Update from NYC

Central park walk

Macy's Thanksgiving parade!

Manhattan skyline near Ground Zero

I thought I'd quickly update the blog as I've got a few minutes quiet here in my hotel room downtown Manhattan. As I look out the window, I can see the Empire State building against a clear blue sky. Black Friday here in USA, so I will sensibly steer clear of any shops and plan to go to Bryant Park and the Met with my aunt, Ruthie.

Ron had a few days in Respite before I left, and I was able to see him and take him on some outings. It was distressing to be entrusting him into the hands of people I don't know, capable as they are - it's not the same as home. On that first night there, he'd done the usual of being up and dressing and undressing, and I gather that in the morning all his clothes were strewn over the room, some wet, but I am sure not all - anyway, they put the lot into the laundry, and it being a Friday, there they were stuck all weekend. Ron was reduced to one pair of sweatpants which upset him - I was a bit cross that they couldn't go through the clothes and refold and put things back in the closet.

On Monday, right before I left for the ferry to the mainland, I had a conference-type meeting with the whole medical team. They had determined that the best course would be to hospitalize Ron directly following the respite, and then transfer him to the next available bed in a care home. For many reasons I didn't want to go that route, - the primary one being that the hospital in Duncan was Ron's environment for so many years, all his colleagues still working and functioning there, it was deeply distressing for him to be a patient after surgery and being in the psychiatric ward, possibly the padded cell, would be like kicking a person when they're down. So I advocated strongly against this course. It would be better if he could stay home till there is a bed at a local facility available. Of primary concern to me is that the placement be as gentle on Ron as is possible. I also pushed to have his medications revisited to get him feeling more settled, happier. That they've done, and I hear from Cammy that it's making a difference, he was strumming his guitar when she arrived on Weds to pick him up.

I was surprised to learn that a number of staff members had noticed a deterioration in Ron even in the two weeks that had passed since his last stay there.

Anyway, better get on with my day, Ruthie is here to take me out!