the 'rest' of Saturday

It was wonderful to be back home on Saturday afternoon, to be able to offload to Mr Lily, sort out some laundry for the fully functional washing machine, have a shower and wash my hair. I put on my pyjamas and headed for the settee, tv and knitting, hoping for a relaxing few hours before an early night.

Care Link phoned quite a few times to keep me updated - mum was constantly pressing her call button and saying she needed help, when they went out to her, she said she didn't. The home carer went at tea-time and lovely daughter around 8pm, to check mum had taken her night-time medication. On her return, she reported that mum had hardly eaten anything, had been sick again and wouldn't go to bed. She had told LD "I hate it here".

I was on my way to bed just after ten when the phone went. Care Link was concerned. Mum seemed confused, had called them 20 times today and they would have to phone me if during the night if they needed to go out to her because they didn't have a key. There was a CL worker with her at that moment so I threw a jumper over my pyjamas and LD drove me over. A lovely man was there and said he was worried that if he'd left her, she would have wandered out as she was talking about knocking up her neighbour. I gave him LD's front door key and thanked him for looking after mum.

Mum was back on the "something funny going on" loop, she didn't seem to understand why people had been coming all day and didn't "trust that man" (the CL worker). I tried to explain about the discharge care plan and when to use the CL call button but I don't think it sank in. She was in pain again so I gave her some painkillers and she had a few sips of tea. She was clearly exhausted, her eyes kept closing, but she refused to get ready for bed. She was still in her discharge clothes. "You can go" she said, but not as vehemently as previously. I finally managed to persuade her to go to bed but couldn't get her to change into her nightclothes, she couldn't be bothered. I sat with her for a while until I was satisfied that she was rested and likely to sleep, then LD and I came home.

Unwind time needed, so the early night morphed into the usual after midnight bedtime. No calls during the night - Yay! Up fairly refreshed around 7.30 when elderly dog scratched at the bedroom door to be let out. I've put another wash load in and am now going to have my breakfast. Fingers crossed today will be less chewy.