday. We've had some blessed overnight rain that seems to have cleared the air again. Today is a new day full of its own challenges and confronting discussions. We have a very full on half day at Peter Mac where decisions and choices will be discussed , lots of talking and lots of listening to be done and as always I write it all down in my journal.

On Sunday morning ( Saturday evening UK time) Scott's much loved mum and my children's much adored gran quietly slipped away. She is missed ((as we physically miss all our family / friends being so far away) everyday but is now at peace after the last few years of living with ever declining dementia. I am grateful that we got to spend time with her each day when we visited in July. There was still a spark of recognition for 'her boy!' and delight in a strawberry tart. The last few months have been spent happily and content in a nursing home in Ayr , with pleasant garden views and caring staff. We are grateful to both of Scott's sisters for their constancy in her life.

Then along came Monday with a BAM! Scott's problem that he was admitted to hospital the other week returning , Fiona with the problem that she needed emergency surgery for last May had flared up . Ruaraidh at work, Isla at work. Me , with a headless chicken running around inside my head , trying to juggle everything emotionally and physically, running round to pay Isla's physio appointment that I now couldn't go to . Being verbally abused by some local idiot and his embarrassed looking dog...he would have ranted at anyone who was passing so I didn't take it personally...just felt like having a good old rant back at him! Packing hospital bags.

Peter Mac were called, apparently we had an appointment that afternoon ( I got the appointment  letter in post later) so we would go in for that and see what followed. We actually met one of our

medical team in the lift so had a quick consultation with her and she would follow us up after our appointment. So that was 3 hours spent at Peter Mac meanwhile my daughter had to go to our local
A&E department and send me text updates about what was happening....which initially wasn't much.

We got an uber ( usually a good experience) cab...driver literally did not know right from left. Now, I sometimes have to think which is which but I am not being paid to drive people around the city! I got dropped off ( after what seemed like an eternity of rush hour traffic and an eternity of driver humming) at our local hospital A&E department. I went in to reception , where it smelled of vomit, stood in line behind someone apprehended by police and was then given my sticky VISITOR pass and allowed through....just in time as , like last time, Fiona went ever so slightly unconscious. This is horrid to see and more horrid as she came round and the first word she said was an expletive! I didn't know whether to be delighted she was breathing again or wash her mouth out with the anti bacterial hand spray on the wall behind me.

We were then admitted to a ward for emergency surgery tomorrow. (Ironically , she is in the lovely Olivia Newton John cancer centre as a surgical boarder whilst Scott was in a sugical bed as an
oncology boarder the other week) she has a room with a beautiful view out to the Dandenong Hills ,
was starving as she had been fasted 'just in case' and sore. So she will be having surgery this morning and I will be at Peter Mac with Scott and not with her and feeling very torn between the two. I was reminded of the 1976 toy Stretch Armstrong , who could be pulled and pulled and apparently could be stretched much more than his actual size. I'm hoping I have the emotional and mental stretch for all of this,

School is back tomorrow, buttons need sewn on a dress...that's if I can thread the needle...I also need to try and fit an optometrist visit in sometime, forms need printed and signed....in the olden days ( like 2 years ago) you were physically given the forms now we have to doing them ourselves and return them. This is Isla's last year at school. Hurrah! No more school fees, no more school shoes (ever, ever, ever!) , no more knee high white socks ( after November...I'm getting ahead of myself with the excitement!) however there will be eisteddfod and swimming carnivals and athletics carnivals and school formal all to be organised as she is a house captain which brings with it not just golden braid on her blazer but a whole load of responsibility and organising....I'm hoping there is time for studying as well. Year 12 is as big as it gets out here. Lots of responsibilty, lots of high expectations....just lots of lots off really. We've had a set of dodgy hips thrown in for good measure
and waiting on referral appointments for those.

Sigh!
Sigh!

So life is pretty stressy at the moment, it will hopefully settle down once Fiona is home and I don't need to be in two places at once. Scott's appointments are a constant and we are grateful that he is well looked after. One of our lovely doctors even called us when we were in Tasmania to check he was okay.

So , maybe after today is over and done with I can get back to onwards...and just onwards. Enough drama for the week thankyou!