Tue 24th

A phone call from the occupational therapist before I left for the hospital this morning told me that there were not enough staff for the home visit today. This was a bit disappointing. It has been re-arranged for tomorrow morning, 11am, but I am not getting my hopes up too much as it is in the way of these things for the times to change. If you were planning to visit tomorrow Wednesday, 25th I would advise against it and have already contacted Doreen & Martyna who were scheduled for visits.

As a consequence we have had a very quiet day. Andrew has spent a lot of time asking questions about how he comes to be where he is, and he is starting to make some sense of things (as much as you can in a stroke ward, which gets a little surreal at times), and to remember them for a little longer. Peter Flint visited tonight and we went to the dayroom with the guitar and the music books and sang a few songs.

As he is calmer now and has been looking longingly at the TV of the patient opposite, I have purchased a viewing card and we have done some watching of daytime TV, which is more challenging when you can't remember some of the cultural references.

The chosen programme was Alan Titchmarch's chat show. First of all I had to explain who AT was. Then I had to explain why Ken Livingstone was on it and who the current mayor of London is ( he retained the information that it was Boris Johnson well into the evening). Then I had in fill him in on why they were having the discussion about "alternative oscars " and the phenomenon of the film Mamma Mia. We also watched the news and Andrew appeared to know what the credit crunch was ( well he said he did). Tonight I have left him watching the Arsenal v Roma football match.

The TV is also a combined computer ( not yet ready for this I think) and telephone. This means it is possible to ring him at his bedside. I may try this tomorrow morning before I go in as he starts to worry and start asking staff when I am coming in. Also his voice is just about loud enough now to be heard. Will let you know if it has been a success.