Saturday 7th March
Over a week has now passed since Andrew has been home. We have had lots of visitors, cards, messages and flowers. Thank you very much to everyone.

The first week has been quite busy because there is a lot to sort out particularly
- normal life stuff that has backlogged while Andrew was in hospital
- adjusting to our new not-much-income status, at least for a few months. I have spent an hour queuing in the Citizens Advice Bureau and attempted to get info on various benefits in other ways.

I was able to do the latter because my sister in law came for a couple of days, and I was even able to go and see Slumdog Millionaire while she looked after Andrew last week.

I have been trying to judge how much of what type of activity is right for Andrew. Sleep tends to have the effect of shutting down the brain computer without saving the file first. He is most confused shortly after waking, or at night. One night I was so worried at 4.30am when he was awake and rambling badly that I was on the verge of picking up the phone to the GP out of hours ; then he suddenly said "everything's really clear now", and fell asleep normally. This particular night had followed quite a long and active day, so I am now encouraging a late afternoon nap around 3-5pm His most lucid hours are around 10am-1pm, and also early evening if he has slept in the afternoon.

He frequently complains of being confused, not being able to think straight, not knowing if he is awake or dreaming, and sometimes gets a bit scared by this. All memory of hospital has disappeared (good). Sometimes he doesn't want to take his pills unless I take them too (!).

Exercise/outdoor activity does seem to help. Today he even did some digging on the allotment. Word has got round at the allotment and everyone has been very nice and come up to see us.

He does get worried/scared by what has happened to him, and I think some diversionary activity might be what is needed in the next week. Music is quite good for this.

The last activity that Andrew undertook before he was ill was a rehearsal. By coincidence this was recorded on camera and he has watched the DVD of it in astonishment; he has no recollection of it whatsoever.

He is able to switch on the computer and read and reply to emails with quite minimal prompting, and some people have already had emails from him. Composing new emails is more difficult than replying.

So, I would like things to be a bit more relaxed in the coming week. Perhaps one social thing per day, max 2 hrs. Plenty of music around the house. Plenty of sleep, some exercise,and ordinary normal household things. Less on why he was ill ( which is too upsetting), more on having fun.

Love
Gill

PS I now have a least a dozen very nice calendars!