My Nan & Wonderful Family

God, it's been a while since I posted one of these things, but I felt I must write again for sanity's sake to be honest.

At the start of April my Nan suffered a major stroke and has been in hospital ever since. When she was first admitted to the Independent Assessment Unit at Walsall Manor Hospital, it was all very 'touch-and-go' and the whole family thought she was on the way out. She lost all the feeling/movement in her right side and face. She lost her speech; which if you've ever known my Nan, you'd know that this must have been unbearable for her. However, as I am writing this I can proudly say that she has recovered very well indeed. Admittedly, we are aware that she will not get any better now, but it's amazing how she has come on.

She's still being very stubborn at the moment. She sometimes refuses to eat and drink and even refuses to be moved. This is not a constant, so we make sure that we praise her when she has done well.

My Grandad, bless him, has attended the hospital every day to see her. She's sometimes been very sharp to him; sometimes bordering on being nasty. In the same breath, she kisses him, holds his hands and tells him that she loves him on each visit; something which I rarely witnessed when she was well. Just goes to show how much they truly love each other.

We are now at the point that her recovery is at its peak; she may not get any better than she is now. We were advised by the hospital that as she needs full time nursing care, it would be pretty impossible for her to go back home. We managed to get some information from her Social Worker about an excellent Care Home which is near to all of the family and both my Nan and Grandad could live out the rest of their days together. They would not be able to live in the same room, but would be able to see each other every day as they would be in the same place, just on different floors.

By this point we're all very optimistic and almost excited that we won't have to separate them in their twilight years. Then I get the phone call from the Social Worker saying that said care home was under review, so at the moment, there was no chance of them moving there. They had found another full nursing care home, still pretty local to us all, but there's a catch; there's only one vacancy and that's for my Nan! We know that she desperately needs complete nursing care, so after having spoken to my parents who are taking a much deserved holiday in Turkey, we've made the decision to send her there.

Grandad's took it quite well and understands that this is the best thing for my Nan; it's another huge step on the road to further recovery. He'll still be able to see her every day and at least he can go home and do his own thing; which is mainly watching the TV with his trusted Jack Russell terrier at his side.

This is all pretty upsetting to all of the family; this shouldn't be allowed to happen! Why should elderly people who have been married and have loved each other (albeit in a 'love-hate' relationship) for over 50 years be separated in the years when they probably need each other most? Hopefully, all this is just a stop gap and once the former care home is available, they will be able to go back there and live at least in the same building.

I just wanted to write this to say how much I love my family and that through every trial and tribulation, we've stuck together. We are strong and as much as this is a very testing time for us all, I'm sure we'll get through. John Lennon was so very true when he said, "All You Need Is Love!"