Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

....worth a try....I'm no such fashion icon. Dave

....no that is the noose to hang the co-driver with. Dave

Evenin' all, An image sent to me by my co-driver of yesterday....I'm the one with the blue cool bag.... ....there are few political bones in my body, however, the majority have spoken for now (future votes etc may well change our route once more) so it might be the right thing to do to just work together to make the best of today and let tomorrow happen when we get there. Dave

Evenin' all, A now rare day out today with our June fund raising coach trip....Is being cared for by one of her former colleagues. The scenic route over the Peak District via Flash, Buxton, Hayfield & Glossop to Ramsbottom inc. a Rawtenstall to Burnley to Ramsbottom circuit was gorgeous in strong Summer sunshine. Our full line trip on the ELR was behind the L&Y 0-6-0 tender loco..... Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

....we've got her relatively settled now Don....she has flourished with the one to one care, familiar surroundings & good food. We can't cure the condition but can make sure that it is the only thing dragging her down. Thank you all for your continued support Dave

Mornin' all, Blue sky sunny start in The Moorlands. No constitutional today. This is the view for Is of the garden through the conservatory. She has managed some granola and melon pieces with grapes, before a cup of freshly percolated coffee for breakfast. The first care staff are due in the next hour....clean bedding & nightie ready for them to put her into. I have a couple of errands to ensure that her medical supplies are sufficient..... Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

Mornin' all, Good to be alive blue sky sunny start in The Moorlands.....a few beer calories burnt around the short anticlockwise.....a kindly neighbour sits Is for an hour at sun up to give me an exercise opportunity..... Biggest drama to rectify just now is the commode....she has kidney bags for the urine but a bowel movement is a different matter. Is was too traumatised by the handling onto the wheeled commode yesterday and is still recovering. The district nurses will be looking more to suppositories/enemas now. Managed to wash her hair yesterday which all helps to improve someones outlook. Classic FM and fresh flowers are the current favourites. Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

Evenin' all, Probably Is's best day for 3 weeks continued with fresh fruit/nuts through the day then boiled egg & buttered soldiers for tea. I've had the washer and drier going 3 times today to keep up with the domestics. Thought I'd earned a sit down with a real ale an hour ago but she wanted some of that too and is now pretty mellow listening to classic FM, surrounded by fragrant blooms. Needless to say tonights morphine sulphate tablet will now wait till tomorrow. Dave

Mornin' all, A peaceful night....I used one of the Stressless recliners next to Is's bed to get an idea of how restful she is at night. Early start on a bright but overcast Moorland morn.....she even tried some croissant & fresh coffee...long time favourites. First of four daily visits by palliative care nurses immininent. Classic FM....another favourite of Is....bringing Sunday morning to her bedside. Dave

Evenin' all, We've survived our first district nurse and later palliative care worker visits. Each had the odd concern which lead to corrective actions.....Is's brother had to drive to Stoke to get some prescription papers signed and there are some sanitary issues to address tomorrow but each care worker is essentially happy with our early routine. Is has been readily eating fruit segments/nuts & raisins and drinking iced water/lime juice. Yes, I have to get her to take a tablet each time she wakes up but she seems happy and settled. Occasional visitors can have a few mins with her from tomorrow but nothing to tire her. Dave

Aft'noon all, Is was brought home an home ago and is now sleeping comfortably. Once she is fully rested I'll start to get a picture of what good & bad days might be like. Rgds Dave

Mornin' all, Best regards to those that ail Overcast mild dry kick off in The Moorlands.....a few beer calories burnt around the weekend circuit. The canalside hoist at Cheddleton is now complete with new timber boom.... In theory Is will move to the house at around 10am but I'm prepared for a call to say that she is too poorly to move Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

Hi Ian, Believe it or not it is much more soothing to use a group of people that I've never met as a soundboard. There is nothing to cloud your reactions and you are unlikely to have an axe to grind, whereas most people that I know in a 3D sense, are thus encumbered. Therefore you are are a much better litmus test, guiding choices/degrees of reaction to each situation. We have a wide social circle with many willing ears, therefore the best of both worlds is readily available. Rgds Dave

....they're not estranged Stewart and have been a regular part of our time together, however, they are no more significant than her family from her first marriage or her many friends. Dave

Aft'noon all, Fridge now stocked with her favourite things. Now waiting in for hosp. call to say that they're bringing Is home from around a mile away. Had to have a barney with her brother & sister this morning cos they feel that they're not being consulted enough over her. I stopped short of saying that her friends are of equal importance to her. This is cos she lived away from family for so many years/was on her own after 1st hubby died for 19 years and developed an extensive social circle and these friends have already agreed with Is to provide this care (and are qualified to do so). Had to strongly state that they should have a chat with some of these friends to get an understanding of how important she is to them. Yet again....you couldn't make it up. Dave

....if you need a lift to the venue where you're studying your new hobby DD, then let me know. Dave

Mornin' all, Best regards to those that ail and thank you all for your support. Lovely early Summer kick off in The Moorlands.....last nights beer calories burnt around the short anticlockwise..... Now music by Jefferson Airplane....Need somebody to love An evening of loud music and strong real ale has reset the perspectives/helped with coming to terms.....yes, Is was becoming institutionalised in the ward at the Royal Stoke and the move to Leek will have broken that dependency/normality.....yes, the window of opportunity was seized, she is now 5 mins up the road....yes, the ideal date for her coming home in terms of the key friends/former colleagues having a clear run of days to bridge the care gap had passed/will take a few days to become optimal again....nothing was said to make visiting time difficult. All in all, not perfect but then nothing ever is. Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs!!!!!! Have you ever worked hard to achieve what you believe your nearest and dearest wants, only to have it bite you on the a#se! I've just spent the last two weeks attempting to move heaven and earth for Is, only to have her refuse to come home unless all aspects of her care package are in place first (a miracle with modern care packages)....and that could take another week. Her former colleagues/healthcare professionals were coming to live here in turn, until everything was ticking over with her care....but Is dug in. The risk is that this is only a window of opportunity whilst she is well enough to be transported the 15 miles or so home......in a weeks time she may not be. I was so flabbergasted that I simply stood up from the meeting around her bed and said I'm sorry but I have to go home and from this point onwards will just be making short daily visits to deliver supplies/take washing home etc. In turn, the hospital reps at the meeting were shocked at my reaction. However, a compromise was clearly hastily arrived at.....Is will be transported to Leek hospital (non emergency) this afternoon by ambulance and cared for there (5 mins from home) until all of her care package elements are in place. Her former colleagues are also incensed but I've advised them to call here for a beer first before seeing her. No I didn't undergo any training....as I was a tad out of sorts. The single biggest issue for me is that we're into our last few weeks together and she is putting even those in jeopardy. Ho hum Dave

Mornin' all, Best regards to any that ail What feels like day 1 zillion on the worlds longest rollercoaster started with a circuit of the short anticlockwise constitutional....dull and overcast in The Moorlands just now. Off to the hospital next for training on drag sheets etc in case I have to handle Is alone. Hopefully some discharge papers to sign too....best get the girl some flowers first. Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

Evenin' all, A day of two halves. To begin with Is's op was knocked back yet again by an emergency....but the OT's arrived later to assess the house for the necessary equipment. I gave Is's goodie bag inc. grapefruit segments, melon pieces and a thermos of icy water to the OT to take to her, whilst I waited in for a van load of medical kit. All now safely delivered and set up in the house. She may come home tomorrow. I have investigated the private treatment option but it looks better to just get her home as she is and let the op happen when it does. Dave

....and the saga continues. Is was too fatigued for the op this morning and is now first on the list for tomorrow. The OT's should also come tomorrow to assess the house for the equipment. I spent around 30mins with her this afternoon whilst she wolfed down the melon/grape portion that I had taken and drank two cups of the icy lime cordial. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Dave

Mornin' Dom, I'm following all advice from the OT's, Is's consultant and qualified former colleagues. I'm not sure that there is anything else to do just now.....it is however a fluid situation which we review regularly. Dave

....no political system is perfect and we may be about to find out just how flawed ours is. I feel that our relationship with Europe is akin to being on a train going ever faster in the wrong direction and that if I've got to jump off then I might survive the impact with the ground better now....rather than later. Dave

Mornin' all, Best regards to all that ail Too dismal for the constitutional in The Moorlands just now. The Occupational Therapists should have completed the assessment of Is's care needs at the hospital yesterday and should be coming out to the house to assess equipment types (hoist, where the bed will go, room for wheeled commode to negotiate furniture/doorways etc) required before ordering same to be delivered. Advising district nurses, Dougie Mac staff of requirements and level of care will also happen. Once all is in place then Is can come home.....and probably by ambulance. I modified her care package to include 'home without stents' (tubes & bags still in place) yesterday to guard against any more postponing. She should have the reversal done today but we heard that twice last week. Some of the above steps have already been considered at home by Is's former colleagues in this field but the OT's still have to undertake it for themselves. I've now put the single bed back upstairs and further simplified the furniture layout to make it as care friendly as possible. Feathered ones provided for Enjoy what you do Dave

....I'm sure that this was in 'Wacky Races' Dave