U.K. Duty Visit - Day 5

This was not the sort of day one wishes to have very often, if ever again! If people think that Indiana’s weather is changeable, just imagine it at 10 times speed! It has snowed some six times, been gray at least as many and been bright and sunny six times, & that is only the morning and afternoon! It has also been fiercely windy all day.

All of us had a poor night, especially me, as I suspect I am in the throes of coming down with Nick’s cold. Nevertheless we were out of the flat before 9:30AM and over to the nursing home where they had prepared Mum-Mum for the day excellently. Mum-Mum had her last food and drink before 7:30.

At 10:00 AM the “handicapped accessible” taxi came & Mum-Mum was loaded in her wheelchair. John rode with her and P & N followed in the car. All went smoothly, but incredibly slowly. After a while she was admitted to her first, or preparatory room, where we killed time while little happened but periodic paperwork & the basic checks. Eventually, Nick & John went out for a walk to get some lunch, getting Pam a sandwich on the way back.

The doctor, an absolute delight of a man, came & saw her & spoke to Pam & I afterwards outside the room. Incredibly, when asked what she was there for, Mum-Mum said “Is it my arm?” Suitably prompted she eventually remembered it was to make the agony in her leg (hip) go away. As the final stages of her preparation were underway they became concerned about the state of her legs, as any sort of “open wound” is a show-stopper. They eventually took her up to the surgeon for final review while we three chewed out fingernails wondering if the already long day was all for nothing. At last we got word that they would proceed; so with nothing else we could contribute we returned to the flat & tried to relax a bit, while watching sunshine change to snow.

At 6:00 PM Pam called the hospital and eventually found someone who knew and could tell us that it had been successful. Mum-Mum will spend about the next 24 hours in an approximation of intensive care before being moved to a regular room for a few more days.

Since the friend she had expected to meet this evening lived out in the country (with no road attention at all) the last snow squall caused a cancellation, so after a while Nick & John drove down to the front to the Fish ‘N Chip shop to get our dinner (even a few mushy peas for John) which we all enjoyed very much. With no plans or expectations for the evening this day’s report will be concluded.