Saturday 29th August 2020

Craig came home today.  He’s a mess and has to go back on Monday.  His arm is bandaged up for the duration but his face needs cleaning and a paraffin ointment applied every couple of hours.

I spent most of the day getting ready.  I slept better but still feel tired.  Then it was up seeing to pets.  I also washed all the bedding so he could return to a nice clean bed.

I had planned for this to be a boring weekend looking after animals as he wasn’t due to come home until Monday but I got a message this morning saying they were discharging him that afternoon.  I’d arranged to play some Fortnite with my brother (his way of checking in with me) and whilst we did I had to work around getting ready.

The one thing that was going to be a trigger was the wood on the lawn.  Family were mobilised and we got it all taken away.  My contribution was making tea.

He got back early evening, and looks a mess.  I can’t even really look at his ear.  Still, he has an ear, and we keep saying how lucky he was, because as horrible as his burns are, he still has ears, he still has a nose., he’s not blind.

I’d said we’d get Chinese to celebrate him coming home, but he took one mouthful and didn’t want any more.  He seems to have problems fully opening his mouth due to the burns, and whilst this annoys me (I hate food waste), there’s part of me that understands that eating is painful for him.  When I broke Prawn Crackers into 4 he ate them all, so I think it’s the physical act of eating.

Of course, as soon as he got home he started doing things.  Except he can’t finish them all so I found myself running around completing half-done jobs.  He managed to cause more washing up in a few hours than I did in a few days.

I’ll be staying here a bit longer.  He can’t manage on his own, and even he admitted he thinks they released him a little too early.  Not sure how I will balance this and the day job.  I also need to find a little time to care for myself as well, as I’m acutely aware that I seem to be handling this all remarkably well…  which probably means I’m not, and I’m worried it could all blow up when I least expect it.

I know me… I’m good in a crisis, but I fall apart afterwards.  I’ve not fallen apart, and as much as I would like to claim I’ve just been really good at handling all this… I’m not so sure that’s the case, and the effects are just delayed while I deal with the crisis of caring for pets, and then caring for him.

Past Issues: 553552551 | 550 | 549 | 548 | 547 | 546 | 545 | 544 | 543 | 542 | 541
540 | 539 | 538 | 537 |  536 | 535 | 534 | 533 | 532 | 531 | 530 | 529 | 528 | 527 | 526 | 525 | 524 | 523 | 522 | 521
520 | 519 | 518 | 517 516 | 515 | 514 | 513 | 512 | 511 | 510 | 509 | 508 | 507 | 506 | 505 | 504 | 503 | 502 | 501 
500 | 499 | 498 | 497 | 496 | 495 | 494 | 493 | 492 | 491 | 490 | 489 | 488 | 487 | 486 | 485 | 484 | 483 | 482 | 481
480 | 479 | 478 | 477 | 476 | 475 | 474 | 473 | 472 | 471 | 470 | 469 | 468 |  467 | 466 | 465 | 464 | 463 | 462 | 461
460 | 459 | 458 | 457 | 456 | 455 |  454 | 453 | 452 | 451 | 450 | 449 | 448 | 447 | 446 | 445 | 444 | 443 | 442 | 441
440 | 439 | 438 |  437 | 436 | 435 | 434 | 433432 | 431 | 430 | 429 | 428 | 427 | 426 | 425 | 424 | 423 | 422 | 421
420 | 419 | 418 | 417 | 416 | 415 | 414 | 413 | 412 | 411410 | 409 | 408 | 407 | 406 | 405 | 404 | 403 | 402 | 401
Past Years: 2019 – The Year of Soldiering Through | 2018 – The Year of Priorities | 2017 – The Year Of The Offensive