Day 46

Feeling slightly anxious again about what a Monday holds.  Today, after all the 'crutch sorties' is a check on my ability to use the stairs. The outcome will determine if I may be allowed to go home this  week or my name is put forward to go Rushden or Corby. I would so much like to go home, it's been 46 days since I lived at home but I do (I hope) understand that my long term health is paramount and a period of time at the rehab centres at either Rushden or Corby may be the best option for me.  What I really don't want to happen is to have my name put forward for Rushden/Corby and find that because of Christmas/New Year I remain here in Cliftonville.  The issue I see, in remaining at Cliftonville, is that there are no facilities for proper Physio.

As my friend Steve (happy birthday today Steve - 62) would say Yee Haaa! I have been up and down the stairs without too much problem at all - crutch on one side and bannister on the other. Ram and his assistant (Kamilla) are recommending that there is a visit with me and Occupational Therapy (OT) to Stoke Bruerne to see how I cope with my own home and the things like the shower and so on.  They hope that can happen before Christmas - I do hope so.

Towcester (R) and Bideford with a
good load on approaching Stoke
Bruerne Top Lock - 9-Aug-14

A lovely visit this morning from Julia and Richard - they own and run the two working boats Towcester (motor) and Bideford (butty) - I do think if Julia and I had known each other years and years ago Stoke Bruerne might have been a bit of a different place!

Then a visit from Sam Samuels from Stoke Bruerne with a rather large bottle of Sloe Gin and a card - thank you Sam and thank you to Julia and Richard for their time this morning.  It is all much appreciated.

Just sitting here after lunch and realising I have no idea what processes follow this morning's physio to move things forward. I have just asked a nurse and her reply was that at some stage a note will come through saying I can go home; what I would like is something that tells me what the process is - I wonder if that's too much to expect? I am sure my friend Sue will tell me!!! With Christmas looming I would like some clarity about the next few days because there are things I need to put in place including the really important things like having the right ingredients to make a cuppa!

Just been on a 'crutch sortie' and spoke to a 'sensible' nurse.  Apparently what will happen, and may happen tomorrow even, is that:

• OT (Occupational Therapy) will take me and my 'stuff' home
• My room at Cliftonville will be kept for me
• They will assess me at home and my ability to cope
• If I do cope to their satisfaction they will leave me at home and cancel my room at Cliftonville
• If OT think I won't be able to cope they will bring me back to Cliftonville

It's all seeming to happen and if it does I shall need some immediate help to:

• Get some milk (essential for my survival and a cuppa!)
• Get some food (again essential for my survival)
• Sort myself out and get 'stuff' to the right places in the house

Lovely visits this evening from my friend Vicky and a colleague of hers from CRT, Neil Owen. Thank you both for coming and brightening up my evening.

I do hope things move forward tomorrow in the way that has been suggested they might.