No more problems with catheters - says who???

Well I've been AWOL for a week but have a reasonable excuse. Been very poorly with a tummy bug (probably gastric flu) and spent quite a few days in bed. That in itself wasn't pleasant but it passes, more of a problem was looking after Mark because I really couldn't. Step in John and Janet (God bless them), they ended up looking after both of us for a week. Now half a stone lighter and still lacking in energy I'm on the mend. It did show up a real problem though, in that when we're on our own we do need to factor in for things like that.

So what's gone on over the last 2 weeks. Just before I got poorly we had a call from Social Services wanting to clarify some issues regarding the wetroom grant. It seems social care is not based on needs now, there has to be a cost reduction in another area of care we're receiving. So we've had to verbally agree (I'm not putting anything in writing) that when the wetroom is done we would only need one carer to come in everyday instead of two. Angry, incensed, almost speechless, doesn't really describe how I felt after that conversation. There are millions of people claiming thousands in benefits, grants, housing benefits etc etc etc and we can't get two simple things for Mark without it turning into a horse trade!! Even with the blackmail it's still in the 18-24 month grant process.

Next morning instead of two carers turning up we had only one (not related to the above idiocy), he started off across the carpark, fell on the ice and dislocated his shoulder. Out to pick him up, ring amubulance, ring his work to say he's off to hospital and being the lovely helpful people they are didn't even offer to send someone else to see to Mark, just left us to it!! Situation normal there then.

Lots of days passed me by then. Monday this week, Mark finally got in touch with the secretary of the Consultant he is supposed to be seeing in Leeds to be told he couldn't see him privately unless he was prepared to pay for all subsequent treatment, AND, it was very unlikely he would see Mr Timothy but one of his team and that would probably be decided when they've seen the scans. The problem as we all know is that the scans don't really show anything so even getting through triage onto the actual waiting list could prove a problem. So we're totally in limbo with the whole thing, while Mark continues to slowly deteriorate.

Five am this morning Mark called me saying he thought his catheter was blocked - this wasn't supposed to happen. He was lying in a very wet bed because a very full bladder forced itself out through it's 'normal' exit ie, his willy. Am not at my best at that time of the morning but an hour later, we'd done an intermittent catheter, then put in another indwelling catheter so the supra pubic was bypassed. Pipes coming out of him everywhere now. Him washed and a complete pile of bedding needing to be washed, I head back to bed for a while. After carers and breakfast Mark sets about working out what went wrong and after creative use of a syringe and boiled water (any of you out there in the medical profession you didn't read any of this bit), he managed to clear it. Back to just the supra pubic again now. So that lasted 3 weeks, not a good start.

News on the house - none, still paperwork passing between solicitors and time running out on our current abode.