Tethered to Marmaduke and other matters

I am writing this for Peter as he is feeling confined and frustrated by Marmaduke, also known as the IV drip pole, on which hangs his 1 litre of Ensure Plus.

Today we have been out together, albeit to undertake a few small tasks in Belconnen (northern suburbs of Canberra). The weather was sunny and still, so Peter was keen to take advantage of the softness of the climate and the few hours of freedom from the 16 hours of being tethered to Marmaduke (i.e feeding), to go out from the house. We visited an old acquaintance at her new shop in the Jamieson Centre (selling pearls and jewellery)for a few minutes and then chose some appropriate mounts and framing for a piece of needlework for my sister, from the only place in Canberra that does it properly (Antoinette's Fine Framing).

After that the leisurely 1/2 hour drive back home was punctuated with a couple of other minor stops before getting home in time for more medications and finally Marmaduke at 2pm.

The sheer delight of being out of the house on a lovely, clear and sunny spring day and of being together, rather than separated, cannot be underestimated. The freedom to go somewhere together which was not medically related, after more than 4 months of illness and treatment regimes, was a small but treasured delight.

Poor Peter was, naturally, very tired after this brief excursion and the few hundred metres of walking it entailed. However, I am hopeful that it is the start of being able to gradually reclaim some stamina and also assist in reducing the swelling he has in his ankles which appeared last week.

Trying to get the routine back into synch has been somewhat of a challenge as it is the same but different because the new peg tube we had to have inserted is less malleable and more difficult to use. Also we are unused to each other's habits and requirements at night again and need to re-establish a mechanism that suits both of us not just one or the other. On the home front,Peter is now very keen to have visitors and to see people generally. So please make contact if you are local as we would love to have you drop by. I think that we need to ensure this happens otherwise he will be left with only me for company and that is not optimal when I am so taken up with all the daily practicalities of keeping him and the house in order.

So with the milder weather coming on we may be able to spend a little more time out of doors while ever Peter feels well enough.

Enough for now. Best wishes to you all - Leanne