Losing Weight and Worrying

21.5.15:
June will soon be upon us and it's time for a mammoth catch-up. You'll have realised from the last post that Christian isn't well and sadly things haven't improved hence the blog has taken a back seat. Anyway, I'll be working my way through events in chronological order when I can find the time and the energy.

21.5.15:
Christian moved to have dialysis. 
Weather:
19° Sun, cloud, strong wind

20.5.15:
A bad news phone call from the clinic to say that Christian was to be moved to a more intensive care unit for dialysis once a space was available and that visiting regulations wouldn't apply until that happened. He was punctured to drain off some of the excess fluid but the specialist, Dr Carbognani, a real gem of a human being, explained that there were increasing amounts of fluid accumulating. Jean-Jacques made himself available and stayed with me until after we'd had lunch in the canteen and it was Françoise who came in to pick me up.
Weather:
18° lighter winds

19.5.15:

Received the news that Christian's son Stéphane had been admitted to hospital with lung and brain problems but this was information that I wasn't ready to share with Christian. Had a lift in with Marie-Loudres who was visiting her husband and came back with Michel.
Weather:
14° rain

18.5.15:
Only able to visit Christian for an hour as per the regulations. Just as well as Christian was tired and slept a lot of the time.
Françoise called in to the house to catch up on the news.

17.5.15:
Went to the clinic with Françoise and just imagine my shock when we arrived to find Christian's room cleaned and empty. He'd been moved to cardio intensive care. The staff there were really good and he looked better than he had been. Still tired and not eating but a better colour.
Weather:
23° lighter winds

16.5.15:
The witlow I've had for a few days is looking pretty yukky so instead of going to the market, I had a lift into the clinic with Geneviève. Won't go into details but it needs dressing by the nurse every couple of days and a course of anti-biotics.
took the bus to see Christian and found him not well at all. He was blue and despite the oxygen had no energy and was very breathless. Of course he's not getting home. Martine kindly came to pick me up. I feel more worried than ever about him.
Later on I popped up to the village hall to support Michel's rock group but only stayed long enough to give people news and have a glass of wine that I left half of.
Weather:
Strong winds

15.5.15:
Ann and Terry kindly drove Christophe to the airport and then later on I took the bus to Perpignan to see Christian. he's still frail and not eating but saying that he can come home tomorrow. Michel came along to pick me up after which we did a supermarket shop.
Weather:
Winds of over 100km/h, cooler with some rain.

14.5.15:

Didn't go to the language exchange, instead taking a trip to the garden where we were surprised by the progress that Alain and Debra have made with it.  Had a drink at the bar with the language exchangers before lunch at home and our visit to the clinic.
Christian was perkier; his meds had been changed and he's on a drip. Thinks he may get home before the weekend though he still isn't eating properly (?).
On coming home we had an apéro chez nous and wandered over to the bar for something to eat. I'd forgotten that it was cards night, so no food on therefore we had a plate of tapas at the restaurant.
Weather:
26° cloud, sun, wind getting stronger

13.5.15:
Went to the ex Mayor's ex wife's funeral which needless to say was a full house. Met Christian and Christophe at the restaurant where we were joined by André and Nany. Philippe called by to say "hello" and have a beer too. In the afternoon, we went with Christian for his appointment with the GP who said we should take him to the clinic in Perpignan through the emergency system as he felt there was no way he could be treated at home with all that was going on. Arrived at  the clinic at 7.15pm and arrived home at 2am after Christian was admitted to the cardiac unit.
Weather:
25°. Overcast morning, sun later, spit of rain

12.5.15:
Christian had blood test. Christophe and I did a run to the recycling centre.Gp phoned to tell us to go to the chemist's to pick up a potassium prescription that he'd faxed after having had an alert from the lab.
Weather:
22° sun, cloudy and cool later

11.5.15:
Christian and Jean-Jacques to the airport to collect Christophe who's with us until Friday. Stayed at home for dinner but Christian had no appetite or motivation to eat.
Weather:
22°, overcast
News:
François Hollande met fidel Castro in Cuba

10.5.15:
Lunch at the restaurant with Michèle and Henri.

9.5.15:
Leaving Christian to rest, I went into the market for a change of scene and then at the end of the afternoon shared a bottle of cava with Dani and Brian at theirs.
Weather:
25° Sunny



 8.5.15:

End of 2WW and the first of a handful of public holidays in May which is the subject of great debate at least on the bosses' side. Mindful of my civic duty and the need to represent Christian, I was on parade for 8am and went up for the ceremony in the mountains rather than the one in the village. The air was clear, the sunlight gentle and the birds were singing. Christian managed to make his way over to the bar for a coffee while we waited for Jean-Jacques to give us a lift to lunch. A Tunisian member of the council prepared a real deal couscous for about 40 of us - the Council and it's supporters. Christian found his appetite from somewhere and enjoyed his meal.
Weather:
23°, rain at the end of the day

7.5.15:
Went to the language exchange but of course, didn't stay for an apéro. Jean took us to the clinic for the ultrasound which showed that Christian has a cardiac liver. Nipped out to help Françoise with "Dropbox" but had to call for backup from Nick.
Weather:
22° Sunny
News:
British General election won by the Conservatives. SNP  won 56 of 59bseats in Scotland

6.5.15:
Christian made a great effort to walk to the restaurant for a coffee in the sun. Linger a fairly long time and stayed for lunch. Jean-Jacques joined us and treated us. He and I went for the menu du jour but Christian tempted himself with the foie gras starter. 2/3 of it came home with us in a tuppaware.
Weather:
22° Sunny

5.5.15:
Michel gave us a lift to see the GP. Was a locum and he didn't seem too worried that Chr was not eating  . He gave me a book title about theraputic fasting and ordered a liver ultrasound for Christian and a blood test for next week. We stayed for a coffee before coming home and bumped into Jean and Françoise. Martine, called in during the afternoon, bearing some caramels from the twinning visit to Normandy.
Weather:
The same as yesterday

4.5.15:
Jean-Jacques called in to see how Christian was but didn't stay for his usual apéro; he could see that Christian was tired.
Weather:
21° low cloud lifted to give sun
News:
Jean-Marie Le Pen suspended from the Front National