Greetings from a shivering Ireland

Saturday 19 May ‘12 Good day to all, Family and friends, The disastrous weather has taken its toll in our garden and it is with great sadness in my heart that all the baby birds died during the arctic spell of a week or two ago, we realised that the parents stop going into the Blue Tit’s nest and after 3 days Barry investigated and found 5 little birds dead. After our round in the garden and lower field a few minutes ago we found after bizarre behaviour of the starling couple all week and him sitting on the telephone wire all alone a very sad situation -they kicked out the dead birds and we found them all on the grass! We know that there is still some babies alive in another Blue Tit’s nest and hope and pray that they will survive. In a program during the week the weather were discussed and the records showed that May was colder in Ireland than in the ARTIC! I have not been exaggerating. I go to bed with the electric blanket on otherwise I get up after my 7 hr sleep with still frozen feet! At night I have a human hot water bottle in the bed but even this has lately been failing as Barry has been frozen internally – he just never seems to get warm at all! We cleaned out the fire place and took away all the equipment and we have to get supplies of turf and wood otherwise we would have lit the fire – in the mean time we are burning oil! I do not have to tell you about the weather it is like a head on collision with human nature and the casualties are high. We have also had a disastrous week in politics and it is unbelievable how these parliamentarians cannot get it right as to- what to say, when to keep quiet and when to talk the truth. They make the one blunder after the other and think the people has to belief them and follow them like the Pied Piper of Hamlin- in my eyes they all border somewhere between the lower ranks of the ape species which is in fact an insult to the ape species. The referendum on the Fiscal Treaty has caused havoc- In the mean time the Grecians have their own problems of trying to stay head above water and England, the wise, on the side, advising but not participating! I have worked many more hours this week than what is allowed and were suppose to work tonight but when they realised I have already exceeded the allowed hours they found a day nurse to do tonight’s shift but I am back tomorrow night! I do know of friends but no family that had the immense problem of a mother or father that had dementia- of all the patients, does not matter how sick or difficult the nursing aspect could be the patient with impaired brain function is surely the most difficult to nurse. I was so tired this morning I nearly collapsed- I never had a change to drink or have anything to eat as the medical side was allocated to me last night after I spend all week in the Respite unit. Peter has advanced dementia and suffered from severe cellulites of both legs- ‘Olifantitis ‘is a mild term. This lot got all infected and needed triple anti-biotic therapy which is given intra -venously. This in itself is already a foreign concept to Peter and the sensation of the antibiotic running cold into his vein is the straw that broke the camel’s back and he decided to remove the cannula without any further ado- he somehow cut the intra venous line and bled like a pig in the slaughter house in his bed- all around the bed and down the passage to the toilet where he spends most of the night totally incontinent and not able to use a urinal and the pad gets pulled off and torn into pieces. I started washing floors, cleaned toilets and even had to wash the carpet in the Transfer lounge where the patients arrive for admission early in the morning. When I complained this morning that these patients should not be between surgical clients I was answered with a blank look from the manager which was not much encouragement. In the mean time a retired Garda – used to shouting orders and expect immediate attention keeps on shouting ‘Nurse. Nurse at the top of his voice! He was in total control of himself walking with a stick 4 weeks ago and developed a chest infection, admitted to the general hospital and has never been the same again! He chokes in everything as he thinks he has to throw his head backwards to drink water – I explained to him that he is not a bird and that he has to drop his chin on his chest before swallowing which means you have to hold this head that has not dropped in 50 years to his chin in order for him not to choke- that in itself is very strenuous as he is as stiff a s a board! In between I had patients that have had big operations and did not feel the greatest- that was a night in which the Lord tested me every inch. I washed the floors connecting the passage to the toilet 7x during the night – and then all around where ever Peter was walking and piddling! We do not have help at night and have to do everything High quality nursing and ‘skiwi’ work all at the same time. We also have had a week of disaster in the garden – proudly we planted on Tuesday our first carrots – but by this morning there was not a carrot in sight- something devoured it to the ground! There are no paw marks of an animal like a rabbit or something else and we can only think that slugs must have several the leaves from the little carrot in the ground. It was very sad to see the leaves lying on the side – the rest of the plants are looking not to bad in spite of the continuous bad weather. The roses looks as if they have been casted in stillness as there is no movement in 3 weeks only the buds sitting there waiting for a miracle! The pears are still there I counted up to a hundred! Apples are still in flowers but we hope that there will be some fruit on them as well! Now, the news of the year. We bought a grape vine and we are pampering it as if it is made of gold- at night it gets covered up and during the day it enjoys the sunless atmosphere! We planted it where the sun, when shining, always shines and with the 7 bunches of grapes in minute formation and all in perfect condition –our excitement is great. In exchange I have to take some of my orange trees back to the nursery! My orchard is getting too big for the indoors window sill -it will be a good place for them to go to as he has an enormous hot house. Birthdays! Sandra in Exeter will be a year older on the 22nd and Gerhardus in Roodepoort on the 25th. May you both have a lovely day and a splendid year ahead! I was going to miss church tomorrow but with the change of duty I will be a member of the congregation in the children’s service and are looking forward to their contribution. I have said more than enough- thank you for all the lovely letters- Joy in Brisbane and the Reineckes in Sasolburg and those who regularly stay in touch, especially. To Jacomien in Vryheid who had an operation on Thursday – our fondest regards and best wishes for a speedy recovery! To all those writing exams – Ireland, England and elsewhere! Everything of the very best! I have now got ten frozen fingers and will join Barry in the lounge under a warm blanket! The news of the painting of the President of SA which made the headlines was somewhat gross to say the least! To us a big embarrassment! Take care and have security at the top of your list. Letters and photos are most welcome! Kind regards form Barry and Christina in a summer that does not exist!