(Photo Description: Codee sitting in a lazy chair, hugging Bailey. A small bown and white fluffy dog.)
Sunday April 10th
The nurse’s planning was a bit crammed I think. They wanted to make sure I got my meds – particularly the ones for my stomach and my sugar – on time, so I could eat. Which meant my morning call was at 7 am. The meds went in and she helped me pull on a hoody so I could go downstairs to get food and tea and bring it back to bed. She would come back at the end of the route to help me wash and dress. Which would be between 10:30 and 11:00.
You’d think I’d take the opportunity to enjoy staying in bed, but nope. I couldn’t sit still. So I got out to fold and put away my laundry. Got back in to drink some tea and watch TV. Got out again to shave and wash my head and finally got in again and fell asleep while watching TV.
Once washed and dressed I finished the rest of the chores in my list. We’re getting visitors tomorrow, so I want my chores done. Finally after lunch I sat down to rest and enjoyed my daily dose of TikTok and YouTube.
Jessica came home from her long walk at around dinner time but we did our regular photo slideshow before eating. We spend the rest of the evening watching shows.
Monday April 11th
Nurse came in at 3 minutes before 9, did my blood pressure and blood sugar checks and gave me my meds. I asked if she could come back at the end of the route to help me shower and dress. I really wanted to eat and I needed to call the hospital. I had questions regarding tomorrow’s appointment. I think she can read minds, because she knew I’d want to eat and had already re planned her route to allow for that.
I got breakfast while hanging around on hold with the hospital. I knew I didn’t have the dreaded virus but the blood sugar and blood pressure numbers told me I have a cold and I’m not sure if they’ll allow a barking human into the building. The not so cheerful receptionist, told me I could come since i tested negative and promptly hung up. Crap. I was going to ask to be connected to another department. I finished my breakfast, re dialled the same number and after ten more minutes on hold, got my second question answered.
Answered the doorbell, answered to the best of my ability the question that the person standing in front of my door asked me, closed the door and sat down to drink my tea. Answered Jessica’s messages. Sent a message to another nurse who works elsewhere in the country. She was waiting on me to answer her question. Then my nurse came back and my previous visitor followed her into the room. I answered a second question and a third. They thanked me and left. Can I please pee now?
The shower and dressing routine was a welcome pause from what felt like a chaotic morning. After I was done and poured a second cup of tea, I started working on a blog to introduce myself. The nurse I had been sending messages to, had asked if I would be willing to share blogs in a facebook group she manages. A Dutch group with some nine and a half thousand members who all work – or have worked – in the care sector. She believes that me sharing my stories and experiences I go through with the nurses from my point of view as a client, will open up opportunities for care professionals to grow and learn. I can make it as fun and interesting as I like and can post whenever I am able. No pressure. Within an hour of posting my introduction, I’d received more than 50 likes and comments. At the time of posting this blog, it has 285 likes and 72 comments… Did I mention there is no pressure?
Lunch was quickly devoured and then our visitors arrived! Who? Mom and Bailey of course. Tomorrow’s hospital appointment is at stupid O’clock. So Mom and Bailey will stay the night, allowing Jessica and I to take the car at O-dark-thirty in the morning.
We spent the rest of the day talking, playing and watching TV. Followed by an early bed time. Because O-hello-cacky-hour, comes really early.
Tuesday April 12th
Get up, get washed, get dressed and oh yeah… don’t take your medication. You’re Nil By Mouth until after your appointment. I always start figuring out my routine in my head at the moment I’m awake. I’ve maybe not opened my eyes yet, but I’m awake. As soon as the nurse was done helping me, I went downstairs, finished packing my bag and left with Jessica for the hospital.
I got a barium swallow test. Barium is not yummy. Don’t ever believe the doctors when they say it’s yummy. It was a really quick test though. After which, I took my medication and Jessica promptly guided me to the hospital’s restaurant for tea and breakfast.
The second appointment was for both of us at the dentist and oh no! We both have to go back. Shock! Haha not really. We didn’t expect anything less since we didn’t get a check up for two years. I have to wait to see a specialist though. I need a simple procedure to deep clean my teeth, but my small, child size jaws don’t allow for it to be simple.
Jessica needed to go to a political meeting in the evening. While she was away, I listened to some music and did some singing. Singing always makes me happy and gives me positive energy. I chose a Shanty called Wellerman. If you watch TikTok, you’ll know it. It’s a difficult song to sing though. I can’t quite make my voice go low enough to sing the last note of the verse.
During the night I was awake a lot. The barium had found out how to leave my body, which I was warned about. What they didn’t tell me, is that it also finds your blood glucose and makes it higher. So useful when you’re already diabetic. That feels great. Thanks so much for telling me. (Insert sarcasm here). Luckily water usually tends to fix my hypers before they get out of control.
Wednesday April 13th
This day is not going to be constructive. I knew that from the moment my nurse woke me up and my brain and moth wouldn’t engage, so I couldn’t talk to her. Thankfully she enjoys using the tablet with digital sticky notes on it and we got through the morning routine. Just before she left, I had managed to find my words and was able to wish her a good day.
I skyped with Dad, with my eyes half closed. I wasn’t the only one with a headache though. So I didn’t feel lonely. Dad told me good stories about his adventurous long weekend and we even managed some laughs together.
After lunch, I crashed. I found old episodes of Chicago Med on Netflix and binge watched while napping in between.
Jessica had another meeting in the evening. This time online in our home office. So I listened to more music. This time I didn’t sing though. The colleagues she was meeting with, don’t need me to serenade them. I played with my ipad instead.
Thursday April 14th
The speech therapist called with results of my swallow test. No crazy things to be found and although I cough when I swallow, there are no signs of aspiration. Of course this is great, I can safely eat. At the same time it’s frustrating though. Eating is still difficult and painful and it’s not going away. It would kinda be nice to know why. That’s the nature of my illness, you often don‘t get answers.
When Jessica came home from work, I got into my wheelchair and we went for a walk. We went to look at the animal park, which has just been renovated. There’s now a tea house where you can get drinks. Currently the tea house is only open on certain days though. Maybe next time we’ll get lucky. We saw some cute animals. A goat, deer, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and squeaky little chicks. The owner of the park came by and picked up a couple chicks to show me up close. That was so nice of him. Seeing the animals made me smile.
On our way home, we stopped to pick up a few groceries and later settled down in front of the TV to watch our shows.
Friday April 15th
Good Friday. In our house, we don’t really celebrate Easter, although Jessica does get a day off. She doesn’t have to go to the office today. We were hoping to go for a walk but the weather has other ideas. So we did our chores instead.
We filled the rest of our day with YouTube and TikTok. Jessica also found a new series on Netflix. I’m not sure what it’s called. I do know it’s about a future prince and his life at a new school – a boarding school. I’m not yet totally captured by this series, though it’s not bad to listen to.
In the evening we watched The Bold And The Beautiful. Jessica watched NCIS afterwards, while I played Animal Crossing on the Switch.
Saturday April 16th
Jessica is off on an excursion with another member of the SP, to a demonstration in Rotterdam. Since I’m home alone, I started my day with some singing. Fast Cars and Freedom by the Rascal Flatts. I’m no X Factor, but I can sing in tune.
I downloaded a new book to read. Educated Drug Dealer by Ellen Kruize Kok. A Dutch lady who shares her story about her work as a Chemist Assistant. She aims to allow her readers to learn what goes on behind the closed doors at the chemist. So far I’ve read the introduction and the first chapter. It’s already made me laugh out loud. So I’m now curious if it’s going to make me cry too. I know that any book that can make me show physical emotion is gonna be a good book. I’ll tell you more about it when I’ve finished it.
I need to work on some more blogs for Platform Zorg. The ones about my journey with the district nurses. I want to try to post regularly, so I’ll be writing these blogs whenever I have a good day. Then they’ll be ready for posting, even if I have a bad day. I’ve also been asked to post the blogs at Hart van de Zorg. It’s not a huge extra task for me to do that. It’s just a few extra buttons to push and it’s an honor to be able to do so. For both sites actually. I feel really privilidged to be allowed to share my story on these platforms.
As I just now mentioned, I also have a book I want to read. So I’m going to close out this blog for now and make it ready for posting.
Tell me in the comments about a book you’ve read, where the story inside has really had an impact on your life.
Thanks for reading! See you next week.
CRS Life 