Struggling

Although John was better yesterday and the panic that had set in on Tuesday night has abated, he is still struggling, what with one thing and another.

The medics ruled out a blood clot in the lungs, but found a very large hiatus hernia, which accounts for the breathlessness and, in part, for the slow progress of food through the digestive system.

Naturally, the doses of morphine are affecting the digestive system too, so we are plying the poor boy with multiple potions, several times a day, to ease the passage of food. I have yet to discuss this further with the medics here – either the GP or the MacMillan nurses – but I think we may need to up the dosage of purgatives as we up the doses of morphine.

The GP, and the consultant we saw yesterday after the scan, are both of the opinion that John was brewing an infection. “Start the antibiotics,” the doctor ordered – so we have.

We have started with Diclofenac today as well, as this drug helps with bone pain and we will see how we go. John is fine for a while and then, as the pain relief starts to wear off, he struggles with the pain in his leg and back. This has impacted on his mobility round the house – and we had been patting ourselves on the back for having bought an electric wheelchair until, that is, the furniture and doorways leapt out and got in John’s way. It’s been fun trying to manoeuvre the wheelchair around the lounge, kitchen and hallway. Some Polyfilla and a pot of paint will soon be required methinks. Mind you, it’s given us a bit of a giggle when he’s got stuck in a doorway or two – “To you,” “To me,” “Left-hand down a bit….”

Meanwhile, the morphine is making John sleepy and he nods off at the drop of a hat. Bless him, he is haunted in his dreams by Rio, who is apparently wandering around the house. We have also had a chat about a farmer wearing yellow wellies coming to visit him and a black man with a grey face sitting in the armchair in the bedroom. “Can you see him?” John wanted to know. Well, I could see exactly what he was looking at and when John got up and walked past the chair, so could he, too. “Oh….” he said, “it’s a pile of clothes…” Yep. Hehe.

John has slept a lot today, taking himself to bed just after mid-day for the afternoon, and then an early night tonight. I am hoping he will sleep better than he has the last few nights, but we’ll see. It’s such hard work for him, bless him.

God bless you all – everyone’s kind thoughts and prayers are appreciated.