Day 105 – Thursday 11th August
Uneventful morning consisting of blog comments and bath. It was Roast Pork for lunch and she ate a full plateful which I was very relieved at. She had also had a full breakfast before I arrived. I am relieved that she is eating ok again.
Physio this afternoon consisted of lots of pelvic/hip movement done by the main physio, followed by some sit to stand crunches where she holds the position halfway between sitting and standing. It is very hard. I try and do one of everything kp does, and my hips and pelvis are A1 (they could bear children they are that good), but this maneuvre is really hard for a fit person. kp did about 5-6 of them in total and was knackered.
We had discussed a question we wanted to ask the main physio and I raised it at the end of the session :-
dp:- X, kp wanted to know if you can give us some idea about when kp can go home for a visit ? She doesn’t want to go and sit in a wheelchair for a few hours, she wants to be able to transfer to a comfy chair and back again. ?
The answer wasn’t what either of us wanted to hear. Of course, it is VERY hard for the physio to answer this question definitively, and we totally understand that it is an unknown to a great degree, but at the same time, kp and I wanted a rough idea. His guestimate was 6-8 weeks. Karen’s mood instantly dropped on hearing this and she went very quiet. It could be sooner, but was unlikely to be longer was the impression we got. I was looking at kp for tears, but none came, but she was definately quieter. I feel sorry for the physio ‘cos we pushed him for the answer.
We left the physio room to go back to her bedroom and on the way passed the patient who is Karen’s age and who was doing really well. Karen wanted to say “bye” as she is going home for good on Friday. I wheeled her in and she talked for a minute to the lady and her friends and then the tears started to flow. I couldn’t see karen as I was in the doorway having pushed her wheelchair just in. But I could tell by the faces of the ladies in the room that something was up, sure enough she was in full flow. kp made her apologies. The ladies were very understanding and I wheeled her back to her room at full speed.
kp had a good long cry about how she wanted to go home. She didn’t want to wait 6 weeks never mind 8 weeks and “why should (she)I have to wait ?. I’ve done nothing wrong !”. It makes me so sad to hear her so upset. It’s at times like this she feels real anger to the driver concerned. Me too. When kp gets back to her room she needs hoisting back to the bed and turning twice to get the sling from underneath her. I asked her if I should wait (till she stopped crying). She didn’t want to wait. So, here is kp crying her little heart out, and my flinging her round the bed getting the sling from underneath her. 
Very very sad !
After she was back in the bed, we had lots of hugs and I tried to say all the right things, but she “had heard it all before”.
We passed one of kp’s physios on the way back to the bedroom. She could see kp was distressed and thankfully she must have told the main man that kp was upset as he knocked on the door. He was lovely and spent about 10-15 minutes talking through things with kp. kp felt a bit better when he left, but was still not 100% emotionally, more like 50%, compared with 30% before he came.
We didn’t have time to chat further, when Marie, Chris and Ethan (sister, nephew, greatnephew) arrived. They stayed in the day room for a while until kp could compose herself and then she really enjoyed their time when they came in the room.
I left kp in Marie’s hand, getting a manicure. I may go back tonight, dependant on how she sounds on the phone. Fingers crossed she feels better when I ring. She is doing so well.
August 11th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
Just a kwikkie from Lyd via Wa Gaz hope you are feeling better look forward to coming to see you titters is on holiday so Lyd is getting the Blogg via Kingston-Upon-Hull huggs & kisses & keep your chin up lots of love to david & marie x
August 12th, 2005 at 10:48 am
Hiya Karen & David,
I’ve been away and when I returned I had trouble logging in to the site so had to contact “blogger” and have had to re-register bla bla bla!
Anyway, have come back and caught up on all the postings.
To return and find pictures of you standing was great and all the improvements you’ve made are quite incredible!However, it’s obvious things are taking their toll, and when you think about it, it’s not surprising!
You’ve been through hell and back girl!105 days of sickness, physio, and operations, and still managing to stay strong and give everyone a smile.
It seems to me you have come out the other side of this and are on your last lap. You’re heading for home now and altho’ it seems a long way off- it won’t be long now!
If you can keep up your resolve (and have a good cry whenever you need it – it’s supposed to be a good stress release) you’ll be home cuddling those dogs before you know it.Besides it seems you’ve got a hell of a lot of ironing to do!
Karen, no-one can begin to understand what you’ve experienced unless they’ve been there too, but it sounds like if anyone can deal with the frustrations, anger and the fight back to full recovery- you can!
Keep going girl – you’re doing so well.
Linda
August 12th, 2005 at 12:53 pm
Hi ya Karen (Fri 12.30 p.m)
a tough day yesterday, but as everyone agree’s, if anyone can fight their way through this you can and you’ve proven that already, considering how far you have come.
What a great picture of you an Ethan, god I can see Chris in him. It’s definitely one to print off for Irene, she’ll love it.
Your main physio man sounds great, I just know he’ll do everything in his power to get you where you need to be for a home visit.
No one, especially you deserves to go through this and a good old blub is totally understandable.
Well half of the Dennison clan started their trip up North this morning, I have no idea where I’m meeting up with Alan in the Peak Distrist but I’m sure we’ll sort is out in the next week or two.
I totally agree with David I’m sure he finds some of your exercises hard to do, I think the reason is that they are trying to get you to do things it the way we all should do them, remember I told you I still can’t stand like I should do and to do it is a real effort. Ask your physio what he thinks about Pilates, I know he will think I’m jumping the gun, but I’m thinking further down the road when you are home. I haven’t heard one physio say a bad word about it. I remember paying someone to come to the house for 1 to 1 sessions, but your physio will know best. Anyway just a thought. It sounds like you had a good session yesterday, even though the news wasn’t what you wanted. What with Dp following your exercise routine, you’ll both end up in better shape. Keep at it Karen. Take care
Lots of Love
Veronica
XX
August 12th, 2005 at 5:44 pm
Karen,
thought you might like to know of an amusing incident in the Maffey household.
We asked little Meggy if she’d like to paint a picture to ‘cheer Karen’ up. She was really quite taken with this idea and got stuck in right away. All her best materials, effort and concentration went into not one, but 2 paintings. [We did this in the garden to avoid forwarding you and bills for redecoration]. At the end the poor child was exhausted but happy knowing she was doing some good for another person and even if I say so myself they were quite something.
Imagine if you will then, the look of surprised confusion on the face of our ironing lady [Karen] who was presented on the doorstep with 2 A3 sheets of paper smothered in wet paint, glitter, and tinsel.
The net effect of this was a] a child in severe need of a bath, b]we now have a blue garden with glitter for grass, c] the realisation that Meggy thinks our ironing lady is miserable.
I believe a second commission has been complete and sent up to you.
Enjoy.
with love,
Mark.
x
………….