Wednesday 21 May 2008

I'm Back

Just a short note to let you all know I am back at the helm. I had plans to go over the wall at night, or even dig a tunnel, but the hospital authorities let me out through the front door on Friday afternoon. They even provided an ambulance to take me home. Still no blue flashing lights but I'm getting used to it by now.
I am currently camped out in Chez Hester with my walking frame, grabber and a small tipple to keep my throat moist. My days are filled with watching TV, writing and reading. Most relaxing, if somewhat limiting.
This morning provided slightly more excitement though. I had a visit from Margaret, the district nurse. She came to remove the staples which were put in to hold my wound together. It was a bit painful at times but the whole thing was soon over. The sad thing about this whole episode is that my bikini wearing days are now over. I can't see it, but I must have a scar about 10 inches long running down my left thigh!
It's good to be back and I look forward to getting my teeth back into my blogging.
Take care my dears.

Saturday 10 May 2008

as bright as a new pin

Well I'm back here to give you all an update on Marteen. She was in the operating theatre for several hours on Wednesday and now has a brand spanking, shiny new hip.
When I saw her on Wednesday evening she was very groggy and in a lot of pain which the medical staff were trying to alliviate for her. I was quite concerned about her that night as she didn't seem to know where she was and was quite confused. By the next morning Marteen had bounced back into the land of the living, when I say bounced it was more sort of hopped as she wasn't allowed to put any weight on the new joint.
Over the last couple of days Marteen has started to improve and we are both relieved to find that both her legs seem to be the same length again, the fractured one had shortened and we had visions of her spending the rest of her life walking round in circles.
She must be getting better, she has started moaning about the hospital food and I have had instructions to take something nice in for her so this afternoon will see her enjoying a bowl of strawberries and cream!
I'm really looking forward to her release and being able to spend some quality time together especially now the weather has picked up.

Monday 5 May 2008

Who's the daddy?

Hello all again, the title may have you wondering what's going on. It was a question I was nearly asking Marteen, and at her age too!
As I mentioned in my first post Marteen is having a series of tests in hospital and yesterday's test was an ultra sound scan. You can imagine the mileage she got out of that one, being wheeled down to the maternity department and being surrounded by a large collection of pregnant women. She is not pregnant, which is hardly surprising given her age and me not having the relevant equipment to provide such a situation. She did get a few funny looks though, given that a woman of 63 gave birth not so long ago.
We don't know why they did this test but the results were fine. The weirdest test she has had was the person who came in, measured round her ankle and up to her knee on her good leg, then left. Answers on a postcard for that one please!

Sunday 4 May 2008

nothing to do

Hello again, Marteen has been getting bored in the hospital and yesterday in a fit of enthusiasm she wrote a post on some paper which I am now going to post for you all.
I quote.....
Hello my dears.
In a strange quirk of fate I am writing a guest post on my own blog. I am more than happy t0 pass the reins over to the more than capable Hester whilst I am out of circulation, but I couldn'tresist the temptation to get my teeth into one of my old favourites, "The McCann circus".
Should you have been taking a gap year in some part of the world where electricity has yet to be invented, you might not be aware that 12 months ago a little girl vanished, and the global press went bonkers. For many months the world's scriptwriters and dramatists have been observed to tear their hair out in large clumps whilst wailing "God why have you forsaken us? How can we compete with such a glorious plot?" On the back of this affair, thousands of the world's journalists have grown very fat on the rich pickings available. My continuing issue with the McCanns has taken a new twist given that today (or at least it was when I wrote this) is the anniversary of the little girl's disappearance.
So how are we to celebrate the occasion? I suppose bunting and balloons are out. Maybe something like releasing "Madeleine the Movie", which is surely in production if not actually completed. My much more tasteful favourite choice, given the current lunatic fashion, would be for the McCanns to show their respect by observing a 12 month silence! If only! So if you really want to do something useful, why not follow the McCanns advice and leave a porch light on.
As I write my head is filled with images of some of the bright young things on BBC 1's Apprentice this week. One team was so passionate about green issues that they wanted card companies to turn the odd forest or two into greetings cards so people could pass on the ecological message. You might just detect a slight flaw in their plan, but they are still a bit wet behind the ears.
So what might these munchkins make of the McCanns wasteful proposal? Like me they are probably having an appoplectic fit! Thank God there is still some sanity left in the world. If I were to discover that Boris Johnstone had taken over London or something like that then it would all be over. Oh dear!

Friday 2 May 2008

Excitement? Just fed up


Hello......it's Hester here, at least I hope it is if I've managed to press the right buttons, so you may notice a different style to this blog.

I have decided (under what Marteen calls encouragement, I call pushiness) to write a guest blog to inform all her readers of the plight she is currently in.
As you are all aware Marteen took a nasty tumble at the beginning of March and damaged her leg. Just when things should be improving a whole new saga starts.........

On Monday evening I took Marteen to the doctor's so that she could acquire a new supply of drugs and a further sick note to appease her boss. This was yet another new face for her to see, due to the retirement of the previous GP, and he decided that she should get an X-ray - "just for piece of mind" he said, I suspect otherwise and that he had his own suspicions but I digress. Anyway early Tuesday morning, having phoned my work to say I would be late, saw us first in the queue at the X-ray unit and this was when they discovered the reason for Marteen's continued agony. She has a fractured hip!!
When they discovered that she had in fact been to A & E TWICE and no X-ray had been done they were appalled and suddenly things started moving. She was to be transferred straight away to the orthopaedic department of the local hospital, yes the same one that houses the A & E department who don't X-ray, and an ambulance was summoned. I of course had to phone my work and book a holiday day as there was no way I was going to make it into work after all. Marteen was placed on a trolley and moved into a side room where I was allowed to sit with her while we waited for the ambulance. Around half an hour later an ambulance arrived and "two dishy paramedics" (Marteen's words) expertly transferred her onto an ambulance trolley and into the ambulance. I think Marteen quite enjoyed that bit as they kept calling her young lady! As the ambulance set off Marteen got a bit upset because they didn't put the flashy lights and siren's on.

At the hospital Marteen was again expertly transferred onto a gurney and wheeled into a cubicle. Strange how for weeks she has been told it is muscle damage and to keep moving her leg now all of a sudden her feet haven't touched the floor. I was allowed to remain with her and several hours passed while various nurses and doctors came and poked, prodded, pricked, jabbed, stole blood and asked many many many questions. Eventually a porter appeared and told her she was on the move, he then pushed her through miles and miles of hospital corridors with a nurse and myself in tow until we reached the ward where Marteen is now residing.
Marteen is now undergoing a series of tests so that the surgeons can decide the best course of action to take, a hip replacement either full or partial has been mentioned but we just have to play the waiting game for a few more days yet.

I am now on hospital visiting duty every night after work, trying to keep her spirits up but they wouldn't let me take any in for her! Only joking but if truth be told I am worried about her and I miss her being around at home but don't any of you tell her that.

Well bye bye for now and I will try to keep you all posted of her progress.