Melanie needs help

[Moma Ruby]

You look after yourself Sandra. Sending you, Graham and Melanie a healing ball to surround you.

[sole59]

Poor Mel, made me cry thinking of Rufus' burial, we get so attached to our pets. I pray that Mel will get her life back and live the way she chooses.

Sending you lots of love and healing Sandra. Colds etc are horrible, but the dreaded cough has to be worst. How are you settling in in the bungalow?

love and hugs
Susan x

[Maitch]

Thank you dear Susan,

Mel is going into the unit tomorrow, all being well. Graham, who took delivery of a brand spanking new car today has gone over to see her and show it off! I decided that I could not go as, apart from feeling decidely rough, I didn't want to pass on anything to her before she goes in. She'll have enough on her plate without coping with a virus!

We are well 'bedded in' to the bungalow now. For the majority of the time the weather has been cold and snowy and I haven't been able to get out into the garden very much. However the past few days have been sunny and warmer and yesterday (when I was feeling a little better) I decided that I would plant the lilies around Rufus. Surprisingly I had bought them last Monday and a group of three are called 'White Heaven'. Couldn't be more appropriate!

The bungalow is set back off the road by a long conifer-lined drive. I have planted some lily of the valley at the entrance as all there was were a few crocuses and some daffodils that the 'gardener' had cut down before their time (consequently they are all leaves and no flowers!). So in a few weeks they should start peeking their heads out and should colonise the area quite well.

It is off-set from the drive to the right and as you get to it you get a lovely view over the garden with its pond, and across the meadow beyond. There are 2 bedrooms, one facing the front as you go in, the other along a corridor to the right facing the tall hedge that surrounds the plot on 3 sides. Pop planted a maple tree, so at least there is something to look at!

The lounge, dining room and kitchen are all at the back of the property, overlooking the garden, pond and the meadow. Outside the patio doors in the lounge there is a patio that goes the length of the back of the bungalow, with steps to the left going down to the lawn and pond. However, there is no balustrade around the patio and, as it is about 4 foot to the lawn, we are going to have to do something about railings. I can imagine people having a drink and taking a step back - doesn't bear thinking about!

I am having a bit of a problem typing this - so I will sign off now and get back to you all later.

[Maitch]

I certainly don't want another day/night like yesterday for a bit!

Mel's blood results were bad yesterday and she was sent into hospital to get put on a drip to boost her potassium. As I had mislaid my car keys I was unable to help her get there and had to wait for Graham to get home. We went to see Mel in hospital when he got home. She was in the throes of being moved from A & E to AMU (Acute Medical Unit) when we got there. She was very tearful and felt awful. I said that she was in the best place and that they would put her on a drip and she would soon feel better. According to the blood results her postassium (which regulated the heart) was very low at 1.9 - it should be 3 point something; and all the rest of the results were pretty well way off the mark too. So we left her there and went back to have tea, happy that she was getting the care she needed.

She phoned at 10 to say that they were discharging her as there had been a mix up with the blood results and her potassium was 2.5, which is within (just) normal parameters. So I got ready for bed, took a sleeping tablet (Nytol - nothing that strong!) and got into bed. I'd only been in bed about 15 minutes and we got a phone call to say that the doc from AMU had been on the phone. The earlier blood results did stand - she was dangerously low in potassium and get back to the hospital ASAP.

So I got in my trusty little Ka (by now I had found my keys - in my dressing gown pocket, the only place I hadn't looked!) and hared over to her flat. I found her crouched down by the front door, amid all the stuff waiting to go to the unit today, not making much sense at all. She managed to make it to the sofa in the lounge, but there was no way I could get her down the stairs and into my car. So that was when I phoned for an ambulance and they took her back in. From A & E she was taken straight back up to AMU.

When we arrived the doctor who had phoned her thanked her for coming back (God only knows what would have happened if she hadn't) but by that time Mel was just too shattered to say anything. When I left they were just about to put her on a drip which should help her to feel better. All the poor love kept saying was sorry. I said that it wasn't her fault - the results should have been checked properly. I wonder if they saw the low results and thought that nobody could be that low - therefore it must be a glitch in the results. Although how that could happen at a hospital where that sort of thing must be commonplace.

However, we are talking Stafford Hospital. Only yesterday we received the final results - 2 volumes - of the investigation into the hospital over the past few years. Graham's father had died in there during the time they were investigating, so we had been asked to comment; and therefore were entitled to a copy of the report. It makes pretty grim reading.

Anyrate, I phoned Mel's care co-ordinator this morning and she is putting things in place so that when Mel is discharged she will go straight to the unit. She and I will be going over to Mel's flat sometime today (when I've had a bit more sleep!) to transport everything to her room there. I shall be sooooooooooooo glad when she is there.

So, the past 24 hours have been nothing but eventful! I'm now off to have my breakfast and then go and have a snooze until she rings.

[Ferny]

Dear Sandra,
What a worring 24 hours for you, Mel and Graham.
Poor Mel I do hope she picks up quickly. You must be shattered I'm asking the Angels to be with you all.
God Bless You,
Love Ferny xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Maitch]

Thank you dear Ferny,

I managed to get hold of Mel's care co-ordinator today and we had a long chat. She was going to find out just what the hospital thought they were playing at. The hospital has now discharged Mel into the Kinver eating disorder unit, so I went over to Mel's flat today and brought all her 'stuff' into the unit. She certainly doesn't believe in travelling lightly!

i had a lovely chat with the nurses there today as they helped me to unpack the car. I told them about Rufus and how fragile she was at the moment. I also met one of Mel's friends who has been at the unit for some time and who Mel gets on with famously. She told me not to worry, and that she would look after Mel, which was reassuring.

So now I am off to have a soaky bath and an early night. Tomorrow I have to go back to the flat and clear out the fridge and make sure that everything is in order. Mels care co-ordinator said that she would like Mel to be in the unit for a longer time and I agree with her on this. I know it won't be easy for Mel, but it must be done.

So if I could ask that you keep Mel on your healing list over the next few months that would be wonderful.

Thank you again.

[admkbee]

sending healing and support to you all especially Mel. xx

[kiwigold]

WOW Sandra... dont know how you do it.

First up I must say your new bungalow sounds fab, I can just picture it in my mind. Have you done anything to it , like painting or anything, to make your mark so to speak? Just wondering...

Geez, I hope Mel can get the help she needs and its good she has a fellow friend in their who will help look after her. hopefully she can get her healing underway.

I will continue to send angels and prayers for you all, esp Mel to get thru this ok.


Carole x

[Maitch]

Thank you dear Kirsty and Carole

We haven't done anything major to the bungalow yet Carole. However the attached garage is going to be converted into Graham's 'den'. He will have his computer and his electronic organ in there - and be able to make as much noise as he likes. There is another bungalow just in front of ours, but the elderly lady is very deaf! I have set up my couch in the dining room and am still moving things around to get it as I want it. I don't have as much cupboard space as I did in the other house so instead of my crystals and angels in the glass fronted cupboard I have to make do with wine glasses!

Mel phoned on Thursday night to discuss what I had taken in, and to tell me what else she needed - not much at the moment. I am texting her an upbeat message that I get by e-mail from a spiritual site on line. She said she liked that, although the Universe always calls her Mel - I called her Melanie in the text!

Jerry is getting over his kidney problem. I was quite worried about how I would be able to give him the antibiotics that the vet had prescribed, but he wolfs them down and asks for more. Perhaps they've got catnip in them

I am now off to put on another load of washing for Mel. The up side (for me) of her being in Kinver is that she does her own washing. And, hopefully, by the time she gets out we will have a washing machine plumbed into her flat so that she can do her own!

[kiwigold]

I hope Mel is doing ok Sandra?

I still say prayers for her every day, so hope the angels are continuing to work their magic.

Just take it easy yourself too, its been a very busy year for you. Soon, you'll be settled and have everything just how you want it at home, all in good time.


Carole x