Boy what a couple of weeks we've just had.

That last Monday (12th) night was a really bad night and on Tuesday (13th) had to call out the gp who subsequently had GOM admitted to the medical assessment unit at our local hospital.

GOM had become quite dehydrated in the night and gradually became unable to take any water (fluids) orally.

Arrived MAU by about 2pm and the after he'd had all the examinations they finally got him onto iv saline and eventually a catheter. Moved him to a side room and I left about 11pm to come home

Wednesday got up there around 10am and there started a nightmare day - some 'prat' of a doctor decided to stop the iv saline because he thought gom was taking enough fluids orally but even an amatuer could see his urine was the wrong colour. Very worried when I left him about 8pm and had another bad night.

Got up there a bit later Thursday (10.30am) and saw that he'd been put back on iv saline some one had obviously seen some sense in the night. Different doctor (more senior?) and the change in his condition was noticable throught the day. hey even decided to get him out into the chair whcih wasn't a great success as he kept slipping out but.... He also still needed to be fed and helped with drinks but he was so obviously getting better. Again left about 8pm but had better night

Friday he was ready for them to move him to a rehab hospital where he's been ever since. Still on catheter, but he's so much better. He's regained most of the use of his hands, but he's still fairly weak from the waist down. He has some movement in his left foot but nothing in the right and needs more that one person to help him transfer. He washes himslef now and can use a razor safely but they have to wash his back and 'nether' regions.

He's had an xray of his neck and scan of his head just to make sure that it is just the ms and there aren't any other underlying causes. Just got to wait for the physical rehab to start - usual story of understaffing.

Been trying to keep my visiting to a minimum but still going every day, need to cut down as they are taking care of him unlike at the mau where I had to do all the non medical care.

Need to give my back a rest from those stupid plastic stackable chairs

GOM had a bad night last night - following on from a bit of dodgy day on Sunday.

During Sunday he went down in the bathroom again, but got him onto a mat and dragged it (and him) into the bedroom where eventually we got him onto the bed.

This however had the effect that he was weaker during the night and rather that get up to use the commode he pee'd into his pad/pants, but instead of waking me when he'd finished to change everything he went back to sleep, consequently I think he may have got some sort of infection - he said he felt a bit queezy and had a temperature.

Anyway I changed him, gave him a bed bath and a bit later than normal got him up and everything seemed ok, he had breakfast - cereal coffee banana and actimel, and pottered around on the computer.

The carpet fitter arrived to do the lounge and then the nrs man came to sort out hand rails. When csw arrived, I took my time out after explaining that gom had been a bit poorly.

About half an hour after csw left, he went for a pee but then felt the need for the other but in trying to turn round he went down, this time I wasn't taking any chances. Called the personal alarm people again and they got the paramedics.

They checked him over and felt he was ok. He had begun to shiver (from shock?) in the bathroom, but after they got him into his chair they checked his bp etc and everything seemed to be ok so off they went.

Social care team were here at the time too as they had an apppintment to assess him for a lifting device, so they were here for a while after medics left and gom started to get a bit drowsy so we deferred assessment.

Eventually gom was sick and then went to bed where I made him stay. Making use of the urinal bottle that we bought ages ago - I won't let him get up incase he ends up on floor again. Anyway I'd better get off to bed as I'm likely to have a disturbed night. :(

New year started with the 'wrecking crew' coming back on 8th and except for the weekends and one other day they've been with us ever since.

Bathroom took longer than planned (11 instead of 8 days), but it's worth it. Just waiting for the flooring guy to come and lay vinyl.

They've been working on lounge now for 5 days. scheduled to take 10 so we seem to be on target. Some of the changes didn't work out though - they couldn't get the coving off to change it - it had been stuck to plaster which had been moulded around the coving.

Fireplace and grate has been removed and hi fi cabinet has been built to go in the new cavity. Preparation should be finished by this weekend so they should start the painting the walls next week.

Unfortunately on the personal front, things not too good.

David had a bad transfer from the loo on monday night ending up on the floor. From where we couldn't get him up and he somehow managed to almost rip off his small toe, also fractured it. We're just playing a waiting game to see of he will lose the toe or if it will heal by itself. The tear couldn't be stitched, only dressed.

Under the fracture clinic at mo, but they want to wait another week before they do anything with the dressing. Not allowed to get the foot wet so need to sort out showers. Typical, just get the new shower sorted and David can't use it ;O