You are here: Home > 2007 - July 8th - Sunday   Go Back

2007 - July 8th - Sunday

JH received a phone call from Lyn - at the Hospital - who had been doing the PCFCD minutes; Lyn confirmed that JH would have an appointment to see Dr Denton on Thursday 12th July.  JH also had several other encouraging telephone conversations including one with Jinny Jeffery about blood sugars [ie, Ralph’s not JH’s!]


 

FOURTH POSTOPERATIVE WEEK COMMENCING 9 JULY 2007
Mary and JH had decided that JH should – in due course – see her GP with a view to explaining that JH had, indeed, suffered with occasional heartburn, flatulence, reflux, etc, etc, since about 1990 and that, now that her anxieties - with regards to the kidney donation - were more or less over, JH hoped that further investigation might be considered an option.  During the week, JH reported to Mary that JH had had a fall which, thankfully, had not resulted in any lasting damage.  On Thursday 12th July, JH attended a dental appointment both with the Hygienist and with Mr Hill for a check-up: JH was advised that the two remaining top ‘front teeth’ would probably need replacing – on her plate – before making a bridge for the one tooth missing at the bottom.  After JH removed her fentanyl patch for the last time she subsequently stopped taking the various remedies for her personal bowel management!

During this week, JH rang a number of other people – including school friend Anne Dunk, with whom Joanne, her daughter, was presently staying prior to going to China to teach English as a foreign language.  On Friday, 13th, JH phoned the Elfleins Senior and left an answerphone message to reassure them that, although the invalid had not busily sent them emails, or phoned for some days, that progress was slow but sure.

Also during this week, Liz from Bryant Interiors called round: as JH slept so well in JHH – in which the curtains were thick, and appropriately lined to exclude light, and noise – JH decided that she would also get similar new curtains for her bedroom; JH also ordered a blind for the landing window.

2007 - July 9th - Monday

JH finished course of antibiotics: Alleluia!  JH went out to St Budeaux Square for first time.  JH returned unused oromorph to the Pharmacy with a request that the Staff pass on JH’s comment, to the Manufacturers, that it is most difficult to pour a dose using a 5ml teaspoon and that something along the lines of a small syringe would be much easier to use - to extract a dose from the bottle.

Lyn phoned JH in evening after finishing the PCFCD’s minutes; JH offered an all-expenses-paid trip to London to accompany JH on her follow up appointment at the RLH.

2007 - July 10th - Tuesday

JH phoned Kathy early to tell her that JH would NOT be going to the family picnic in Greenwich Park, and that she wanted Kathy to check that the Zimbabwean Staff had received the tickets, which JH had sent for Karen Paolillo’s talk at the Royal Geographical Society.  JH phoned Ralph as she could not get through to Kathy: Ralph had been ‘sorted’, and had been strictly banned from the Hospital by Kathy and Lorraine; Lorraine had 'got herself back together' (JH) in the past week: as Ralph put it, Lorraine had 'grown up' - JH feels sure this remark was not meant unkindly - in view of all Lorraine's troubles - but rather a measure of all the flack about his management of his diabetes which he had had from K and L!  Ralph said he would text Kathy to give her JH’s messages.  JH took her temperature which was 99°F, ie, a degree lower than when checked a few days ago.

Kathy phoned JH at lunch time; Kathy had realised that JH had been trying to get through to her mobile, but she had gone off somewhere - for some sort of investigation.  Kathy told JH that she doubted that Ralph would text her; in any event Kathy said – without prompting – that the Staff had received JH’s nice card; JH was a bit puzzled, as she had sent a letter explaining about the Turgwe Hippo Trust, together with the tickets for Karen Paolillo’s talk; however, JH suggested that Kathy ask the Staff if Kathy could read, for herself, the information about the Trust.  Kathy and JH mutually agreed that they were unlikely to be able to go to the Greenwich picnic this year.

JH heard You and Yours phone-in BBC Radio Programme about ‘Nursing Standards’: JH was somewhat dismayed to hear Claire Rayner1, a long-time Journalist, and Author of books about Nursing Matters – having worked in the Nursing Profession – sounding so ill; JH subsequently was informed that this lady, who is now 81, has had bilateral mastectomies.  Furthermore, JH had certain ‘misgivings’ about some of the opinions expressed, and/or the answers given in the programme [Claire Rayner was not the only Panellist], but JH must remember that she is now ‘of the old School’ herself, and her recent experience of being an inpatient on an Acute Surgical Ward was entirely voluntary – not because she was desperately ill herself.

1Claire Rayner died shortly after contributing to the BBC Radio Programme about Nursing Standards.
 

 
 
Print Print