The Long Haul - Sharing the Strain

My dear sisters came this weekend, took me under their wings, brought chocolate and crisps and DVDs, let me cook for them on Saturday, after G&Ts.....treated me to a giant breakfast on Sunday,

spoiled me with homemade pizza in the garden,

picked me sweet homegrown strawberries and 

indulged me with divine vegan chocolate nut cake ( recipe from The Happy Pear).

And they shared the strain with me .... the long haul of looking after Robin.....driving out with him, feeing  him  mouthfuls of breakfast, talking to him and helping me hold my wobbly boundaries about getting him undressed for a rest. 

It's much lighter when there's three.....with me for the duration.

This morning the nice Hospice nurse who we missed last week came to visit. The role of the nurses is to offer practical and psychological advice and palliative care but not nursing. There is one hospice in Exeter attached to the hospital which covers the whole of Devon. She brought a long form to fill in....lots of questions....Robin wanted to leave but we persuaded him to stay. 

She has put Robin on a list for a massage. She said I could have one as well. And she will request a blue badge for disabled parking spaces, and some sort of powder to thicken water from the GP to help with Robin's swallowing.

Afterwards we drive out to Otterton Mill Cafe for a hot chocolate and sit outside in the garden. Robin has a Bakewell slice which he doesn't choke on. On Saturday morning he choked/coughed on a banana milk shake in a cafe in Topsham. My attempt to get him to drink thicker liquids - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

At Otterton Mill Cafe a very nice man at the next table sees Robin struggling to get up out of the plastic wicker chair and immediately comes over to help me get him on his feet. A first. It's much easier when there's two.

This afternoon a dear friend comes and takes Robin out to meet up with another dear friend for a another cup of tea. Sharing the strain again. With me for the duration. Giving me some Wimbledon hours...but I'm so tired I can't keep my eyes open  - even for Andy Murray.

Thanks to my sister for her garden...