18 June 2025. I had moved from Blackpool's hospital to what was described to me as a "respite home". I found such a place on the map and happily told everyone where to find me. But... OMG! I have just found out that I'm in Clifton Hospital, not the Respite or Care Home. I had to hurriedly give the correct address, further on towards Lytham when travelling from Blackpool. I only found out when Miss Franny and a friend couldn't find me, having asked at the Care Home.
19 June 2025. Ok, so all confusion done with now hopefully. Clifton Hospital Ward 2 Bay D, bed on the right next to the window. We get an afternoon drink here and one of the options is strawberry milk shake! How cool is that? However, I'm on a liquid intake restriction so I set my mind firmly but it failed to inform my mouth... oh, that milkshake was good...
Well now I've had chance to suss out the place in daylight now and the ward has 6 beds. I'm by the window with a bank of earth and trees forming my horizon before the sky but probably only 30 feet away. Between that and the hospital is a flat lawn. At 4.00am a few nurses came to peer through the vertical blinds as a family of foxes comes out to play some nights.
I can't see much of the lawn, I would have to be standing at the window and parting the blinds to see, but it makes a nice mind picture. I've spoken about my surprise at the progress my legs have made over the last few days. Yesterday I stood up on the sack truck thing and sat in my chair for 5 hours with my legs down - not flat on a recliner. Very little pain and just a little bleeding. Once again more a pleasant shock than surprise. I'm on my way back folks!
20 June 2025. Very busy 2 days. Yesterday I was halfway through drawing the scene through my window when I was told I was moving to allow a very confused new patient have my space, where the view would calm him down. So intense concentration and drawing the bottom half of this which is a wild grassy bank and a smooth well kept lawn. The foxes' den is somewhere between the two trees on the right.
So I am now in Ward 2 still but Bay A - a bay with just 4 beds. One occupant just never stops talking. If he's not talking to someone else he mumbles to himself keeping up a non-stop flow, of a commentary repeating over and over.
Anyway I have discovered the delights of the communal Day Room, otherwise known as the Garden Room as it has a large expanse of windows like a conservatory that opens onto a beautiful garden with trees shading areas with tables and chairs. All the windows have decals of birds, flowers and animals.
One table has a label "Breakfast Club". Patients able to get out of bed can go and meet for breakfast. I got into my chair with some help and was pushed to a spare place at the table. We'll... there were several places free really as the only other person there was a little old lady. What a joy she was! Bright as a button all her marbles working. She was 89 and we got on famously, swapping memories of the 1950s and 60s and all sorts of things. We made a date to meet tomorrow.
The legs continue to improve. I stood up today at a Zimmer frame, something I've not used before, and (FANFARE) I walked 6 steps, paused for a rest then walked 6 more. That totally exhausted me. The Physio nurses who had hold of me all the time in case I fell, brought my chair up behind me and got me sat down and pushed the chair back into place. Cue an hour's sleep... Wakes a very chuffed man. First time walking for 5 weeks. It will get better and better.
23 June 2025. Start of week seven in hospital. Yesterday T from the bed diagonally opposite and I spent the best part of the day in the day room, relieved to be away from the relentless non-stop flow of talk from the chap opposite me.
We had a full table for breakfast as we were joined by a chap from one of the other bays and two ladies, including my cheery friend from the other day. She stood me up yesterday haha.
T and I spent most of the day in there. At times the room got very full as they were holding a craft session to keep patients occupied whilst their ward was being deep cleaned. This takes most of the day as all areas get disinfected, bedside cabinets, emptied and cleaned etc. One ward gets done every week
I'm here again now at 7.00am already. Washed, changed and enjoying the prospect of breakfast. The sun is shining but it's very windy. Sadly I have an hour to wait for brekky but I use the time to give Miss Franny a ring.
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