24 March 2011
My videoconference, scheduled for this morning, was again postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. Better luck tomorrow afternoon!
I managed to watch a bit of the quarter-finals of the World Series cricket this morning, between Australia and India and then the end of that match later in the afternoon. India triumphed and are now in the semi-finals.
The main item on the agenda today was a visit from Mary, from social services, who came to assess me for NHS Continuing Care. Not that we need help at this very moment, but as soon as I get to the point where I can no longer bear my weight on my legs. we will be into hoisting me in and out of bed and, at that stage, ‘my lovely’ will certainly need some outside assistance. We spent quite a long time with Mary going through the questionnaire, which needs to be completed so that she can make a formal application. She was very kind and sympathetic and I believe may well recommend that we do receive this assistance in due course. However, nothing is certain in life, so we must just hope.
What impressed me enormously about our discussion with Mary is that one of the criteria for receiving this help is to maintain as greater a quality of life as possible, not merely to assist you to live. In my case, she seemed to recognise that I have a need to get out and about and that in order to do so there could come a time when we might need some help to achieve this. I say this because Alice and I were under the impression that the most we could hope for was a couple of kind nurses coming in. perhaps in the morning and again in the evening, at a time which suited them, rather than me, to get me up and dressed and, in the evening to put me to bed but  In the event, it turns out that the possibilities are far wider and more attractive than that. Watch this space.