Mr. F's Clinic

Roger had an O.P appointment for Mr. F's clinic yesterday. He wasn't very well, although he has not vomited or had stomach pains for ages. Anyway, they discovered there was pus coming out of the new stoma, no wonder there is a tender area surrounding it. They took a swab and we are waiting for the culture results to come through, then hopefully the GP will put him on the correct antibiotic to kill that one off. Just checked and the results aren't in yet.

He doesn't have alot in reserve these days, so when he starts to go down hill it happens quickly.

I await a phone call from the GP.

We Think We Have a Breakthrough.

I was telling one of my oldest friends with whom I email most days, about Roger's symptoms. She said "It sounds like a stomach ulcer to me! I have a duodenal ulcer, so I speak from experience."

I started researching on the net and to my amazement I noted the presenting symptoms: 1.) Anaemic like symptoms (the district nurse, our GP and the out of hours emergency doctor all thought Roger had anaemia) 2.) Fatigue 3.) Weight Loss 4.) Vomiting 5.) Loss of Appetite Then I read that because the duodenum connects to the small bowel if there's an ulcer it may cause blockages from time to time. That was the hospital diagnosis this time........a blockage that eventually had cleared itself, and Roger's stoma is in the small intestine. I thought BINGO!

Roger was sick so much that he was on tablets to protect his stomach when he was admitted this time. They asked me about this, on the ward, and I told them that we'd been told when he was last discharged, that he must take them every day for at least 2 weeks. They took the medication from me, locked it up and told me he would be given it every day. He was never given it! Nobody has even mentioned stomach ulcers, and he was told to eat what he liked and, In a bid to fatten him up, let's say I have been generous with the fats.

Roger came home once again on Friday. I've told him of my findings and between us we have devised a strict diet, little and often, no fats or oils, no spicy food and nothing acidic. No alcohol, but he gave that up over three years ago anyway, and no drugs that could irritate the stomach.

We believe as a result, we spent a lovely night last night. Very peaceful, very relaxed, no vomiting, no pain. Today we've had a good day so far, and it's 5.00pm now.
We are cautiously excited and optimistic that he's truly on the way up now. Hallelujah!!!

Out & In

Roger spent the last few days feeling less than alright at best. He feels sick alot, but the main worry is if he takes even 3 or 4 steps he's gasping for breath. The district nurse, the out of hours emergency doctor and his GP all think it is due to anaemia, and it was thought he may need a blood tranfusion. We were awaiting results of blood tests when last Monday evening he actually started vomiting (he's on anti sickness drugs as well) and that was so scary for both of us. Immagine being sick and gasping for breath at the same time! I put him to bed(when he lies still he breathing is ok), but we had a fairly disturbing night culminating in an ambulance dash at 6.00am to A & E.
Once there we had the usual nightmare of trying to find a vein to insert a canula. In the end a young doctor did it in his neck, (the only option left) with the aid of an ultra sound machine.

Blood test revealed that his haemoglobin was good. X-Rays showed no evidence of clots and the chest was clear, so they're still trying to figure it out.

I left him on the ward at 2.00pm and came home to catch up on some sleep, only stopping briefly enroute to buy mince pies. I felt I needed a treat!

Roger's Home!

Just to quickly report, (because I don't have much free time) that Roger did get home on Thursday. The discharge procedures took all day, and were finally completed by 6.30pm. We got in just after 7.00pm and were pretty exhausted.

He is as weak as a kitten, and has lost 2 stone in weight. I am trying to feed him 'good stuff', home made soup etc, but he has the usual pattern of eating disorders (it was the same last time) so it's not easy by any means.

Nurse comes in daily, and she's arranging for his GP to drop by and take stock of the situation.

Anyway it's good to have him under our roof again!

Good News And Bad!

On Monday evening the consultant came to visit Roger. The good news is that they are considering Thursday as a possible discharge day, which is great!

He also broke the news that when he reversed the reversal operation, because it had to be done quickly, as an emergency, the stoma was plumbed into the small intestine. It cannot stay like this permanently, and therefore he will ultimately have to have yet another operation to connect it permanently to the large intestine. Mr. F will discuss it further when we see him in out patient's clinic.

Unfortunately it was after visiting time when he turned up to see Roger, so he was on his own when he received the news, and was quite upset, as you can immagine!

Anyway we will now concentrate on getting him as fit and fat as possible for future surgery.

I Hardly Dare Blog!

I hardly dare blog this, but it's the 3rd day running that I've visited Roger to find that he hasn't been vomiting. He hasn't been feeling sick, and he's eating and drinking normally, and beginning, I think, to put some weight back on ever so slowly.

Mr. F wants him on antibiotics for 2 more days and then wants to observe him for 48 hours of not being on any medication. If all that is successful then a discharge date will be discussed.

Oh Happy Day!!!

Don't Let It Get Any Worse........ Please!!

Yesterday afternoon was one of the worse moments of my life without a doubt. Roger was sitting in a chair when I visited, and said he was feeling a little better. He told me that it was imperitive that he drinks plenty, as there has been some kidney damage through dehydration.

One of the doctors arrived to set up a drip with fluids, so Roger got onto the bed. The doctor wanted to find a vein ( almost impossible with Roger) to take bloods. He had a couple of tries, but couldn't manage to find one. Roger got a little shivery after that, so I suggested he got under the covers and he dosed off. I scanned the newspaper until the consultant arrived. Roger then woke up to hear Mr F say he would like Roger to have an urgent ct scan to see if there is something they are missing, as he isn't exactly thriving.

After Mr F had gone Roger said "Who was that?" I said "That's your consultant. He did your op." He said "I don't know him" I said "You probably don't recognise him with his haircut." Roger then looked at me intently, and I asked him if he knew who I was. He said that he thought so. I said "What's my name" he said "Sally." I reassured him that I had to leave him for seconds, but I'd be right back. I then rushed out, grabbed the sister and said "Please come quickly, my husband doesn't know who I am." After that all hell broke loose! Roger was talking complete gobbledygook. He had four doctors around his bed doing all sorts of tests. I was told that they must take blood from the femoral artery in the leg, and they advised me to leave the room as it would be distressing to watch.

I rang Rob at that point and said "Please get here fast!" Sitting along the corridor with the sister, I became aware that everybody was running, doctors & nurses (like when you see a crash call on the tv hospital soaps) and I knew that Roger was the cause of it. Surreal!

Rob turned up then, and eventually we were told that Roger was calmer, and we could go in and be with him. He looked calmer, sitting up with an oxygen mask on. The registrar came in and expained that Roger had an infection that has gone to the blood. They had just given him an intravenous dose of a broad spectrum antibiotic, which he will stay on until such time as tests reveal what exactly it is, and they can then target it specifically.

Rob & I left the hospital feeling absolutely drained. By that time Roger was happy to be left, and was waiting to go down and be scanned. At least now we know why he kept vomiting.

To finish on an optimistic note..... a nurse from his ward has just this minute phoned to asked me to bring something in for him when I go. She said " He's back to his old self, It's amazing, and he remembers nothing of yesterday afternoon."

I'm sure It will be imprinted on my memory forever!

What Can I Say!

When things change, they change dramatically, so that I really don't know what the situation is anymore. Roger is like a balloon that they keep trying to inflate, but just when they think they've succeeded, down he comes again.
Yesterday he was in a very low state again. He had been vomiting in the night and was dehydrated again. They had him XRayed to see if the vomiting was caused by an abdominal blockage, but that came back clear. Now they think it could be an intermittent blockage, so the plan yesterday afternoon was to give him something to speed up bowel action to try and flush it through. He cannot stand up without feeling woozy, due to low blood pressure & dehydration I suppose. His weight has plummeted.

I spoke to the Registrar, who came to see him just before 5.00pm yesterday, who told me about the plan. I then went straight to Rob & Suze's for dinner. It was therapy for me to feed and help bath the baby.

I never know what I will find when I go in to see him at 2.00pm every afternoon, and that's the worst time of the day........waiting to enter the ward.

I'm sorry that I can't be more positive.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

Friday

After the terrible day yesterday, when Roger was dreadfully low & sick & frightened, I went in this morning to see how he was doing. I was astounded to see him sitting up in bed and reading the paper. He was most definitely 'back in the room!' He greeted me with a smile and told me he was feeling so much better. I can't tell you how relieved I am feeling.

The test results have come back clear, so we don't have to worry about that anymore. I can't say what made the improvement, just a glitch that had to be overcome. Very difficult, but he's a fighter!

The Registrar came round just before I left and he acknowledged the dramatic improvement, and said that on Monday if all is still going along fine, a date will be set for him to come home.

I must now tidy up the tip we call home!

We've Seen Better Times!

Yesterday, (Wednesday 2nd) I found Roger very poorly when I visited. He had been vomiting all night, which obviously hurts & exhausts him.

They thought it might be the antibiotics that were making him sick. He was back on the anti - sickness drug Cyclizine intravenously.

I had a feeling that I might be called in the night, last night, but mercifully that didn't happen. However, I got a call from a nurse on his ward in the morning to say that Roger had been vomiting again and was very, very low. Please would I come in right away, instead of waiting for visiting time.

A doctor who had been attending him, took me into an office and she explained that they suspect he has contracted C -Difficile, and that is what is causing it. They are waiting for the tests to come back & this should be around 6.00pm. She said it can happen when you are on antibiotics for a long time. I sat with him all day today. He's not eating, as a) he's scared he'll start vomiting again and b) he feels too awful to think about eating. They are giving him fluids through a drip.

Once they get the results they can start to treat it. In a way I hope it's what they suspect, as they'll start right away. It's better than not knowing what it is, or how to treat it. He was due to go down to have an x-ray later today, just to make absolutely sure there are no blockages anywhere.

I will go in early tomorrow to be with him again.