Curve ball

 I'm reeling a little with the latest news. Here's Dr Landau's latest WhatsApp: 

"Hi Hazel We've booked Geoff for Tuesday 14th, have to wait 6 weeks after covid as very high risk otherwise. I've motivated for medical aid to continue vac til then. "

So. It is what it is. I was quite agitated yesterday ... but thinking calmly and logically nothing will change for him really if I am here or if I am gone. Whether it's me or someone else staying here. Because of course my daughter-in-law's lovely gift to me (going to Zanzibar) starts on 25th September! So, what to do. 

First thing,  I asked my swimming friend Kate (who has no children or husband) how she would feel living here with Geoff and her dogs for ten days. She has agreed. So I have someone lined up. I did of course ask Geoff first if he would be comfortable with her sleeping here. Then, I have to get somebody in to wash him at least twice in the time I am away. Kate is comfortable with washing him, but even though he says he is, I'm not sure how that will work out. It may be easier if it is somebody who doesn't know him at all. I need somebody reliable to sleep here every night in case he falls in the night, and Kate fits the bill.  The other thing is, he does nothing. I mean, the only food he gets for himself is ice-cream from the freezer. He doesn't make coffee, he doesn't heat up any food, doesn't make any food. At all. The sum total of things he can do (or does do) is: he goes to bed and the loo by himself, he makes a fire, and he fetches ice-cream from the freezer. 

So as the person who lives here I: make breakfast, pack the dishwasher, collect and wash washing, hang it out, water the garden, clean the pool, do the garden, feed the animals, make lunch, make supper, buy groceries, bring wood in for the fire, make sure we have all the necessities milk toilet paper etc ... all of which I will have to ask Kate to take over. As she lives by herself, she already does everything, so this for her is not too much of an ask and she appreciates the fact that I will pay her to do it. She won't have to pay our accounts or pick up the girls or walk the dog. (My daughter will have the dog, and I will ask my nextdoor neighbour to feed the cat as Kate's dogs are not cat-friendly). I can't think of any other things I do offhand, but it's actually everything that a house-owner does. 

Just another setback

 Well, Geoff's pre-op covid test was positive. So no surgery for him on Monday. Luckily he had the first Pfizer vaccination 41 days ago, so he doesn't seem badly affected. His sense of smell has gone (as had mine for two days) and he has a cough and stuffy nose. More worrying though is his continued weakness. So on Friday (after surgical nurse Sister Anne warned me sternly to stay away from him - and before we knew he was covid-y by the way - Sister was just assuming that I was because I felt so ill) he tried to make his own coffee in the kitchen and fell down. This was after ten pm, so I did what she had suggested and called our security company. Two large masked men came in and got him to his feet. After they'd gone and he was getting into bed he fell again. This time he managed to get up by himself after I pushed the chair closer for him to lean on, and then during the night he fell over again (I didn't hear that time). In the morning he seemed much better but last night, dammit, he fell over again. I don't quite know how to strengthen him up other than by giving him more protein and a mug of Ensure every day. 

PS: I phoned Deep Blue (our security company) to let them know that unfortunately my husband has Covid and they should probably self-isolate for ten days - with apologies. 

Finally a date for the operation

Got a WhatsApp from Doc Landau today - must say he's a cheery sort! "Hi Hazel how’s Geoff’s leg? All healed? 🙈 " (I do like his emojis) Anyway, so this is the plan : Nil by mouth midnight Sunday, 6am admissions and after seeing a pic of his leg he writes: "Everything organized for Monday. Dr Hill will remove the plate and put a new one and Dr Ottie and I will take a flap from Geoff’s leg for cover" ... and a thumb's up after seeing this pic: