Blog No. 234 - A Resurrection Story – Dying the Hard Way, Part 5 - 25 April 2025

Margaret wanted so much for her former friend Ann Ryan to cease the cancellation of us both, but the cancellation is still in place.  Margaret knew what her former friend had done and she was deeply hurt by it.

Ann knew Margaret was dying, but never found the time to see Margaret before she died.  Ann never found the time to even come to the funeral.

Ann was in Ireland but could have easily flown back to Australia; she had the money and she had the time.  

My personal invitation to Ann suggesting she should say goodbye to Margaret when I took her ashes to Ireland to scattered on Croagh Patrick never got a reply.  Apart from the presence of kind strangers, I scattered Margaret’s ashes by myself.

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Blog 233 finished with extracts from my diary entries for Friday 7 July 2023.  This Blog continues my diary entries from the point where Blog 233 finished.  

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Friday 7 July 2023 Blog 233’s diary entry finishes this way. [Then the ambulance crew checked the situation in the public hospital A & Es.  At this point, Queen Elizabeth Hospital has the least wait for getting into A & E, so Margaret agrees she should be taken to QEH.  Margaret is still in extreme pain when she is carefully manoeuvred into the ambulance.  Before moving, the ambulance crew again checks which A & E is currently moving patients more quickly.  The RAH is now the best option, so we go to the RAH.  By this stage it is about 6.00 pm; it is dark and it is raining.  There are eight other ambulances in front of us, waiting to be able to take their patients into A & E.  The ambulance crew senior member goes into A & E to talk to the triage nurse.  When he returns ten minutes later, he has extraordinary news.  The triage nurse has agreed that Margaret should be admitted immediately into A & E.] RAH = Royal Adelaide Hospital **** Friday 7 July 2023 The diary entry for 7 July 2023 continues. The staff in A & E are wonderfully attentive, but they are unable to give Margaret anything which eases her pain.  Jameson and Charli come into A & E to be with me and Margaret.  They refuse to go home as the hours slowly pass.   I eventually replied to Heather at 8.18 pm while Margaret was in the treatment booth in A & E at Royal Adelaide Hospital.  I think that given the circumstances, my reply to Heather was very restrained.  The reply said this. I sent you a whatsapp message on 25 June saying Margaret’s time was short.  You ignored me.  I will ring tomorrow if you want – when I have an idea how my Margaret is faring.  Sue and Anne Ryan have known Margaret was dying and chose to cancel her because she is married to me.  Not good behaviour. Heather responded to my text almost immediately.  Her text to me at 8.21 was contradictory in that it denied she used what’s app and then said she had indeed used what’s app “recently”.  This is the text from Heather received at 8.21 pm on Friday 7 July while Margaret was in agony in A & E at Royal Adelaide Hospital and I was holding her hand hoping she would not die. Sorry not a regular what’s app user.  Have just gone on it recently as my French group is moving to it. Apart from the obvious contradictions within the message, I knew Heather was lying because she had exchanged messages with me on what’s app in the past – before she cancelled me.  I was not impressed by the lies. The night shift staff commence duty at 10.00 pm and Marg is still in pain but as yet no hospital bed has been found for her.  At 11.45 we are told a bed has been found in the Cancer Ward for Margaret.  After Margaret has been transferred to her bed in room 4, Wards 6E, the doctor comes to tell us the news.  Margaret’s electrolytes are completely out of whack and if left unchecked, the result will not be good.  In addition, the doctor thinks the cancer may have reactivated and spread into the duodenum, but a cat scan will be needed to confirm this.   Saturday 8 July 2023 Jameson and Charli and I leave Margaret at about 12.20 am on Saturday 8 July. When we get to their car, the rain is still thundering down.  They drop me off at home at 12.30 am.  I go to bed at 1.00 am and sleep until 8.00 am – the longest continuous sleep I have had in months.  I have two missed calls from Margaret when I get up.  She says the cat scans did not take place and that the food is rubbish.  A bed is available in Western Community Hospital if she wants it.  I say I prefer that she stay where she is – it is a brand new hospital with a complete suite of medical equipment. I have breakfast and do a walk for the first time in days.  I leave to visit Marg in the hospital at about 2.05 – immediately after I finish typing this entry. Marg is asleep when I arrive.  I take a photo and do crosswords until she wakes.  When she wakes, Marg is slow of speech but logical and rational.  She is on a regime of pain control relief on demand – and even with this, she is still in remarkable pain.  As she talks, her eyes close and she ceases talking for up to 30 seconds – and then resumes talking at exactly where she left off.  I am depressed and take the tram home at 4.10 pm.  I spent the evening updating friends on developments in Margaret’s health.  I feel very flat and tears well up constantly.  It is now 9.48 and I am going to bed alone.