Lupins

We have a friend over for lunch, but generally it’s a quiet day. 

In terms of photography, it’s a case of taking some ICMs of the garden - the one I’ve chosen being lupins splashed with Lucifer. And I’m finishing off the stuff for the camera club feature - thanks for all your lovely comments on my travel portraits; it’s nice to share some of my pre-Blip archive. 

Early evening there’s a jarring change of mood when we have a call from Mair’s care home saying she’s unwell and that they’ve called an ambulance. She’s complaining about chest pains and is very confused. 

G goes down - I’m told to stay at home - and she seems to calm down and become more lucid. The ambulance arrives - surprisingly quick considering we’ve been told it would be a three hour wait - and while they can find no evidence of a heart attack, they strongly advise taking her to A&E for blood tests. She doesn’t want to go, but it’s hard to argue against this advice, so off she goes, G following by car with her wheel chair so he can bring her back - presuming she isn’t admitted. 

I offer to go with him, but I’m so glad I stay at home. She’s seen quickly, but they’re told that the results of blood tests will take two hours. And so they sit there waiting ……and waiting…… 

It’s about 1.00am when there’s a result - but Troponin levels are high and they want to do another test. The nightmare scenario I witnessed last year of elderly patients left sitting through the night is now happening to G’s mum. 

Eventually, the result of the second test comes through, showing the level has gone down,  but with no indication of when she’ll be able to see a doctor - there are only two on duty apparently - he discharges her himself, returning her to her care home at 5.00am for her to hopefully see a GP later that day. 

The impact of all this on a frail elderly lady remains to be seen - but it’s unlikely to have been positive.