Update

Helen's lunch with Margaret went off OK but that is when her problems started.  Margaret wanted to go out so Helen had the carers put her in the wheelchair and started out taking her on a walk around the block.  This wasn't good enough for Margaret she wanted to go shopping.  Helen said that she couldn't push Margaret to the shops and, if she could, she couldn't manage her if she needed to go to the toilet.  Margaret got very upset and either during the walk or back at the home grabbed poor Helen's arms and she still has the bruises.  Margaret also demanded money which Helen said was my responsibility. 

In the end Helen contacted me on her mobile phone and got me to talk to Margaret to calm her down.  It took some time and I didn't really succeed.  I said that I would be in on Sunday and walk her into Tewantin and I would also bring some money so she could go shopping.  I would not take Louis as our Council bans dogs from most shops and all eating areas even outdoors.

When Helen came home we agreed that between the two of us and using a lifting belt we could probably manage Margaret on a shopping trip together.  We had the option of using the Access Cab service which carried wheelchair bound passengers or using the local bus service which has wheelchair ramps and special areas where  passengers sitting in their wheelchair can stand.  We thought that the bus would be OK as it has a regular service and is cheap.  If we got stuck we could phone and Access Cab but there could be quite a wait as theycarry normal passengers between wheelchair pickups.

On Sunday morning we arrived at 9.30 am as our local shopping centre, Noosa Civic, opens from 10.00 am.  The bus left about 10.25 am which gave us plenty of time time get Margaret ready, toileted and in her chair.  Margaret was sitting in the dining room finishing a cup of tea and seamed surprised to see me.  She didn't  want to go to the shops as she wasn't feeling well enough.  I left her with Helen and went home to pick up Louis for a visit.  There were four other dogs visiting.  We took Margaret for a brief walk out side and she started off again about going to the shops!!  She also got stuck into me for hiding all her money.  I explained the she brought a lot of money, over $200.00, into the Nursing Centre and it had been put into the office safe and she could get it out on Monday if she wanted. When I asked her what she wanted to buy she said personal items which the Centre supplies anyway.  We will give her a purse with a few dollars in it so she feels that she has some money for emergencies.  We left her in the dining room after a couple of hours as lunch was being served.

Margaret's condition was still pretty rotten.  Her legs were very swollen and fluid was seeping out and running down to her feet and her lambskin slippers were saturated.   She is back on regular injections to prevent blood clots forming in the legs and causing strokes etc.  The fluid is also putting stress on her heart.  Fortunately her breathing is much better so her lungs are reasonably clear.  Previously she would be put on Frusimide but, as these literally stop her kidneys working, they can't be used any more.  She has to spend most of her time in her chair with her feet up.  She can't read and doesn't want to watch TV so she is incredibly lonely and unhappy.  She normally gets on OK with her carers most of whom are really loving to her but there are one or two officious ones who upset her.

On Monday Helen had to go to the Doctor's for some prescription updates so I went in on my own at 12.30 pm just after lunch.  Margaret had been in the dining room but had asked to be wheeled back to her room where she was still sitting in her wheelchair.  She wanted to get out but the carers were busy finishing off lunch in the dining room and were wheeling others back to their rooms.  Finally we managed to get one who said that she could manage Margaret on her own.   I pointed to the written instruction for Margaret's care which stated that she require two people for and transfers.  This was an officious carer but she did get help and they got Margaret to the toilet and back into her chair.  Margaret's GP, A, was scheduled to call in between 1.00 and 2.00pm but was delayed at his surgery and phoned to say that he would be in later.  Helen had arrived at 1.00 pm and I took her home just after 2.00 pm.

During the visit Margaret was really grumpy and as usual Helen bore the brunt of it as she is still seen by Margaret as a rebellious teenager fast approaching 48 while I am a busy engineer with other things to do.  Margaret's legs looked worse to me and she has had to give wearing slippers as they just fill up with fluid.  All she can really do is rest in her chair with her feet up and resting on towels to soak up the fluid.  We haven't heard what her GP thinks and I will phone him later in the week before he goes away for a few days holiday.