Well actually it was yesterday late afternoon that I got home but I was very tired and did only the minimum I needed to do. But it is good to be home.
There were two criteria that need to be fulfilled before I could leave.
First the drainage tube from the abscess had to be removed and the blood infection levels had to be lowered considerably.
For the first, they were very pleased with the progress of the shrinking of the abscess, which was pretty lucky as the drain couldn't be used any more as the abscess had broken open connecting with my lungs — the breathing part. So if the drain were open I'd be breathing in and out through the bag. This suddenly happened on breakfast when I coughed and the bag blew up like a balloon.
Anyway on Monday the 28th, they told me it would the 29th or the 30th. I told them it had been hurting in the night and had to call for a painkiller. About an hour later two nurses wheeled me in my bed down to X-Ray and they did the deed. I was a bit scared about it hurt — but the surgeon told me that the only pain would be them pulling off the bandage, but in fact while this was true, I have an advantage — regarding armpits I am androgynous — for my lung operation I was completely shaved on the left side (leaving me with a slight tendency to move in large diameter circles) — anyway this was the same lung and side. He then told me to breathe in and out deeply for about 7 times and during this he suddenly pulled and it was out — no pain at all. They took a couple X-Rays and it was over.
For the second criteria, the blood infect levels, they were getting very pleased with a new approach — instead of a mixture of antibiotics they replaced them all with just one new one — I'm not too sure when this happened, but they were seriously talking about Friday — which is what happened.
There was a near miss though — after breakfast I was messing about on the computer when they connected the antibiotic. I switched the computer off, and went to lie on the bed to write some notes. No way! My hands were freezing and shaking in a very extreme manner. I pressed the 'panic button' and the main sister came — she immediately called the ward doctor. They were talking about tremens (not delirium though). They couldn't get through to my doctor, so they called for a neurologist. And they detached me from all drips — food and antibiotic.
Then suddenly after 30 minutes it stopped completely. They wanted to reconnect me to both drips but I refused the antibiotic. The neurologist arrived and did some waggling of my hands and blamed it on large amount of antibiotics I'd had.
After that everything went well.
Margaret had stocked me up with food and got some more today. I manage the shorter trip to the place that sells lottery tickets — I have a good feel for this and expect to be rich. On the way back I got kitchen rolls, rubbish bags and that sort of thing. Only just time I stopping buying hair shampoo — and now I realise you don't know why.
The day I went to hospital my hair started falling out in clumps. It is horrible in the shower, like having wet cobwebs over your face and your towel doesn't help. Anyway when Chris and Margaret visited on the first Friday, Chris brought his hair cutting device and he set it to the lowest setting and you can now call me Baldilocks!
My email system has 105 unread emails, 51 of which are replies to the newsletters. I have read the text of them all using the preview pane, but will properly answer every one, but please bear with me if it takes a few days!
I return to the hospital on the 11th for the second chemo session which they will spread over three days. Meanwhile I have no medicines at all to take and am happy to be home.
Love to all of you my friends
David
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