17 May 2010
I had hoped to go home today or tomorrow at the very latest. However, ‘my lovely’ rang this morning to say there had been a bit of a problem with the support .staff and it would now have to be Wednesday, after lunch, I must say I was desperately disappointed but will just have to stick it out. On the positive side, it does mean that I can have some more physiotherapy and, in particular, start walking with my pulpit frame, under the supervision of an extremely helpful, pleasant  physiotherapist, Prem.
Not only were the  physiotherapists really helpful but so were the occupational therapists. Anna and Angela came up to see me and took away the electric shaver pouch, they had had made for me on an earlier visit, in order to make some adjustments to it.
Now I can clamp it firmly on my right hand and shave myself, without assistance, when I’m lying flat on my bed. I commend this idea to anyone who has weak hands and shaves with an electric razor.
16 May 2010
Oh, joy of joys. I was placed on the loo before my shower -the second in consecutive days – again with my leg wrapped in a rubbish bag.      Who would have thought one could get so excited over such every day events that we all normally take for granted?
‘My lovely’ turned up just before lunch and bravely offered to purchase an NHS lunch from the trolley but this was refused, apparently it would overcomplicate  the paperwork! She went off and returned early afternoon with some more goodies grapes, raspberries etc
Yesterday I sent an e-mail to the hospital CEO with, what I considered to be, some sensible comments. For example: name badges for staff to be worn on their breast so that we can identify them easily and address them by their proper name instead of just calling ‘nurse’. I also questioned the sophisticated telephone and television system provided over each bed which is very nice but very expensive. I am the only one in this 6 bed ward using it, although, at least,  two of the others could certainly afford it. I realise that this was probably part of a PDF contract (privately funded scheme for which the developer is paid an annual fee) (and therefore not within the control of the NHS. Despite this but I pointed out, what is, no  doubt, already  well known to any chief executive of the hospital, the importance of some form of entertainment for recovering patients and one for which they should not have to pay £5 a day per day or 49P a minute telephone call. I also mentioned the lack of broadband facilities, which in this day and age, is essential to those of us who are active are confined to bed.
I should have also pointed out that the bathroom, which, apparently has only been fairly recently been completed, should have included an elevated WC, on a pedestal,  . such as we have recently had installed at home and an adjustable height shower seat (the one they have yet is fixed too low). This bathroom was clearly designed by someone who was not fully cognisant with the  requirements of elderly or sick patients. Even healthy elderly people have difficulty in raising themselves from low seats.
Now to the most important event of the day. England became world champions by beating Australia in the 20/20 World Series Cricket, in Barbados, by a convincing seven wickets. Amazingly, this in England’s first world cricket title ever and augers well for the forthcoming Ashes series.
15 May 2010
Another great day as far as mobility is concerned, no hoist just the pulpit frame.
What is a typical day here like for me for me here in hospital? I usually start my day at around for a listening to the World Service on the BBC, until radio four takes over at 5:30 a.m. Breakfast arrives at around 8.am in between I usually manage to do my daily bed exercises and then, leave my bed, using the pulpit frame and a little help from the nurses, into the bedside chair for breakfast.
After breakfast, which comprises cornflakes, orange juice and a piece of toast, if I am fortunate enough to grab a couple of nurses who take me into the shower to sit on the loo and then have a thoroughly good shower, sitting on the fixed shower seat, before returning me to my bedside chair to work through the morning on my laptop.
Another night mare night. I am certainly not going to be explicit as it might embarrass one or other of the patients or their    families. I only mention the fact that at night those poor souls who are confused are at their worst. In summary, not knowing where they are at all or wondering who all these people sleeping in’their’ house’; or why has our house changed without their permission; or you can wake up two o’clock in the morning and find one of these patients sitting in your chair adjacent to the bed -though partially clothed or totally naked -which is what happened to me last night and can be a little alarming. Of course, they know what they do and therefore one must be extremely sympathetic and here the nursing staff show how brilliant they are, coaxing the patient back to bed, in a caring and considerate manner, even under the most trying circumstances. I am immensely impressed.
Cracks are already getting to appear in the Lib Con coalition the promised increase in inheritance tax allowance has been postponed; it looks as though VAT may well go up to 20%; and capital gains anything up to 50% more tax relief for the poorest families to be offset against tax for the next level -all matter is designed to hit the middle classes so this seems more like a Labour government that the Conservatives.
14 May 2010
Great excitement today. When the doctor was doing his rounds, I suggested that they could perhaps consider some sort of caliper that supported my knee taking the weight off  the lower leg. The doctor said he would speak to the orthopaedics about it and, as a result, I was visited late this afternoon by the head of the physiotherapy department, and nice young man called Edward and his pretty female assistant Lydia,  tested my strength on a walking frame called ‘a pulpit’.. It is like an ordinary walking frame with front wheels, except I can lean on it with my lower arms,  taking some of the weight from my legs. Considering the weakness in my arms, and in both legs, I was surprised at how well I managed to walk a few steps without incurring too much pain. They have left me with my own pulpit walking frame for the weekend to allow me to transfer from chair to bed on my own, and from bed to commode etc   without having to use the wretched hoist. I was so thrilled at being able to stand –  I just couldn’t believe it. The whole of my future prospects have changed yet once again.
I put it to the doctors that I have a limited walking life left and therefore even if the fracture does not heal perfectly and I am left with a limp and even a little pain,  both would be a small price to pay for extending my walking life by a few weeks. They understood my concern and against the normal medical  process for getting me back on my feet, agreed to the use of the pulpit frame although, from time being, I can not still only put  the lightest weight on the cast, but for heaven’s sake, it’s only a week or so since I broke it, so can’t possibly complain.
13 May 2010
Another red letter day my darling daughter Chloe’s birthday. She also broke the good news was that she had been made a consultant clinical psychologist at the Maudsley Hospital, where she works. It is a great feather in her cap as it is one of the leading hospitals in the world in her particular discipline. Both children (why do we persist in calling our middle aged offspring ‘ children’?) have kindly telephoned me daily and both and entreated me to not put too much pressure on ‘my lovely’ about coming home. They quite rightly say that we must be properly prepared, so it looks as though I may be here a few days longer.
Of course, the highlight of every day is the visit (or perhaps two) from my lovely who brings me goodies in the way of fruit, nuts and chocolate. On my request, she also brought me a little plain bottle containing whisky but one of the staff nurses noticed this and said rather sharply, that alcohol was not prescribed, so having be on the waggon for a week now I shall continue for a few days more, no doubt doing my system later a great deal of good. Funny thing is I don’t really miss it, nor indeed my evening cigar. It is nice to know, as I thought I might have become addicted to both but clearly they have become merely a matter of habit.
12 May 2010
I am still here (in hospital) desperately waiting to get home. Our local OT, Sarah Moss, has been an absolute star and has already had an NHS bed, hoist and ramps delivered at home. The only thing keeping me here now is recruiting staff to come in morning and evening to hoist me out of bed and into a wheelchair and then to return in the evening to put me back in bed.
The days drag but I’m fortunate in that a second year Foundation Doctor, Gemma – I never learned her family name -, took pity on me when she realised I could not get broadband in this ward and very kindly lent her dongle, which allows me to use the Internet. She saved my life so I gave up my box of truffles.
9 May 2010
I am in an all-male ward with five other elderly gentleman, most of them, it appears to me, suffering from some form of dementia or Parkinson’s disease. It is a very clean and cheerful ward and the nursing staff are extremely patient and helpful.
Further bad news for me was when the consultant informed me that I should prepare myself for spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I must say this was a real shock, early. For a brief period this news left me feeling rather frightening. I knew that would be my inevitable end but did not expect it to come before the end of this year. I will have a rethink how I manage my daily existence getting to Lord’s for the cricket for example (My cricket mates have been dying to get one of us into a wheelchair for years so that they can hog the front row in the Tavern stand – but I never thought it would be me!)
Good old Mick-emailed me today dismissing the whole idea of my not being able to walk again As he says it is only a piddley fracture. I’m with Mick. I shall persevere and do my recommended exercises assiduously, probably doing the twice as many as recommended. Aiming to at least be able to stand shortly after the cast is removed. I might even be able to move from a chair to the wheelchair without specialist assistance. If I do manage this it will make an enormous difference to my daily existence, certainly over the next few months.
8 May 2010
A red letter day and also a black one. First, the good news. Today this blog passed the  500,000 mark and is currently running at around 2000 hits per day. I suppose the second bit of good news is that we have a new government, a Conservative/coalition headed by David Cameron (the being the styled Lib Con as I suppose Con Dem has rather fatalistic ring about it) This coalition has committed itself to a fixed term of five years although  severe doubts have been expressed as to whether it could possibly last that long -too many concessions to the more leftist Lib Dem could now start a counter action from the right-wing Conservatives.
The bad news is that I was so admitted to hospital today, Addenbrookes in Cambridge, with a fractured fibula (the skinny bone in the lower leg) I must say in the good doctor Long’s defence is that such a ‘piddling’ little fracture is not easy to detect, without an x-ray, which I pooh-poohed immediately, after the accident. The problem is I’m going to have this fibreglass cast for at least six weeks, during which time the calf muscle atrophy, on what was already a weak leg. Anyway, like it or not, I am writing this from hospital bed as we clearly do not have the equipment necessary to hoist me from the bed, or indeed, wheelchair. The staff to do all of this needs to be arranged in the near future.
7 May 2010
Awake at 2:30 AM to listen to the election results as they came in. It soon became clear that it was unlikely that the Conservatives would achieve a clear majority and we will be stuck with a hung parliament — the worst of all worlds. In the event the Conservatives led by a substantial majority in England, ending up with 306 seats — 19 short of a clear majority — they utterly failed Scotland, only winning one seat, where once they were the predominant party. The Lib Dems  had a disappointing night despite the “Clegg” factor which resulted from the three prime ministerial television debates. It actually ended up with 5 seats less than they had before. It was a night of humiliation for Gordon Brown, the Labour Party which ended with 258 seats and loss of 98. Now the fun begins, ironically, with me as a potential kingmaker
The good Dr long arrived early this morning having travelled from Australia but will only stay one day leaving on Saturday morning at 4.20 a.m. but will be back again in a couple of weeks time.
 I had a long term engagement to have lunch, with my old friend and literary executor, Dr Julian Critchlow at Sheekey’s today. I would have offered to take the good doctor but he arrived shortly after I left  for the station. In any event, he told me afterwards that he would have declined, the offer of lunch, in favour of resting and working in my office. He was understandably rather weary having travelled steerage from Australia.
As always I had a delicious lunch, Â at what is my favourite restaurant. It’s always a pleasure to meet up with Julian who is excellent company at the best and the worst of times. Characteristically generous, he insisted that we went from Sheekey;s to the Travellers, club in Pall Mall, where we were able sit in the garden and smoke excellent an Monte Cristo and a have final glass of champagne..
 The outing was slightly marred, however, when my train arrived at Bishops Stortford Station and I attempted to dismount, albeit with the assistance of a kindly gentleman whose help, I had elicited. Unfortunately this gentleman did not realise how weak were my legs and, in negotiating this step down from the tran, I crashed to  the floor, banging my head on the train before it hit the platform. I twisted my leg and bruised my shoulder but persuaded the powers that be that I was okay and did not want to be taken off in an ambulance. The awful thing is that for the first few moments, when people see a prone body, their first reaction its that the person is intoxicated. I’d certainly have a decent lunch though not such that it would have affected my balance.  I was fortunate that ‘the good doctor ‘was meeting me and declared me fit to travel except I think I have probably cracked a bone in my ankle and will probably have to have it x-rayed tomorrow.
6 May 2010
Election day. Lunch with Douglas Gordon at the Axe & Compasses, in Arkesden. He very kindly telephoned, just before lunch, asking which car he should bring, being aware of my immobility I said, the one with the highest seats. He turned with an magnificent ancient open topped Rolls-Royce, which apparently had belonged to his father some 60 years ago and he had been fortunate enough to buy back a few years ago. Unfortunately, the running board was so high that even after several attempts, I simply could mount. I abandoned the attempt and poor Douglas had to return home and get his other, far less salubrious, car.
Whilst he was away I returned to my office, but the effort of trying to get into the car had exhausted my legs. In attempting to negotiate the highest step into my office, I toppled over backwards smacking my poor head on the ground, once again. I was a bit shaken but fortunately there was no serious damage, so went on, on Douglas’s return, to enjoy a pleasant lunch. On the way to the Axe, we dropped in a polling station to cast my vote. After checking with head office the returning officer kindly bought my voting slip to the car where I made my rather shaky cross.
D. Mark Cato
D. Mark Cato