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Dear Theresa,
Sorry for not faxing you after our visit to Fr Pat last Friday – There was a misunderstanding between Chris and myself – She thought that I had sent you a fax.
Anyway we visited again yesterday – so I can report on the two visits – Overall we thought that he looked thinner, so we weighed him and found that he'd lost a few pounds i.e. he's a few pounds under 10 stones. Also, although he is relaxed and cheerful even at times we thought that he has deteriorated in that he is more childlike – especially in the restaurant – tearing up his napkin, pouring out the salt, stirring the milk in the jug, etc. etc. And he's inclined to stop at times and refuse to budge for maybe five minutes. As usual he will not answer a direct question but he does a lot more muttering to himself almost …….. Even when I'm sitting beside him. I find it difficult to know what he is saying – I even miss his little jokes! He can still eat very well and can move quite well when you get him started.
He is having the massage (we think fairly regularly) but as there was no bill left we do knot know exactly how frequently – Anyway we left a cheque with Sister Mulcahy to pay the lady – Fr Pat likes the massage and he likes the lady who obviously talks to him (though I doubt if she has fourteen children and has been all around the world – which is what I think he told me about her!)
The electric toothbrush which we left with Fr Pat before we went to England is lost! Anyway he was not using them as he did not have enough strength in his thumb to switch it on.
A pair of his glasses had gone to the laundry in his pygamas (!) and the frame was ruined. So we took them to the shop in Dalkey and got a new frame. We gave the bill to the Sister!
There seems to be no urgency about getting the high dependency patients out of the 5th floor. There seems to be just as many there as there used to be. Perhaps they are just not taking in any new cases. I tried to get Fr Foster on the telephone to see if he had any news but he was not in. I will call him again. After I have talked to him and if there is no question of Fr Pat moving to another home I will check with Mr Bourke if his flat is available at the end of May.
We hope that you and Patrick are keeping very well and that you will be able to come in May. It must be difficult for you to give up all your holidays and to come all this way but you really can get Fr Pat going when you come. We're sorry that we have not better news to tell you about him but I feel that I should let you know how we find him……
We had another grandchild – a large baby boy, our daughter, Karen, and the baby, Ivan, are both very well. Daughter-in-law Maura is expecting her third child next month. They're trying to make us look very old – 5 grandchildren!!
Looking forward to seeing you in a couple of months
With love
Chris and Bosco
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