I was knackered yesterday and I see today that my blog entry missed a couple of funny things out.

So, the following incidents occurred yesterday :-

Sometimes when I am very tired, I find everything goes wrong, yesterday was a prime example.

In the morning, kp wanted to empty her bladder. Essentially, this just involves turning a tap and placing a cardboard urine collector (normally used by men) over the end of the tap. So, I turned the tap and waited for kp to get some relief from a full bladder which took about a minute. Normally at this time, the urine starts coming out more slowly, so to confirm this was the case I pulled the tap slightly out of the urine collector to have a look, only to drip it on the sheets in between kp’s legs In my haste to correct this, I tipped the urine collector up the wrong way and spilled about 1/4 pint all over kp

I was f’ing and blinding. I quickly ran over to the other side of the bed to get some new sheets, hitting my head on the TV. More f’ing and blinding.

I then came back to sort out the mess and got some paper towels to dab the end of the tap. I kind of gave the plastic hose end a flicking action with the paper towel only to find a load of urine splatter across my face.

It’s funny now, but at the time, it wasn’t !

More from the front line later………

Karen had had a great late night with Jane and Marie, enjoying pizza and garlic bread in the Day Room. The leftover pizza/garlic bread was enjoyed by the nursing staff.

Well, after a 14 hour sleep, I was feeling much more refreshed and ready to tackle kp in all her glory.

We went through blog comments and kp had a few bowel issues which the sister is looking into before we did the bath thing.

Bath over, we went outside to enjoy the glorious sunshine and some tea and fruit salad for kp.

I had a snooze before physio. kp said that one of the nurses nearly had heart failure when she came in to give kp her tablets and saw my feet hanging out alongside kp’s bed. I apologised later, but asked her “where was the kiss of life”. She laughed, obviously not thinking I was keen for any kiss going from a nurse.

Physio today was great. It involved some strengthening routines and then a walk (with wheelchair in front) beyond the Quiet room to the first nurse’s station. She did really well. Her walking is getting better as well. Although the main man was positioning her left foot every step, he commented on how much better the flow of her legs was.

We only stopped because a bed was in the way. I estimate 25-30 steps.

Whilst the main man nipped back to the physio room for something, kp asked the other physio :-

kp:- “Dya think if I ask (MAIN MAN) how long before I am walking, he will tell me straight”
Daniel O’Donnell Fan (Physio) :- You can always ask

When he returned :-

Daniel O’Donnel Fan (Physio) :- Karen has a question for you
Main Man :- Karen, with a question, I don’t believe that. This must be a first

Well, we were laughing at that. Karen is known in the family for asking 100 questions where one would do. If there are any new boyfriends on the scene for nieces or sisters, she gives them a full blown interview before they can have a first kiss. Karen and I didn’t think she had been too bad and had been very toned down. In fact, we were amazed they had sussed this aspect of her

kp:- So, (MainMan), when do you think I will be walking
Main Man :- 6 weeks

Wahey……………….!

kp was very pleased with this, because walking means she can go home. We had thought just before Xmas, and now its mid November.

Obviously, we understand that this is not set in stone, but it’s a might sooner than we thought.

As soon as we got back in the sun outside, kp was straight on the phone to my dad to share the good news.

Marie arrived to enjoy the sunshine. We must have stayed out an hour or so before numb bum syndrome set in.

Tomorrow it’s the big day. Donny Osmond Concert Day ! kp is really looking forward to it. I am going in for 4pm and Marie is doing the early shift. We are going straight from the hospital.

Should be interesting. I can’t wait. Let me try and say that more enthusiastically, “I can’t wait !!!!!”

I’ll keep working on that.

Actually, I am going to enjoy seeing kp enjoy herself. Last time Donny came to the Telewest Arena, kp was ill and couldn’t use her ticket, bizarrely this time, she is MORE ill, and is going. Funny old game, life.

I’ll try and snap some shots of kp with a smile. I think there will be plenty of opportunity.