Nov diary

30^th Nov Wednesday

Cool at times, reading still life, still shaky from yesterday,M minded kids in morning anqd a bit after school, plumber has found a leak in gallery sink line, Reading Private Rogue, M did chicken kiev for tea, watched adam hills and bones, I fell asleep so went to bed early

29^th Nov Tuesday

Coolish, M off to take mae to tumble gym, Plumber coming to swap over pump,reading still life by louise Penny,  belinda coldabella coming.talked to her for an hour,few naps, walked around sculpture garden,had a low blood pressure event, felt like I was exploding, then another wave of disorientation then waves of nausea anqd lightheadedness, M took me to WGH hospital and they gave me fluids anqd monitored me until 1.00 when we could go home

28^th Nov Monday

Cool, visited the boys and asked them to modify chook pen lid so I can operate it without heavy lifting, water in gallery is out again have called plumber , peter worked on 2 cats chair and tony did chook pen,finished nabbing Ned Kelly book, 2 ladies came and bought 2 of belindas flowers, I walked down to gallery 3 times , had medical appt to get some of staples out, M went and got mae from kinder,and then did some shopping,Finished book on aboriginal archeology, downloaded 4 louise penny books, Gillian Fox came to visit anqd wish me well, M did lasagne for tea, watched hard quiz a bit of Wednesday, early night, rained overnight

27^th Nov Sunday

Cooler but still 20 ish, M off to help with kids dance rehearsal, and concert .I stay home to read nabbing ned Kelly, have a nap, talk to robyn rhinehart, talk to wayne and dalene pollard,watch rogue 1, walked to gallery 3 times, Caleb dropped ralph off for company Caleb brought Chinese for tea, started to watch Wednesday, but both fell asleep, very early night

26^th Nov Saturday

2^nd day at home,warmer with a shower of rain at end of day, quieter, went down the gallery twice, once to sell to  lady who had ordered fish and once to see gates and sculpture off. Sue dropped in in after noon and helped with loading of gates, M had a good sleep during day, talked to sue and cooked lasagne for tea, Em rang and had a nice talk, watched all creatures, adam hills and the peripheral

25^th Nov fri.

1^st real day at home, slept well, up for a few wees etc. made breakfast and realized that I haven’t used muscles to reach down things for ages, was a challenge making breaky and taking it in to M who was sound asleep. Made the coffee and went to chair in front of window enjoying natural light , reading book on how they captured the Kellys,watched the end of Red dwarf movie. did small tasks all day, slept again in chair then rang some people from emails and worked my way through the unanswered messages on the answer phone.Went and brought in paper from letter box, a biggish walk today,

April Goodman called in with flowers, choccies and a boston bun and I caught her up to what had been happening. Mae and M arrived home after Maes dance and they settled into opening opshop toys etc..Had pies for lunch again,Yay.

Talked to Michael Sklovsky and john from Scotland arrived after being back for a day. Caught him up while mae did sandcastles and waterplay,M went to take kids home and mind til David took over,I did the crossword and puzzle and then went off for another sleep. Opened my bowels for the first time in a few days, might be right again in this department.sat in sun for about ½ hr.

Rang Kerrie and she has covid. She and Marian have been so supportive of my part in the exhibition.. Belinda rang and I talked to her about my gradual progress day by day.

I” liked” all the positive comments on facebook. And M brought in the card table and my computer to start catching up on my diary.

Thai on toast for tea, watched icehouse 1988 concert on days like these.

24^th Nov thurs.

This is the day they said I could go home. I didn’t sleep very well , lots of wees and I  started watching  red dwarf movie, listened to indigo girls album, dr Jaqueline came through about 6.00 and checked the bag of runoff from the wound .Eventually nurses narissa and …. Took out drain tube, more blood pressure, more bloods, packing up all my stuff, sitting around with a few small walks. Norman had calmed down and was not as obsteporous to the nurses as he was last night, I eventually was moved to a small lounge and Marian came and got me while sue drove around the block.drove home via Drouin pie shop, pie and hedgehog at home for lunch with sue.So glad to be home with colours, fresh air changes in temperature etc and of course gracie. The cat didn’t recognise me and ran away.I had a shower and put on clothes unsmelling of hospital. Big tarantula had been living in my sleeve and when I took it off to get him out he dived into the chooks and was never seen again. Sue left and I went and had a nap, deep asleep when someone rang.I rang grant and talked to him, Joan price called in and I sat at table talking to her but getting closer to table the whole time.M went and got thai for tea which was just fine.

Sat and watched tv, bones first, the andor episode then abbott elementary we are all so tired that we went to bed early and slept well.

Wednesday 23 Nov

Sitting at Casey hospital,moved bowels a tiny bit, able to do small walks, sitting up reading,

4^th week of Nov

3rdweek of Nov

Presented back at monash and they didn’t have a bed for me so |I| had to sit up in emergency waiting room. Penny and Rachel dropped in and caleb also. Kathleen phoned them and  I eventually got a short stay bed and then moved to a ward the next day. This time it was ward 54and as I still had the cough and they diagnosed it as a virus I was isolated in a room of my own. Over the week I had another MRI and finally Thursday arrived and they packed me up to go to the operating theatres. I don’t remember much from there but woke up in Intensive care the next day and spent a day or so in ICU before being transferred back to ward 33 bed 23.No pain, slight discomfort and lots of lines in and out with painkiller, etc and drain tubes

2nd week of Nov

Presented back to monash on Monday morning and Jaqueline found me a bed ward 34, bed 23, so back to more scans bloods and small walks, reading papers and doing puzzle. Very wearying as surrounded by grey partition walls and I felt basically fine as no pain or symptoms apart from finding it difficult to walk longish distances.Did MRI scan, very noisy and disconcerting but ok. Again at end of week asked to go home again and was allowed and operation was set for next Thursday.Tim came and picked me up and dropped me at home. Weekend was open studios and Alice grant helped as well as Sue Osborn and of course Marian. All nice weather and about 30 people both days

Ist week of Nov

In Monash medical centre ward 33 bed 1, surgeon a lovely man and very positive Munard Khan and liaison Jaqueline saliero, both doing their best to put team together. Tuesday was a cup day holiday so nothing Lots of sitting around, small walks down to get the paper and sit in open air aboriginal garden,more scans more bloods, all done over week

At end of week I asked to go home for the weekend. They were dubious as I might not get my bed back but eventually allowed it. Marian came and got me and I was home Cathys opening was on Sunday and we all helped with that and I had lots of people drop in to see me and wish me well.