5th October 2011

Hiya,
At last Steven has been given permission to leave his hospital room, and be an out-patient. He will live at our rented house, and visit the hospital every day for his physiotherapy. We think that his demeanour will improve once he is out of the noise and routine of a hospital, and of course he will eat better food. However this news also comes with a few surprises. No date has been given for his hip operation, however if we pay privately, it would be done, and more quickly, but at the moment the cost is unknown. We now have to decide whether to pay or to wait. Whether private or the Health Service, we don’t know where the operation will take place. If we stay here, the operation could be nearer home! If we return home, the operation could be here! We are desperately short of useful information. We have also been told, that as an out-patient we are responsible for his medication, and the only way we can get that, is to visit his own doctor at home, who writes a prescription, and we go to the local chemist. However that means a four hour round trip, plus associated problems, to see his doctor. I have arranged for a doctor here to write a prescription until we see Steven’s doctor. We have started to clear his room. There was 10months accumulation of letters, cards, gifts, DVD’s, CD’s, books, games, clothes, all manner of cables for/and electronic gadgets, comfort foods/drinks, toiletries, and general rubbish which should come useful one day!. This then made the rented house resemble the local tip, and it all had to be sorted out again. We have had to weigh up the pros and cons of the move, and we’re still not sure whether we’re doing the right thing. So there could be another change of plan by the time you read this.
Best regards
Terry