§ The Limbo Dance: signifying an emergence from death to life. §
31 August 2016: Email Update to friends and rellies – celebrating our wonderful NHS
Dear all,
Getting all the attention
John continues in good spirits despite being in isolation and, on the whole, is beginning to feel a bit better than he did last week. The nurses and doctors are still very attentive with their needles, drips, thermometers, blood pressure equipment, stethoscopes, pills and torches (for peering into his mouth in the middle of the night!!). And he is still chatting up the nurses. He has also had one-to-ones with the dietitian and the radiologist, and he will maybe see a urologist too in due course. No expense or effort spared – thank God for good people and the NHS!!!
Is it working?
We don’t yet know whether the donor cells are doing to their business but we hope to see some development of a new immune system by early next week. At the moment, John is still zero white cells of his own and not yet counting any new ones. The doctors seem to think this is par for the course and they are not indicating any concern. The tummy bug seems to be more controlled and, having had a couple of good night’s sleep over the weekend, John is feeling a bit more human.
Where’s my Sunday Roast?
He did finally get his scan the other day after the abortive attempt last Wednesday. But it was touch and go whether it was going to happen. He was just looking forward to his Sunday roast and about to order his lunch when the nurse piped through the intercom, ‘John, sorry, you’re nil by mouth now to go down for your scan this afternoon.’ Oh dear, he was very disappointed. Anyway, I arrived and we sat chatting while his tummy rumbled and, about ten past four we both realised it would soon be tea-time, no scan done yet and the looming possibility of no tea either!! I toddled along to find out when he was to be taken to the radiology department and the nurse was shocked he’d not yet been wheeled down to the department. As it was a Sunday, there were not many staff on duty and each department was stretched, so the radiology department thought the nurses from Ward 19 would take him down, and the Ward 19 nurses thought the porter from the radiology department would come and collect!!! All’s well that ends well though, as one of John’s flirts, Kim, wheeled him down for his scan and, like a Sergeant Major I escorted them both to fend off any germs that might be floating about.
Pesky Bugs!!
But, where do these pesky bugs come from??? We have wiped and wiped every nook and cranny we can see (well, I have anyway!) and John wears a fetching face mask whenever he ventures from his room but, having almost nailed the tummy bug, there is a suggestion that John has an urine infection now, so he spends a lot of time up and down to the loo!! Once again, the doctors are on it and investigating, prescribing the right pills and check, check, checking!
Bored? Not likely!
Up until the weekend, John has been catching up on his reading, watching a bit of TV and, of course, chatting to me and the kids when we are there or on the phone, but we know he is feeling a bit better because this week he has started thinking about designing a bedroom – a project Michael gave him to occupy the quiet hours – and he has been issuing instructions to his minions for printing off material from the web, providing suitable paper and card, and bringing in drawing equipment, etc so we know he’s still got his thinking cap on!!!
Soft Hands……
Lots of things make us laugh or smile as he goes through this process, and we know there’s quite a way to go, but we have both commented that we have never seen his hands so soft and clean!!! For the time being, no longer the hands of a practical man out solving other people’s problems every day, but the hands of a poet!!! Tee-hee-hee!!
Keeping up
I will do another update when there is something to tell. For those of you who are hoping for more frequent or more personal messages from me regarding John’s progress, apologies but this is a much as I can do for now – I hope you understand. No slight intended to anyone if I don’t respond to messages, phone calls or emails, it’s just that I am not finding the time or energy to do anything more. Everyone is important, but no-one is more important to me than John.
All for now then – and thank you once again for all the cards, good wishes and prayers – we are truly grateful.
Lots of love
Anne
P.S. John enjoying the view from his hospital bed……me!!!!
