First of all, I still haven’t had time to do yesterday’s blog. I have been busy editing video footage taken by Ronnie, and hope to have it complete later tonight or more realistically tomorrow at some point. Yesterday’s blog entry will be WELL WORTH THE WAIT. It will include a 5 minute and 20 minute video clip of the day both of which have had me in tears when I was doing them.

There will also be loads of photos for those that have slow internet connections and can’t download the video clip.

ok, back to today.

After such a FANTASTIC day yesterday, things simply couldn’t be as good today, there was no way. I had gone to bed last night at approx 9pm. I had wrote a little blog entry explaining the delay in writing the update, and had fallen asleep at the computer after writing it. So, I had an early night ! I was so so tired. kp didn’t come to bed until 1am ish. Ronnie put her nighty on, and got her into bed. Thanks Ronnie.

I had to get up at 7.30am to walk the dogs and be back in time to get kp ready to go to her eye appointment at the RVI in Newcastle. The dogs were filthy and needed a good clean down after the walk, which left very little time to get kp ready. I spent more time getting 3 German Shepherds clean and dry than I did washing kp down. She can’t have a bath or shower at the moment as the bath gadget (that has been delivered) hasn’t been installed and apparently, I am not supposed to touch it. So, it’s a stand-up bath, which is not as nice for kp by a long shot.

At the Eye hospital, kp had lots of tests done. The first was a very thorough peripheral vision test. kp has good peripheral vision (Normal) in her left eye, and abysmal peripheral vision in her right. She can only see things directly in front of her. kp was compensating for this in the test. kp had to look straight ahead and a light appears from some angle (left to right, up or down). She has to buzz when she sees it. kp couldn’t see it at all with her right, until the lady made the light much bigger. Even then, she could only see the light when it was directly ahead. kp compensated for this by looking around with her right eye for the white light spot. The lady had to keep telling kp to look ahead and NOT look for the light. I lost count of the times she asked her to keep looking ahead. The lady kept her cool throughout

After this, she had her eye pressure tested and then went to see the Eye Doctor. Lovely, switched-on lady.

She told Karen the good and bad news.

Eye Doctor :- Your left eye is excellent. But your right eye has suffered optic nerve damage. Glasses won’t help your right eye, and the damage is permanent and irreversible.

Now, to me, this wasn’t news. We already knew this, or so I thought.

The Eye Doctor wasn’t convinced kp would benefit 100% from glasses to help her reading and watching tv. She went on to explain that kp’s problem with reading may be partly down to her slower brain function and not just to poorer eyesight. She suggested trying those glasses you see at the chemist to see if they help reading.

Well, I didn’t think anything of it, but when we got to the car, kp was very upset. She didn’t stop crying until we got home.

Although she admitted that deep down she knew the right eye was damaged, she was expecting to hear (today) “what” could be done to help her reading and tv watching more bearable. Instead, she was told that nothing could help the right eye.

It was very sad.

kp:- I know I am slow at taking things in, and this is probably just a case of me having not realised that my eyes aren’t going to get any better, but it still makes me upset. What have i done to deserve this ?

Heartbreaking to hear. Not much I could say.

When we got back to the house, the distractions soon took her mind off the upset. The distraction came in a Jane Burn’s cooked breakfast. It was lovely.

Late Breakfast (1.30 pm) over, the home help supervisor and the social worked came to see kp. They were very helpful and detailed that they were going to get someone in 4 times a day (30 mins each visit) to help get kp up, to bed, prepare meals etc… They’ll even do ironing if you ask nicely !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

To start off, they are going to come on Monday for just one visit, so we can build it up. They felt 4 visits a day straight away would be a bit of a shock. IT WOULD !

Whilst they were here, Ronnie and Jane went to sleep in their bedrooms. As soon as they left, kp and I joined them (not in the same beds though

We all slept until about 6pm, and are about to have a chinese.

That’s it for today.

Should have the homecoming blog done tomorrow.