Tuesday, Ashley and I went to Chepstow again to visit our suppliers. It was also Owain's birthday, and Clare took him for a de-stressing afternoon at her favourite spa. We met up later at his request in the city centre and had supper together at Cafe Citta in Church Street. It's a tiny Italian restaurant sandwiched in between larger shops, and serves excellent food. As there's a pizza oven in the corner of the place, the aroma of home cooking greets you as you arrive. Owain and Clare went for the fish on the menu, I had a pizza of with salami and turnip top greenery, a bit like spinach. Interesting, though not outstanding. The ice cold birra Perroni with it was very pleasant however. We then went home for the customary present giving ceremony, drank a bottle of wine and chatted together until late.
Wednesday, I celebrated the midweek Eucharist at St Catherine's, St Thomas a day ahead, and celebrated another midweek Eucharist in honour of St Thomas on Thursday morning, this time at St John's. I went from there to the office to catch up on some crime data entries, but had a call form Clare to say that Amanda's doctor was trying to get in touch to discuss her situation. She was taken in to the brand new Southmead hospital last weekend, as her slowly deteriorating physical condition was giving her difficulties in breathing. Although she's now stabilised, the doctors wanted to discuss her treatment care plan with next of kin, as it the moment she's not in the mood to discuss with them.
As a result of the phone conversation, I abandoned work and we drove over to Southmead hospital to visit her. She's very quiet, absorbed in her own thoughts, struggling to come to terms with the creeping paralysis against which she has fought bravely for so long. Even so, her general health is good and she's not in any immediate danger. Everyone who cares for her and wants to prepare for a future of increasing infirmity will have to be patient with her until she is ready to engage with the challenge for herself, to ensure that on her terms her quality of life remains optimal.
The new hospital at Southmead is a remarkable building, with many of the qualities of an airline terminal about it, with patient check-in screens to negotiate before being directed to one's appointed destination. Unlike the last time I strayed into this building a week before it was open to the public, today it was bustling with people, with lots of helpful welcomers in brightly coloured tee shirts around to help visitors navigate their way to the correct ward. I like what they've done. It's an impressive addition to the NHS offering.
I seem to have done lots of driving this last week, and more to follow tomorrow, as we're off to East Anglia for the weekend to visit Eddie and Ann.
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