Tuesday 24th January

I've had so little time to write so I've got a lot of catching up to do, being a carer for my parents I haven't had a lot of time to record what is going on in the world.  I must try and make the effort and try to blog everyday, I can't do it up my parents as they don't have the internet; they don't even have a landlime.

I've just returned from a tea party for carers which was held at Harmham parish hall, I had lunch in Marks and Spencers cafe.

I was worried about my birthday but it was ok.  I went to SP2 where they kindly gave me a cake and sang me happy birthday, I was really embarrassed.  I went to the Guild Hall as I had tickets for a event called The Voice which was happening there, it was light opera and they also sang me and another lady happy birthday; I wanted the ground to swallow me up!

The singers were fantastic and I loved the ladies dresses, they did some musicals from Westside Story and my fair lady.

I caught a nasty virus from another woman when I went to Create for Christmas at St Paul's church.  She knew she was ill, but still turned up!  Do people not care if they infect others?  I lost my voice and appitite and I had to do park run in Churchill Gardens which was bitterly cold, they haven't been able to do it for the past 2 Saturdays as it's flooded due to the hard rain and wind we had.

My diary always starts to fill up fast around December.  I had a hypo at the WI party due to the nasty cold I had, I wanted to go but I really did not feel like eating a thing.  I won the yearly cup for my photos. I was quite chuffed, the caugh just hung on for weeks afterwards.  This year we had the Photography Club dinner at the Red Lion hotel which was good, I haven't produced enough work to enter any competitions yet.  I had three framed photos on display at Salisbury libuary in gallary four, none of them sold.

In the news the Post Office workers went on strike, a group of them stood outside the entrance to the sorting office with banners and signs.  A huge backlog began to build up so many people never received presents or bills in time for Christmas, I didn't get Karls card until after Christmas and we were warned to post early.

The railway workers also went on strike and now the NHS nurses are now on strike.  I support the NHS and think they should be paid more, thirteen years we've had of this cursed Conservative government and everyone has had anough!

Russia and Ukcrain are still slanging it out as usuel.

Dad ended up in hospital again, for weeks after Christmas he had a horrible cough.  Mum gets upset when he falls asleep in the chair.  I suspected something was up when dad went to the bathroom and I heard a bang upstairs, i went up stairs hoping it was the neighbours rattling about.  Found dad on the bathroom floor with his trousers round his ankles, so we rang for an ambulance.  I was told it would be 2 hours before they arrived!  I placed a pillow under his head and put a blanket over him, there are lots of horror stories in the media about people waiting hours for an ambulance.  There was a guy in Downton who died whilst waiting for an ambulance, he had chest pains and it was diverted to another call!

I went next door to try and get help. Their lights were on  and a window was open but they wouldn't open the door; yet they banged on about if we needed help etc etc.  What a load of bull, lets hope they don't need ours.

Luckily an ambulance turned up within an hour, they couldn't find the right road.  They came along the garages and had to push past all the rubbish that next door had dumped.  One of the items is a pushchair and baby clothes which could have gone to a charity shop!

They stood dad up which mum couldn't do as he's too heavy, they wheeled him off after mum got his bag ready.  I was told to ring at 9pm which I did, this is the third time he has gone into hospital now.

I got told that they had found a dark mass on his chest, the Dr said it could be lung cancer but they wouldn't be sure until they had done an Xray, Dr said he was very sick.  i didn't tell mum but I also didn't sleep well that night; I don't think he was seen until the morning.

He ended up in one ward then they moved him to the Tisbury ward, which dad said he didn't like very much.  We visited him as soon as we knew where he was, Bay 4 in the Tisbury ward.  They got TVs in the ward but they are only free between 8.30-12.  A lady comes round making teas, one day they had two midwives covering the tearound, also patients get a menu where they tick off the food they want.  The meals are not very big, dad hates spicy food I'm not that keen on it either.

One evening mum fell off the bus along Rawlence Road, we were going to the mobility shop the next day.  Mum bruised here knees and used some of my Fenbid, which they are discontinuing; so I will start using 100% Ibruphen.  I wasn't happy about her using Nurophen Express as I was worried it would make her ill, she seems ok. I've changed from Superdrug pharmacy to boots pharmacy as the Superdrug staff were rude to me when I got confused over a prescription.

Got problems renewing my bus pass, the form was sent back as it was 'right'.  I need my bus pass because without it I could get to see my parents and go anywhere, I'm hoping Fiona my support worker can help me sort it out.

I've taken a liking to a cafe in the market square called Coffee1.  It has a loyalty card scheme and they do lovely drinks, cakes and other things; plus they have WiFi.