All posts by It's My Time Now

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About It's My Time Now

I am a retired adult educator. My wife had a stroke in February 2014 and developed mixed dementia. I was her Care Partner until she passed in October 2025. This Blog has told the story of life as a Care Partner and now focuses on the aftermath of dementia.

Calling In The Police

I think the only way to keep Residents in Sussex House Care Home safe is to raise my concerns with the Police.

After reading the files that the Care Home hold on me I rermain extremely concerned for the safety of Residents. My records were apalling with bewilderring entries. I have not had a cigarette for over sixty years but my recordx said I went out for a smoking break. They also suggested I went along with my daughter to have my haircut . I have confirmed with Lisa that this never happened! The files are littered with nonsense of the first order.

I will be calling in at Council Offices in Grimsby shortly to talk to Elected Members or Officers about my plans. I don’t want to use a sledgehammer to crack a walnut if plans are already in place to protect the safety of Residernts in that DREADFUL PLACE..

A Special Delivery

For over eight months I have been requesting Sussex House Care Home to provide me with a copy of the records that they hold on me. Yesterday they hand delivered a mountain of paperwork. They are a painful reminder of the six weeks I spent in that DREADFUL PLACE .

The records are some IT Based system that has a proforma approach to detailing what is happening to Residents in a Care Home. I often wondered why Carers were spending so much time on their Mobiles: now I know.

What the records do not tell is the Abuse and Neglect that myself and fellow Residents were enduring on a daily basis: how could they?

While this endless form filling was going on Carers continued to hand out sandwiches to Residents with their hands:no gloves. Food remained inadequate and often tasteless slop. Residents were called by nicknames: ‘Pork Chop or Myrtle’. Lucy one Carer always called me ‘Phil’ rather than Paul. Wheel chair bound Residents were dragged to dining room tables with Carers pulling them along. Cigarettes were witheld from Residents when they requested a fag break. One Resident was told : ‘if she didn’t like it – she knew where the door was’. Showers remainded grubby and towels were little better than floor cloths. And much more …..

The proformas may have been routinely completed but the Abuse and Neglect continued.

I am optimistic that Local Councillors will call Sussex House Care Home to account and share Good Practice throughout the local Care Sector.

Happy Birthday

Today is the birthday of my eldest daughtyer Lisa. She was born over 50 years ago but I remember that Saturday as though it was yesterday.

A knock came on my front door as a young woman aked me if I knew my wife had delivered a young baby in the night. Walsgarave Maternity Hospital was just down the road and my informant worked their.

I waited until visiting time when my wife Annette assured me she had not had a baby. Her confusion was caused by the drugs she had been on as delivery took place. Even a Nurse bringing our daughter did not convince her that the baby was hers.

When evening visiting came round things were different. Annette was holding her daughter and told me she had been calling her Lisa all day. So there was no point in arguing and our beautiful daughter now had a name.

I will phone Lisa shortly and wish her ‘Happy Birthday’ as she is gets ready to work as a Classroom Assistant in a Coventry School.

I hope her colleagues and charges treat her well on this Special Day

Active Again

This Blog is now active again thanks to Diamond Media in Grimsby. It has been a a struggle for almost a year as there have been some technical issues but they have been solved now,

From tomorrow I will post daily to explain what has been happening in my life in the last year.

As always I will speak openly about what has been going on: I have nothing to hide!

Under Wafful’s Wing

I was reassured yesterday when Waffl told me he had taken me under his wing.

Wafflul as he fondly known is an incredible person.

What he doesn’t know about Grimsby and the surrounding area isn’t worth knowing.

He alway knows a man who can who will never let you down.

His partner is a beautiful woman fitting for a man of his stature.

To say the leaste he has led an interesting life and always puts his experiences to good effect.

If only there were more people like Waff on this earth the world would be a better place.

Why Did You Give Up?

Yesterday at 3pm I was seen by two GP’s at Stirling Medical Centre.

During a very thorough medical examination Dr Sibtain posed ‘Why did you give up?,

I reassured him that I never gave up but withdrew for a time to gather breath as I faced a difficult struggle in my life.

To watch my first wife die at the age of 29 was challenging.

To see Maureen bravely dealing with dementia and eventually dying in her 80’s was soul destroying.

However, I never GAVE UP. as Ginger one of her Social Workers recently said ‘ I couldn’t have done any more.’

I never GIVE UP it is not in my nature.

On occasions I may go quiet to gather strength to fight another day.

Diego Jota

A Taxi driver informen about Diego’s passing yesterday afternoon. I knew immediately that I wanted to share my grief with some genuine Liverpool supporters.

Later in the afternoon I called in at the fruit shop in our Market Stall where the owner and his son have been Liverpool season ticket holders. We discussed their loss at length as I purchased some of the excellent fruit that is always on offer.

Diego is a sad loss to all football fans. His ability was immense and it is unfortunate that injuries often limited the number of games he played in a seaso.

Rest in peace Diego and thanks for wonderful memories of an exceptional footballer.

Struck Off

I have received a letter fom the NHS this morning that informs me that I have been removed from my GP’s Practice list from 5/07/2025.

I had no idea that any complaints had been made against me.

I phoned up the Practice this morning to be told that someone would speak to me this afternoon as they are very busy at the moment.

I await with bated breath wondering what is going to happen next to make my life even more challenging.

Big Jim

When I was a crankshaft macinist for British Leyland in the 1960 Jim Meehan was our setter. Fondly known as Big Jim he would change over our machines when a different model came onto the production line.

Big Jim could ofter be seen with his back to a machine. Like a bear he would use the machine as his tree to ease itching in his back.

I have fond memories of my time at BLMC where I learned how to negpotiate piece work prices for myself and later for my Section after I was elected Shop Steward.

Our immediate adversary was known as Jack the Rat A tough nut to crack who often said we would kill the Goose that laid the Golden Egg.

Happy days when it was clear who was them and who was us.

I still find it upsetting when I hear the uninitiated claiming that Idle workers destroyed our Car Industry. I would like them to have to put up with the graft that went into trying to earn a decent wage on machines that were well past their sell by date.

Help

The itching from scabies is driving me mad at the moment. I have phoned for help from the Clinical Assessment Team to be told there is nothing they can do to help me. I have cream and have taken a shower but still the itching persists.

All I can do is tough it out for another few weeks or so. The Beatles version of Help is the only song that gives me inspiration at this torrid time in my life: When I was younger so much younger than today