Perhaps
And now, after all these months, they're beginning to think about the Communist coming home.
He's been in hospital, then nursing home, then hospital, since the beginning of June.
At first it was a terrible shock to us all. Now we're used to the routine. Taking two pounds for the car park, knowing where the spaces are likely to be in the multi-storey. Deciding every day what's the best time to visit - the two till four or the six till eight. Working out who else is visiting and fitting our visits round them.
Taking a deep breath as we approach the door, wondering how he is, and sighing with relief if he seems his usual self. Asking the staff how he's doing. Knowing which uniform is which.
But now, they're thinking more long-term, looking at my parents' house: making us look at it with new eyes. Yes, there's a downstairs bedroom, but the downstairs bathroom's rather small, hard to manoeuvre a wheelchair in.
Some friends are shocked when I say that they are planning up to four visits a day from carers. Why so many? But to get him from the bed to a chair needs two people, and a hoist.
"A hoist? Why?" they ask. But if you think about it, a man with only one leg, who's been in bed since June - he can barely lift himself up.
It's going to be really difficult, and my mother, who finds all change particularly hard, may not cope well at all. But I think we should try.
He's been in hospital, then nursing home, then hospital, since the beginning of June.
At first it was a terrible shock to us all. Now we're used to the routine. Taking two pounds for the car park, knowing where the spaces are likely to be in the multi-storey. Deciding every day what's the best time to visit - the two till four or the six till eight. Working out who else is visiting and fitting our visits round them.
Taking a deep breath as we approach the door, wondering how he is, and sighing with relief if he seems his usual self. Asking the staff how he's doing. Knowing which uniform is which.
But now, they're thinking more long-term, looking at my parents' house: making us look at it with new eyes. Yes, there's a downstairs bedroom, but the downstairs bathroom's rather small, hard to manoeuvre a wheelchair in.
Some friends are shocked when I say that they are planning up to four visits a day from carers. Why so many? But to get him from the bed to a chair needs two people, and a hoist.
"A hoist? Why?" they ask. But if you think about it, a man with only one leg, who's been in bed since June - he can barely lift himself up.
It's going to be really difficult, and my mother, who finds all change particularly hard, may not cope well at all. But I think we should try.
posted by Daphne at 9:43 pm
1 Comments:
I am glad to hear that coming home is being seriously considered as an option.
Four visits from carers a day doesn't sound that much at all. He will have been used to 24 hour on call assistance/care so I would imagine it will be a huge adjustment to be back at home but under such different personal circumstances to how he left. A huge adjustment for everybody concerned.
Good luck and much love.
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