Waiting for a flight

After a stubborn struggle the nurses managed to shave Dad this morning. He hadn't shaved in about 10 days so it was difficult, but we got there. His face looks a bit grey and Mum and i can't decide if that has come on today or was obscured by the beard. The rather traumatic shave is probably what prompted him to sleep until 3pm.
As he dozed off i was on the telephone to the travel agent rearranging someone's trip to Frankfurt and booking a new one to Zurich for someone else. I wrangled various other things and Mum got on with a few jobs while Dad slept.
Dad's brother, sister-in-law and Grandma are visiting and turned up mid-afternoon. It has been nice for Dad to see them all again and nice for them that although he doesn't make much sense when he speaks, he recognises everyone. It is especially nice to have Dad downstairs now as we could involve him in the evening together. He still makes the odd quick comment when he thinks Mum isn't listening. Dad has a plastic bottle on the bed next to him in case he needs the loo more urgently than expected. This evening we were all sitting around having tea and coffee after dinner and he started waving it around. When we asked why he said he was waiting for his flight. We were a bit surprised but played along and asked where he was going. He responded "Frankfurt!"

Piccadilly Circus comes to Ightham

Today has been extremely busy. The head continuing care nurse came early this morning to assess what sort of care Dad needed from her team. While she was here the bed arrived and was erected. Mum and i played with it to test which button did what so we wouldn't end up folding Dad in half once he was in it... The Macmillan cancer nurse came at lunchtime and helped us walk Dad downstairs. He needed a lot of support as he is very weak and wobbly on his feet but we made it. He opted to get into the bed straight away and reports it to be very comfortable. He is clearly happy to be reunited with Sky television; he watched a combination of BBC and Sky news for 4 hours this afternoon. He even waved Mum to one side when she stood in his view at one point. Then we had a pair of continuing care nurses turn up earlier this evening to give Dad a wash and help him brush his teeth. Mum also managed to pop out to the surgery to ask the doctor to prescribe Dad's medication in liquid form, as he is now struggling to take pills. In between all of this i have dived in and out of my work email. We are all wiped out now, even the cat, not that she did much. Mum did lock her in the garage for a few hours earlier though, who knows what she got up to in there.
Tomorrow we expect Dad's brother, sister-in-law and Dad's mother aka Grandma. It is much better he is downstairs now as he can be involved in everything with everyone. Mum and i have taken a few of our lunches upstairs this weekend to eat with Dad in the bedroom, but we can't do that with three visitors.

Loose connections

Today has been a blur of phone calls in between feeding Dad. I got a few calls from work, since i'm working from home, but we also had calls from the Macmillan nurse, as well as a regional nurse, that the Macmillan nurse has mobilised. Then a continuing care nurse called who will organise daily visits from even more nurses... I told Dad earlier that he ought to move over and make room for me as i'm getting confused too. A hospital bed is being provided for Dad which will make it possible for us to raise him to a sitting position at the touch of a button. On seeing the house the nurse has suggested setting Dad up down in the sitting room so that he can feel involved in things, rather than shut away Mrs Rochester-style. I think he has felt a bit left out today as the neighbour popped around with some more cakes and my brother came for the night. Both the neighbour and my brother have spent time with Dad, but it's not the same. Hearing talk and laughter downstairs and not being able to join in must be miserable. This afternoon Mum was having a drink and i was wrangling some work emails when we heard a floorboard creak above us. We both froze wondering if Dad was on the move and there was suddenly an almighty thud. We both hurtled up the stairs and found Dad on the floor by the bed. He had fallen over trying to get to the bathroom. He doesn't seem to have hurt himself at all and i helped him to the bathroom, then back to bed, with strict instructions Not to try to get up on his own. Recently we have noticed him sitting strangely positioned in bed occasionally, so suspect he has tried to do this before. Mum is now barricading him and her into their bedroom with a chair before she goes to bed at night to ensure he cannot end up falling down the stairs in the middle of the night.
Keeping us on our toes, Dad has a new code for us to crack. He kept saying to us each today that he wants to connect something. He has mentioned the television, the radio and making tea. He obviously wants something as he has said almost the same thing to each of us at different times during the day. I find this really upsetting as i want to help him but just can't understand or even guess what he wants.
This evening, my brother and i managed to groom Mum's elderly, vicious and alzheimers-esque cat. She has trouble grooming herself now that she's 21 and a half, so develops big mats in her fur. Anyway between us we managed to cut and brush most of the mats out and remarkably without blood-loss on either side!