Latest update and Podcast Number 7

Dear All

The Australian contingent have arrived, safe and sound. Dad's sister and son (my Aunt and Cousin) got in to Heathrow on Thursday morning.

Friday was spent with Aunt at Mum and Dad's place whilst Cousin and I chilled out at home. I wasn't too well on Thursday or Friday (even though I was up at 04:00 on Thursday for the pickup) and went to the doctor's for medication for a painful throat/gland infection.

The weekend passed in a whirlwind of rellies from Norfolk coming down.

On Saturday, Aunt's UK based daughter came down with her three youngest children and her other half to meet "Nan" - who she had never met... My Sister came over with hers which meant we had 15 in the house for the day.

On Sunday we had the two oldest children over with their children - this time a total of 16 were "in da house"!

It was a very nice series of meetings with bridges being built, ancient misunderstandings being resolved new people being introduced to members of the family who had never met them.

Sunday evening though was a somewhat more somber affair. My Sister rang and said that Mum was having a terrible time of it at the moment.

Dad had had a fall in the toilet earlier in the weekend which left him on the floor with his leg caught under him. Unfortunately he fell in such a way that Mum couldn't open the toilet door and she had to call 999 to get help. The paramedics had to take the door off its hinges to get in. His leg is hurting somewhat and it has left him using the commode in the bedroom. Any self confidence he had seems to be evaporating away with some speed.

Dad is not eating properly and refusing his medication. He is also pretty well bed-ridden which means he is not able to get to the commode, let alone the loo, in time - the washing machine was on pretty well all day on Sunday. Dad is very weak, in some pain and totally dependent on Mum.

We spoke and I said that she ought to dial 999 and get Dad back in to hospital ASAP. Mum refused to do that and said she had a direct dial number to the Macmillan Cancer ward which would speed things up when she rang on Monday. I went to see her and while I was there Dad cried out for her again...

Today I got an SMS from my Sister:

"Mum waiting 4 doc to visit. As hosp have said she got to go through doc to get him readmitted again. Mum hadn't thought of that. 999 Would have been quicker. I'm home doing washing as Mum's washing machine is playing up. Not going day job. "Aunt" and "Cousin" there until doc comes."

I really hope Dad does get readmitted. He has gone down pretty quickly since he was discharged after Chemo #1. If he doesn't then I think he will finish the giving process he seems to have started.

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Janet and I did a podcast last weekend but we haven't been able to finish it what with one thing and another. I think we'll be on hiatus for a while.

To all my friends and readers at Podcast User Magazine and also at Britcaster please bear with me - I'm not in the right frame of mind to write anything for the magazine just at the moment. I aim to have articles for the May edition...

Thanks for all the kind words of support - it really does help.

Paul