In the first days and weeks after G came home I concentrated on searching out services and organisations that could help. I made sure we had the phone number of the palliative care team because G had decided that he didn’t want any treatment, didn’t want to go to hospital and was ‘happy’ to fade away. I’m not sure it works like that but it is absolutely his decision and no medical person talked about any other scenario so that was how it was left. We had the two pronged attack on his body to deal with, the stroke and the cancer. The stroke was ‘easier’. There were things we could do, the rehabilitation, the exercises. I bought cutlery with fat handles so it was easier for him to eat as he was redeveloping his fine motor skills. He had a walker for getting around the house, which was ditched after a few days for a stick. At first I helped him shower and toilet but quite quickly he got got back his independence in that area.
It was a busy time. Liaising with the rehab team, researching the best way to help him and keeping friends and family up to date with how he was recuperating.
After 6 weeks the rehab team finished their visits and it all went quiet. We were largely left to our own devices. G missed the daily interaction and the challenges given to him by the rehab physios. He had achieved his goal of walking to our nearest eatery for his favourite breakfast and although we went down there often in the spring and early summer that tailed off as autumn approached.
Things now are slowly going into reverse. He asked me to put the walker that he uses when we go out for breakfast in the shed. I’m hoping that it will come out again in the spring when the weather gets better, but it’s just a hope. It will only be a matter of days before he starts using a walker in the house, he is so wobbly and just this week he’s requested some help when he has a shower.
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