One more sleep.
One more sleep and I shall be heading for the airport.
I always have very mixed feelings at this time.
I have been away much longer than usual. Sometimes it seems like I haven't been here long but when I look at all the events which unfolded during my stay.....it seems like I arrived a very long time ago.
We were not expecting all the drama surrounding Glenn.
He, by the way is much better now and will be returning to work on Monday.
He is obviously better because he went to a meeting of the Astronomy Club yesterday as he particularly wanted to hear the speaker.
Unfortunately, the speaker does seem to have wound a few people up and, of course, Glenn had something to say.
From what he tells me, he is very sorry that he interrupted the guy and wishes he hadn't.
But, at least he knew when to stop and didn't go into a full "Basil Fawlty" moment which he has been known to do on occasion.
As usual whilst looking forward to getting home I am not looking forward to the flight.
It is a long time to be sitting in a cramped seat but I haven't got a choice so I have to put up with it.
I am hoping for an uneventful, boring flight. That is the ideal.
I hope Milwaukee hasn't got snow yet. It was 85F when I left. I have a strong suspicion that won't be the case when I get back.
Cry whoopsie and let slip the kitties of slight unpleasantness.
Yesterday I stormed into Nationwide.
No I didn't.
I sort of drizzled into Nationwide.
After shrieking at (explaining ) to the banshee (nice young lady) behind the counter what had happened, she cackled to (called on) an old hag (supervisor) to oversee her entering the new card details into her magical box of tricks (computer).
She told the supervisor who it was who had wrongly ordered the new card last time. They then both rolled their eyes skywards.
Hmmmm.....obviously nothing unusual for that young guttersnipe (nice young man) then.
So, I have been assured, repeatedly that the new card will be the correct one but of course I should be home in Milwaukee before it arrives.
I shall ask Donna to check it when it arrives here.
I wonder what they will send me this time?
Last night Andy and Glenn came round.
Although I had seen Andy's wife and new baby son on this visit, I hadn't managed to catch up with Andy.
He is hosting a murder mystery evening in a couple of weeks time.
I admire him for not using packaged game. He is working it out himself.
Glenn who has done lots of RP gaming had a few ideas and some helpful hints for him.
There are few pitfalls that you have to be aware of with this type of activity and it is better to have them pointed out to you beforehand rather than find out on the night.
Glenn and at least one other of the guests who have done a lot of this stuff, will be useful to guide other people along until they get the hang of it.
If it had been taking place whilst I was over here I would have loved to go.
I think it will be a lot of fun.
Good luck with it all Andy. Let me know afterwards 'who dun it' and why?
Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war !!!!
Today the postman brought me a letter from Nationwide.
I could feel a card inside.
Oh at last they have sent me the correct cash card after their previous dismail failure and I would be able to use cash points before I go home and also it will be here for my visit next time.
Only they hadn't, it wasn't, I won't and it won't.
Sigh.
Amazingly they had sent me the wrong card.......YET AGAIN. !!!!
It took me a while to actually believe they had stuffed up again.
They are obviously at the top of the tree when it comes to incompetence.
I really, really must tell them where to go next year.
Tomorrow I shall go and see the nice chap ....again....who assured me last time when I handed over my previous card, complete with account number etc, that he had ordered the correct card for me this time.
I asked him to be really sure.
He was really sure.
He is an idiot.
I am obviously way too polite when I go into this place.
I shall look forward to hearing an explanation of the mess up this time.
I will not be able to be rude to them though. I just can't seem to do it.
Dover Castle
Today was off to Dover Castle with my mate Heather.
My mate Heather is brill.
We worked together for many years at Christchurch/Duncan Bowen.
She also took me in during my hour/hours of need. When I had no roof over my head she provided me with not only a room & bed but a listening ear. Good ole Heaths.
I think of her as one of my true friends. I think I am fortunate in having a few long term, true friends. The ones who you maybe won't see in years but you pick up where you left off with no trouble at all.
Anyway, Dover Castle is fab, even in the cold, wind and rain. I will admit that some of it was closed due to the weather, but they had a special Halloween event on which helped.
We went on a ghostly tour which had ghosts leaping out now and again to give us their stories of why they were haunting Dover Castle.
It was a lot of fun.
There is a sort of trolley bus thingy which transports people around the place. We were so cold, Heather and I hopped on this and just didn't get off for a bit.
We went round a couple of times just because we needed to warm up.
After doing the 'secret wartime tunnels' we decided lunch was in order (it was 3pm) so set off for a very nice place she knew in Dover.
We then did a little detour home. We went via Deal and Walmer so she could show me Deal and Walmer Castles. Who knew they all had castles?
Home again, tired and cold.
Not for long though as Chippy was picking me up to go to Dave & Tina's.
So glad I went. I got to see Martin, Matt, Lisa & others who I hadn't managed to see this visit.
I wish I could have seen more of them as it isn't until I see them that I realise how much I miss these people.......but Glenn had other ideas and it has taken me all this time to get to see them.
Maybe one day they will come to visit me. Who knows.
But, we had a good laugh, which was always the case, and I am glad I did eventually get to see them.
Tonight I am tired. It has been a long day. I shall wait up for Philip to call. Milwaukee is 6 hours behind the UK so it won't be until around 11.45pm .
I don't mind though. It will be good to talk to him.
New chums
Sunday.
Glenn and I went to Wetherspoon's for lunch.
It was very good.
They do a choice of roast meats or a nut roast plus a drink for $5.99.
Glenn and I both had the nut roast, I had a white wine & soda and he had diet coke. Really good deal for £5.99 I think.
You can have beer too if you want.
It was delish.
I didn't go out in the evening but did wrap myself in a duvet to watch the telly.
Tom (one of Donna's cats) kept me company. I love cuddling up with a kitty or a dog.
Today, Monday, I bimbled around town for a bit.
Witnessed the most almighty row between two sets of .......I hesitate to use the expression but know of no other that is so apt.............scumbags.
Men and women, they were hurling abuse at each other outside of Iceland.
Quite a crowd gathered whilst they threatened each other ...."stone dead" was a favourite expression.......postured, waved a catapult and shrieked.
I was half expecting the crowd to burst into a chorus of "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry."
It went on for ages and people were waiting for the police to arrive but they never did.
In the end it broke up but I kept bumping into one set of ...."you know whats"....around the town and they were still crowing about who whooped who.
This evening Glenn collected me and we set off for Folkestone.
A trip to meet some new friends.
Steve had told me last year about the new woman in his life who had stolen his heart.
In fact, he had spoken of nothing else. He had found his soulmate.
I was anxious to meet this wonderful lady.
They had also adopted two little dogs. I had read about one they had before that had sadly passed away.
Well, we met Steve's ladyfriend and the two little dogs.
They are all lovely.
Steve certainly does seem to have found his soulmate and I am so pleased for them both.
The little dogs were a joy.
Richie has one eye, a wart, legs that seem to be a law unto themselves and is lacking in another department that I won't mention. He is a little love. Barking and wagging his tail at the same time.
Ronni is a little Yorkie who they only got yesterday. You would never know it. She seems so comfortable not only in her new home but with her new mummsy and daddsy.
Tomorrow I am hoping to visit Dover Castle. It turns out that Steve is a mine of information on Dover Castle and he made it sound very exciting.
Funny how I have never been.
'paccas.
I had a fab day today.
I had been asked if I wanted to visit some alpacas but the weather forecast today was not good.
Not only was it 'not good' it was 'not bad' either.
It was forecast as 'absolutely awful'.
This morning it appeared that it the forecast had been accurate but then it brightened up towards midday and I decided to chance it.
I really don't like cold/wind/rain but when things improved I thought I would give it a go.
I had really wanted to see the alpacas last time but Glenn's ailments had changed my plans.
So, I sent a text to Chippy to see, as he lives 2 minutes from here, if he would be willing to give me a lift.
He seemed rather vague at first .....just giving me times etc that people would be meeting at Dave's.
I sent another text.......then yet another.
He eventually said that he probably would be willing to give me a lift if he knew who the hell he was talking to........or words to that effect.
Heh heh......I had omitted to sign any of the texts and he hadn't got me on his list so the poor guy was wondering who wanted picking up and from where.
What am I like?
Anyway, he came to pick me up at 12.30pm and joy of joys he had his little daughter in the car too.
She is coming up for 2 years old and is lovely. She was singing and when we got out we were skipping. I had never met her before. A smashing kid.
At Dave's his son was busy upstairs tattooing his mate.
I had never seen anyone tattooing before and at first I was scared to look as I thought blood would be flying around all over the place.
But, it was amazing. I took a couple of photos. I enjoyed seeing his work but I am still not tempted to have needles and ink stuck in my skin.
He hasn't been doing it long but is already doing wonderful artistic designs.
Once the rest of the mottley crew had arrived we set off for alpaca land - with a quick stop at The Bat Farm.
They seemed to believe that I had been there before for a Bat Camp adventure but I really don't think I have.
Next stop.....alpaca land.
It was fab. Lots of mummy ones, baby ones and a 'stud muffin' one.
Oh and one called Jeffrey who we were all rather taken with.
Dave got kissed on the nose more than once by an alpaca (he is such a trolloppe). Not one of them wanted to kiss me. I reckon Dave must smell more like an alpaca .....or 'pacca' (as little Emily called them) than I do.
The owner of the farm was very informative and I learned a lot about these animals. If I had a big field I could be tempted by alpacas.
The weather could contain itself no longer and the rain began. Pretty good timing though as we were at the end of our visit.
Back to the Bat Farm where we had coffee and I had a wonderful shortcake/chocolate/toffee confection that some said might be too sweet.
Rubbish.......there is no such thing as 'too' sweet and I yummed it up.
Chippy, bless him, brought me back home and I said goodbye to Emily.
A brilliant day all round.
Met up with old chums, made some new chums and learned a lot about alpacas.
I am so glad I went.
Poxy Nationwide
This morning Glenn and I met up with Brenda for coffee in Folkestone.
She was so pleased to see us and had bought me lots of lovely little gifts. Bless her.
She is very kind.
After coffee Glenn and I did a bit of shopping and then came back to Ashford to see Donna before she set off to the airport for her holiday in Turkey.
I was so pleased when she opened the door and told me that my card had arrived from Nationwide.
I had ordered a new cash card from them a couple of weeks ago.
For some reason they had not sent me a new card when mine had expired.
At last it was here and I could get money from a cash point as I needed it.
Only it wasn't and I can't.
When I had ordered the new card I gave the lady in the Nationwide my old card and my cheque book with the account number on it.
Of course I can't see the screen she is working on but having given her all the details I presumed she knew what she was doing.
She didn't.
She had ordered me a card on an old postal account I had years ago and which I haven't used in years. She had asked if I needed a new pin number when I ordered the card but I chose not to have a new one as the new card was already going to take about 10 days and I know the pin numbers are sent separately and can arrive days after that.
I would be back home by then.
So, now I have a card for an account I never use with a pin number I have no idea of as I have never, ever used it.
Tomorrow I have to go in there yet again........sigh.
I shall try to get some cash and will have to try to order another card, not that I can use it this time as it will take too long, but so that I have it here for next year when I am over.
I really, really must give Nationwide the elbow next time.
I shall tell everyone to nag me about it because I always think it will be alright next time and it never is.
Spoke to Glenn about the possibility of visiting alpaccas on Saturday but the weather forecast didn't impress him either. Cold, heavy rain and windy..........doesn't sound too tempting.
Chilly
Today I got the train to Canterbury.
Oh but it was so cold.
It almost spoilt it for me as I just could not get warm all day.
Only almost though. I love Canterbury and spent my day bimbling from shop to shop and also from coffee shop to coffee shop.
I didn't buy much.
Money is a bit tight as I have extended my stay by two weeks.
Four weeks funds now have to cover six.
The fact that the airlines have limited us to one suitcase each means that I can't carry much stuff back with me anyway.
Usually I stock up on goodies for Christmas and some Christmas pressies.
This time I have only bought a few things that I really can't get back home.
I have bought a couple of boxes of special stuffing (for Thanksgiving and Christmas) the stuff I can buy back there is pants.
Of course I got Bombay Mix........have to have that and yorkshire pud mix. Can't make them from scratch over there as they just don't rise. I think the flour is different. Cuppa soups & pot noodles were also a must have.
I have bought a couple of treats for Philip for Christmas but really have to stop now as my one suitcase will be overweight.
Donna and Lauren will be off to Turkey for a week tomorrow.
Glenn and I will be going to Folkestone to meet up with Brenda.
She has been so anxious for us to have a "get together" bless her.
I expect she will send me a text or two afterwards.
Sundays roasts
Sunday we went to The Walnut Tree in Aldington for lunch.
Donna loves this place but I am not so keen.
It is probably good for meat eaters as they certainly got loads of meat.
Glenn and I had a vegetable roast dinner. Glenn asked for extra roasties as we were not having meat but he didn't get them.
I remember going there once before, maybe last year, and the same thing happened.
We did have plenty to eat but it was a little boring.
Next Sunday it will just be Glenn and I as Donna will be in Turkey. I think we are going to Witherspoon's as we went there once before and it was lovely wovely.
I will let you know.
Today I went into Ashford for a bimble about.
I was gearing up for a row in Nationwide Building Society where I would attempt to get some of my own money out.
Every year I have a problem with them and every year it is a different one.
This time they hadn't sent me a replacement card but the lady assured me last week that I could get money out by taking in my i.d.
I wasn't convinced. I had a similar problem the year before last and I asked if I could cash
a cheque made out to cash. Absolutely not I was told. I could write someone else a cheque and they could cash it but I couldn't cash one myself.
But, this time, the lady said I should bring in passport etc and answer a lot of questions and that would work.
So, in I went , ready for a barney. I knew it couldn't be that simple
I was armed to the teeth with i.d. Passport at the ready. Poised to answer questions.
I explained the problem to the nice man.
"Oh ok," said the nice man, " Just write out a cheque to cash and you can have your money".
Funny how last time I was treated as a moron for even suggesting such a thing.
And he never asked me one question or wanted to see my passport.
Mad or what?
Tiddlypoo
I had tentative plans ( oooh thought I had learned not to do the "planning thing") to go to Hastings for a bonfire and fireworks this evening.
Wasn't to be.
My oldest offspring went out on the razzle last night.
Her best intentions were to only have a couple of drinks.
But, it seems that after that couple of drinks, her best intentions fly right out of the window.
I think it is because she doesn't get the chance to go out much so when I am here I tell her to make the most of having a live-in baby sitter and to go out whenever she wants.
Consequently, she rolled in at around 4am in a condition that I think is technically known as "rat arsed".
I did hear her come in despite her engaging auto pilot. This is not because she is noisy it is just because I am a very light sleeper.
She has not had a good day.
She got up at around 9.30am saying that the hangover hadn't even started yet.
She has spent all day and evening on the sofa under her dressing gown.
I think the hangover set in sometime in the afternoon.
Her poor little face was like a crumpled sock.
I made her a sausage and egg sandwich which helped for a little while but soon she dropped off to sleep, which was probably the best thing she could do.
Yomping around Hastings, bonfires and fireworks were not on her agenda tonight.
Oh well never mind. I wasn't sure who was going as there was talk of a beer festival too so maybe they all went there.
I spent my day amusing myself. I walked to Ashford market which was pants, got rained on, did two lots of washing, walked to Ashford Outlet and had coffee, came back and did two lots of ironing.
Glenn came over bearing Chinese take away. It was yummy.
He is still improving. He still walks awkwardly as his stomach is sore, is still leaking from "his hole" but says he feels better and is eating.
Tomorrow I think we are doing a pub lunch and then a trip to Bybrook Barn.
Does anyone know of any other garden centres that are worth a look? I love it when the Christmas displays go up.
It is Donna's birthday on Wednesday and then she and Lauren go to Turkey for a week on Thursday. I shall be kitty sitting. I won't mind that at all.
What a result
The plan today was for me to get a bus and then a train to Folkestone.
I like Folkestone.
It isn't trendy or sophisticated.
Folkestone, despite a few new shops, is strangely consistent.
Much of it hasn't changed in decades.
I lived there for a while during my hour (hours actually) of need. I bounced around between various friends when I had nowhere to stay.
I am fond of Folkestone.
Folkestone never let me down.
It retains that reputation after today.
I had a phone call this morning from my friend Sue. She was head of home economics at the school I worked at for many years.
We shared many a happy hour and the occasional "meltdown". It was usually me having the meltdowns as I worked mostly with the more "difficult" kids who I mostly loved but occasionally despaired of.
Anyway, we are still firm friends these many years and many miles apart, later.
She asked what my plans were and on being told I was planning a Folkestone trip, she and her lovely hubby, came and picked me up and drove me there.
I bimbled around Folkestone for a while.
I was just queuing in the 99p shop when I heard someone shout "What are you doing here?"
Funny how you know when something is directed at you.
Anyway, it was my friend Fred.
He was head of music at the same establishment. I have to admit that that school was the very best place I have ever worked.
The staff were amazing. So supportive, such fun........I hear it isn't the same now but I wonder if this is due to too much admin and not enough teaching.
Fred and I then went for coffee and a chinwag.
He then offered me a lift back to Ashford when I had finished my shopping. I really did protest as I thought it was too much of a cheek to let him drive me back to Ashford when he lives in Folkestone.
But, he would hear none of it.
So, not only had I been driven to Folkestone, I was now given a lift back.
What amazing friends and what amazing luck.
Thank you Sue and Fred. We do go back a long way and there is many a tale we still share.
But, it was still enormously kind of you to do this for me and I truly do appreciate it.
I shall see them both again before I head home.
I will be here on my own from Oct 21st so I hope my chums will visit.
Good old Folkestone. You never let me down.
Almost normal...
Today was a nearly normal day.
After the last few weeks' trials and tribulations (could be a title of something in there), today I tried to do some "normal" things.
I went into town and had a manicure.
I also did a bit of shopping, got a book from a charity shop and ate a shop bought sandwich.
Exciting eh.
Well, it actually was very therapeutic for me to just wander around without having to phone the hospital, visit the hospital and sit and worry in the hospital.
Tomorrow I am going to Folkestone to bimble around there for a bit.
Haven't done that yet this visit.
I phoned Glenn, who seems more like his old self.
This is probably good.
He sounded more upbeat than he has in a while. The tube wound, or as it is affectionately known, his hole, is still leaking gunk but he says it is slightly less gunk than before.
He is still taking antibiotics so I am hoping it dries up by the end of the course as I don't want anything left there to start festering again.
Donna is out gallavanting tomorrow night and I shall be monster.......I mean Lauren, sitting.
Over the next two weeks, if all goes to plan, I shall try to catch up with some chums.
We have a couple coming over on Tuesday evening. I have to see my friend Heather (a very old chum who took me in during my hour of need) and my friend Sue.
Fred wants to take me to some coffee place in Hythe he likes ....think it is called Truly Scrumptious and I really do have to fit Brenda in.
OH Brenda.
She constantly sends me texts.
But, they are not common or garden texts.........these are Brenda texts....i.e.
"Sue, can I come to see Glenn on Friday. I could get the 2.05pm bus from Folkestone and this gets me there for 3.10pm or I could get the 2.25 bus which gets me in at 3.35pm. I sold all my papers today in a couple of hours and .... I am eating my maltezers ....I take my teeth out to eat maltezers as they taste better. Isn't it wonderful about the miners getting out after all this time"
I feel so rotten as I usually text back "ok".
I got Glenn to speak to her on Tuesday and I told her I would speak to her to arrange to meet, at the beginning of next week. But, still the texts come.
Gone orf....
Glenn has stayed here at Donna's since Sunday.
He has continued to improve, although he is still sore.
Which, of course, is only to be expected.
He is still on a couple of different sorts of antibiotics so, hopefully, they will clear up any remaining infection.
I think we are still a little shell shocked over the whole episode, but, fingers crossed, the worst is over and behind us.
I shall be here now until October 31st.
I feel as if I have spent most of this trip at the hospital. I haven't seen many chums or done many of the things I was hoping to do.
So, if all goes well, maybe I will manage to catch up over the next couple of weeks.
When I phoned to change my flight back the girl told me she thought it would be about $250, which is what I expected.
She then quoted me $1024.................WHAT.
Apparently, it was because my return ticket was meant to be used within a month. Extending it meant going over that time so it would cost this much.
A one way ticket was even more expensive.
Of course this was way too much. Philip then did a bit of research and found me a return flight from here to Chicago for $609, so he booked it for me.
This means I have a return flight to here that I won't use.
Still a lot of money but not as bad as the first quote.
Home...for now?
Glenn had the tube removed from his belly yesterday and was discharged a few hours later.
He has lots of patches on his poor belly but he found it easier to move around.
He came out this time with 2 different lots of antibiotics and 2 different types of painkillers.
This was better than last time when he was sent out with nothing.
He was rather quiet and subdued last night.
Today, at 1pm he is still in bed. When I asked how he was he told me the wound (the main one I suppose) was really hurting and he had taken painkillers.
This was at 10.30am. I have left him sleeping but have to admit to being uneasy.
At least time I have him here at Donna's so I can keep an eye on him.
If I am not happy then we will take him back to the hospital.
I do hope this does not happen again.
I am getting rather worn down with the stress.
Carry on smiling.
Glenn had his latest CT scan today.
When I got there he was looking a bit glum.
I think it might have been because he was waiting for the results and was a bit anxious.
Donna and I tried to cheer him up but he looked tired.
Lauren had to be collected from school so Donna left and Glenn said he would like a bit of a nap.
I waited until he seemed to be asleep and just as I was going to go for a cup of coffee.......Steve Abbott showed up.
He tells me we haven't met in over 10 years. Really!!!! I was amazed.
He doesn't look much different, maybe a bit more "contented" ( being diplomatic here), than he used to be.
I woke Glenn as I knew he would be pleased to see him.
He really was.
He was even more thrilled when Steve produced his PSP, plus games & movies.
Thanks Steve, you cheered him up no end.
The doctors then came and told him that most of the infection had been cleared. Just small pools of gunk remained.
They are going to try to clear these with antibiotics and he may have the tube removed from his belly tomorrow.
I hope so as I think this will make him feel better.
No sign of him being discharged yet but I would rather he stayed until he is really well this time.
Carry on up the khyber
Not much change at the Hotel William Harvey today.
I phoned this morning before I went in.
They just said that Glenn was ok and was having a CT scan tomorrow.
A friend of mine from Duncan Bowen/Christchurch days arrived and kindly gave me a lift to the hospital.
When we went in Glenn didn't look any better.
Fred had a chat with him and kept us both amused with his stories.
After he left Glenn was drifting in and out of sleep. I was a little concerned but it seems to be something to do with the medication he is on.
He did then liven up and by the time Donna came he was quite animated and was making us laugh too.
He isn't really eating yet but he has been out of bed for a little while.
They also got him to walk a little way with the help of a frame.
Yes, he is a bit wobbly but who wouldn't be if they had been off their feet for days apart from all the sugery.
The scan tomorrow is to see how things look now compared to how they were before this latest surgery.
We are keeping our fingers crossed that they have cleared all the infection out. Then they can remove the drainage tube.
This will make a lot of difference to him.
Then maybe he can start to recover properly.
When he does come home he is going to stay here at Donna's for a while. We would not be happy with him going home alone again.
I wasn't happy about that last time but he wouldn't budge.
So, please keep your fingers, arms, legs and eyes crossed that all looks good tomorrow.
Carry on again Doctor
Doc Octopus.
That is who Glenn looks like at the moment, with all the tubes coming out of his belly etc.
I phoned the hospital first thing and was told he was ok and that they were now going to watch him for a few days to see if this latest surgery has done the trick.
By Friday they will know if he is improving or if not they will do another CT scan to find out if anything else is going on in there.
We are all hoping that he will just recover now as he should have done before.
The visiting hours in this ward, Kings A2, are 2pm - 8pm.
I got there a little early as I was worried and needed to see him for myself.
He was a bit fed up at first.
He was concerned because they want to get him out of bed into a chair for an hour and he wasn't looking forward to being shuffled about.
I did explain to him that it is important to get people moving again after surgery and I think he understood.
He wasn't eating yet but they are hopeful he will feel like eating tomorrow.
He was really chuffed when Dave came to see him and then Steven Long arrived about 3.30pm.
I think it must have been good for him to see a couple of fresh faces.
He got quite animated talking to Steve about gaming. It really did him good.
Looking at me all day can't be fun.
If anyone would like to pop in to see him ( as long as you don't have colds and things) I know he would be very pleased to see you.
Donna came to collect me and after making a phone call to check that it was ok, we whizzed round to Heather and Andy's to make the aquaintance of Michael.
Oh he is so cute.
Donna and I fought over him and I am sure that will happen to him many times in his life.
All my old baby songs resurfaced and he seemed to enjoy them as much as my babies did many years ago.
Or he may have been being very polite. What a gentleman.
We even managed to change his babygro for him. Haven't done that in a while.
Good to see that baby foots still look like little pig trotters in a babygro.
After the last couple of weeks it was good therapy for me to just play with a gorgeous baby for a while.
We couldn't stay long so unfortunately I didn't get to see Andy.
Carry on regardless.....
Today it was off to the hospital to see what was new with Glenn.
He was not a happy bunny.
I arrived around 10am only to be informed that visiting in this ward was from 2pm - 8pm.
Hmmm.........I needed to know what it was all about.
Ask someone.........nope........they all walk past you very quickly.
I found out this was because no one actually wants to ask you if you are being dealt with because they then take on this responsibility.
To actually talk to someone you must aggressively stop a passing nurse and say you want to speak to someone about Glenn.
They then say they will find someone to talk to you.
They don't.
Glenn was upset as the doctor the previous night had said he needed antibiotics, painkillers and a sleeping pill.
None of these were forthcoming.
He asked a nurse.
The nurse said they would deal with it.
An hour passed.
He asked another nurse....who said she would deal with it.
Another hour passed.
This continued until he had a "Basil Fawlty Moment".
The current nurse was miffed and said he shouldn't get cross.
He told her he wouldn't get cross if someone would just keep him informed of what was going on.
I had the same problem today.
Ridiculous. No one would tell me what was happening.
He had a CT scan and was then moved to a different ward.
I immediately liked this place better. It was cleaner, tidier and the nurses genuinely seemed concerned about their patients.
The doctor turned up and told me and Glenn that he had a massive infection that needed sorting.
It could be something to do with the appendix, or not. It could be diverticulitus which would mean removing part of his bowel and also giving him a colostomy.
This was really bad.
In this case the bowel would not be able to be reconnected right away. It would mean living with a colostomy for 3 - 6 months and then they would try to reconnect the bowel.
He also said he would be saving his life.
This was a serious moment.
The floor fell away.
I asked when they would be doing this surgery. In five minutes the surgeon told us. They had bumped 2 people off the list to do Glenn.
Poor Glenn was shaking so much he could barely complete the consent form.
Within 2 minutes they wheeled him away and I was left watching him go.
The surgeon told me in the best case scenario the op would take 30 mins.
Worst case 3 hours.
After 2 hours I was fearing the worst. I asked at the nurses station. They hadn't heard anything.
It was 2 and three quarter hours before he was wheeled back.
I was distraught. It was obviously very bad news.
The doctor then told me that they had made 4+ incisions. One big one and 3 or 4 small.
They had found a massive abscess and had cleared it out.
They were also washing it out and he had a tube draining it all.
They are hopeful that this will solve the problem. I bloody hope so.
It was then that his dad, my former husband turned up and started making an arse of himself.
This is something he is good at.
Glenn, although heavily sedated, did know what was going on.
When the nurse said she would need to check on his catheter and started drawing the curtains around the bed....I left and waited outside. Dignity etc.
Glenn had already had a row with his father about this sort of thing the previous night.
To my dismay I saw that he had remained.
I, and all the ward, then heard Glenn, despite being drugged up to the eyeballs, state rather plainly to his father........"Look if she is going to start fiddling with my knob then I think you should leave".
His father then came out from behind the curtains.
What must the nurse have thought?
I bet she told all her mates tonight.
Poor Glenn............his father is such a pillock. There was more, which I won't go into.
I told Donna when I got home. She cracked up at Glenn but said her father is always a pillock and has no regard for anyone else's feelings. No respect.
I wonder if Glenn will remember any of this.
Carry on nurse......
So, having made plans to venture into the wilds of Folkestone tomorrow, I received a phone call from Glenn.
From Glenn in the hospital to be precise.
Sigh.
He had gone back there at 5am because he was in so much pain, sweating and generally feeling awful.
He must have felt rough to be up and about at this time.
They had decided to keep him in.
As soon as Lauren was home we all set off for the hospital.
I immediately collared a nurse who looked to have some sort of authority and asked what the dickens was going on.
She said he had a nasty infection, was being given aggressive antibiotics intravenously and was being observed. He might need a CT scan.
Glenn told me that when he spoke to the doctor when he arrived , the doctor asked what antibiotics he had been given on his discharge over a week ago.
After being told that not only did he receive no antibiotics but he also was sadly lacking in the discharge letter department.
On hearing this the doctor then started to mumble and didn't seem to want to talk about it any more.
The ward he is in now is grim. No TV, no phone. The hilight of his day was being able to tell us that the intravenous liquid he was receiving went....
Drip/drip
Drip/drip
Drip/drip
Drip/drip/drip.
I have since been told that they may have to put a drain into his wound.
This whole saga has not impressed me. I asked for a blanket for him as he was cold and only had a sheet.
After telling me that one was on its way...........it never arrived.
I shall see what tomorrow brings.
Weekend
Saturday was a bimbling day.
We managed to fit in a golf lesson for Lauren and a bit of retail therapy.
In the evening Donna was going out on the razzle so we got Glenny round here.
He was still a bit under the weather. Sarthong Plunder takes some getting over. That Dave and his fascination with white stockings.........He has a lot to answer for.
We watched Marple and then Midsommer Murders. Yum.
I love the telly over here.
Donna rolled in around 3.am. It is strange. Even now she is all grown up, I still woke up about 5 mins before she arrived home and heard her come in.
Now she always could come home in the early hours without making a sound.
Even if she was absolutely blotto.........she would go into auto pilot and sort of glide into bed.
Glenn never seemed to master this art.
Oh we always knew when he got home. He would quietly tiptoe through the house like a rampaging hippo.
Sunday it was off to the pub for a roast lunch. Bliss.
We took Glenn along. He ate a little.
Afterwards we took him home and then set off to Bybrook Barn to see the Christmas display.
I love it.
We then dropped into Waitrose. This store is new to me in Ashford.
I always understood they had posh stuff. So, ok it was a little more expensive but you could get lovely stuff.
I understood wrong. It was the same old stuff I can get in Asda only more expensive.
I bought a newspaper.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, I am going to Folkestone.
I shall have a coffee in Pelosi's (or whatever it is now called).
I know how to have a wild time.
Glenny
I am getting worried about Glenn.
It is a week since he had his appendix out and he isn't very well.
He keeps sleeping, has lost his appetite and is generally feeling rather poorly.
He looks rough too.
He still has not received his discharge letter from the hospital.
He has had no instructions on how to look after the wound.
After several phone calls, when they promised they had sent it, it turns out that not only have they only just sent it but that they only put a second class stamp on it.
I know I complain about the American health care system and how much it costs just to sneeze out of tune, but I am really not impressed with this episode.
This evening he took off the dressing. We don't know if he was supposed to but there comes a time when you feel you should.
It was a bit of a shock.
Everyone told me, and he was told in the hospital, that it is just a key hole surgery these days.
Well, if that is the case it his would hold a blooming big key.
The wound was about 6 inches long !!
Donna had hers done years ago and that was tiny.
Looks like they had a bit of a rummage around in there.
If the letter doesn't come tomorrow we are going to the hospital to pick up a copy.
Glenn will not be attending the wedding next week now.
Fortunately Alan will be there so I won't feel totally alone among strangers.
Glenn will not be fit enough to drive there and certainly not strong enough to last all day.
I would be very worried about him all the time too.
Today the weather is pants. I haven't seen what tomorrow is meant to do.
I am supposed to be going to watch Lauren have a golf lesson. I don't know if they still have lessons when it is pouring rain.
We also had the opportunity to go visit some alpaccas, which I had to decline when Donna reminded me of the golf, but I suppose that wouldn't have been much fun if the weather's bad either.
I like alpaccas though. They have them at state fair.
Oh well, I expect they would have spat at me.
