As far as I can recall, Friday seemed ok, not brilliant but not desperate. I managed the catheter bags ok, not as difficult as I thought.
Saturday was the day it all fell apart - again. Having woken up at about 7.15 it seemed alright, I went to make a cup of tea and came back to bed. Pete then started getting very agitated and moving his arm and legs around a lot, then went very quiet and staring around. He was alternating between the two although he never lost consciousness. I stayed with him and tried to relax him whilst wondering what to do, having called an ambulance twice already during the week and resulting tests showing all was normal, I was reluctant to go down that path again. After an hour, when it didn't seem to be getting any better, I called the out of hours doctors. Having explained all the history and what was happening now, they sent a dr to visit. She did lots of tests, etc (blood pressure, temp, diabetes, etc and wouldn't you know it, everything normal). But she was concerned and mentioned cerebral agitation and query stroke, she called an ambulance and off he went again to A&E. Of course, when I got there about 15 minutes later, he was back with us and all the tests were showing normal. They decided to admit him to the Medical Assessment Unit again to try and find out what was going on. I saw one of the doctors in the afternoon and he said they didn't know what it was so wanted to observe him to see if it happened again, so would keep him in. Dr. Dent, who is the consultant Pete was under when he had his stroke and was in Bideford, was due to do a round later in the afternoon and they would see what he said.
Back I go at visiting time to find Dr. Dent actually with Pete (complete with his entourage of drs and nurses) and he has now diagnosed Pete as having epilepsy. He had had a scan and has had the major stroke but also a few smaller ones apparently and the scar tissue on the brain is getting impulses and causing seizures. Not major seizures I hasten to add, nothing like on the tv(!) These can occur at any time after having a stroke. He prescribed some tablets and said as soon as Pete had had one tablet he could go home. Fine - except that this particular tablet is like gold dust in our hospital and trying to find one took a couple of hours or more! I was also given one to give Pete in the morning and then had to return to collect a supply from Pharmacy on Sunday.
So, back home again. Pete didn't really react well to the first three tablets he had (he has to take one twice a day) and got very weak, very quiet and not at all himself. I wasn't going to give him one this morning but he said he wanted one and he didn't react anywhere near so bad. He has also had one tonight with, as far as I can see, so reaction, so hopefully it was just his body adjusting to them.
He has to return to see Dr. Dent in 8 weeks and in the meantime I have to contact his GP (he has a new one, his old old having retired,) and get more epilepsy tablets and discuss the urology referral. Wouldn't you know it, his new GP is away this week, so I have booked a telephone call from another one in the Practice for tomorrow morning.
As for me? I am falling apart a bit here and finding it hard. I have gone off sick from work to try and sort myself out and get a handle on things. Then I will have to make a decision about the future and which road I am going to take.
And so we go on - waiting for the next blow, which may or may not come, just have to wait and see.
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