Our Christmas

Well as far as family stuff was concerned yesterday (Christmas Day was quiet) we spent it at home on our own, just the two of us - today (Boxing Day) has been a little more hectic as we visited one of our daughters, her husband and four children.  Just taking them their presents made a great deal of room on our spare bed and when we see the other five grandchildren on Friday we may be able to have visitors again.

 

On the workside,  I have had the privilege of being on call, and have been for the last month, to help relieve the problems that carers face when they cannot cope. This Christmas has been no different from others as we receive calls from those at the end of their tether, with no family or friends nearby to help out, so they have to contact our charity.  It has been a exhausting few days for me, with 40 - 50 calls made either to us, or by me to track down carer support workers who can help out, and one lady admitted to residential care because her carer cannot get out of bed due to back spasms. Of course the statutory services are closed over the bank holidays, and emergency duty service in our area refers people to us if the carer needs someone to call on them to help them out, which is not a problem as that is what we are funded to do (so long as we do not have half our workforce sick like we did for the two weeks preceding Christmas).

Mind you, try explaining to others around you what is going on when the phone interrupts you for the umpteenth time in a day (and this morning even before my alarm went off).