Month: May 2023

The week is almost over and what a week it has been. Presently we are still in the SA Cancer Lodge in Adelaide getting ready to start the journey home tomorrow morning. The journey down from home – all 300 miles – was an exercise in frustration with ever-changing  speeds due to  road works – and a lot of the time there were speed changes with nothing seemingly happening – road works signs with little evidence of any road works.  And  to add to the frustration, two convoys.  However although we were late in arriving we settled in fairly well. The following morning we headed off to the Royal Hospital for her MRI.  This is a very big place and since we didn’t know where we were supposed to be we went to the front desk. The lady put  the name into the computer and discovered that we didn’t exist. We explained why were  there so she got a nurse to take us to nuclear medicine – no joy there either. We  were taken to various departments’ that do x-rays and MRI but no one knew us nor were we on any list.  We telephoned the Whyalla Hospital ,. Annabell’s doctor and Jones and Partner’s – the x-ray people in Whyalla and no one knew anything. They couldn’t even find the consulting doctor at the RAH.  The nurse wanted to take us to several other places but Annabell was stressing and fading fast so I called a halt, thanked the nurse, took over the wheelchair and headed for the main entrance and the taxi rank.  This was an exercise I never want to repeat again.

I got her back to the Lodge, settled her back down and she fell asleep. She sleeps a lot at the moment and I am not sure if that is a good thing. That was Wednesday. On Thursday we had a “free day” I made her breakfast then she went to sleep. I went into town do pay ambulance accounts and do some shopping. I was back about 11;30 and she was still sleeping. In fact she slept for most of the day.  She is quite weak and I have to do most things for her – or help her where and when I can.

Friday we attended Flinders Medica at 8am. At least they knew  who we were. The place was very busy so we had a bit of a wait before we were called and  complete the pre-op. system. After that and all the forms were completed she was taken away and I was advised to come back for her around 1pm.  I left and caught the train into town.  I was able to do some of the things I had planned for the week, but not all. I did pay the bills so that at least is complete. Also I did buy myself a new  Mobile  (Cell) Phone. Getting a tad tired of the ” big boys” so I have gone back to the future and bought the new Nokia. Took a while to get it set up with attending to Annabell and everything else, but it’s done now and operational. It’s different so it might take some getting used to.

Sunday and I packed the car and parked it out front. It’s not a clearway at 05:00. I did a lot odf the packing last night and we  left the lodge at 5:30am. She slept for most of the journey. We did stop for a break at Port Wakefield but otherwise it was a clear run to Port Augusta. Some shopping there, then

head for home and we arrived here just after 11:15am.  Benji was pleased to see us. I think he missed his peepel. I had to attend to him and let him go daft for a bit before he settled down and I could move, A week is a long time for his peepel to be away.

Annabell is not so great. The boys and I are  concerned about her. She is sleeping much too much and that, as I said before, concerns me. I have made an appointment for her with her doctor today, so we will see what he has to say.  I am starting to wonder if it is the cancer treatment, more than the cancer itself,  that is causing all this illness.

Annabell had another seizure and was taken to hospital. She remained in  HDU for a day or so then was removed to a ward for a further four days. She was released yesterday (17th) Am going to try and have a quiet next few days and then a peaceful weekend before we head off to Adelaide.   There is still no determination of the cause of the seizures.  The Specialist she has been seeing is not at all convinced with the Idiopathic Epilepsy suggestion and maintains that for some doctors the term is an ” off the cuff” description for something with a yet unknown cause.  FMC need a blood test before we head down there, so we are going to get that done sometime today.  Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) are sending the forms directly to SA Pathology, so we’ll get that done this afternoon.

The way things are going it is getting more and more difficult for her to walk and walking, even with the walker, tires her out.  There was a sale on so I bought something I believe I might need in the not too distant future. Yes, I bought a wheelchair and right at this moment it is not even been unpacked. It is still packed, in its box and in the garage. Next time Annabell goes into the garage will be the first time – so it’s quite safe where it is. This afternoon we went over to the SA Pathology for the blood test and it was a painful walk -not just  for her but for me watching her. Every step was a nightmare.  Even with the walker she struggled to make a reasonably short journey from the car to the SA Pathology Clinic. These nurses are good at the pathology clinic. Of course they are doing blood drawing and injections many times every day, so it stands to reason that they should have it all down to a fine art.  First go, the nurse found what she needed and withdrew the blood without any drama.

Benji was concerned. Every time I come home from the hospital, he looked for Annabell. He misses his mummy. Anyway, yesterday when we both came home, he was overjoyed, and the tail was going fit to raise a storm. I had to be very careful since he was running around her, and I had to watch where she was walking. Anyway, I think he was pleased to see her home.  He won’t be too impressed next week when we are away from Tuesday to Sunday. Anyway, John James will be here to look after him.  — Which reminds me – one of the nurses looking after my Annabell was also called Annabelle. It has become quite a popular name recently.

At the hospital, one of the nurses asked Annabell how the dog was? Annabell was surprised, but the nurse had a big grin and told her that she sees me and the dog out walking most mornings. There you go – these days you don’t know who your neighbours are.

This has been one horrible week and everything that can go wrong has,  right up to this post, which somehow or other has been posted in another format and under a different title.  It has also over -written a post I had already published ages ago – complete with comments and likes. LOL – I am beginning to doubt myself and wonder if this coming back was such  a good idea.  :o)

On line today there was comments asking what we would consider a sad song that we carry around with us/ My contribution was ” Going Home” by Mary  Fahl    from “The other side of time”

They say there’s a place
Where dreams have all gone
They never said where
But I think I know
It’s miles through the night
Just over the dawn
On the road that will take me home

 

I like the music and I like the words. They just appeal to me  somehow.

 

Anyone know how to delete a post once it has been published?? I pressed post by accident and have posted  the page twice??  Any help would be appreciated