3 Phone calls.

The first phone call was at 7.30 am. I dashed up the stairs.

It was Adrian from Blue Care.

"Is it ok to come at 8.45?"

"What is it for?" I asked.

"In-house respite." He said. Phew! I thought it was for the shower we missed yesterday.

"Could it be later in the day?" I asked.

"No, we have a pretty tight schedule," he said.

"Well, I will leave it then," I said.

"You want to let it slide?" He asked a little amazed.

"Yes," I said.

I was in the middle of a 'Skype' to Josh when the phone went again just before 8.00.

It was Tricia from Blue Care.

"Have you had a phone call about respite?"

"Yes," I said "but it was for 8.45 and that is no good. Dulcie did not get up until 10.30 yesterday and I do not want her waking up to find someone strange in the house. I spoke to Wendy last week about sorting out  a regular time. I asked for 10 until 12 on Tuesday and 2 until 4 on a Thursday.I appreciate that it may be difficult to suit everyone's requests but it is very hard for me to plan things when I never know when I am getting respite."

Tricia, like Wendy, was very understanding and said that she would add 'DO NOT CHANGE' to my times on the rota for next week......we shall see.

I forgot to ask about the shower we missed yesterday because of the public holiday. I rang back and was put through to Tracy.

Tracy was having a bad day. I could tell by her tone.

"Would it be ok to rearrange the shower we missed yesterday for today?" I asked.

"I am struggling here to fit in all the showers that we have scheduled for today," said a stressed Tracy, "due to staff illness, I can't see any way it would be possible."

"Hmmmm, that's not good," I said, "and not healthy."

"No," said Tracy..." I could ask the nurses but they are asking us to cover for them too."

"We will leave it until tomorrow, " I said, resigned to the bad situation.