Not the best of days today.

kp had an awful night sleep last night. She wanted turning about 5-6 times during the night to try and get comfy. Each time she tried to sleep before needing turning again.

We had a whole load of ammunition to battle against the lack of sleep :-

• Pillows to prop her up
• Windows to open to keep cool (last week she was too hot)
• Hot Water bottle to keep her feet warm (feet felt too cold last week)
• and the Ace Card up the sleeve was Tamazepam (sleeping tablet)

As the first few hours of the night dragged on, we had employed all tactics but the sleeping tablet. We tried that and even that didn’t help.

She said she didn’t sleep at all, but on at least two occasions, she was snoring like a trooper.

Of course, this then set the day off on the wrong path. If you haven’t had your sleep, you don’t feel ready to tackle the day ahead. We had half thought about going to Ikea, but that was quickly knocked on the head as we were both exhausted.

I left kp in bed to try and get some sleep while I walked the dogs. We then got her up (which takes quite a while), and had breakfast (at lunchtime).

We were then both gagging for a snooze. I had some other ideas about getting her comfy and we found one that worked a treat. Basically, kp transfers from the wheelchair to the bed (with the duvet still on the bed, she lies down (with help of course) and then I cocoon her up in the duvet. She has is like a sausage roll wrapped in pastry. This gives her warmth and the security that she can’t fall out of bed. I think that was half the problem the night before. She slept best whilst she was in the middle of the bed and not on her side of the bed.

So, fingers crossed, that we have cracked the sleeping thing. I think we may have, but tonight we will know for sure.

Today has been a very solemn day with kp hardly speaking, 50% i believe is down to tiredness, the other 50% is down to the fact she is realising more that she may be home, but it isn’t like home used to be. She is 100% reliant on me moving her around the house, getting her out of the wheelchair etc and I know she is fed up of it. I can tell part of her is thinking “Oh, I have to bother David again”. I keep telling her it is no bother, but in the middle of night, when I am deep asleep and I have to move her for the 4th time to a different side, I do find it very hard.

But I don’t let on.

The last couple of hours have been a bit problematic. kp thinks she has dislodged the catheter and is uncomfortable. She is curled in a certain position which gives her some relief, and I have had a bit of a wiggle to see if that helps, but it doesn’t, so we are waiting for the District Nurse to come out.

Hopefully, she will be her soon.

After the nurse has been, assuming all is ok, we will be having Pizza and X-Factor.

I think this will be it for tonight re blogs.

Fingers crossed she sleeps tonight because the days are so much more enjoyable after a good sleep.

Spoke too soon.

When I knew the District Nurses were on their way, I ordered the pizzas thinking it would be some magic wiggle they did and all would be fine.

They examined kp and the catheter and explained that it was situated ok and that they are very hard to dislodge, and the fact it was still draining meant it was ok. So, kp felt reassured and the nurses left. They were very nice and said if she had any doubts to call them back.

Immediately after they left, we started to get kp back in the wheelchair to go through to watch X-Factor with the imminent pizza. But the pain was back and is probably better described as “agony”. It seemed to come and go like labour pains. Her whole body would crease up, and her left arm would go very tight into her chest. Her left leg shook violently (which it tends to do after heavy exertion (something to do with the stroke)). It was hard to watch, and all I could do was comfort her.

We called the district nurses back. In between these spasms of pain, I got the oven on a low heat to receive 2 pizzas, knowing we may be a little late by the time the nurses had been and gone.

Pizzas arrived and went straight into the oven.

5 minutes later, the nurses were back with loads of kit from the car. They tried to do a bladder wash, which helps clean out the catheter, but they struggled to get anything in. What little they did get in, came out with blood in it

They suspected some sort of infection and their next step would be to change the catheter and gets some samples for analysis. They also suggested ringing the ward for advice, given they know kp’s history etc. The district nurse spoke to the ward nurse and the conclusion of the conversation was that we should Karen back into hospital, so they could change the catheter there and do the tests needed. kp was happy with this, I think she would have gone anywhere they said to be sure she could get rid of the pain.

The nurses went and I frantically packed kp’s bag and drove kp to the hospital. She had a few more spasms along the way and was glad to get back to her hospital bed.

She looked exhausted. The night nurse at the ward checked kp’s stats, and there was no temperature or anything to worry about. When kp lies down, the spasms don’t come. This is how we had managed to wait the 4 hours for the district nurses to come. Now she was back on the ward bed lying down, she was ok again.

By now, she probably has a new catheter in and hopefully with that some relief.

If anyone would like a dried out pizza (choice of “Onion, Garlic & Mushroom” or “Doner Kebab”), please leave your address in a comment and state your preference.