Badger Galore
Staying ‘Up Over’ for a while.
It lives!
I can report that Terry is alive and well, though he did not look particularly well......and let's face it, never has.I handed him the referral form when we took Dulcie today for the shoulder X-ray wanted by Dr Hew. There was no other receptionist behind the desk and no one else in the tiny waiting room."What did she do?" he asked looking at the form."She fell," I said."Yes,three weeks ago," he said, slightly accusingly as if we were lax in only bringing her now."I'll be with you in a minute," he said disappearing and then he was back with a hand held vacuum and proceeded to hoover the floor down behind the reception desk........possibly removing the remains of an ex- receptionist.We took seats and were horrified to see that the TV screen above the desk was showing the previous evenings episode of Masterchef Australia. The episode was nearly over and we had not seen it yet.Will and I both started humming loudly and sticking our fingers in our ears to drown out the sound of it.Terry appeared again and called Dulcie and Will escaped with her into the X-ray room. As they disappeared into the back a man in a black coat came in from outside. He could have been Mujahideen but he obviously had a new job and he went and sat behind the reception desk.I writhed and wriggled and hummed and fiddled with my ears to try and drown out what was happening on the TV as the judges were making their conclusions......until I could stand it no longer and leapt up and out of the door.Terry's place is sandwiched between a licensed Pawnbroker and the Golden Spoon Chinese Takeaway. A handwritten sign in the Takeaway window declared:'Form 10.30 - 2.30 and 4.00 - 9.30.'Completing the row of shops is a hair salon which appeared to be called 'Muk Hair.' I think it completes the quartet nicely.Terry took 4 X-rays and Will ended up with all the radiation too as he was helping to keep Dulcie in the right position but he would rather have been in there than see who won the Masterchef challenge.We doubt the X-rays will prove there is anything wrong with her shoulder.....but we await to hear from Dr Hew.
Somewhere under the rainbow...
So.......since hearing that I was successful at the (telephone) tribunal and the recommendation being that I be paid arrears from May 2014 by Centrelink.......I have heard nothing and it has been nearly a fortnight.This morning I set off to Inala to find out what is going on.There was a beautiful rainbow in the sky right in front of me for the whole of the journey and as I neared my destination, for awhile, it appeared to be ending right on where I knew the Centrelink Office to be. Was it portentous?I was early, the office had only been open for 10 minutes so the green chairs were quite empty. The woman in black with the Madonna microphone waiting by the reception plinth had no welcoming smile."I am here about payment of arrears" I said.She tapped and flicked at her Ipad and said "Take a seat."I looked around wondering who would call my name. I wasn't particularly bothered  with the choice except I hoped it would not be the huge forbidding fella on my right.The woman in black was dealing with a middle eastern man with a large black beard."This appointment is not for here," she said, looking at the paper he was holding, "you need to go up the road."He didn't understand."You need to go up the road, it is not here."He didn't understand."Go to 20 and 21 up the road."He wasn't getting it."It is not here," she said pointing to the door.He took his paper and shuffled out not having a clue what to do next. I was appalled that the woman in black had not been more helpful or tried to get someone to translate for him."Nicholas Allen?".......it was the the huge forbidding fella. His badge said he was 'James.'I explained why I was there while he was reading something on his computer screen."Well, " he said, " this is being dealt with by another department and has nothing to do with us so I can't help you, but I will make a note and get someone to call you within the next 2 days. I don't know if you are aware that with these things there is time for us to appeal the decision and the cut off date for the appeal is August the 5th but I can tell you that no one has put in an appeal yet and if it doesn't happen it should be sorted on August the 6th."I thanked him for his help and left.Surely they won't be so mean spirited as to appeal to overturn the decision found in my favour when I have done nothing wrong and the mistakes are all theirs, will they?The long, complicated, tiresome arm of the Law!
ACAT....(but no hat).
So........after Dulcie's recent fall Shirley and Wendi arranged for the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) to come and assess Dulcie's needs. Laura from ACAT came last Tuesday and yesterday we got her report.The report found that Dulcie is entitled to access Level 3 or Level 4 Care Provision. While Laura was here we discovered that Dulcie had been assessed before and was entitled to access Level 1 or 2 Care Provision but we were not aware of this and we have not been making use of it.Will rang Blue Care and has set up a meeting for this Friday where someone is coming to discuss changing from our present shower and respite routine to a Level 2 Care Package until we can access a Level 4 package.Even though Dulcie is entitled to Level 4 Care Laura said that it is difficult to find a provider as space is limited and that we might have to go on a waiting list. until one becomes available.If Blue Care cannot provide us with a Level 4 package we will be looking at other providers and go with the first one that can give us what we need. We are hoping that we can get someone to come every morning to shower and assist in getting her dressed and we will probably be entitled to more respite.The cuts on Dulcie's leg are healing well but she has had some pain in her arms and is in need of more assistance to get up and dressed in the morning and getting ready for bed in the evening.She is much more tired and has been going to bed straight after tea but has not been sleeping too well and often has been awake and muttering in the night. Dr Hew came again yesterday and I told him of her poor sleep and he has prescribed Melatonin which she took last night for the first time and which appeared to work well.She has used the bell, we have placed beside her bed, once to call Will for assistance in going to the toilet in the night but apart from that has not been up in the night.While Dr Hew was here he checked out her sore arms and as usual she played down the pain but he has suggested a shoulder X-Ray which we need to arrange with Terry.......if he is still alive......after looking close to death that time at Dr Wang's.For the time being we are unable to continue with our once a week, Tuesday night cinema trips in case she needs us but so far, since our return back from our break, she has only got up twice in the night and they have both been around 3 am so if this pattern continues we might be able to venture out again.