Good Morning

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I am here again. At the moment things are more settled on my side. I had two weeks of stress and I now have to settle down. Mr. Swiss came home from the hospital and I became a full time carer. I will not go to details. He is my husband, so I did all I could for him. I had support from our Swiss assistance group and they were wonderful. They would come in the morning to get him on his feet but naturally were not here all the time. Caring for sick person is not so easy and then the problems began. He fell three times and I could not get him back on his feet. I had the ambulance each time to help and the third time they took him back to hospital. He had terrific pain in his leg. He had broken his hip bone and they discovered there is still a remainder of the pneumonia. First of all they will have to clear up the pneumonia problem and then afterwards they will operate the leg. This is not an easy time for all of us and my husband is 82 years old. He realises what is happening. His problems are physical and not mental. After the treatment and operation he will go to a holiday home for about a month to recover. I can no longer do this at home. I had a week of nights where I could no longer sleep through the night looking after his needs, changing bed linen etc. etc. He could no longer stand on his feet and I have my MS problems with mobility. So enough of my problems. I now need to rest and try to lead a normal life again. I also have my autistic son at home to care for, although he was a great help. My other son, who lives in another part of Switzerland, also helps where he can. We naturally now have the extra problems in Switzerland with Covid and my son no longer works in his office near where I live, but now only does his work in his home office. He will be coming next Monday to visit Mr. Swiss and see what he can do.

I have naturally not been so busy with the camera but now and again take a photo of local sights. The neighbour has again mounted his Christmas lights in his garden and they make a wonderful show.

Our other Christmas decoration is this crane which was assembled last week for the building site of a new block of flats. I watched how they pieced it together and now it stands in our back yard probably for a year until the building is completed. I have absolutely been nowhere since Mr. Swiss came home. I could not leave him alone. I had all my groceries delivered, although I must venture out again.

There were so many problems to solve. We always split our responsilibities and discussed them but now I had to deal with it all, especially the financial matters, but practice makes perfect. I could not ask him so much. I have even had to relearn blogging as it is almost two weeks since I touched the computer. I must get to grips with my life again. My private life was non existent and I need my little hobbies. Thank goodness my orchids manage without my constant help, they just grow and flower.

And now I have bored you long enough with my personal problems. Today my No. 1 son will visit Mr. Swiss in the hospital and bring him a few things he will need.

Keep safe and well and have a good week-end.

40 thoughts on “Good Morning”

  2. Oh Pat, I’m so sorry things are so difficult for you at the moment, we have a similar situation in our family with my mum and dad… 85-year-old dad is still in hospital after a bad fall but will now not be going home afterwards, as with the added problem of dementia he needs a much greater level of nursing care than my 79-year-old mum is able to give him any more… It’s a horrible situation to be in but one I’m sure many families have to face. Take care, sending hugs x

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    • I can understand your problems. It can be so trying. It is these falls that are so troublesome in age. Dementia is not yet our problem and Mr. Swiss has still his definite ideas, although soimetimes his ideas are not so much mine. I was completely overstrained by the complete situation. I am not sure what the future will hold, but the first steps are to get him mobile again. The situation that we all know will one day come is here, but you can never prepare yourself completely.

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    • I am glad that I can now have a trouble free sleep and relax. I was tensed up all the time and such care can be a 24 hour job. When your physical actions take a pause, the metal part is constantly working.

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  4. Oh Pat, you’ve all been going through such a tough time. Take good care of yourself whilst they care for Mr Swiss in hospital x

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  5. Hello, from Australia, I truly know what you are living through.I have been Jessica’s Carer for 22 years through all kinds of things. She is going for surgery on Thursday and once again I have the worry that this time might be the last. She has a bad heart,but this surgery is necessary to remove a large cyst on her thyroid impeding her breathing.
    I’ll keep thinking of you.

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    • I thought I could manage at home, but there was no time for anything else. I even seemed to have been getting a new night routine. I knew that some time in the night I would have to be ready for an hour to sort everything out and hope to return to sleeping for a few hours. They did find something on the lung, but do not know if it would be malignant and could just be from the pneumonia and disappear afterwards. May everything go well at your side with your wife’s operation.

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  6. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers .. you are correct to maintain your own mental health with your hobbies and photography. That is important. Have a great Sunday .. SLP …

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    • I am still sorting out my life, there are so many things to think of. The little jobs that Mr. Swiss did at home I miss very much. Just the little things like switching on the dish washer in the evening I miss. The little things of routine.

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      • Thank you so much, I’ll get the Church Elders to add Mr Swiss to our intercessions.
        Jessica has gone for another Covid-19 test required before surgery on Thursday. I do hope the outbreak of Omicron will not have the government close the operating rooms again.

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  7. I have been missing your Good Morning missives!  Your photo of your neighbor’s holiday lights is so lovely to see. I imagine that when there is a little bit of evening wind that those lights sway like glowing magical orbs dancing on the breeze. I’m glad to see that you have picked up your camera again and are reclaiming the familiar comfort of creating your art in these very trying times you’re facing. What you and your husband are going through isn’t fair. It is more heartache than either of you deserve. I’m hopeful for you both that your husband’s  recovery will be as smooth as possible over the next few bumpy weeks and that his hip surgery will have the best possible outcome in time. Be gentle with yourself in the meantime and keep that camera busy. Take care!

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    • Life is full of these surprises. As soon as you think everything continues as always something like thins happens out of the blue. I can imagine that our surroundings are now full of the Christmas lights and decorations and I usually make the most of them with the camera, but this year I have rarely been anywhere.

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  8. I’m sorry to hear about the falls. A broken hip is a nasty thing to have especially when you are older. It would be very hard for you to manage to do everything. Take care of yourself and best regards to Mr Swiss.

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  9. I have been thinking about you, Pat, so it is wonderful to see you here this morning. My husband and I are not getting any younger, and I worry about exactly what you are going through. I hope everything works out for the best, and that you get a comfortable rhythm to your day. Sending much love and comfort from sunny Florida. 😘

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    • You can prepare youelf for the future but when something like this happens the bottom falls out of your world, I am now glad for a pause and to take things at an easier pace. Thanks for the greetings fom the sunny side of the world, I can only send greeting from minus temperatures with some snow now and again.

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  10. Hi Pat, as other posters have mentioned you also need to take care of yourself. The holidays are a tough time for stress, especially with Covid complicating things. All of us do love your posts. And of course, I am envious of your lovely orchids!

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    • I am not a Christmas person and find everyone makes their own stress, but I will probably be alone at Christmas, just with my No. 1 son, the first time ever, although it doesn’t bother me too much. I might even have a garden of flowering orchids at Christmas.

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  11. I’m sorry to hear about this. It sounds very stressful and exhausting. I wish Mr. Swiss an easy recovery and for you to find some joy and rest! 💖

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    • We were both getting older, but he ius 8 years ahead of me. He is now in the best place he could be although I cannot get to visit him, but we have the face time on the telephone.

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  12. Oh, Pat, it is so good to see you back, but I am so sad for you and Mr. Swiss that’s it’s been such a very difficult week. You did your very best, so now get some rest and enjoy your blogging, camera, books, some excursions, etc. as he heals in the hospital.

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  13. I know how you feel as I have a similar problem. Sorry to hear of the sickness of your husband.
    Best to you and your husband as you started a new life. The strength to handle what you must.
    Betty

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  14. So sorry that Mr. Swiss is back in the hospital — but that is the best place for him at this moment. And I’m sorry to learn that you were unable to care for him — that will complicate things as he recuperates, but it sounds as if you are taking it in stride. Please take care of yourself while you can, and re-establish a routine that works easily for you. Thinking of you — love and hugs!

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    • I do not know how the situation will develop. first of all he has to get his operation behind him and then convalesce. Afterwards who knows. It depends on how he recovers and how much I would have to do to help.

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  15. Being a caregiver is a huge challenge regardless of age and health. There is so much stress involved. Does Switzerland have provision for respite care, which allows the caregiver to have some sporadic relief?

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  16. It’s so much harder than we ever imagine it can be in ways that are completely out of our experience. I guess I learned that with my dad long ago and contending with my own limitations now. You’re right that Mr. Swiss is in the right place at the moment. Take it all a little at the time and you are wise to want to hold onto your hobbies and interests. Without them, you would lose yourself and that would be too bad, even for Mr. Swiss. ❤

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  17. I am so sorry to read about these developments. I expected that you would be away for a while, but was hoping for better news when you returned. I know it is difficult; but I also know that every situation is unique.

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  18. I was waiting to hear from you because I was wondering how you were going to manage. I guess the answer is you can’t. Garry is 79 and rapidly approaching 80 and I live in genuine fear of something happening to him — OR me. Especially because we don’t have the kind of insurance you have or the coverage you get. Garry’s brother managed to get COVID which is AFTER two vaccination and a booster — and he STILL caught it. Will this ever be over?

    I know this is hard for you. I know if something happened to Garry, I could not care for him on my own. I don’t have the physical strength or agility and the idea of it is truly frightening.

    I think about you a lot. If there was something I could do for you, I would gladly do it. Hugs from all of us to you and our love flies with it.

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    • They are very difficult times. I have a bad week behind me,Up every night, putting new bed linen on the bed and washing the used linen. Up and down for this and that. During the day I had help from the Swiss team getting Mr. Swiss out of bed and then they leave and you are left on your own for the rest of the day. Marcel fell and I had to call the ambulance to put him on his feet again. with a broken hip bone he is again in hospital, but this time for a long while. First of all they have to cure the pneumonia completely as there is still a remainder there. Afterwards he will have his hip operated and then off in a holiday clinic for a month to recuperate completely. . He also stopped eating. He has lost so much weight. Whether he will return home again I do not know, if he is again independent and I do not think that will be the case. He is now 82. I have MS, but have managed up to now. My main problem is mobility, but at home I I can do the basic housework and cook. Actually I am glad to be able to occupy myself. Cooking is also no big problem. I just cannot visit Marceli n the hospital. I would need at least half an hour to get there in my scooter and another half an hour to return home. It is Winter, cold and perhaps snowing so it does not come into the question. My autistic son helps me and yesterday took some clothing to the hospital. Due to covid the hospital is like a prison. You have to show your vaccination permit and identity card at the door and my son had to give the items up for the “guards” to give to Marcel in his room. He was not allowed in. My second son is coming today to see what he can do. And I have the other little details like paying the bills and dealing with official stuff to concentrate on. No, it is not fun. At least I can now relax a little at home. I will be glad when thiis nightmare is over. You are right thinking of what can happen in such a sutuation. We are both at an age where we are no longer so mobile and our husbands are older. Up to now we managed OK and suddenly the moment has come when it is no longer OK. I wish I could give you some advice of what to do, but we are both in the position where we havevto find our own way. I suppose it helps to share our misery. I am so glad I have you even if you are on the other side of the world.

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