Busy being ill

07Mar11

it takes a lot of time being sick.
Today – for example.
Max started work at 5am which meant getting up just after 4am (he is trying to work some early mornings so that he has the rest of the day from about midday to help with appointments).
Jem got up just before 7 and it was a gentle, leisurely morning until about 11. I made his breakfast of porridge, toast and marmalade. I sorted through a large platter of fruit that was a mix of hospital gift baskets. Your average bowl of fruit does not generally contain two types of orange, three types of apple, plums, nectarines, peaches, kiwifruit, fresh dates, bananas, dragon fruit….anyway it needed some attention and sorting so we also had fresh fruit for breakfast.
Jem had made a list (well I put it in my notes) for a whole bunch of stuff that needs to be sorted over the next few weeks.
Make appointments for/with neurologist, oncologist, palliative care, rehab.
Sort out applying for disabled taxi subsidy
Apply for a disable parking permit
While at home get some maintenance sorted – call electrician, plumber, builder,
Find out out superannuation
Sort out leave, pay for two jobs
Sort put the hospital administrivia
Pay bills
Sort through endless piles of paperwork and fill in countless forms (Jem completed a 19 page form last Friday only to have one of specialists lose it on Friday evening).
The list does go on and on and on and of course new things pop up all the time.
Jeremy made some of these appointments today. Mum came up from Bowral and arrived about 11am. A couple of friends of Jems dropped over while we were having lunch.
I went out and bought three bunches of flowers and a dozen mixed French tapers/ candles at Jem’s request.
Max came home and mum left about 3pm. I walked down to the train station with her.
Then Jem made the slow walk down 8 flights of steps – seven steps to each flight. Max grabbed the wheelchair and we walked in the beautiful afternoon autumn sun along Darlinghurst Rd to St Vincents and a 4pm radiotherapy appointment. Followed that with a lengthy appointment with Jem’s GP – we finally got home at 7pm. We did manage to have a drink before the GP. We had time to spare and sat in the sun on Oxford Street and had a mojito with lots of lime and mint. I asked Jem what his GP would say, and his reply was – oh Marilyn would probably highly recommend! He told her as soon as we got to the surgery and she laughed very heartily.
Dinner just finished was wonderful.
Max has been serving these absolutely sublime meals – last night we had duck and red cabbage. Tonight we had marinaded boned leg of lamb and a salad of roasted beetroots, goats cheese, green beans, herbs and tomatoes.
So not your average day. A bit surreal. Mostly wonderful.
Some good news – Fridays bone scan was clear. Some not so good news – Jem has been told he will not drive again.
Today was a good day. The pain management seems to be working. He is so happy to be home.
In between I am reading Voltaire for my book group.
Sydney like Canberra in autumn is quite wonderful – without the splendid colour and cold nights.
I feel like I have gone on a bit….and maybe so.
For the record.
x
Excuse formatting. Using WP for iPad app and I haven’t typed this much using my iPad before.
So weary after a dreadful sleep, but feel I will sleep better tonight. And it is not Tuesday yet? Jem and I both thought it was. Only Monday you say? Ha!
Night night

Filed under: Family, Food   |  1 Comment
Tags: health, Jeremy