India is travelling to China at the beginning of the Easter holidays. Keen to find the best dumplings in London she had earmarked a certain restaurant in Chinatown. On a whistle-stop trip we made it there last night. Brenda made the trip to Charing Cross, walked to Gerrard Street and then walked to the station. A quick stop in a bookshop topped a remarkable outing in terms of her continued progress.
Nova Scotians will appreciate the sentiment.
Today we were back down the M3 to the riot torn streets of Basingstoke for a meeting with Brendan Moran, Brenda’s Surgeon. By the reaction of those who haven’t seen Brenda since she was really under the weather progress has been good. Brendan was very upbeat about how well Brenda has done saying that in some cases patients might still be in hospital (Brens has been home for four weeks on Wednesday.) A small but painful pointy piece of cartilage in Brenda’s chest is nothing to worry about, which is a relief. He was also pleased to see that she is finally starting to put on some weight (although she is still quite thin). She is still on the pain meds, which he reckons will be needed for another couple of weeks. Brenda starts out most mornings feeling great with a lot of energy, but she tends to peter out by early evening and experiences more pain then. This is normal and afternoon naps are still very important. All in all it felt like more of a social visit than a medical consultation. Our next meeting is scheduled for June but until then it is full steam ahead. Brenda is keen to get out and increase her walking each day (hopefully back to some gently jogging in another month or so).
Our thanks again for the lovely flowers from a cast of thousands and it was great to hear from Ruth and that scoundrel Roberto.
Karen (CR Specialist Nurse) A.N.Other and Brendan Moran
A super human effort from Brenda’s BFF Uni-friend Jeanette to visit from Ontario was the highlight of the week. A week that saw a gentle uptick in Brenda’s improvement and an end to ups and downs in pain management. Visits from Bid, Gab, Bee, Robin and Jane. Francoise and Jane from Brenda’s office and Emily all the way from sunny Yorkshire. For all you amateurs in the True North with your 35 cm of snow as you can see we’re inundated here…but, don’t worry we’ll rebuild.
Brenda has had a positive week, although progress is still slow. At the moment it is a bit of a waiting game. There have been moments when I’ve thought we’re treading water and then a glimpse of the old Brenda in a gesture or order (I mean request.) After some tinkering it seems that we have the pain under control and Brenda has had her first full night’s sleep. In this regard, Nicki’s advice has been invaluable.
On Friday evening with the aid of cushions, hot water bottles and a blanket Brenda made it to see Teddy’s two and a half hour play. Quite a marathon but she made it. We have a number of visits planned for the week ahead to pass the time and then a flying visit from the Bomber (Jeanette) from Canada.
Again, thanks everyone for the goodwill, messages, visits, flowers and soup.
Earth Wind and Fire playing upstairs when I got back from the school run this morning, suggests an uptick in the patient’s progress.
OMG have just discovered the problem. Who on earth prescribed my wife Non-Dance-tron pills?
Sometimes you have to laugh, given last night’s experience when Brenda had a very bad reaction to a new pain medicine. Returning from a ‘parent’s evening’ I found her kneeling on the kitchen floor sobbing. Brenda had put out an APB to a doctor friend and she dropped everything and rushed over. The visit settled Brenda and our friend also set up the dominoes should we need to rush her to A&E so that the’d be expecting her. Eventually, full of pills and potions Brenda relaxed a bit and was able to sleep and a trip to A & E averted. With that in mind, an email reminder for an interview scheduled for a feature in Good Housekeeping Magazine next week couldn’t have arrived at a less opportune time! (no offence intended F if you are reading this.) Suffice it to say, Brenda has had a bit of a set back and one that we were unprepared for, time for some hard yakka to get us over this bump.
Two lovely parcels received to aid the recovery one from an unknown source via Selfridges. The other from the Isle of Wight (including farm sourced bread for medicinal toast) from our very own Nova Scotian Super Heroine.
A song title from 2013 (the interweb says.) Well, we ain’t dancing at the minute and the pain sure as hell ain’t going away.
I liked this card which arrived this morning. Sadly the postman endeavoured to fold it into a paper aeroplane before pushing it through the letter box (it gave us both something to be cross about.) We’d like lots of ‘Get Betterness’ it is a nice sentiment but, as a wiser man than I observed:
‘It is good that you are surrounded by so much empathy, but as you know, only the individual feels the pain and no amount of empathy reduces that feeling. So back we go to will, and to courage.’ Ken C
We have an appointment with the Doc this evening who hopefully will up the pain meds.
Pills bagged, Brens is asleep.
It’s 3 weeks and 2 days since my surgery and, as my surgeon said as he hugged me goodbye when I left the clinic, ‘You’re sailing through’. If I think back to 3 weeks ago today, I was in intensive care hooked up to more tubes and machines than I could count, and was so appreciative that I think I cried when Philippa from ICU offered to bathe me and found a makeshift way to wash my hair with a microwave shower cap. Today I am at home with my family with no tubes or staples, I can shower every morning, wear my own clothes, sleep in my own bed and eat a limited diet of white carb high calorie food. The human body is an amazing thing.
Don’t get me wrong, as with all long sailing trips, there are periods of smooth sailing in sunshine with good wind, but there are also very stormy seas where I am clipped on but being thrown around the deck in high winds – often both in the same day.
My scar runs from my breastbone down to my pelvic bone and I’ve had more taken out of me than I had expected. As a result, things inside are still settling into their new positions and recovering from stitching, bruising, etc. I’ve also been splayed out crucifix-style for more than 10 hours in surgery, which is not a natural position. Consequently, both the internal and external fasciae are still adjusting to the new me, and I find it hard to sit or lie in one position for very long.
The good news is that my body is clearly working overtime to heal, as I seem to be burning huge amounts of calories and expending a lot of energy on very minor tasks. Although I was warned, I am still surprised that after having a shower, I need to lie down for a few minutes and rest before drying my hair. I am fine with visitors for an hour or two, but then I need to rest. So, I have lots of short naps.
Bottom line? It’s hard going, but it could be so much worse. All of your wonderful cards, gifts, messages, videos and calls have made and continue to make such a difference. I can’t put into words how overwhelmed I am by all of the kindness, love, support, school lifts, dog walks, meals and generosity that we have enjoyed and experienced. Because of it, I am getting stronger every day and I know that I will be fighting fit again in a couple of months.
THANK YOU! (Wonder Woman lanyard just arrived, thanks Maria)
Brenda won't back down 