This is the post excerpt.
I have resurrected my blog so all friends and family are kept up to date with my progress then when I see them we can just talk about normal day-to-day things. I will only give cancer as much time as I need to.
Yaaaaay – my consultant was really pleased with the way everything is looking. I have to finish my course of antibiotics and she doesn’t want to see me until November!!!
I pressed her on whether she thought the implant was safe, but she just said I wasn’t out of the woods yet and to wait another couple of weeks, however, in my view if there was any element of doubt she would see me again in a few weeks right – not wait till November, so as far as I am concerned, Betty Boob is staying where it is and I am joining the real world again – can’t wait!
I will update my blog every now and then, but for now I have got my life to live and can now continue to grow old disgracefully – and my message to Cruella (cancer) ………
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Thanks to you all for the amazing support you have given Pete & I during this unwanted journey – couldn’t have done it without you.
Have a great weekend all – over and out for now.
xxx
Had my appointment with the consultant today in Canterbury and was looking forward to her being impressed with the improvement -instead she said she didn’t think it had really changed since she discharged me on Monday! So continuing with the antibiotics and seeing her again next Friday.
It seems that I may not have been helping the situation though as on the information pack I received before my ops, they say you have to apply cream to the scar tissue several times a day for about 18 months and massage quite firmly over the scars, this I have been doing at least a couple of times a day and was informed today that because of the infection this was the worst thing I could do as it may well be aiding the spread – I have to admit I hadn’t even considered that aspect and of course it makes perfect sense. So as of now I am leaving my scars well alone!
Typical isn’t it? The one time that I actually do as I am told only to discover that this could be contributing to it taking so long to clear.
I asked whether she thought we had saved the implant in time but until the infection goes completely and they can assess the situation she wont commit, so keep those positive thoughts going a bit longer please.
Hopefully I now have a week until my next medical appointment, what will I do with this new found freedom??
Have a lovely weekend all – until the next time xx
Infection still going in the right direction so I was crossing everything that I would be sent home today.
Side-kick of my consultant arrived and said he was pleased with how things were progressing but needed to monitor for the next couple of days- oh and when did I have my last blood test!!! He is lucky I didn’t give him a Glaswegian kiss 😀.
I phoned Pete to tell him and told him not to bother coming up today and resigned myself to another day of being institutionalised. My consultant appeared a short time ago and hadn’t seen me since Wednesday afternoon so of course noticed quite a difference. She then told me I could go home today yaaaaaay!
I need to go to her clinic in Canterbury for the next two Fridays and will be on antibiotics for a few weeks more. It is amazing how this appeared almost overnight but is taking so long to go.
So after spending 3 of the last 4 weeks in hospital I am finally about to embark on the great escape.
Thanks for all your support during this time and I will keep going with the blog but obviously the updates won’t be as frequent (hopefully!)
xxx
Hi all
Didn’t bother updating the blog yesterday as nothing really happened.
Pete did yet another round trip again bringing some much appreciated ‘real food’ always perfect for lifting the spirits.
Consultant has been round, another slight improvement but the most positive move is they are today changing me over to oral meds instead of IV so a real move in my quest to get home. They are going to review me again tomorrow and if it is still improving I can stay on oral meds. My consultant is back tomorrow so I think they have been treading water till she returns – hopefully she is going to be really pleased with how it is progressing.
They wanted my blood yet again but I have negotiated a stay of execution- Pete was going to come all this way if they insisted but fortunately he can have a much deserved day off today.
Looking forward to a visit this afternoon from my cousin Eileen and Geoff so will be lovely to catch up with them.
Hope you are all having a good weekend and more updates tomorrow xx
Not much to report today. Another slight improvement so this time the area was marked with a series of dots. They wanted to do blood tests but I am trying every angle to escape this, the only problem being that the doctor suggested maybe trying when I was asleep. I had a couple of hours rest this afternoon and almost fell out of bed as a nurse wanted to take my obs and touched my leg to wake me up – a doctor lurking nearby to take my blood has unnerved me considerably and certainly don’t feel as relaxed.
Been on a bit of a downer today, guess it had to happen at some stage, facing another weekend in here and missing a party tomorrow night that I had been really looking forward to – feel so cut off from the outside world. Tomorrow is another day and I am sure I will feel much better. So probably best to tuck myself in bed and build my strength up for when I can party again.
Night all – sleep tight xx
As always in here they woke me up with the dawn chorus by getting me hooked up to the first of my IV drips – I just stuck my arm out and put the sheet over my head. Did I want any pain killers I was asked – why, is the murder of a nurse legal now???
Just before 8am two of the lovely nurses came in looking rather sheepish ….. they were moving me again! So started in a hotel (own room with en-suite & tv) moved to youth hostel (own room, TV but no en-suite) now camping – in a bay with 4 beds, no TV and all sharing toilets and showers. Maybe tomorrow they will stick me outside!
Doctor came round and said yes definitely an improvement, where they had drawn round the infected area yesterday and drew new lines round the area today so I am beginning to look as though I have a road map drawn all over my chest. I was looking at him expectantly but he informed me that until all the inflammation went down I wouldn’t be able to go home- at this rate that could take a couple of weeks. He then gave a bit of a compromise- if I can halverify the area from one day to the next they will consider replacing the antibiotics currently being administered via IV line with oral ones – so that is my challenge!
Again the old ‘blood test ‘ subject came up and yet again I was not parting with any blood from my line so I have survived another day with not giving in to extraction of blood!
Had a lovely surprise when Bid and Brian called in just after arriving back at Gatwick from holiday and Pete came up with a much appreciated food parcel.
Tonight I finished my 2nd jigsaw puzzle of 1000 pieces only to find 2 pieces missing grrrrrrr – who said I was bored?
Well last drip now disconnected so going to try and get some sleep. Night all and update tomorrow if any further news xxx
I spoke too soon about my own room with en-suite as last night they moved me. Still got my own room but no en-suite so have been downgraded from hotel to youth hostel.
There is now an area of the infection which has gone right down but consultant said she can’t believe how long it is taking and in her words – God knows when I can discharge you! They then decided that it would be a good idea to take some blood for testing – fitted with my new found friend the mid-line I had no worries about it at all but would you believe it, fluids can go in ok but no one could get my blood out of it. I informed the doctor that it was ‘that way or no way’ he tried yet again to extract my blood and in the end said that as there seemed to be an improvement in the infected area that he would hold off taking my blood – wise move buster!
I got ticked off by one of the nurses last night because they were moving my bed and all my bits over to the new room, including my bedside table so I just wheeled the one from my new room towards my old room. Just such a natural reaction if something needs doing but the nurse swooped on me for possibly straining my body – um hello …. it is on wheels!!!
Got told off again today because when I had my bag of antibiotics hooked onto the wheeled stand, I wondered whether I could scoot down the corridor with one foot on the stand and the other to scoot with – there was no one in sight so I had a go, only for a nurse to round the corner halfway down the corridor and catch me in the act – it was fun while it lasted though and I have decided that I am definitely determined to grow old disgracefully !!
Have had visits from 2 of the party girls who were in with me a couple of weeks ago, it was lovely seeing them and they both looked so well, which was even better.
Off to get hooked up for my 3rd of 4 IV drips for the day – so will post when I have more news.
Have a good evening all xxx
Why do hospital some start so early on the morning? The nurse arrived to hook me up to the drip at 6am, I am not a morning person as most of you know so my arm went out, and sheet and blanket went up over my head so I could continue my slumber a little while longer.
When I arrived I was put in a side-room on my own which at first I thought wouldn’t be very nice but now I am hoping they don’t move me. I have my own bathroom and TV then during the day I just go to the dayroom for some socialising.
Consultant has been to see me and we both agreed that it didn’t look half as anary today but she keeps telling me I need to be patient – if it means retaining Betty boob, I can do that!
So just off to the dayroom now – heads are going to roll as the jigsaw puzzles I was 2/3 way through and was one of the hardest I have done has been broken up and put away!!!! The one I finished 3 weeks ago is still there which is even more annoying.
So enjoy your day everyone and will update tomorrow xxx
Consultant has been back and thinks there is maybe a slight improvement but a long way to go. However her thoughts are that it may be the skin which is infected rather than the implant- if it was the implant she said I would be feeling really ill, which I don’t in the slightest. So I escape the knife again tomorrow and she will come round before her day in theatre.
Positive thoughts and everything crossed that my stay of execution continues would greatly help.
Till tomorrow xxx
Consultant has come round and I have a stay of execution until tomorrow yaaaaaay. The infection hasn’t spread further and she thinks the inflammation has subsided a little so she will come back about 4pm to check and if she thinks the antibiotics are having an effect I may get to keep Betty boob – thanks for your positive vibes, keep them coming.
Update to follow later xxx
Cancer my univited guest 