This entry is written just after 6.30am Wednesday, immediately after returning from Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Woolwich, where Isobel is now an inpatient.

Monday's blog should have mentioned that the nursing assistance promised from 2pm until the evening failed to materialise.

On Tuesday morning Isobel woke shortly before 8am. A nurse arrived at 8am to assist until 12 noon. Preparations for the trip to Maidstone Hospital for an MRI scan went smoothly until Isobel had to move from her bed to the car at 11.45. She was exhausted by walking (with a lot of support) from the bed to the head of the stairs. The stairs were descended without too much of a problem although as usual Iona had to manually move her mother's feet for her. At the bottom of the stairs it was clear that Isobel could not walk the few yards to the car so the wheelchair was positioned outside the front door. The couple of yards from the bottom of the stairs to the wheelchair was almost a disaster as Isobel lost all ability to stand once through the front door and I had to bodily lift her the last step into the wheelchair. The transfer to the car and trip to Maidstone went smoothly. Iona came with us but Euan said he was too ill to come.

At Maidstone Hospital there were no problems until we were in the MRI suite. A hoist was needed to get her onto the scanner and there was some delay in doing this. The scan went smoothly. when the scan was completed we had drinks and buns before setting out for home.

We arrived home at about half past three. Isobel was placed in the wheelchair and taken to the front door. It was clear that she was not able to help support her weight in any way. All we could do was to place her on a kitchen chair in the hall. There was utterly no prospect of us getting her up the stirs on our own. The suggestion that she temporarily use the hospital bed in the living room caused an extreme outburst of shouting and swearing. It was clear that even if we carried her to the hospital bed, she would not remain in it. Iona phoned the Ellenor Trust and asked their advice. During the 'phone conversation Rosemary at the Ellenor could hear Isobel shouting in the background even though she was at the other end of the house from the 'phone. Rosemary advised that it would not be safe to attempt to keep Isobel in the house overnight and we should call an ambulance to take her to A & E as an emergency overnight admission. A hospice bed would be available tomorrow.

Isobel was taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital and after a number of hours of tests was admitted to ward 18 as an inpatient. Attempts were made late in the evening to clarify transfer arrangements for the next day but these could be finalised owing to the lateness of the hour. I stayed with Isobel until 6am. I will make various 'phone calls after 9am and return to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after 10am.

Postscript:
As this entry was completed there ws a ring on the front door bell. This was a nurse arriving to start a shift at 7am! This had been arranged by Bexley Care Trust even thought the last word we had from them was that nothing would be arranged for Wednesday as the transfer to residential care might take place that day. I spoke by 'phone to the nursing agency who said that they had been asked to provide home nurses for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It is apparent that Bexley Care Trust envisaged Isobel staying at home all week, and presumably over the weekend as well.