Trips to interesting places, there and back in a day; and those not-too-healthy but very enjoyable lunches where the alcohol content might well outweigh the food. What nice prospects in these sombre, locked-down times!
Well, I’m getting both, but not exactly as described above.
Readers will know that the plan had been to insert a PEG into my stomach a couple of weeks ago, and from then on I’d be supplied with liquid meals, to be syringed in. I’ve never been a sleep-walker but it seems I have a particular capacity for sleep-fighting – so the operation started but didn’t finish. No PEG. It didn’t happen. The new food at home did happen though: there’s a cabinet here full of dozens of liquid meals. The medics say “David, drink them!”, so I do. I’m afraid the swallowing difficulties are so severe now that even puréed food is too thick. So the future is liquid, and them’s my liquid lunches.
And now, news of the next attempted operation – and you know why I say “attempted”.
They’ve given me Tuesday 13th October for the RIG operation. Admission on Monday 12th, and that evening they say there will be four minutes of discomfort as they pass a tube up my nose and down into my stomach and leave it there. Quite OK after that, they say. I’ll let you know ….
Then the Tuesday operation followed by up to five days recovering. Then home.
And transport laid on, not only from home to the National Hospital on Monday 12th and then back home some days later, but also this:
As I was discharged from the Covid-free ward I’m now a risk, so on the 8th, four days before admission, they’ll send transport to take me to the National where they’ll do the Covid swab thing, and they’ll then transport me back home – a day trip. Then for four days I’m to be in total 100% self-isolation, ready for them to pick me up on the 12th.
I have to say that this sounds to me to be an expensive and rigorous process, made more so by the pandemic. The NHS must be doing something similar to huge numbers of people. I’m very impressed.
David, all the very best for this next step. Thinking positive thoughts for you.
Good luck on the 12th, Dave. Thinking of you. Caroline
The NHS is pretty amazing, isn’t it, especially when caring for those who most need it. Malc was always very impressed and am so glad you feel the same. We know how hard things are for you and hope you can manage to stay positive for the next two weeks xx
So pleased you have a date will be thinking of you and saying a prayer for you my love always Barbara
You’re amazing! I so admire your courage and fortitude. When I was 8, I had pneumonia, and they tried to put a tube down my nose to drain my lungs. This was at the Aramco hospital. They had to get my dad to come down and get me to cooperate. I don’t remember if they ever accomplished the procedure. The two things I remember are that (1) Nigel Heidelbach, the boy I had a crush on, was discharged from the children’s ward the day before I was moved there ( a great disappointment), and (2) a nice young nurse put up my hair in rag curlers. Wishing you a procedure in which they don’t have to get an authority figure to make you cooperate, and a pretty young nurse to make you feel loved!
I hope all goes according to plan this time David. E & I will be thinking of you. Re Nancy’s point, I hope you get several pretty young nurses to attend to you!! 😀. I found my times in hospital greatly improved by pretty young nurses!