Silence

I know I've been fairly silent recently, but lots has been going on. You're all expecting the Vogue/Designer Knitting review, and it's coming, but much more slowly than I had anticipated.

Last Saturday morning I went round to my parents as normal, and Dad wasn't well. He found blood in his stool on Friday, and said nothing knowing I'd be around on Saturday. Grr. He drives me nuts sometimes, the way he never thinks of himself. Anyway, I brought him straight to hospital, where he still remains.

There were no beds on a ward for him, so he was in the Accident & Emergency Dept until about 11.30 on Sunday night. God knows what he saw in his time there.

In the meantime, you may remember that I was due to travel to Maastricht on Monday morning for 3 days. I was in a right state. Who would mind Mam? My brother had only gone home the day before, I couldn't ring him and ask him to come up. But, I had no choice. Mam can't be left, I couldn't cancel the seminar. I rang him and he said he couldn't get up till Monday morning. So, I stayed with Mam on Saturday night and I had to ring my aunt (who's in her 70s) and ask her to stay with Mam on Sunday night. Talk about a long night, Mam wandered the house all night crying for Dad. I was absolutely wrecked.

Off I went to my seminar, worried sick about Dad. Turns out I spent almost all my time there on the phone home. Brothers car broke down halfway up, meaning my poor aunt had to stay 3 nights with Mam. I was so mad! The one time I go away for work and all this shit happens.

But back to the real patient. Dad had to fast for two days while he waited for an endoscopy to see if it was a perforated ulcer, as they were too busy to do him the first day. Now my Dad is 88, and fasting for two days isn't easy. They did the scope, and apparently found another polyp in his bowel, but no perforated ulcer. His bowel cancer the last time was in a polyp, so I'm worried sick. But the doctors said it's too small to worry about. My thoughts? It wasn't there during his last CT scan, so is must have recently grown. Doesn't that mean that it will become something to worry about unless treated? I dunno.

So he's still in hospital, waiting for a colonoscopy that was meant to be done today, so he's been fasting since yesterday morning again. As of writing (19:47) he still hasn't been done. I visited him today and briefly saw the doctor but couldn't discuss his case with him, he was gone so quick. He seemed to be of the impression that Dad could go home after the scope. Surely they won't do that now, at this hour of the night? And if not, who's going to mind Mam? I have to go back to work tomorrow. I had today off for time owed due to travelling.

I'm so sick of all this stress. Truly. Why does something always happen to Dad when I'm about to go somewhere? You may remember I was about to go to America before when he collapsed at home and didn't get discharged until the night before I was due to go, and only if I arranged private nursing care at home for him. I honestly think the stress of caring for Mam is what's making him so ill. I don't know how he does it. Even my aunt finally agreed with me that it's time Mam was in a home. If only I could convince Dad too.

So, that's a bit of a pity party, isn't it? And it's not over yet, either. Everything depends on Dad getting home, and there being nothing wrong. But there must be something wrong, you don't find blood in your stools for nothing. Oh, and I almost forgot. Mam has a dermatologist appointment (in the same hospital) at half 11 in the morning. Yeah. She's not going to make that.

So hopefully you can understand the delay in the VK review. Normal service will resume asap.

Good knitting!