Edgar's Page

It has been a tumultuous two weeks- all things considered. On Monday (13th) – as I was shopping – I had a telephone call. I never go without my mobile (cell) phone these days in case the hospital or doctor calls and in this instance, it was Quorn Hospital, and it was a call that changed everything. What they told me was that Annabell is being moved back to Whyalla perhaps this week – or early next week. To say that I was overjoyed is putting it mildly. I have been waiting for such a call for over four months. Not quite sure how I finished the shopping – but I did. This was followed by telephone calls from Whyalla to tell me that there was a place for Annabell, and they were preparing to get her back. They could not promise but they were trying for this week. After that,  telephone calls came thick and fast, and I spent the rest of the day running around signing forms here and there. However, it was all worth the stress and on Thursday 16th May (TODAY ) Annabell was driven by ambulance from Flinders House in Quorn and  transported back to  Yeltana here in  Whyalla. Annabell is home – well not actually in the house with me, but ‘ home’ as in town. I have had the boys at hospital with me and they need me to gain entrance since I have the only security pass for the moment. They will get their passes next week. In the meantime, we go together.

Howeffer…. while all her clothes were packed and sent down from Quorn a lot of her things were left behind. They were supposed to go with her but in the rush they were missed – so – I am heading up to Quorn in the morning to get the rest of her things and – most importantly – her prized Teddy Bear Blanket. I have decided to leave as soon as I can, get there, get the things and – possible stop off for coffee and scones at Ticklyebelly Hill on the way back. Depends – not sure if Benji is acceptable, so we’ll see.

Annabell, when I finally get to see her, was glad to be back. She was a very different person from the one in Quorn – bubbly, cheerful and full of laughter. But it had been a long day for her and she was tired so when the boys and I came after dinner, she was sleepy and tired so we didn’t stay very long. I did ask her if  she wanted to come from a drive in the car up to Quorn but she wasn’t keen on that idea at all.

I will miss Quorn. The people there were really nice, thoughtful and considerate and looked after Annabell  very well. I will not miss the driving – even although I was starting to come to terms with Pichi Richi Pass, I am thankful that I do not have to do it anymore.

So, a very busy and exciting few days but things will settle down , and we are just so very happy to have Annabell close to us again. I have to say that there was very little improvement but she was well looked after and cared for. I visited her every day and the boys visited

her most evenings, We did not understand at this stage that internally nothing was good. and that her body was starting to s

hut down

She was only a few weeks in  Yeltana when we were told that the resident doctor was concerned and was having her moved to hospital. She was three days in the word when the boys and I were taken outside and told by the medical staff that she was not responding to treatment and that she was being moved to Palliative Care.

The nurses were very kind and they made up a bed for me in Annabell’s room. I slept there for three days. On the third day I woke very early and understood  it was ending. I went over and through God’s Good Grace, I was beside her when she passed. She did not pass alone – I was with her and to me that this was fitting. We began our life together side by side and we ended our life together, side by said and I feel that is how it should have been. I called the boys and then Mrs, Mashford, the Church Session Clerk.. After Mrs. Mashford left, the boys and I stayed for a while longer then we went home. Andrew wanted me to come and stay with him. but I needed to be home and I wanted to be with Benji.

The boys and I arranged the funeral which was held at 11am on Wednesday 12th June. It was well attended.

Yes, it all happened so fast and never for a single moment did  ever imagine when she was moved to  the hospital that she would not be                                                                            coming back.

When she was moved to Palliative Care then we realized that this was heading towards the end.  I am glad that all her pain is now over and she is at peace. I loved her all my life, from start to finish and I miss her so very much.

It has been a tumultuous week – all things considered. On Monday (13th) – as I was shopping – I had a telephone call. I never go without my mobile (cell) phone these days in case the hospital or doctor calls and in this instance, it was Quorn Hospital, and it was a call that changed everything. What they told me was that Annabell is being moved back to Whyalla perhaps this week – or early next week. To say that I was overjoyed is putting it mildly. I have been waiting for such a call for over four months. Not quite sure how I finished the shopping – but I did. This was followed by telephone calls from Whyalla to tell me that there was a place for Annabell, and they were preparing to get her back. They could not promise but they were trying for this week. After that,  telephone calls came thick and fast, and I spent the rest of the day running around signing forms here and there. However, it was all worth the stress and on Thursday 16th May (TODAY ) Annabell was driven by ambulance from Flinders House in Quorn and  transported back to  Yeltana here in  Whyalla. Annabell is home – well not actually in the house with me, but ‘ home’ as in town. I have had the boys at hospital with me and they need me to gain entrance since I have the only security pass for the moment. They will get their passes next week. In the meantime, we go together.

Howeffer…. while all her clothes were packed and sent down from Quorn a lot of her things were left behind. They were supposed to go with her but in the rush they were missed – so – I am heading up to Quorn in the morning to get the rest of her things and – most importantly – her prized Teddy Bear Blanket. I have decided to leave as soon as I can, get there, get the things and – possible stop off for coffee and scones at Ticklyebelly Hill on the way back. Depends – not sure if Benji is acceptable, so we’ll see.

Annabell, when I finally get to see her, was glad to be back. She was a very different person from the one in Quorn – bubbly, cheerful and full of laughter. But it had been a long day for her and she was tired so when the boys and I came after dinner, she was sleepy and tired so we didn’t stay very long. I did ask her if  she wanted to come from a drive in the car up to Quorn but she wasn’t keen on that idea at all.

I will miss Quorn. The people there were really nice, thoughtful and considerate and looked after Annabell  very well. I will not miss the driving – even although I was starting to come to terms with Pichi Richi Pass, I am thankful that I do not have to do it anymore.

So, a very busy and exciting few days but things will settle down , and we are just so very happy to have Annabell close to us again.

Annabell is still in Quorn and I am still visiting her. A lot of the time she does not know who I am but that’s ok – I know who she is. Other times she is partly awake, and she recognizes me. Since my rescue of the Kitten, I have been reluctant to leave Benji and the kitten alone in the house together. Benji does not like her.  The only way I could do that is to restrict his movements – which is really unfair. So, Benji has sort of benefitted in that he gets to travel to Quorn with me to visit Annabell three times a week. I like his kind of travelling – he curls up on the front seat and goes to sleep. It takes me a little bit longer to get to Quorn now, mainly because I stop to let him have a “comfort Break”. One time I took him, and I was overjoyed. We went into Annabell’s room – she was awake and I told her we had a visitor. I lifted Benji up so she could see him. She looked at him and to my great joy she spoke to him – ” Hello Baby”. I have to confess that I was greatly moved by this.  Tomorrow (Saturday) might be the last time I have Benji with me for a bit.  I no longer have a kitten to look after. A friend of my son rescues fosters and re-homes kittens, so she has taken the kitten. She did say that it is such a lovely kitten which will grow into a lovely cat she might just decide to keep the kitten herself. However, I will still take Benji to Quorn with me at least one of the three visits – probably the Saturday visit.   Weird— I kind of miss the kitten…

Still no word of Annabell being moved back here, but I am keeping in very close contact (twice last Tuesday) and I will just have to wait for that to happen – we hope not much longer, although, as I have said the Quorn people are lovely and have really looked after Annabell. I cannot praise them enough for the care they have taken of her thus far. One day I did not take Benji with me and almost as soon as I entered the place I was asked            ” where’s the dog today?” and, yes, they have petted Benji when he was with me.  When I was at Quorn on Wednesday, I had to ask Annabell if she wanted her hair done. Took me a bit to get an answer but she did want her hair done so I had to leave her, drive into the town and get some money to pay for it. The cash I did have – after filling up the car – was not enough. I will see tomorrow how that went, and it there is a lot of difference.

The weather has been good these last few weeks – cold in the mornings and at night, but nice during the day – a pleasant 23c.  However, the fact that there has been no rain in South Australia is a concern and I have heard reports of domestic water supply starting to get very low in some places inland. We are ok here for the moment although I did notice that there is a fair loss of water down at the wetlands – the water being about 7-8 feet from the normal waterline. However, the wetlands are not connected to our water system so  the water level there has no bearing on anything other than to indicate that there has been no rain and thus no

water going into the wetland ponds.   I have not been online all that much of late, and I have not had the opportunity to read a lot of posts. Only having odd days at home, I have a lot of work to do, and I must confess that not a lot of it is being done. I do try – indeed – I am very trying   o:) .  One hundred and fifty miles each visit is tiring, so I tend to wind right down when I am home.  I do as much as I can to keep on top of things and, really, I am not too bad. I do not get any help, nor do I want any. I am not struggling, I am managing. When I am home, I still manage to get out with Benji, usually to the wetlands and on a Sunday, we head to the RFDS Stand for breakfast – then the Wetlands.

I was going to talk about the  mass demonstrations  that have taken place here, but I felt that it was too political for this post. All I will say is that I support the cause.

Well, it’s been a while, but I am still here. Nothing has changed and Quorn are still trying to find out why Annabell is like she is. The effects of the seizure in December last are still with us.  She has symptoms that are similar to dementia but it is not. What the seizure can produce is Delerium, and it was that which caused her to have conversations with her friends in the ceiling of the hospital last year.  I have been informed that sometimes delirium can take months to resolve and there are concerns that this is what is happening now.  They have taken extra blood tests and  the doctor in Quorn has been in contact with  our hospital to determine if  a brain scan has been done because there is nothing in the records, they have that indicated this – and one should have been done. I won’t find out until Monday what is being done but if the doctor here determines that there should be a scan, she will have to be moved to Port Augusta for this to take place. Other than that, she is fairly well. There are times when she does not know who I am and other times when she is quite “chatty”. Have to say though, the chatty times are few and far between.

The boys still visit Thursday and Friday but there is a bit of concern with the clocks going back, which means that it is dark when they start driving through the Pass on the way home and there can be a lot of wildlife on the road at night, particularly kangaroos. Hitting one of them can cause massive damage to your vehicle – unless your vehicle is a truck. Don’t know what we are going to do about this concern.

Since the last post I have acquired a kitten – an orange kitten — Which I don’t want! – I have tried to  take it to the RSPCA they are overloaded with cats and kittens,  and they are full and have no room. Don’t know what I am going to do and to add to my concerns – Benji does not like it, so I have to try and keep them apart I know there are lots of lovely cat people out there but I am not one of them,  This kitten is really my Neighbours but they vanish  regularly and the three kittens from the last litter  (born in MY garden) were abandoned. Two of the kittens I buried, and I really didn’t want to have to bury a third one, so I trapped it, caught it and have been looking after it – buying cat milk and kitten food. I assumed the RSPAC would help but they didn’t so for the time being I am stuck with it. And yes – that’s it on the right.  Yes, it is a cute little thing, but I am not a cat person. I would like it gone but I want to make certain that it goes to a good home and will be looked after. I have spent time and funds on this kitten, and I would like that not to be wasted.

I have been getting a little depressed of late but not with anything concerning Annabell or, indeed, my health. I am fine. What is depressing me is the house and housework. I am not getting time to get things done. I barely have time to wash and dry the dishes let alone do housework. I can manage the laundry – just stick it all in the machine, put in powder and conditioner and let it get on with things Now with a kitten to look after it is a complication I really didn’t need. I have started taking Benji with me to Quorn because I can’t leave the doors open as normal and I am not sure how he would react to the cat near his food dish. Quorn has a large fenced off garden area so I can let him loose there. I have also been allowed to bring him in so I have brought his blanket, and he sits quietly on that.

During my two days off I have managed to take him down to the wetlands and much to my surprise I discovered that there is not just two black swans there – there are Serven of them. I thought about the seven and I remembered one was injured last year and was removed by the local vet. Perhaps it died and that is the missing eighth swan since I understand they mate for life. It was beautiful to see them and all the little ones.

Friday 22nd.

Another week gone and nothing much has changed. I am still driving back and forth to Quorn. There has been very little change in Annabell’s condition, which is a bit of a concern

 

. She is awake but spends her time staring blankly at the roof. She does not talk to me, and I really am starting to believe that she has no idea who I am. She lets me feed her most times but that’s about it. As soon as that’s over she is back to staring at the roof. Andrew still reads to her but there is no response. However, I have to admit that last visit, everything was so quiet I actually dozed off for a bit. I just don’t know what to do- but one thing we are absolutely certain on is that we will not stop coming to visit her – even if she doesn’t know who we are – we know who she is.

I was out to dinner last night. I had a call from an old friend that some people were coming to the hotel to celebrate his birthday and he would like me to be there. I was a bit reluctant at first but I said yes and went. I knew some the people – mostly from the RFDS, so that helped a lot. I am starting to get a bit concerned about me.  I take Thursday and Friday off and make plans in my head for what I am going to do with the time. Somehow nothing seems to get done and next thing I know, it’s Saturday and I am heading North again. I sometimes think it’s actually me that’s going gaga.  The days just seem to blur into one another and sometimes I am unsure of the actual day. I tend to play cribbage against the computer. I actually win sometimes.  I have been playing and listening a lot to John Denver CDs recently, particularly in the car, and I found some of his songs quite emotional – which is annoying because I actually thought I was passed that stage. For those of you who know the music of  John Denver “Perhaps Love” is my favorite song.

Friday and Barry visited me. He stops off at Maccas and gets two coffee and we share coffee together. Sometimes – like today -he had  some things from his wife to go to Annabell. I will take them up with me in the morning.  I will give the things to Annabell and talk to her about them. I’ll open the envelops and read the card to her, although I am not sure that it registers. Still, I will talk to her and see how we get on.

Fortunately, the days are starting to get cooler – still in the mid 30s but at least away from the 45c+ that we have experienced. We have also been fairly dry here although there has been heavy rain further north. That’s what I have to keep an eye on rather that what’s happening here. Parts of the Pass are fairly low and subject to flash

flooding, so I have to keep on the weather in the far north as well as here.  Benji and I still go out for our morning walk, and I have put the stroller away for the moment and have him walking again. Coming up for 14 and he’s doing well. Once the weather really calms down and it’s cooler, I will think about taking him up north with me and he can visit his “mommy” like the rest of the family. I know he misses her – as we all do.

Saturday 23rd.

Was later in getting to Quorn than I anticipated due to road works on the   Port Augusta highway and a “Convoy” system to move traffic in either directions — not at the same time, of course – with part of the highway closed off.  Still, wasn’t too bad and I was there just after 11am – so only 30 minutes late. She was in the mini-bed chair (what they call the “Princes Chair”) and I read her the cards and the latest letter from Glasgow. She never responded.  The nurse came in to give her the Insulin Injection and asked her if she knew who I was, and she just said “no”. She did not talk to me, but she let me feed her.   I have no idea what is happening. When she is not sleeping she  has her eyes open and stares at the ceiling. She very rarely talks and only then it’s yes or no. As when asked by the nurse if she knew  who I was she simply said no. Now the boys were here Thursday and Friday – as normal – I asked her if she had seen the boys recently and again she just said no. I know this not to be correct since John generally telephones me to let me know how she is and he did on Thursday. I am a bit concerned that this might change things -I do not know how or why but this is all new territory for me and I am not sure what happens from here on.

I wrote this post after my last visit to see Annabell in Quorn. I believe I had posted it – and I am certain I did- but for some strange reason it seems to have got stuck in drafts. I don’t believe it actually was posted and I cannot find it.  If it is posted and you have read it please forgive me for posting it again, but   along with everything else at the moment, the computer is playing  up.

Well, here we are again. Nothing has changed since last I wrote. Annabell is still in Quorn although she is showing some small signs of improvement, and she did talk to me whilst I was there.  She is still unable to move so I still feed her lunch when I am there. The nursing staff considered that I was slightly crazy since it was 44c and I drove from Whyalla to Quorn and will drive back home during the hottest part of the day.  Yes we are in heatwave conditions at the moment and the temp has not dropped below 41c for most of this week and since the end of the heatwave is still a few days off, I felt I had to be here and to wait out the heatwave would have left her unvisited for too many days. I will have tomorrow off and be back up again on Wednesday as normal. Sometime during Thursday, the cool change will start to move across the state dropping temperatures down. Thankfully I have an excellent A/C in the car and  there were times during the drive north that I had to turn it down as it was getting just a tad cold . o:)  I will have my break Thursday and Friday and back north again on Saturday, however, two days of housework, laundry, garden and shopping and I might manage to sit down for a bit. There is plenty of cold water in the car for me and for the car- if required. In this weather I make a point of checking water and oil each morning after a Quorn visit.

Since I resigned from all duties I have just about been abandoned.  Only one person comes to see me – no one calls and asks how things are. This is how 33 years of service ends.

Still there is one left and he visits me each Friday because he knows I  am home – and his dear wife sends lovely cards for me to take with me when I go to Quorn. Also – she has made a couple of meals that have been brought to me, which is really very kind of her. When I was in the shopping centre, one woman said that if she had not heard my voice, she would not have known it was me – I have lost so much weight. Not so much now but yes, in the early days of worry and stress.  I was talking to the Senior Nurse the last visit and she was looking at a photograph I had of Benji, and she asked if that was our dog. I said it was, and she asked me why I had not brought him up for a visit.  I said I would once the weather starts to cool down. One good thing is that Benji is not a head out of the window kind of dog, he merely curls up on the front seat and goes to sleep.

He has had to put up with a lot this while back, being left in the house on his own whilst I travel up North to visit Annabell. I try to make it up to him when I get home. We still go out for walk in the morning even on a Quorn visit day and it is no matter what the temperature since the walk is at 6am and still dark. I don’t leave for Quorn until about 9am. On this last visit to Quorn I was given a gift by a young lady. I was reluctant to accept but she insisted as did her “companion” Well, I figured when a  two year old gives you a gift with the approval of her mother, It would be very rude. not to mention, ungentlemanly, not to accept. I did and her gift is now sitting beside my computer.  I always wanted as Unicorn of my own..

 

Annabell is still in hospital in Quorn, about 75 miles from here. Which is, as I said before, 150 miles round trip each visit. My doctor is slightly concerned about me, so I have been for blood tests and on Monday he wants me to go for an ECG. I know not why – the blood tests were good, and I am fine. I expect he is just being cautious. If I can get that done in the early morning I can still get to Quorn to visit.  I went to visit on Thursday since the blood teste were on Wednesday, my usual day for going north. Not the best of days to be travelling – temp. here 41c – temp.  Port Augusta 44c and temp. in Quorn, 45c. The hospital was nice and cool, and I have a good A/C in the car although as happened last time – the car sitting in the sun all day made for an uncomfortable drive until the A/C  took over.

Annabell has not really improved a great day. Yes, there is some improvement, but not as much as I would have hoped. For a few days I was very concerned in that when asked directly who I was, she said she didn’t know. Asked if she knew my name, she said no.   This set bells ringing in my head, but they went quiet yesterday when the boys were up with her. They held the telephone next to her with the speaker on and she spoke to me to for a few moments., so my fears were set aside. I will be up there myself today.

The Pichi Richi pass is not my  favourite  place to drive but I am starting to get the feel of it. I still can’t go whizzing through like a local, but I manage to keep a fair

speed and the good thing are the frequent areas cut out of the rock for slower cars like me to pull in and let the quicker cars pass. Despite all that I do have a favourite area of the pass – the long straight road at the other side and there is my most loved sign.  Having said all that, the Pichi Richi Pass is   22 klms. long. Not great by Rocky Mountain standards but it’s still a trial. I think I did mention before that there is an easier way though and that’s through Horricks Pass but it would mean adding a further 80- klms to the journey and I feel it’s long enough as it is.

Going back to temperatures – as I said it was in the mid – high 40s and a bit of the warm side. Then the cool change came in overnight and today I took Benji out for his walk at 6am as usual. I had to cut the walk short because I only had light clothes on and I was freezing. The temp. today is a mere 18c this morning rising to about 26c this afternoon – nice for driving today. However, this is not called a windy place for nothing and as well as the low temperature, the cold high wind was bighting, so we gave up trying to walk against it, and I was cold, so we came home. The other reason is that this street is lined with Eucalyptus trees which have killed one and injured two people more this week in Adelaide and I didn’t like the way the wind was pushing the branches around. With these trees there is no warning, and they can just drop branches. That’s what happened to the lady in the park – she was walking, sat down for a rest and the branch came down and she was killed.  It took the emergency servi9ce to basically cut her out from under it so that gives you an idea of how big the branch was.  Another incident was a near miss and the third one was hit and required hospital treatment. There is an investigation underway to determine whether or not the trees should be part of the parkland. The tree in question that killed the visitor, had been inspected by Council three months ago and was said to be fine. And generally, they are fine – in the bush where they belong not in an urban area. But they are plentiful, cheap and don’t use much water so councils like them as do countries that want to regrow areas that have been over  harvested. Me – I don’t like them, messy things that. drop toxic leaves and shed bark which makes lovely fuel source in a fire.

Question: How can a Scottish person tell when it’s summer?

Answer: The rain is warm.

Visiting Annabell at Quorn is 150 miles round trip, so three times a week- which is what I do – means that I am covering 450+ miles

a week. Given the cost of fuel, added to the Respite Hospital Fees I can only keep that up for so long. The boys go up as often as they can, given work commitments.  The whole idea of Quorn rather than Port Augusta, was that if anything happened Quorn is right next to the hospital and problems can be attended to. She became very sick, and her blood reading shot up to a dangerous 22 and her test showed an excessive amount of Sulphur in her blood. Well, Quorn is not equipped with equipment or specialists to attend to this kind of concern, so the nearest major hospital was notified, and Annabell was moved there. The closest major hospital is Port Augusta!! Everything is slightly chaotic at the moment and although I cannot find things I have written, I have the feeling that I have told you all this already. She stayed in Port Augusta and the specialists there re-started the insulin injections., which the doctors at Whyalla had stopped. She is now back in Quorn and her blood reading today was 12 – not great but better than what it was.

There has been some improvement but there is still a long way to go. I was with her today and fed her lunch, which she finished – great!  I did talk to her but her responses were correct, but response times were slow. By that I mean that I made a comment. and she responded but it took a bit of time before she did respond. A dear friend in Glasgow sends a letter every week and I take that up with me and read it to her and when I can I try to get comments from her. Most of the time she sleeps. Sometimes I arrive and she is asleep and remains so for all of my visit. I sit and read.  As I tell people she may not know I am there – but I do!

Benji still misses her and each time I come home; he greets me then goes to the door to look for Annabell.  I found out recently that some laws have changed, and it is now possible to take a dog to Quorn – in fact some of the tourist facilities are being advertised as       ” Pet Friendly”. So when the weather is very much cooler ( 41c today – 45c tomorrow with 46c in Port Augusta and Quorn), I will get Benji in the car and we will go North. We have not been out for walks because the ground is just too hot for his paws. Well I tell a lie, we did go out yesterday, but it was almost 8:30 and it was quite dark when we finished our walk.  There are two trees. Look at the first one and try to enlarge the second one which was taken a few minutes later. Interesting.

Benji and I have changed our walk a little. Still the same time and mostly the same area, we just changed the last section a little. The

photograph of the tree was taken just down from my house and across the road. We seem to have an abundance of Galah in the area recently. We have always had a number of Magpie in the area, but with no “suitable” trees to build nests, there is very little in the way of swooping. Further don in Parfitt Street, it is all suitable trees and watch out for swooping Magpies!! I am sort of not popular right at the moment. I took the opportunity of the free day to go shopping.  The Benji was not a happy pup – daddy going out without him. I would have loved to take him with me but to do so would have been criminal not to mention dangerous. It is 45c out there but slightly higher than forecast because there is a North Wind coming off the desert. What that means is that leaving the car windows open would have been a waste of time because the hot wind would have pushed up the temperature in the car, even with the windows open. Anyway, a cool change is forecast for this evening and, according to the forecast for tomorrow the area will have a mid – to high 20s+c, so that won’t be too bad for driving to Quorn. The white flowers are nice, but I am not sure of what they are called.

Patience is a virtue and I regret to say it is a virtue I have in short supply – although I am trying. As Annabell used to say ” Yes, dear, you are very trying.”   My reason for mentioning this is to ask you to be patient. I do read all your posts and when I can, I will respond.

Writing this is the longest I have been on the computer for a while. I’m just so blooming tired these days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annabell was moved to Quorn on the morning of Monday 8th January. We have no idea how long she will be there – we just have to deal with things as they happen.  I did not go over on Monday, but I did spend most of Tuesday with her. At the moment not a lot of change – she sleeps I sit and read. I had intended to return to Quorn on Thursday – which is today – but instead I was asked to bring two sets of her clothes, which I did on Wednesday. The idea is not to have her in bed all day but to get her dressed and working with the right people to try and get her moving again. Personally, I don’t see how, since she sleeps all day. I don’t know but perhaps it’s something to do with the medication they have her on. Anyway, I did set out two sets of clothes and took them through to Quorn yesterday – Wednesday. Today I am trying to have a free day to get some of the neglected housework done and the laundry folded and put away.   Sigh…. housework is never done!!! LOL  I told her yesterday that I would have to buy new dinner plates – either that or wash the ones piled up in the two sinks.  Not true, of course, but I thought I might get a response from her — I didn’t.

Anyway, Quorn is a small town in the Lower Flinders Ranges. about 125 klms (about 77 miles) north of here. The drive to the Port is fine – a straight – direct road.  The road to Quorn through the lower Flinders Ranges, is very tight, bendy, up and down with some very sharp bends. It’s a road that requires concentration and careful driving. Overall, though, it’s not too bad. However, it is 150 miles round trip, something that I cannot do every day.  Some time ago I said that Port Augusta was talked about so why not there? Why Quorn?  Well, Port Augusta Nursing Home (Brilliant Place I am told) is at one side of the port, Port Augusta Hospital is at the other end. If anything happened it would require calling an ambulance to take her to hospital.  Quorn (Flinders House) is attached to Quron Hospital so it was felt that given her current situation she would be better off (medically) at Quorn rather than Port Augusta. Yes I am inclined to agree but 150 miles a day – every day – is just not possible. A tank of fuel twice a week, added to Medication and Fees for Flinders House, would push my budget well into another ballpark.  I will be back there tomorrow (Friday) and that will be my third trip this week.  And yes, we did consider a mobile (cell) phone for her but we feel that currently she would be unable to use it.

You know, throughout all of this- missing his mummy, looking for her each time I came home, being left in the house all day on his own, getting fed late (sometimes 8pm) – Benji has been really great. Not perhaps as great as a Ninja, but great in his own way. Howefferr  he has had a couple of “accidents” but I can forgive that considering what he has had to put up with. Today is a day he has not had since 11th December – I am here in the house with him all day. And after lunch we’ll go shopping and I might take him down to the wetlands for a little while.  Why not Quorn, you may ask. Well, I can’t— Quorn is within the Flinders Ranges National Park and dogs are not allowed in SA National Parks except in two somewhere in Adelaide – two out of 360 National Parks in SA.

As it transpired, we did go to the shops but not go to the Wetlands. There is only one area of shade and since the temperature started to reach 35c, I decided that it would be a bit too much for him. I will be getting ready for Quorn tomorrow, but I will have a day at home on Sunday so I will try and get him down there early in the morning before it starts to heat up. Although Andrew (my son) did suggest that I could take him down to the Wetlands after dinner when it starts to cool down and whilst I agree, I am concerned that there might be a lot of dogs there at that time.

Well, here we are – 2024. This year Benji will be either 12 or 14, which is confusing to say the least – He is a rescue dog as you know, but one set of documents. say he was born in 2012 and another set of documents say he was born in 2010.  Still he’s my boy irrespective of how old, or how young, he is. In  the major news, it is unlikely that Annabell will be coming home. She is now been in the hospital for 25 days and is currently awaiting a place in a nursing home. There is no  place available here, so she will either go to Port Augusta(60 miles away) or Quorn (75 miles away) Yes, she will be going into care. This last seizure caused a lot of damage, mentally and physically making her unable to do anything. Currently I spend most of my day at the hospital. She sleeps I sit and read. The nurse feeds her breakfast and I feed her lunch and dinner. During a period of clarity I once asked her – as I was feeding her – ” when you said I do all those years ago,  did you ever imagine that I would be hand feeding you?” Her reply was ” no I did not, but did you ever imagine you would be doing it?” — Annabell is still in there!

The boys are not too happy with me. They wanted me to stay with them and Connor for New Years Eve. I said no, I wanted to be  home. Just me and Benji, but it was where I felt I needed to be. Yes other than Benji and I, an empty house, but as I said this is where I wanted to be and where I felt I needed to be. Don’t ask me to explain that because I can’t. Weird, but there you are. I have already been through the depression stage and, having recovered from that, I feel quite fine. I did have a good analyst to see me through – his name is Benji and he is really a great listener  :o)

So, that’s our start to the new year – sitting waiting  care placement for Annabell. At the moment I spend most of the day there at the hospital but that’s a cost of about $90 a week in fuel costs. Travel on the Port Augusta/Whyalla Highway is not too bad during the daylight hours, but not so good in the night and early morning – Kangaroo times… I will have to sit down and work that out. Although it is summer and still light late at night, so I have until March to think about that. By that time I hope there will be a placement back here – well, actually I hope long before that.  I am told that the Port Augusta facility is very nice and that might be so but it’s still  60 miles away.

Benji is very good. He is left in the house for most of the day. I do come back about twice each day to check on him, ensure he has enough food and water and so he knows he is not abandoned. And yes, before you ask- there is a dog door!  When I come home from the hospital in the evening, we gear up and go out for a walk. Of course we still go out for our morning walk at 6am.  Between hospital – home – hospital and walks with Benji,  I still manage about 14,000 steps a day – roughly about 6 miles.

Goodness, January 2nd already!  Yesterday was not the best of her days and apart from  some  exchanges in the morning, she was out of things for most of the day. She had breakfast but refused to take lunch. I was not there at lunchtime. I fed her at dinner time, and she finished off almost all of that and the Ice-Cream as well! Then I helped her drink some coffee.  I suppose, more than anything else, that the sleeping is doing her good and will, partly, help in the recovery. A recovery that  is taking a lot longer this time.

Now that the holiday  period is over and people are back at work, I  hope that we will see some movement. I am not anxious for her to go to Port Augusta but at least there will be  staff back in the hospital and I might find out a bit more that  what I have been told over the holiday period. However unless something changes, I don’t see us not going to Port Augusta. There are six wards in the new part of the hospital and four of them are closed down.