At last Michael is coming home. Seems a bit of a dream now the whole thing from our trip to the States in January to find out Michael's only option was a transplant, to Oxford, to THE call and then the last 8 weeks and 72 hours. With Michael now looking so well and being more like his old self, it's hard to imagine those awful days at the beginning, post op, sitting with him, watching him in pain and having numerous tests and set backs. Guess it's all a bit like child birth - you just quickly forget how painful (understatement!) it all is and just keep progressing and all the tough bits don't seem as bad. Although, I guess if you ask Michael, I think he may think differently. And I although I went through childbirth twice more I'm not sure Michael would ever want to go through all that again.
Thankfully, it's full steam ahead and I can only pray that his recovery keeps going as positively. All his meds and feed are ready for discharge. Only thing left is for the enteral feed nurse to give us a lesson on keeping the tubes clean and generally how to look after them. Not sure what else needs doing tomorrow but they guesstimate that we'll be ready to depart around lunchtime. Now lunchtime on the ward is usually 12noon - I'm sure we won't be ready to leave that early but you never know. We know that we'll be back once a week for blood tests and every other week he'll have a scope (camera through the stoma to check the bowel). Doing that drive only once a week will be an absolute doddle. Only query we have before he leaves is whether he needs to take one of his drugs he was taking prior to his op. He was on a calcium tablets as his bone density hasn't been amazing because of his previous steriod use (steroids are known for causing bone weakness). The pharmacist advised today that his calcium levels are fine but I didn't think it was his calcium levels that were a problem but his bone weakness. Michael will check with the doctors again tomorrow (if he remembers!).
Shame is Michael's now in the nicest room he's been in so far. He was moved on Thursday as someone else was in need of the monitor in his room. He now has a lovely bright room with a double floor to ceiling window - beautifully light, but unfortunately all that light also shows up all the dirt in the room!! Apparently there's been some sort of audit and questions being asked of patients. Michael's complaint?? The room and bathroom are not cleaned nearly enough or thoroughly. Therefore yesterday he was thrown out his room whilst his room had a deep clean. I wouldn't mind, but he made the same complaint at UCH last year and his area there also had a thorough cleaning. Think maybe I should give the house a spring clean before his return. Can see him now walking around with his clipboard and pen. Feeling a little bit nervous :)
We did have our daily trip out today - nowhere very exciting. Having struggled for the last few weeks to squeeze that wheelchair into Michael's little car, I wasn't disappointed that today was the last. When he's home, no wheelchair that's for sure - it's time to build up his energy. We'll start slowly and who knows how long it takes but eventually he'll manage to get round our whole road in one go.
I think Michael's starting his blog soon - it's a shame he wasn't up to writing earlier on because I know if I hadn't written this blog as we were going through everything, I would have forgotten an awful lot. Perhaps when he reads my blog from the last eight weeks, it may jog his memory as to what he was going through at certain times. It's been a great way of me keeping everyone informed but to be honest it's also been extremely therapeutic - bit like talking to oneself. I will continue - I have a feeling life is about to get more 'fun' and although Michael, in his usual way, is being an amazing patient, I think the next few months are going to really test us. Previously Michael has come home from hospital and slowly, day by day, has recuperated until he can return to normal life (well as normal as his life ever was with Crohn's disease). It's not quite the same after transplant - but we'll learn as go along and I think together we're a pretty strong team and we'll deal with what's thrown at us. It may actually be that at times I'll feel like throwing something at Michael but I'm sure he'll deal with that as well.
As you can imagine, the kids are so excited about tomorrow. I did tell them this morning again that we still weren't sure if everything was on track for Tuesday so they were delighted when I got home and told them it was. Lauren has already said she wants Daddy to open the door when she gets home. Lucky Waffle gets him all to himself until the kids return - the two of them can compare scars.
I really am so excited. May sound stupid but I feel like some sort of weight has been lifted. Think I may have a stupid grin on my face as I write this but his homecoming really is a big deal - it's just a shame he's not actually up to celebrating.
Well - time for bed. Early start for me so I can clean the house from top to toe.
Night xx
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