The long road ahead.....

Yes, it's me at last. Finally I feel well enough to sit here for a few moments and type an entry. It wont be very long - just long enough to say thank you to everyone who has sent me Christmas wishes/cards/presents. And to say thank you to Martin for keeping you all up to date with what's been happening here. Not a lot has changed - the wound in my left leg is still open and weeping a bit although the antibiotics seem to have worked and the infection is at last clearing up.



Such high dose anti biotics, taken over a long period of time, have several unpleasant effects too. They can make you feel very 'down', supress your appetite, give you thrush and make you feel very sick. But at least they are working at last.

Christmas was a very quiet affair here with Martin doing all the cooking. And a wonderful job he did as well. I must remember when Im better to let him do more cooking !! The weather has been very cold with quite a lot of snow about which made driving very dangerous on several days so it was nice for us all to hibernate and do nothing but keep warm and watch telly. Not that I felt like going out anyway - this feeling of complete and utter exhaustion wont leave me for more than 5 mins at a time. Every bone and muscle in my body aches and my legs permanently hurt still. Im desperately hoping for an improvement in this very soon. Im trying to do a little more each day - walk a little further round the house - stay out of bed a little longer each day etc..

Thursday I go to see Dr P. again - I shall report back on what he has to say.....

..update

Jane came out of hospital at the weekend. Her vein had collapsed making it impossible to the deliver the antibiotics via IV. When the Dr said she should take them orally, she was out the door and on her way home.
Since then we have had a procession of district nurses in to change dressing etc... Jane herself is quite down at the moment due to the slow recovery. We have had some tearful moments recently and it had been hard to try to get her back on track. The situation remains the same, she still has an open wound on her leg that is being treated daily to stop infection, along with high dose antibiotics. This is proving very upsetting for her because she cannot see any improvements. She still struggles to walk short distances even with her frame and is constantly tired. We did go shopping for the first time yesterday, to buy the Xmas turkey. She did really well with the aid of a wheel chair but that's the most she has done in about six weeks.

It is now snowing heavily after a week of freezing temperatures. It can only get better from this point......

Happy Christmas, Martin

...further

Jane has gone back into hospital for IV antibiotics. I took her in at 3pm this afternoon following a conversation with her surgeon's nurse. It is likely she will be in until about Tuesday. Without being unkind I think it is the best place for her at the moment because it was becoming extremely stressful having her so poorly at home. This way they have the staff and equipment to deal with the infection properly once and for all. I think tonight I will sleep a little deeper knowing she is in good hands.... Martin

..update

Jane is still fighting an infection in the operation site on her right leg. She is at home and is able to read emails and comments on the blog however to sit still and write an entry is beyond her best efforts at the moment.
We hope to attend the surgeons clinic this Tuesday to either get the all clear on the swabs or go back into hospital to explore what is going on in there. The other leg, the main operation is all fine. Ironic isn't it !!

Martin

...update

Jane has asked me to post a quick message.... she is still at home but feeling quite unwell. She has contracted an infection in one of operation sites on her leg. We have had swabs taken for analysis so the correct antibiotics can be prescribed but as you can imagine the infection is causing her a lot of upset.
We hope to get her on the path to recovery very soon....

Martin

If it's Tuesday it must be Wednesday......

(Actually it IS Tuesday - Tuesday 1st December and I have just arrived home. The following are from notes I made whilst in ROH)


I've lost a day.
A Tuesday.
Goodness knows where it went.
It was there one minute and gone the next - I've actually had an argument with a nurse over what day it is !

It is in fact Wednesday 18th November and I should be in London today attending the James Whale Fund Cancer Patient Day - as their patient representative.
I'm so disappointed - I was really looking forward to taking part in the whole day, especially being the patient representative on the Q & A session in the afternoon chaired by my old mate Nick Owen.
Anyway - it can't be helped. And at the moment I have more important things to occupy my mind.

You may recall my mentioning that on the scans of my femurs there was a tumor, a smaller one, on my right femur. Well Mr Tillman has strongly suggested we deal with this tumor now before it causes any real problems like fracturing as the left one did. I don't think I could face going through that dreadful experience again. This operation would be smaller, the tumor and infected bone cut out and a metal plate 'concreted' into its place. This could actually take place next Monday (25th) so with a bit of luck I could be home at the beginning of December. Just in time for Christmas.

But what a horrible decision to make. I could be home in a few days if I decide to put the operation off until after Christmas. But then I would have to go in again and go through it all once more. It seems so unfair. There were a few tears and tantrums until I finally decided to get it over with now - and signed the consent form for 25th November.

Please God let this be the end now? No more operations please - whether on a Tuesday or Wednesday or whenever. Please no more pain. I've just started to mobilize with a zimmer frame and now I have to take a step backwards and have the other leg done.

So once more I'm off for another operation. Which has to be the last one because at the end of the day I've only got two legs !!