The Lockdown Gang - 🦞 Lobstars Unlocked 🦞

Wot ho Everyone

Happy Christmas!

Anyone for leftovers? I really wasn't looking forward to Christmas but DD2 made sure I didn't have much time to feel sorry for myself. Went to hers to stay on Christmas Eve, after dropping presents off with DS. I should have been spending time there too, but the poor man has tested positive with the nasty version of Covid. It's hit him for six, so, much to DGS's amusement, we met on the doorstep at a six foot distance and I put a box of presents down to be picked up. Just like in the old days! We didn't bother with masks though as it was blowing a gale! The rest of the family also brought food on Christmas Day, hence we have rather too much left overs. A lot is now frozen as now we're hoping for a Twelfth Night celebration. Kira had a lovely time and really seems to enjoy parties. Lots of people to make a fuss of her!

It's good to see you back Jan, even though you're in the wars. I beginning to think you're challenging Cherry. It has been a lovely day here today hasn't it. We did get out for a lovely walk. I hope you were able to enjoy it a bit too.

Happy New Year Everyone. I'm off to see the dentist tomorrow to get my tooth sorted out. I'm not looking forward to it!

ixion, I love it. 🤣🤣
Cherry, like you I’ve over indulged too. So many tempting things to try and our son brought us a lovely hamper. Not a shop bought one but one he made himself choosing things he knew his dad and I would like. Now it’s all sitting there looking at me. 😊
Nfk, lovely to hear from you. Sausage roll, mince pie, cake, chocolates……I’ve got it all…..
Sorry about your son. My son and his wife had Covid a few weeks ago and my DIL wasn’t well at all. Shame yours got it at Christmas.
So pleased Keira is making herself at home with the family. Nice to think of the life she’s got now compared to before.
Glad you enjoyed your walk.
Hope the dentist isn’t painful either in the chair or the pocket.
I am getting ready to do battle with the Doctor tomorrow. Not quite sure what I’m going to be asking for but it is now 5 weeks when DH hasn’t been able to do anything other than sit in his chair, or lay in the bed. Every time he puts weight on his foot he has an hour of agony after. It can’t be right. Neither of us have had more than two hours consecutive sleep at all.

Are you happy that DH's pain control (or lack of) is being adequately or knowledgeably managed at a local level, Doodle, by GP or DN?

Might there be a case for referring this to the Pain Management or Tissue Viability Teams at your hospital who caused the damage in the first place? I appreciate that you can't take an F2F appointment while his mobility is so compromised but you can't carry in like this. Video consultation, point and share iPad camera at the affected sites?

After all, you can't get the mobility issue sorted and physio until the pain is adequately controlled. Home administered Entonox for these occasions? That used to be the score for dressing changes, at least.

I hate to read of your suffering.
There must be a way round this.
🥀❤️

A funny thing happened today and I wasn't even on the way to the forum.
An old boyfriend ( I use the term loosely, he's a year older than me) turned up on my doorstep.

I last saw him some 12 or so years ago when I was a guest at his wedding and since then, he's lived in Australia - we haven't kept in touch

He's now widowed and on an Xmas/New Year trip back to NZ to see children and grandchildren, decided to look me up.

A thousand years before, when we first met and he asked me to dinner and subsequently on several trips to hot pools and beaches and flash restaurants, he eventually proposed.

Much as I enjoyed his company, and I really did, he's funny, kind and what's often called (though certainly not by me) a Silver Fox', I was not looking for a permanent relationship, something I thought I'd made abundantly clear.

Alas, however forcefully one says this, they always believe they can talk you round. It didn't work, I'm too solitary a person but I am a bit to blame because I love the company of men and this can be miscontrued.

We parted friends and soon afterwards he met his wife.

And so it was, after all this time, Old Lochinvar had come to claim his lost love. or so he would have me believe.

I'm afraid all he got for his trouble was a glass of sparkling water and a French Fancy.

(Mr Kipling's in case you thought that was a euphemism for something else

It's a shame in some ways; he's well off, well travelled and interesting and even held the tempting carrot of a world cruise before my unbedazzled eyes.

His steed was a Lexus. I thought that was a card game. He was unimpressed but then so was I.

He compared my situation, a pensioner in a Salvation Army alms house, with what he could provide but to no avail.

I thought of ixion during this impassioned wooing; my hard heartedness had nothing on Hannah.

He really tried, I'll give him points for perseverence and his affection seemed genuine and as we reminisced about past good times, 1% of me wavered slightly.

Even dratted Robert Browning snuck into the picture: 'Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be....'

But that's the point, I don't want a man growing old along with me; under my feet, in my kitchen and certainly not breaking wind in my bed.

I'm fine by myself.
He didn't understand.
We won't be keeping in touch.

What a lovely surprise Kaimoana! You have the best of all worlds as I see it.
An old flame arrives to try to rekindle old love. You enjoy trying and then resume normal life with a warm glow of being appreciated but without any strings attached. Well done! 👋

Such a life you lead.😍

Good to see Jan and Nfk posting and sounding upbeat. Sorry your DS is poorly Nfk. I hope the dentist can sort your tooth. Sorry Jan that you have had another fall.

Doodle I expect you are getting ready for doing battle with the medics. I hope you win. I hope DH gets the help he needs soon.

A df potter is coming out today and we shall dismantle what's left of our Christmas market stall.

My DGD, after watching the Pottery Throwdown, wants to come and make a bird's nest box. That may be tomorrow.
Don't the weeks go by quickly!

ixion, not happy with the DN or GPs. Nurses are lovely but apart from taking the dressing off and putting a new one on, nothing has changed. 5 weeks of this now.
DH spends all day and most of the night in his chair. The only time he moves is to go to the bathroom and back a trip which leaves him in agony for ages.
Our only experience of Pain Management was in hospital where the PM lady suggested cutting out the Oromorph as it could be addictive. Reducing the pain tablets to three times a day instead of every 4 hours because it was easier for the nurses to manage that way. I blew my top (not unheard of when defending DH) and insisted she discussed this with the ward consultant, who came round every morning saying “he won’t get better if he’s in pain”.
Result, oromorph continued, pain meds increased. Pain Management went off in a huff.
I now believe Pain Management are there to tell you to cope better with less meds than to help your pain reduce. Heard the same from others too
Wasnt aware of tissue viability teams. No one has offered any help other than wait for it to get better …..might be months.
After the last 4 days I am ready for battle today. We shall see
Thank you for your kind thoughts, I will look up some of your ideas
Kaimoana, wow. What an amazing visit. How lovely. I can’t put it any better than Grammaretto did. He obviously thought a lot of you.
The way you tell the tale is delightful 😊. I love the French Fancy bit 🤣.
Thats cheered me up no end. I will read it out to DH when he wakes up
Grammaretto hope you’ve had a lovely Christmas. We saw our DGDs yesterday. So grown up now but very lovely.
Have fun with yours making the nesting box

What a day. Gp prescribed morphine tablets and oral liquid.
DN came and out a different type of dressing on. I wish I could say all this helped but if anything, so far it’s worse.
Not sure what tonight will bring. I’m so tired. I have ordered a knee scooter for DH (have i Said this before, I don’t remember) don’t know if he will get on with it or not but I am at the stage where I will try anything.
Had cold Turkey tonight. And very burnt jacket potatoes (I put them in the oven while I went to collect meds and was there longer than I thought) Actually though, despite the colour they tasted fine. I am now about to give DH some Christmas pudding with some Waitrose Cointreau cream. That, if nothing else, should cheer him up 🤣
* Take care all. Thanks for listening ( or reading I suppose 😊) *

I can feel your pain and weariness Doodle. It's so hard for you. How are you expected to know what will work and what is best.
I don't know what a knee scooter is but I hope it helps.

When you wrote cold turkey I immediately thought you meant you went Cold Turkey! maybe you did

Cointreau cream and Christmas pud sounds good.

I hope you both have a good sleep tonight.

DD has sent pictures of them trying to cook, in the almost dark on the wood burning stove. They have blizzards and a power cut probably for several days.
Poor souls
They drove 12 miles to the nearest town and sheltered in Aldi to keep warm.

I almost feel guilty having heat, light, hot water.

My suggestion for DH - if it's available, hyperbaric oxygen therapy speeds healing.
Apparently you sit or lie in a chamber - the lady in the next hospital bed to me had it for ulcerated legs.

It's free here for extreme cases but you may have to pay in UK.

I'm right with you Amazon-Doodle, go in the and give 'em what for

ukhyperbaric.com/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-hbot/

*Doodle - it sounds like you need to hand this problem straight back to the hospital that caused the issue by neglecting the Dude's tissue viability. Suggest you contact PALS tomorrow and lay out what problems he's having since he was an inpatient. Emphasise the neglect of a basic nursing need. Tell them what you need to help - a face to face with a tissue viability specialist and an immediate intervention to get the pain under control. You also need a home assessment to make sure you have all the equipment you need as a result of their shortcomings in his care.

If you don't feel able to, get your son to do it for you.

Love from Matron!

What Matron said.

And here's a link to UK health advocates if you are too weary of it all, let them fight on your behalf.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/someone-to-speak-up-for-you-advocate/

Tell them Matron is onher way with a leg of lamb

Yes Doodle! Obey Matron. with DS for support it's just not right at all.
Cry if necessary.
Sending cwtches, love and gentle hugs to you both.

With Mamissimo, all the way here
PALS are accountable to the Management Team and have a strict protocol they must adhere to.
As M. said, you don't want pleasantries and endless investigations, they need to provide you with immediate practical support while they do all their running about and info gathering.
Direct interaction between PALS, you and the T.Viability and Pain Teams. No reason why you can't attend a meeting with your iPad documenting the heels, and maybe a video of moving about, if they can't hook you up to some kind of live feed with you both.
You must stress it's not only a complaint but an insistence that they move in to help you henceforth.
As in
^Well, here's a fine mess you've gotten us into^.

I agree too, it's definitely worth contacting PALs Doodle. I've done that once and the contact alone elicited an immediate and positive response. I hope that, if you do, you provoke a similar response as your DH cannot go on like this, and neither can you. The hospital needs to be held accountable and act! Sending love and warm cwtches to both of you.

Well I phoned PALS and they said the foot was now under the care of the DN so talk to them. They do have a tissue viability team but he would have to be referred by his Gp. There is a note on his record about him having pressure sores before he left hospital but no follow up. The only other suggestion was to take him to A&E (which we are not doing). I am going to try Community Podiatry tomorrow and I have asked the DN to come back and check his foot again. I’m also chasing the photos which don’t appear to have been sent to the GP despite them saying they would.
Right now I have to get ready as DS2 and family are en route. They will have a job when they get here, packing up the knee walker and sending it back. It’s a wonderful gadget and I can se how it would help a lot of people but DHs balance is so bad he was terrified of it and couldn’t move an inch. He felt he would fall and I can’t pick him up so we gave up at that point.

Back for a proper catch up later. Thanks for all your helpful comments and advice x

What a day gang. I’ve been on the phone to PALS, Podiatry, Surgery and DN.
Finally, about 5 pm I got a phone call from the DN manager. She was a very kind lady and listened to all my concerns and comments. She then said she would take a look at all the photos of DHs foot since he left hospital. She said that the one taken on 27th (the day I thought it looked awful) was the best one yet.
She explained that they look at areas of really dark skin almost black. DHs earlier photos had a large black area, the one on the 27th was much reduced in size which she said was a good thing. We had a long chat and she was kind and reassuring. I am now happy to wait till the team come again next week. **Apparently the podiatrist is also going to review all the photos too. Which is good news.
Had a lovely visit from DS2 and family this afternoon but unfortunately the morphine took its toll on DH and he was violently sick (in the bathroom not in front of anyone I hasten to add). We had a quick visit then son and DIL said they would leave us in peace so DH could recover and come back soon
They also did a number of small jobs for us, thank goodness for family.
Grammaretto I think DH will go cold Turkey for a bit whilst the effects of the morphine wear off. I will as GP for anti nausea meds in the morning as it’s a known side effect.
We did actually sleep well last night. It was so nice.
Feel so sorry for your DD hope they’re ok
Not heard of that here Kaimoana although it does look interesting. Thank you for the link
Mamissimo, Pals all too keen to offload problem to DN. basically they’re not interested. However, since speaking to the DN manager I feel better.
When fighting DHs corner, I am far more agressive than fighting my own. I will wait till DN come next week and compare the heel with the photos. If I have any cause for concern I will be back onto them asap.
Just in case it’s required, please make sure the leg of lamb is frozen solid 🤣
Thank you Ixion and Cherry. The support from everyone is very much appreciated. You’re a wonderful lot. If all else fails, I will threaten to set the gang on them 😊.
Bless you all

I hope DS2 family will be able to help you. Doodle.
Everyone seems to be passing the buck.
It doesn't help that no-one is working between Christmas and New year. At least they aren't around here.
I wish I could be of some use.
🙏❤️

DD's power came back on this afternoon.
She was at her wits' end up till then. Her DH was away working. The road was closed between theirs and the nearest town.

I had the DGD and school friend over for pottery today. They had watched the Christmas throwdown and really wanted to use the wheel but we didn't have time. They both made nest boxes for birds. #meangrannie

Grammaretto, yes we are lucky with both our sons and their families. All sorts of help in offer and only a phone call away. (*They both live near us and are all very caring.
Glad your DD has been re connected. I’m sure the nesting boxes were a great success

*Doodle that's frustrating to hear! I guess you need to put pressure on the DN and GP for a TV referral. Mobility is crucial for you to be able to manage isn't it?

A few years ago I gave a speech at the British Association of Dermatologists about remodelling the NHS to meet the needs of patients rather than trapping them in a constant spiral of referral, discharge, refer to a different service, discharge, rinse and repeat. I was arguing for everyone to have a lead consultant who could pull in other specialist services as needed without going back to the GP. Three large hospitals rose to the challenge and it was about to be rolled out in more areas when Covid struck. It was all dismantled and never came back. Now that a good GP is rarer than hens teeth it seems everyone is struggling to access the care they need. It's frightening.

Aoife is being driven to the cat food factory settling so well that she's now showing her naughty side. I keep finding her digging in the raised beds......she's pulled up the rhubarb, eats cauliflower and runs demented mad races round the washing whirlygig. She's an angel when she's asleep though!

That's a very disappointing response from PALs Doodle but reassuring from the DN manager. It's the here and now though isn't it because whilst she seems to be saying there is healing going on it's taking so long, he's in a lot of pain and his mobility is suffering. Does it have to be the GP that refers to the TV team? Can't the podiatrist or DN intervene or can all three team up and bombard them?
It's good that your DS2 and family did a couple of little jobs for you and I'm so pleased that they are there for you both and only a phone call away willing to help
I'm glad you both had a good night's sleep last night and I hope you both do tonight.

Another casualty of the pandemic Mamissimo Your advice on joined up thinking and provision make so too much sense.

When DH was very ill in 2020 we came across plenty of obstacles in the system apart from the pandemic but we were lucky that our wonderful GP was on our side and determined not to let stupid rules and petty hierarchies prevent him receiving excellent care.

Getting him out of hospital when no visiting was allowed and nothing more could be done was akin to plotting an escape from a high security prison. DS1 who is tall and has an air of authority had to tell the guards he had come to collect his dad without asking any questions. in case he was refused

I hope your dealings today Doodle will be a lot easier.
Did you manage to get some sleep?

Mr. and Mrs I are delighted to announce the safe arrival of a boy, Trevor.
Currently sleeping off his arduous journey.
Welcome, Trevor!
❤️

Sorry all, short post tonight. DH back in hospital after 999 call from me last night. Ambulance was amazing, arrived 5 mins after call. He’s now back in CCU where he was a few weeks ago.
DS1 and 2 holding the fort so I can come home to sleep. I’m exhausted. Back tomorrow. Love to all x

Oh heck Doodle, I am truly sorry to hear this. That was a great response time by the ambulance service, that's what I call a good service. I hope Mr D gets as good a service provided in the CCU this time round, they owe him that. I'm not surprised you're exhausted! I'm glad your DS1 and 2 are with their dad and hopefully you can get some rest and sleep. Sending you heartfelt cwtches x

Holding you all in my thoughts. X