I had a much better night's sleep last night for the following reason. As Meg has now been supplied with an 'Airflow' mattress which is specifically designed to reduce the incidence of pressure sores, the old mattress was requisitioned. with the tacit approval of the District nurses. to put on my own camp bed which sits alongside Meg's hospital bed. My own back is in a fairly parlous state dating from the days when I was pulling Meg off the floor up to four times a day but is just about recovering its equilibrium. So I explained this to the nurses who were not unhappy that I try and protect my own back by having a slightly better mattress. I had already bought an electric over blanket for Meg to help her through the coldest days of the winter when we were experiencing temperatures of -6° Celsius and I have requisitioned this as well as I felt that my need is greater than Meg's if I have to get up in the middle of the night (which is every night, these days) So a combination of a much better mattress plus an electric blanket is adding to my comfort level considerably. I had kept falling out of the bed as I put the 'new' mattress on top of the previous one which was not a very stable combination. Now with the help of one of the young male carers who often ask if I need any assistance with anything, we totally made up my bed from scratch the evening before so now I am much more comfortable as well as being warm.
In the US, Donald Trump through his Presidential Decrees is trying to implement his pledge to dramatically roll back immigration through the use of what is now as the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) regulations. The effect is that many migrants who used to sleep outdoors are now doing what they can to sleep indoors so that they do not come to the attention of the enforcement officers. Cities like Chicago ( a staunchly Democrat city) are publishing posters informing migrants what they should do if they should come to the attention of the authorities. As well as being told to stay indoors, they are being advised to say nothing and to sign no documents. Whether these strategies will help to prevent their enforced removal remains to be seen but certainly the streets of Chicago which had a fair share of migrants on its streets are now practically empty.
Yesterday was quite a busy morning for us. We had no particular commitments in the early morning so decided to transport Meg down the hill in order to pick up the copy of our daily newspaper and had only just got back in time when two workers - both Polish ladies - came to do their midday checks on Meg. At the instigation of the care agency manager, we are now examining and treating Meg for any possible pressure sores that may be developing as a result of several hours of immobility in her chair and were nearly at the end of this process when the SALT (Speech and Language Therapist) arrived to do an assessment on Meg. He particularly wanted to observe me getting some food and drink inside Meg so I prepared a warm fruit juice for her to drink and then a coup of thick soup to see how more solid food is handled. In general, the specialist agreed with my own observations and I showed him how I could get Meg to partake of some soup but fluids were a more difficult matter. All I really leant was that I was already doing the right thing and just needed to persist along the same road but be prepared for it to take some time to get food and drink inside Meg. The specialist made a succession of notes and I asked him if he could take his hand-written notes and send them onto me in an email. From here, I can circulate the suggestions to the care agency manager and he can then ensure that some of the most important bits are incorporated into the care plan for Meg and also communicated to all of the staff. It might be that in the middle of the day when the tasks are not quite so pressing, some of the care staff can take some of their allocated time getting fluid into Meg. I discovered in our cutlery drawer a deep type of teaspoon which I think is better known as a jam spoon and whilst the worker was with us and taking notes, I used this spoon to ladle at least half a mug full of juice into Meg.
Just after lunch, our hairdresser called around but Meg was fast asleep so there only me to be processed. Our hairdresser has experience of dementia in her own family and so is very understanding about these issues. She and I have agreed a regime to see if, in future, the hairdresser can come around midday itself and get Meg's hair done without colliding too much with the carers' lunchtime slot. We then agreed a time slot for the next visit so that the hairdresser can cut Meg's chair whilst she is in her wheelchair and can be wheeled onto the kitchen floor (where I have my hair cut as well so mch easier to sweep up the clippings afterwards) In the late afternoon, although Meg was sleeping, we witnessed some of the Senate committee hearings into the confirmation of J F Kennedy as Trump's pick as Health Secretary. The meetings were at times tetchy and at other times fiery. One Democratic senator says committee staff have examined thousands of books, podcasts and statements in a review of Kennedy. 'The receipts show RFK Jr has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks, charlatans - especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines... He has made it his lifes work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids lifesaving vaccines.' The Democratic senators will vote 'en bloc' to oppose the appointment, but how many of the Trump supporting senators will break ranks and vote with the Democrats although Kennedy, from his past speeches and writing, must be one of the most unsuitable presidential nominees for many a long year.
© Mike Hart [2025]