Another Mum update...
After more blood loss than I'd ever seen Mum experience in the past 43 days (which is how long this particular Haemorrhage has been going on for), I took her back to St Michaels at about 3am yesterday morning.
I wasn't too sure whether it would be a good idea to take her in, but when she passed out as I was making her bed, I thought the worst had happened. When she did come round, very disorientated, we were straight off to the hospital.
Wasn't the greatest trip.
I was tired, bad tempered, and looked like I was on my way to pick up my methadone.
Mum was disorientated, scared and had trouble keeping her balance.
We decided to get her into a wheel chair once we reached the reception, which I quickly realised was one of those 'haul it backwards' jobs. How undignified is that for a patient?
Finally reached the ward and the nurse just stared and said "Her bed's over here." and walked off.
"Don't bloody help me then."
Mum kept apologising for anything and everything and I kept getting wound up, going from saying "Shush, none of this is your fault" to snapping "Will you just STOP apologising and let people take care of you for a change?!"
Her HB level had dropped to 8.9 and the doctor decided that a transfusion wasn't needed because her HB level wasn't low enough.
Surely it'll just keep dropping?
Grr.
Mum insisted i go home and get some sleep, but after the taxi driver ripped us off on the way there (£8.50 from easton) I decided to just stay near by and save the money.
Fortunately Tom lives very close by so I kipped at his for a couple of hours before going back at half 9 to spend the day with her (in a much lighter mood by the way).
Hah. Coldplay's 'Fix You' has just come on. I don't want to cry right now thank you very much!
I arrived just as her bed bath was coming to an end and I said hello to all of the nurses again. There were lots of "What are you doing back here?"'s
I settled in by Mum and we spent the morning babbling lots and having a giggle while we waited to see what happened next.
It was an interesting morning.
I dont know if Mum had been given anything but she was very open about her relationships with Jonny (my natural father) and Dad (Mike, Jordan's Dad). She confirmed things I'd always suspected about Jonny, and revealed a whole lot of things I never knew about Dad.
I had always had a glowing view of him (albeit with a few blemishes) but the way I see him has changed considerably.
Just to confirm, my view of him as a father has not changed, I still think he's a good Dad.
As a man...well, in a weird way it's a confort to know that I'll never find a man just like my Dad, because I sort of don't want to now.
Pam and Jordan arrived at 2pm and we discussed her benefits, debts and decided to go down to Mum's job after we left the hospital.
Her managers (namely two) have been treating her a bit poorly recently, making her feel as if she's been feigning being ill (how?!), and one of them even threatened her with 'Company Doctors'.
The consultant stopped by, a lovely lady named Mrs Overton. She explains everything so that we can understand it fully, and she has the neatest handwriting of any doctor I've ever seen.
She's pencilled Mum in for a Hysterectomy on the 12th of September, rather than in February.
It will go ahead depending on how well Mum gets between now and then.
So Pam and I go to Mum's workplace.
Her: Smart jacket, professional briefcase looking bag.
Me: Camoflage baggy trousers, uni hoodie.
We looked like a shoplifter and her solicitor.
Anyhoo, we spoke to Steph, the nicest of all the managers and she was shocked by some of the things we told her about mum's treatment. We too were shocked to find out that Mum has never really told anyone at work the full extent of her illness. Typical Mum, doesn't like to cause a fuss.
Pam confirmed that these problems have been going on for years, even since their days at school.
Steph confirmed that they have no such thing as Company Doctors.
NO SUCH THING.
How dare Mum be threatened by something that doesn't even exist?! She was in hospital when that message was passed on and she literally didn't sleep that night, stressed and worried about what they thought of her at work.
Shocking.
But anyway, Steph and everyone else there is on Mum's side, it just seems to be these two managers that are causing unnecessary stress.
So that's money and work sorted...now I've just got to talk to Dad when he gets back from Japan.
Mum and Jordan are set on doing up the house and selling it within the year, then moving to Cardiff.
The only problem is Dad.
He pays the mortgage in lieu of child support so legally, he isn't entitled to any money that comes from selling the house. I can understand how he would want some of the money, but he has his own property to sell when he retires over broad, and he earns 3 times as much as Mum. Hardly fair when Mum had a shocking amount to repay in debts and selling the house would provide her with enough to clear those and get a two bedroom flat for rent in Cardiff.
The good thing is, is that now that I know alot more about Mum and Dad's relationship, I'll be able to resolve this more easily than I otherwise might have.
I won't go up to him and say "Well you did this to Mum so you should let her sell the house!"
I will, however have a better knowledge of how Dad 'works'. I think he's a bit afraid of me, mostly because I remind him of a younger version of Mum, which also works to my advantage in all of this.
Pam and I had a chat while we waited for Mum's manager to gather some info for us and I mentioned what Mum had told me about Dad. We've agreed that the only shining examples of a good marriage in our family (other than her and Phil) are Nanna and Poppa. With a marriage like theirs you know that they were always meant to be together. So I won't be looking for men with any similarities to Dad, but more like Poppa. Someone dependable and loving.
*nods*
Egads, I am tired.
I'm seeing Mum today. She's having 4 pints of blood after her HB level dropped again to 8.6.
See you later.