Eastern Europe Trip

Another week of excellent progress included Tracy visiting me for a change!

Let me explain. As reported in last week's entry, Tracy has started to walk with much more confidence, and as a result on Wednesday morning the care team came to make an assessment of our home and what support she would need when coming home. To do this, they brought Tracy home! She arrived in a car with 3 of her care team, including Sally (Physiotherapist) and Jenny (Occupational Therapist), and the local coordinator also arrived to join the fun. She got out of the car and walked into the house whilst I was upstairs working in the office (I knew she was on her way, but wasn't expecting her for at least another 10 minutes). I got quite a shock when she shouted upstairs that she was here - and there she was, sat on the couch in the dining room, grinning like a Cheshire cat!

The visit went well as the team measured the couches (so they can help her work on getting up from seats of their height), checked out the facilities and the stairs - the biggest obstacle she'll face as they are very steep. It was all over far too quickly, but not before we'd stolen another cuddle, and then she was whisked off back to hospital and more hard graft.

They must have been impressed with her progress, though, because I got a call telling me I could bring her home for the day on Saturday!! And so first thing Saturday morning I drove to the hospital and wheeled Tracy from the ward to the car in a wheelchair (she still can't walk that sort of distance) and took her home with me. We spent the day relaxing and chatting with Katie and Carlie, then had tea sat at the table together for the first time in 6 months. It felt so natural - just like old times!

All too soon the day ended and I had to take her back to the hospital, but she'd had such a good day that there was no debate about me picking her up again on Sunday to bring her home for Mother's Day. Although it was only for the day, it was great to know that we'd be able to spend another day together, and not in the hospital. We went over to see my mum near Blackpool, and the look on her face when Tracy walked into her kitchen was priceless! Not only had Tracy walked into her house, but had insisted on walking up the stairs rather than use my mum's lift - and she did so apparently without much effort! We chatted to my mum for a while, and then when it was time to leave, Tracy insisted on coming down the stairs as well!! She managed that without too much difficulty as well, so when we got back home she went up the front steps into the house, and not round the back as previously. The afternoon was spent snuggled up on the couch watching the World Superbike racing (whilst I popped into the kitchen frequently to stir the curry for tea). As per Tracy's request, I cooked a Lamb "Bhuna Gosht" curry, her first proper curry in a long while, and again we sat at the table together to eat - how much I've missed our family meals together...

One thing Tracy wanted to try on Sunday was going up our stairs to the bathroom, instead of using the commode (which she understandably finds degrading). Having managed my mum's stairs, her confidence was obviously improving! She manged to get up without problem, and one she'd had a good wander around (sorting out the unwrapped Christmas presents that were still on our bedroom floor where she'd left them before being rushed to hospital!) she was ready to come down again. And she did, again without any problem. Stairs conquered!

Again the day ended way too soon and I whisked Tracy back to the hospital before the 7pm deadline. It was very emotional, leaving her there again knowing that it won't be very long before she's home for good. She still needs to be in hospital for a little while, though, as they need to get rid of the infection in her arm and build up her strength some more (and try to get her elbow to move). But the proposal for an overnight visit this weekend is a real probability now, and all being well I'll be able to bring her home on Friday so we can make a proper weekend of it.

Carlie has an open-day at Keele University on Sunday, so it would be great if Tracy could come with us - another sign of normality returning...

As for me, well work is keeping me very busy. Last week saw me in Southampton overnight on Monday and dashing down to London on Friday. This week is a bit less hectic, with no overnight stops planned, and I'm going to try and ensure I'm as flexible as possible for next week, in case they discharge Tracy as we're both hoping!