and the waters lay over the land

I haven't been feeling much like writing recently but just felt the need today.

The waters are slowly receding. I live on a hill so was spared the worst. There are still some villages only accesable by specialist vehicles. The people living there have lived through a nightmare for three months or more. Now they have to start returning to whatever there is left of their properties. The blame game has been going on for a couple of months now. The experts justify on the blackboards how dredging isn't the cure. It isn't, after twenty years of not doing it. Had they been doing it these last twenty years the impact of the weather would have been reduced.

Joan is making steady progress. Can waggle a thumb now. Not much you might say but we see it as a great step forward. It should be two to three months before they contemplate sending her home. But because of Government austerity measures they will try to send her home earlier.

Pluto and I still take at least one walk each day. He is going through a disobedience stage. He's twenty months old which is probably the rebellious teenager stage of his life. Ran off in the field we were walking in yesterday morning. I tried to coax him back for a while. Then I left him and went back to my car and had a coffee I had bought from the snack van. he still wouldn't come back so i had a little nap. I then went back into the field and dropped some smelly dog treats in an Hanzle and Gretel trail. He followed them, munching. He was so intent he didn't notice they led to my feet. Captured. Stern words were had.

Some pics.

a move for Joan.

Joan was moved yesterday to a more specialised unit for stroke patients. there has been a slight improvement in her condition but it will be many months before she is fit to come home.

Pluto is staying with my eldest daughter for a few days to give me a break. He is having a great time. I have to pick him up this afternoon on my way to the hospital, in a small town called Williton.

The saga of my new Patio and door continues. it started in the first week of Dec and is still going on. The Scalpings and membrain were delivered yesterday. they have been laid and spread respectively. I received a half promise that all the work will be finished by the end of next week or the week after. I'm not holding my breath.

The waters still lay on the land around here. I have missed the flooding but did lose the fence between myself and a neighbour.

A bit wet

It was cold, wet and windy. But we ventured out. Not for long it's true.

Joan had another small bleed at the weekend. We think it was because a consultant from the Stroke Unit breezed in on Friday whilst she was in the middle of her evening meal. Gave her a cursory examination and pronounced that she was a suitable candidate for moving into another unit further away from home. She was very worried about this. We think the extra stress may have caused a mini-stroke. The consultant is off sick at the moment. I hope to speak to him one day soon.

A slow progress

Not a lot of change in Joan's condition. Or maybe it is because I see her everyday and it would take something major to register with me. All the medics seem pleased with her progress.

Pluto is well. Not had the results from the Vet's yet but the spot has disappeared. So looks like he is cured.

Large areas where I live are under water. Years of neglect of the drainage system. Trying to justify the current position by computer modelling. For hundreds of years the water levels were managed by keeping drainage ditches cleared and rivers dredged. Then, thirty years ago, somebody decided they no longer needed doing.

Fortunately I live 72 feet above sea level so hopefully the waters won't rise this high. If they do half the country if not the world will be flooded. More rain forecast for at least the next two weeks.

Pluto and the Vet

Pluto has a small growth on his eye-lid. He is going in today to have some sedation while they take a sample for analysis. Means his spending the day in the vets as I am visiting Joan this afternoon. At the moment he hates me because I wont give him any breakfast.

Joan is progressing. It will take time. The consultant thinks another ten to twelve weeks before she can come home. I will be in trouble then. I have organised to have the back lawn laid to patio with a strip at the far end of the garden left to grass for Pluto's toilet use. Also had some brick walls built to raise her plant pots up to a more managable height. Also having a new fence built between my neighburg. And finally a door cut into the end wall of our extention to make easier access to the rear if she needs to use a wheelchair. The plan was to have it completed by now but the weather and my builder having to have an operation has put it back another 6 weeks. It might be a close run thing. She wanted to keep things as they were. But that was before her stroke. I might get away by telling her we did discuss it but that she must have forgotten.

Well, that is the plan.

On the mend.

Some positive signs at last in Joan's condition. brain is clearing so I took in her mobile phone. I have unleashed a monster. As she re-learns how to use it she is calling numbers in her contacts file at all hours. But there is a little improvement in her leg which is encouraging.

Pluto has a small growth on an eye-lid. have to take him into the vets on wed. they need to sedate him to take a sample.

Joan

Joan, my wife, had a bad stroke last month.

There are different types of strokes. 85% are caused by blood clots, which, if treated quickly with the latest block destroying drugs can lead to a quick and near full recovery.

The other 10-15% are caused by spikes in Blood Pressure, most prevalent in older people. These spikes in pressure rupture the blood vessel at the site flooding and killing the surrounding brain cells. this is what happened to Joan.

I have spent the best part of three weeks visiting her in a hospital in Bristol where they had to operate on her to put a drain into her brain to relieve pressure. she survived that and the subsequent removal of it. Last thursday she was moved back to Taunton main hospital. Easier to get to for me.

She is having hydration issues at present. When she is fully hydrated she is quite talkative and showing a keen interest in her surroundings. Dehydrated, her blood pressure drops alarmingly and she falls into a deep sleep. Twice now they have had to put her on a drip.

still, she is alive. hopefully she will make a good recovery. Totally paralized down the left hand side of her body. That may improve. Who knows?