Finally home

I can hardly believe that a month has gone by since the last post on my blog, and what a month it has been - I will try to condense it but I am known to waffle!!!

After the drain had been put in at St Helier (Hell-ier more like!) it got progressively more painful and I ended up in St Hell's A&E where believe it or not they just sent me home with liquid morphine for the pain. It sounds silly but it wasn't until we got home that we realised that no-one had actually examined me - not looked at the drain site nor what was discharging into the bag.......unbelievable I hear you say! The upshot of that was that 2 days later I actually couldn't move and we had to call 999 for help. It was a nightmare and it was only with extra morphine that I was able to get downstairs and into the ambulance and guess where to ... St Hell's again, this was because this was where the drain was put in. Moving along a few days...... the drain fell out when the nurse was changing the dressing so guess what - more morphine, this time on a pump which eventually came home with me after 2 weeks. It was awful, I was in over Easter, I had scary Mary opposite me who hadn't a clue where she was and thought the hospital gown was a new lemon dress, Audrey who continually wanted to be taken to the toilet despite having a catheter in , the chineese lady (see previous blog!), a lady who thought she had been stolen from the bathroom and a man who thought he was Jesus (trust me, he wasn't). It was possibly the worst 2 weeks I have ever had, add all this with a row with a consulant and only sandwiches for supper with soup that the person serving it said he " thought it could be asparagus" it made for a pretty miserable time softened only by all my visitors.

Home at last but not feeling great so guess what - 4 days later I'm back in hospital, this time the Marsden; different kettle of fish altogether, but still hospital and away from home. A second drain was inserted and trust me this was even more painful that the last one, this one was done at the Chelsea & Westminster Hosp and I was taken by hosp transport. This was fine going there but after the procedure, and feeling very sore I had to wait nearly 3 hours for an ambulance to take me back to the Marsden; the journey back was in the rush hour so you can imagine, it took ages. By the time we got back it was nearly 8pm and I had missed lunch and supper, I actually think I slept most of the following day. Having had such 'colourful' bed mates in St Hell's I was not to be disappointed at the Marsden - Lynn who was convinced there was an old hag in the doorway each night and who insisted on calling me Belinda, and Joan who was certainly a sandwich short of a picnic and thought the phsychiatrist was round the bend........HELP!!!!!!!!!

I finally came home last Tuesday, the drain is still in and I have a nurse in each day to monitor it. I have a clinic appoitment at the Marsden next Tuesday when they will decide if the drain can come out and the I can finally get going on the chemotherapy. It really has been a very tough time emotionally as well as physically for me and of course for friends and family (especially Amy) who have taken the brunt of my moaning and crying, but enough..... all that is now behind me and I am getting ready for the next chapter. It's lovely to be home and although I don't have much strength back yet, simple things like hanging out the washing give me great pleasure (sad but true!).

I am again very touched by all the emails and cards I have had, my blog seems to be the success I had hoped and saves me repeating things over and over; there is a link to it on our church website which is great as I find going to church a bit too emotional so I know everyone is fairly up to date with what's going on. I actually went into work on Friday and have arranged that I can do certain bits from home and they are giving me a laptop which will enable me to use all the files stored on my work computer - all too technical for me but that will be super as my work is such an integral part of me.

Well, sorry this was such a long posting but I think all is up to date now - Tricia, I'm so sorry I missed you on the 21st; Liz, thank you for keeping everyone at church informed; Janet, glad the move went ok; Carol & Dave, thank you for the flowers. Hope no-one else is offended if I've not named them but just thank you to everyone, lets all think positive so that I can get going with the wretched chemo and get this whole ordeal over with xxxxxxxxxxx