Things move on. Things stay the same.

We've just had a bit of a complicated week. It started last Sunday, with Mum phoning to say her eyesight was blurred. Her eye had been uncomfortable for some time and she'd seen her GP who had given her some eye drops. We went through a list of things with her (did she have headache, did she feel sick, etc) and she concluded that it was more of the same problem with her eye. She would give her GP a ring in the morning.

That night the phone rang at 10 to 11. Many will know that odd feeling that comes with a late night phone call, that "it can't be good" sensation when it starts to ring. Mum said she had a pain in her side and was going to phone the out of hours GP. I asked her if she wanted me to go over, but she said she'd ring again when she knew what was happening. I was really tired, so got ready for bed whilst I waited for another call. She phoned again at 20 past 11, saying that a GP would be going to see her, but it would be up to a 2 hour wait. I said that I was going to have to go to bed, but that she should call back if they wanted to take her to hospital. I would call her first thing to see how she was. Phoning her on Monday morning, the GP that visited during the night said she had pulled a muscle. Mum was calling her own GP about both this and her eye. I told her I would call round to see her that evening, to which see said my brother was going so she said "you don't have to come if you don't feel like it". If you don't feel like it... What a curious phrase... I did go round that evening and was very shocked to find that Mum's eyelid had dropped half way down her eye, something that she had failed to mention and something that my brother had apparently failed to notice. And yet it was enough to freak me out! She had apparently pointed it out to both GPs she'd seen in the last 24 hours, but they just said something about a link to the tumour and told her to mention it when she went to see the oncologist that week. This didn't seem very satisfactory, as they might have explained why this would link to a dropped eyelid.

Two days later, my brother's visit ends. I ask Mum if he brought the details of the breakdown cover? No, she says, he has forgotten AGAIN. I start to have a bit of a rant, at which Mum starts to excuse brother. As a consequence my rant escalates to saying that this is now his car and he needs to sort it, so I can sort the MOT and he can start to make use of it to support Mum. Is this rocket science? I'm beginning to think so.

On Thursday I took Mum to her appointment with the oncologist. As expected they explained that the eyelid problem would be indicating that there was some nerve involvement somewhere, maybe indicating a tumour elsewhere. Mum has been referred for a CT scan, so again we are waiting for tests, for news, for an outcome. I offered to take Mum to the shops on the way home, so we called in at Marks and Spencer, where she went on a shopping beano for delicious pre-packed food. She so enjoyed the chance to do this. Again it is a simple thing, but I am a feeling the pressure to fit everything in. If only there was another car for someone else to drive, so Mum could be enabled to go out! Oh wait a minute, apparently there is...