Thursday, December 08, 2011

Christmas suddenly doesn't feel that close.

Christmas Graphics


One afternoon tea down and very nice it was.  I thought I was holding the wine well until I discovered that it was non-alchoholic.  It was also a farewell for one of the carers who was the first to look after Mum.  Usually I'm alone or trying to be alone with mum so I haven't had a chance to really take stock of the residents and I was a bit shocked to see how much they've gone downhill in the last six months.  This will be my 3rd Christmas Dinner at the Home, time really does fly when you aren't having fun.

The old girl isn't too good at the moment.  Plenty of drugs, enough to keep a rockband happy but the left arm is not responding to the painkillers.  Left side,mastectomy and nasty lymph nodes taken out but they left a few that looked good. I have a feeling they are now turning bad.  She was in bed this afternoon after helping with the mini Christmas trees for the dining tables and she was using her left hand and arm, doing something quite different to her usual cards and mess when the pain struck sharply and suddenly.
She doesn't even want to mix with the other residents which is not like her.  Admittedly they are hard going to talk to when feeling well let alone when in pain.  Her voice sounded unusually weak but was strong enough to tell me to be there Saturday to help clean up her craft boxes again.

But she forgot to say anything about bringing a cake.

4 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Sending so many good wishes your way.

River said...

Has your mum had a doctor look at the arm? Such pain shouldn't be ignored for too long, or at all. I hope she is feeling better for christmas. Over here Christmas is speeding along like one of those bullet trains. It'll all be over before we can say what did santa bring you?

Jayne said...

3rd Xmas already?!
crikey, where did that time go, I could have sworn you just got her in there the other day!
Hope the doc gets on top of that arm pain, it's not doing anyone any favours leaving her in pain :(

JahTeh said...

EC, thanks but whatever happens, happens. She's had 6 years more than they gave her after the diagnosis. I'm just glad the last 3 years have been fun for her.

River, we're pretty sure we know what it is and terminal so there's no point dragging her out to hospitals for scans and she wouldn't go anyway. The Doc explained the drugs she's on now and if the pain gets worse then it's morphine time. We'll know if she can't be bothered with her craft that things are really bad.

Jayne, being ex-nurse, you'd know all about the lymph nodes left after mastectomy. I think they took out 12 to l5 at the time, from cancerous to borderline. She wouldn't have chemo or radiotherapy just the tablets and they usually stop working after 5 years.
She knows what's going on she just doesn't want to be told what's going on.