SOOP's kindly Kitcheners.

Yikes! I was forgetting that you are a man of the modern world pompa I'm afraid that when I travel I leave the technical stuff at home.

Enjoy your break Pompa.

soop, Edwin Muir made me cry.
There are some men who can express how they feel.

Jayne's partner is devastated. He's in bits.
But he isn't holding it in, and I am glad of that.

Dear AlieO...to cry is natural. In fact, it is a must. It's nature's way of relieving the anguish. You are in my thoughts. I trust that you are getting the support that you need. Are you sleeping well? Did the doctor prescribe something to help?

Alie words fail me- you will just have to take each day as it comes now.

pompa- enjoy your break and here was silly me thinking that we were also going to have a quiet rest- no such luck!

Charleygirl Our pompa lurves us lot

AlieO ((hugs))
I can only say that you, Jayne's partner and your family are very much in my thoughts along with everyone else going through unimaginable pain x

pompa have a lovely holiday, South Wales is lovely! We've been to Pembrokeshire and the Gower so many times.

I am very much hoping to hear that Bellas daughter has arrived and is with the family.

Until tomorrow...

A sunny good morning to all you lovely Kitcheners. I've put the coffee pot ready for those of you who need refreshment. Pot of tea for those who prefer it.

I rarely have trouble falling asleep. Last night was an exception. I was wide awake until about two o'clock. My mind was buzzing with thoughts of Bella and AlieO

Coffee for me please.

Coffee would be great!
Just done three hanging baskets and four tubs with magenta, bright pink, and white petunias, verbena, diascias and bacopia so hopefully they'll look ok. Silly me thought the petunias were hanging ones but they're not so may look a little odd.......

Now need to move planters with the dying bulbs out of sight and fiddle around with the new tubs.

I've got roses out - isn't it a bit early?

Gloriously here.

If only all soops kitcheners' were trouble-free, wouldn't it be wonderful?

Very much still thinking of those going through harrowing times and love to them all x

soop it is very sad here at present- a lovely coffee for me too please. I do not normally have a lie in but my week has been a turmoil with medical problems-I hope to be out of the woods on Tuesday.

Good morning pompa loopylou and Charleygirl It's lovely to have your company.

Charleygirl What is the matter? Can you share with us?

My pinned and plated ankle (2009) and leg is grossly swollen and was very red. I was treated for cellulitis with antibiotics- saw another GP, she thought it maybe a DVT so sent me to the local hospital where I had a Doppler scan which was negative but I have been self injecting for over a week with Fragmin, which is heparin x2 a day. Another scan this Tuesday- if negative, hopefully that will be the end of it and I will just have to worry about the cellulitis! My worry is my knee replacement in the other leg, hence the antibiotics originally. There is always something! More coffee please. My main worry was Tara in case I was admitted. She is blissfully unaware!

Oh poor Charleygirl, do you have enough help at home? Why do these things always seem to peak at Bank Holiday weekends?

We are nearing the end of DH's week of IV antibiotics for his pneumonia administered 3 times a day by the District Nurse/Twilight Nursing team. It has been a brilliant system, real "joined up thinking" and I cannot speak too highly of how the NHS/our local hospital have reacted. Without that he would have been in a hospital bed for another week .
His cannula has had to be replaced twice within the week, but again, no waiting, no fuss. The worst was last night when the Twilight team were running late and didn't get to us until after 11(it has usually been 10) and I was propping my eyelids up with matchsticks. The poor nurses were going to be on the go until after 1.30 though.
If only everybody could have this care all the time, it has to be better for patient morale, reduces the risks of infection in hospital and ultimately, (bottom line as far as the NHS is concerned) be cheaper!

That sounds brilliant soutra, thanks for the update! Hope the treatment has been effective!

I hope your ankle is recovering well, Charley

Thoughts as always with Bella and Alie

Charleygirl, that sounds worrying and painful. I hope you will soon see an improvement.
Loopy, my first rose is almost out and there are masses of buds. It's a pink climber called Royal Star and Garter which is always out about this time of year. Last year it was looking a bit neglected and tired, so I had a go at it in the autumn and it has responded magnificently.

Goodness gracious me...Charleygirl I must have missed any previous messages regarding your problem. Being a cat lover, I sympathise with you fretting about Tara's welfare. I really hope that your next scan shows a marked improvement. x

Soutra You've also been through a tough time recently with your husband's pneumonia needing the best possible treatment. We have much to thank the NHS for.

Computer is playing silly b's

Ouch Charleygirl, that does sound painful and very worrying for you. Hopefully the antibiotics will knock the cellulitis on the head.

Lovely to hear good news Soutra about the NHS coming up trumps. I do hope DH is feeling much better.

My yellow climbing rose anno is Golden Showers, last year it flowered up to Christmas, as did my pink one (Peace, I think) which is still in bud. Several of my shrub roses are starting to come out too.

I've just come in to cool off! I've potted on my tomatoes, cucumbers and melon plants in the greenhouse and the thermometer was reading 45°, about 110° in old money!

Planted out sweet peas, pumpkins, ipnomea, zinnias, pelargoniums, geraniums and mimulas this morning, I think I deserve an afternoon sitting in the with a book

Well done loopylou. Don't forget to wear a sun hat. Enjoy a peaceful afternoon.

When I had my ankle pinned and plated in 2009 and was admitted for 11 days, I vowed the next time that I returned as a patient that I would be unconscious but this time, although not admitted, the treatment was second to none. No waiting at any time. I cannot fault the service and I am hyper critical. Luckily I could self inject so I did not have to wait around waiting for somebody to come.

The antibiotic course has finished and those with shares in Sainsburys will benefit because I was using a lot of loo rolls!!!!!

soop I have a weekly cleaner but that is the extent of help- I am organised and had friends and neighbours lined up to look after Tara. The problem is that my friends had the audacity to move a fair distance away after retirement which does not make it easy.

Charleygirl You have coped remarkably well. Now you need to build up your strength. Try not to get overtired. Warm hugs x

Dearest soop, I'm sorry you were kept awake. Just to fill you in, DD1 was due to arrive yesterday afternoon but after a succession of missed connections, ended up spending last night in Rome. She has just arrived an hour ago, unfortunately her luggage is still in Rome, but it's a relief to have her home.

Had a dreadful night last night with DH. He would not use a bottle to go to the loo and insisted on going to the bathroom. Off we went with Zimmer frame and me holding him up, but half way there his legs gave up and he collapsed in a heap. To cut a long story short, DD2's boyfriend had to be summoned and he was a marvelous help and very kind to DH.

Today DH has been drifting in and out of consciousness. He can't speak much but his medication is making him delusional and he suddenly will try to get out of bed, even though he cannot stand. He has no muscle tone at all.

It is heartbreaking to see him like this. I just hope he will go to sleep peacefully and his burden of suffering be lifted.

Caring thoughts to all of you with difficulties, tragedies and illness to cope with, and wishing for brighter days ahead.

I do know how that fall must have felt, my father fell while staying with me after a stroke, I had to wait for 15 minutes for neighbours to arrive to help me to get him back in his wheelchair. He was convinced that he could walk unaided, but he had been in hospital for over a year.

I know there are some strengthening exercises that people can do while in bed, maybe he would like to try them, it would at least give him something to do on the occasions when he feels a little better. On the other hand, you might feel happier if he just stays put.

I hope the rest of your DD's journey is uneventful.