Mr M is out of hospital (doing well)

[merry]

Poor old Mr Merry had a stroke yesterday morning.

Good old NHS pulled out all the stops and he was in hospital having an array of tests only an hour later. No waiting around and he was found a bed almost immediately. I stayed from 10-7, the time raced by but it's exhausting in hospitals and they are so HOT and you get dehydrated fairly quickly.

We're just on the first step of what looks to be a strange journey; already we have physio, speech and language, and OT lined up and on his case.

Congrats NHS. Everyone, from our own GP who insisted we call 999 (Mr M insisted he was 'fine' and would be better if we just let him rest a bit) Hannah and Jake who did the initial assessment and bluelighted us to hospital (Mr M enjoyed the ride, pretty blonde Hannah fussing over him, and the sirens ) all the lovely nurses especially Alice the student nurse who is as lovely and competent as a Matron, all the OTs, SALTs, physios; the CTI scan personnel, the Vascular scanner lady, every single person we came into contact with was absolutely lovely. (The doctors were probably amazing, but not quite so 'lovely' if you know what I mean.)

It was a very tiring day. I'm off with Juliet to see him in an hour and we'll go back again this evening.

I'm going to post the Toughs now but otherwise may be a little busy for the foreseeable future.

Love to everyone

[dianakc]

Poor old Mr Merry had a stroke yesterday morning.

Good old NHS pulled out all the stops and he was in hospital having an array of tests only an hour later. No waiting around and he was found a bed almost immediately. I stayed from 10-7, the time raced by but it's exhausting in hospitals and they are so HOT and you get dehydrated fairly quickly.

We're just on the first step of what looks to be a strange journey; already we have physio, speech and language, and OT lined up and on his case.

Congrats NHS. Everyone, from our own GP who insisted we call 999 (Mr M insisted he was 'fine' and would be better if we just let him rest a bit) Hannah and Jake who did the initial assessment and bluelighted us to hospital (Mr M enjoyed the ride, pretty blonde Hannah fussing over him, and the sirens ) all the lovely nurses especially Alice the student nurse who is as lovely and competent as a Matron, all the OTs, SALTs, physios; the CTI scan personnel, the Vascular scanner lady, every single person we came into contact with was absolutely lovely. (The doctors were probably amazing, but not quite so 'lovely' if you know what I mean.)

It was a very tiring day. I'm off with Juliet to see him in an hour and we'll go back again this evening.

I'm going to post the Toughs now but otherwise may be a little busy for the foreseeable future.

Love to everyone

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear your news. I know I don't know Mr M but I am sending you both all my love and wishes for a very speedy recovery for him.

[OurCreature]

Merries! I can only repeat what Diana has said and wish Mr Merry and all of you all the best. I hope it turns out to be only a small stroke. Those can be recovered from with almost no damage; one of the KW residents had a small stroke last year, and now you wouldn't know she had a stroke, judging by appearances etc. So I am hoping for the best.

Meanwhile don't worry about the Toughs - I'll see to those for you. I did my answers today before seeing your post.

[eccles]

When the NHS gets it right they really are amazing aren't they, and I'm so glad they got it right for Mr Merry. Do keep us informed when you have a moment.

[Furby]

Best recovery wishes to Mr merry. I wonder if there is a medical reason for hospital heat does it make patients recover quicker. Hopefully if he was well enough to say fine and argue about going to hosptials it was a smallish stroke in stroke terms though all are nasty things.

[merry]

Thank you all, you lovely people. I told Mr M today you were all thinking of him.

Despite being the (apparently) healthiest patient in his bay (of 6: there are some really sick people in there :( he is giving them some trouble - he's quite lively and fell over getting into bed in the night, which resulted in a stern temporary ban on going to the toilet unaccompanied but I'm sure this was nothing to do with the stroke, because I keep falling over his bed myself, the sheet hangs down and hides various protruberances, wheels, brakes and so on which are easy to trip on.

When we arrived tonight he had just kicked over an entire jug of water Again I think nothing to do with his stroke but just it is really hard in there as there's not a lot of room for all the equipment and tables and so on.

He was cheerful and very compos mentis. Aced his cognitive tests because, as he said 'I used to set exams like this for would-be GCHQ recruits'

The beds are very clever and you can raise and lower all parts of it with a touch pad. The other patients are too sick to do much of this, but Mr M has a go, resulting in sometimes his feet amusingly shooting way up in the air

He is enjoying the food! Lunch: tomato soup, chicken pie, ginger pudding and custard.
Dinner, (more soup), beef or veg curry and rice, raspberry mousse.

I said he wouldn't want to come home as that was better than the menu at Merry Towers. He looked a bit shifty

Thank you, dear OC! you are my right-hand quizzes man! I know you are always willing to step in

[dianakc]

Thank you all, you lovely people. I told Mr M today you were all thinking of him.

Despite being the (apparently) healthiest patient in his bay (of 6: there are some really sick people in there :( he is giving them some trouble - he's quite lively and fell over getting into bed in the night, which resulted in a stern temporary ban on going to the toilet unaccompanied but I'm sure this was nothing to do with the stroke, because I keep falling over his bed myself, the sheet hangs down and hides various protruberances, wheels, brakes and so on which are easy to trip on.

When we arrived tonight he had just kicked over an entire jug of water Again I think nothing to do with his stroke but just it is really hard in there as there's not a lot of room for all the equipment and tables and so on.

He was cheerful and very compos mentis. Aced his cognitive tests because, as he said 'I used to set exams like this for would-be GCHQ recruits'

The beds are very clever and you can raise and lower all parts of it with a touch pad. The other patients are too sick to do much of this, but Mr M has a go, resulting in sometimes his feet amusingly shooting way up in the air

He is enjoying the food! Lunch: tomato soup, chicken pie, ginger pudding and custard.
Dinner, (more soup), beef or veg curry and rice, raspberry mousse.

I said he wouldn't want to come home as that was better than the menu at Merry Towers. He looked a bit shifty

Thank you, dear OC! you are my right-hand quizzes man! I know you are always willing to step in

What a great update
I'll bet he is a pleasure to look after xx

[eccles]

Thanks for the update Merry. It's very good of you with all that's going on to take the time to update us all at HF.
More hugs to Mr Merry and all the Merries.

[Wildrover]

So sorry to hear that Merry and I hope he's recovering well. From what you say he got great and more importantly speedy treatment so his prognosis sounds pretty good. It is utterly exhausting when someone you love goes through something like this so my heart goes out to you as well as him for the stress, fear and waiting you've had to do. Keep us updated and thinking of you xx

[merry]

Thank you so much, Wildrover and Eccles

I feel all right most of the time but I have this constant feeling of muzzy tiredness and a headache. The hospital is too warm and one gets dehydrated, I think.

Mr Merry is doing ok - really cheerful - he even managed to send me a text from his NON-smartphone this morning - which is almost unprecedented! It reminded me of that joke. "Will I be able to play the piano after the operation, Mr Carruthers?" "Of course you will! " "That's wonderful - I never could before!"

Di, yes he usually wins the hearts of nurses he's very appreciative, sweet, funny, and tries hard not to be a nuisance.

We should find out more tomorrow.

Thank you ALL for your lovely support. It really helps

[dianakc]

Thank you so much, Wildrover and Eccles

I feel all right most of the time but I have this constant feeling of muzzy tiredness and a headache. The hospital is too warm and one gets dehydrated, I think.

Mr Merry is doing ok - really cheerful - he even managed to send me a text from his NON-smartphone this morning - which is almost unprecedented! It reminded me of that joke. "Will I be able to play the piano after the operation, Mr Carruthers?" "Of course you will! " "That's wonderful - I never could before!"

Di, yes he usually wins the hearts of nurses he's very appreciative, sweet, funny, and tries hard not to be a nuisance.

We should find out more tomorrow.

Thank you ALL for your lovely support. It really helps

[babs]

So sorry to hear Mr M is in hospital but good to hear that he is being well looked after and I hope he will be out again before long. Love to you and all the family Merry, mind to take care of yourself too x

[Patience]

Merry, I hope that Mr Merry has a speedy recovery and gets back home at the right time. Please remember to look after yourself and take little bits of time to yourself to charge your batteries when you can.

[mimosa]

Wait, what?!

Oh my word, merry!!!

What a crazy weekend you had! I am glad to hear that Mr Merry is up to his shenanigans and is getting back to his usual self so to speak. I loved the way you wrote your updates. You sound like me when I was writing about my Mr M back in the date. Humour is always good.

Thinking about you and Mr. Merry!!! Please keep us in the loop.

ME

[merry]

Thank you everyone, Babs, Patience, mim!

The good news is that Naughty Mr Merry is to be let home tomorrow They hoped he could come today, but two physios turned up and he failed something called 'The Kitchen Test'. I think he would have failed that before the stroke too but there is no arguing with physios. I suppose this means that overnight they are going to teach him some kitchen skills, what do you think they will be? will he come home able to make a nice two-course dinner ?? this is going to be great!!



Now, I know it sounds mad, but yesterday while doing the Musical Cars Dance in the always-full hospital car-parks (circling endlessly in a queue of cars, everyone then diving for the one space that comes up - often before the leaver has fully made it out of the space) we noticed there were about five foolhardy people swimming in the Olympic-sized Lido next to the hospital. In the freezing cold and the rain.

That looks fun! we said, so today we had brought our swimsuits, and thought with Mr Merry being so selfishly released without notice, we would miss our swim. So when the physios asked apologetically if they could keep him for half an hour or so...

merry (much too eagerly) - "oh yes please! because we wanted to go for a...."
Juliet: cuts in smoothly "... an errand or two."

So we grabbed our suits and pelted like the clappers for the pool (my fitness app says I did 3 miles round that hospital today! it is vast) and had a lovely swim! It was warmer in the water than out. And we were back in good time to get dear Mr M into a comfier pyjama top and meet with the physios for the Failed Kitchen Test talk. I don't think they suspected a thing!

So anyway.... home tomorrow! I can't wait! Poor Mr Merry, an unemotional chap usually - he keeps getting overwhelmed with tears - he misses us so much!

[mimosa]

Aw, that is such a lovely post, merry. I hope YOU are doing all right as well. You, in your situation, is also stressful. I'm glad you can use humour. I love that Mr. Merry misses you so much...just an awesome level of sweetness.

Brrrr. for the chilly pool!!! Yikes!

I have been thinking about you a lot!

ME

[Furby]

Good luck to mr merry for passing the kitchen test today.

[eccles]

I'm wondering what the kitchen test is. I expect Merry is hoping that it is washing up, or better still, cleaning the oven.

[Wildrover]

That's such a lovely post M. When you're ill, especially in hospital, all you want to do is get back to the people you love so I get the teary bit 100%. MYF was poorly recently and needed a day at hospital and said she was counting down the hours to come home - when she got back it was a 4 hour lecture on the cost of watching TV in an NHS hospital.

[merry]

when she got back it was a 4 hour lecture on the cost of watching TV in an NHS hospital.

I wish Mr M had had the option - the poor fellas in Acute Care C had nothing to do at all - I suppose they were considered too poorly - but anyway, the option of even astronomically-priced TV was never offered!

He failed the kitchen test again so whatever it was, seems like he won't be doing it but the good news is, we were able to bring him home yesterday!!!!

He passed his own-home kitchen test as at 6.30 am I heard him up and about and raced down to find him making his usual breakfast, toast and marmalade and weetabix! I was astonished. It's amazing how much more in touch with reality he is now he's back at home among his own things!

I am not an early riser by choice, well, I wake early but have a nice leisurely start with coffee in bed, so this 6:30 am business was not a lot of fun but it is just so lovely to have him home and looking as if he will make a good recovery - cross everything!

Cognitively he seems more or less normal thank goodness, and has been snapping out answers to Eggheads and The Chase faster than the contestants

Thank you to all of you who have wished us well, you can imagine how much that meant to me in the depths of despair and a bit lonely once Juliet went home - you are such good friends - THANK YOU