Day 200 – wahey !!!

Blimey, It doesn’t feel like 200 days since the accident. Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun ?!

Karen was in a lot of pain today when she woke up, undoubtedly due to the ascent/descent of Mount Everest (Marie’s steps) yesterday. And she did it twice !

I sat her up in bed. She was still half asleep. I threw her tablets into her mouth (which she didn’t really appreciate). She normally holds the water, while I place the tablets on her tongue, but I get bored easily so throwing them in was a bit more of a challenge today. The Queen was not amused. I think I got to the 3rd tablet before I was left in no uncertain terms that I should resort to placing them again.

Tablets in, I got her back into bed for more sleep while I walked the dogs.

Today was the first day with “home help”. Just one visit today and the purpose of this morning visit was to get kp up. It felt very strange not getting kp up after walking the dogs. It’s the natural thing for me to do, but instead I just left her asleep and started peeling veg for the evening’s Roast.

The home help lady was very nice. In time, she will be able to let herself in as we are having a secure box put outside with the key in , but for today I let her in.

She was scared sh+tless when she heard the dog barking in the Utility Room. When she found out it was a German Shepherd and there were 3 of them, I think we became her least favourite visit of the day.

She got kp up, showered her, even styled her hair, annoyingly, better than I do.

It was weird. As kp later pointed out, this is the first time since the accident that I hadn’t done it.

Shortly after she left, Marie arrived. Marie had come to sort out the flowers. kp received SOOOOOOOOOOO many bouquets of flowers on “Homecoming Day”, and they needed some Marie Magic to keep them looking spot on. Thank you soooooooo much for everyone who brought or sent flowers. kp absolutely loved them.

Marie did her stuff. kp sat in the wheelchair with a pair of scissors in her right hand and Marie would occasionally present some stems to kp for her to snip away. kp enjoyed it.

The end result was impressive

kp in her flower shop

Marie and kp

Marie left just before 6pm at which point the roast was ready. We both enjoyed it, although I burnt my arm on the oven and it knacked.

kp was tired after the roast and had an early night. 7pm.

It was lovely to have kp home for the first Monday. It feels like a bit of normality again and I don’t feel as pressed for time, like I always did when going to the hospital each day.

kp’s pain had died down by this morning, she was just stiff. When she first gets up from a stationary position (like in bed), she walks really slow until she gets the rhythm. I have noticed that subconsciously I am starting to push her with my fingers to try and get her to go faster. It’s something I’ll have to unlearn. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a dangerous push. More an encouraging nudge.

A different carer lady today. I am pleased to report that she doesn’t have the nack for doing kp’s hair that the other lady had. I can’t begin to describe the style she did with her hair, but kp couldn’t be bothered today.

Adele arrived to help us with the cleaning. The house hadn’t recovered from the homecoming party. Pretty much as soon as Adele had done our bedroom, kp and I went to sleep for 3 hours. Lovely sleep. We emerged to a lovely clean house. Thanks Adele.

The social worker came this afternoon to discuss in more detail kp’s situation and the help that she can be offered. We know the way forward a bit more now and she has lined us up with about 4 visits from different people to help with different things.

We then said goodbye to Adele, had tea with “24″ and kp then retired (at 9pm) for the evening.

Physio tomorrow at 10.30am and Lydia tipped us off that kp’s work team are working in Chester-le-Street and she has said she may call in on them on the way home from physio.