A little over two weeks ago now, Richard had his MRI scan and the next day was given the "all clear" by Prof Cunningham! What a great feeling!
Apparently everything internally looks good. He's just a bit anaemic still so some iron pills were prescribed.
With the good news, the next day we flew back to Sardinia to be with wonderful friends and bask in the sun, swim in our warm pool and dive into the emerald sea. All this and delicious food punctuated by long naps and great laughs at cocktail hour. Richard's back on Campari, orange juice and soda.
In three months time he will go back for another scan. And so it will go for a year, then scans every six months for a further four years when, if everything is still clear, it will be considered "a cure".
The message is clear. "Embrace the moment", and Richard is doing just that! We are off to Mykonos next week for a friends 40th birthday party!
Friday 26 August 2011
Sunday 17 July 2011
Treatment Finished!
On the evening of Monday, June 14th Richard took his last chemo pill of the perscribed treatment plan laid out back in September 2010. What an amazing feeling to have made it, all things considered!
It's been almost five weeks since then and he is doing really well. We drove out to our house in Sardinia on July 6th spending a night near Dijon and a night on the ferry from Genoa to make it an easy trip. After a lovely week there I have returned to Whithurst to attend to business and left him with masses of companions to continue enjoying the sun and warmth, the quiet of the place, long naps, wonderful fresh food, swimming in the warm pool and sea, seeing friends and sleeping long and well at night without a sleeping pill. His eating is good and he is slowly putting on a bit of weight. He's up to 40 lengths a day in the pool! Of course he's getting tan and his hair is coming back in as well so the general look is one of renewed health and vigour.
Richard will return to the UK in a couple of weeks to take care of business and go to his follow up MRI scan on the 16th of August to see the state of everything post-operation and chemo. A fairly nervous making appointment, but we are trying to just focus on all the good results he's experiencing right now and so are making plans for 2012 which will include going to some warm place on the sea for an extended period to avoid the worst of the English winter. Doctors advice!
It's been almost five weeks since then and he is doing really well. We drove out to our house in Sardinia on July 6th spending a night near Dijon and a night on the ferry from Genoa to make it an easy trip. After a lovely week there I have returned to Whithurst to attend to business and left him with masses of companions to continue enjoying the sun and warmth, the quiet of the place, long naps, wonderful fresh food, swimming in the warm pool and sea, seeing friends and sleeping long and well at night without a sleeping pill. His eating is good and he is slowly putting on a bit of weight. He's up to 40 lengths a day in the pool! Of course he's getting tan and his hair is coming back in as well so the general look is one of renewed health and vigour.
Richard will return to the UK in a couple of weeks to take care of business and go to his follow up MRI scan on the 16th of August to see the state of everything post-operation and chemo. A fairly nervous making appointment, but we are trying to just focus on all the good results he's experiencing right now and so are making plans for 2012 which will include going to some warm place on the sea for an extended period to avoid the worst of the English winter. Doctors advice!
Thursday 26 May 2011
Almost there...
Sorry for the long delay between posts.
It feels like the pilot has just announced that we are making our descent and will be landing in a few minutes so we need to fasten our seat belts for any last minute jolts.
Remarkably, Richard had his last chemo session in hospital this past Tuesday and now only has pills to take until June 14 when the treatment is finished. He is over the moon with the knowledge that this whole experience which began last Sept 25th, 2010 will draw to a close very, very soon and old freedoms to enjoy travel, restaurants, crowds, exersize, etc., will resume.
Since the last post there have been some rapids to ride through. After having a low red cell count which delayed his first post-op chemo session, the chemo treatment caused him to develop a dangerously low white cell count. Correcting this delayed his second chemo session and also altered the strength of the second chemo which was reduced by 25%. This meant that the side-effects were greatly reduced. Richard ate and slept well after the reduced strength second chemo even though he said the second day after he felt bloody awful! I couldn't tell. And then three days afater the second chemo session and after taking the prescribed self-administered shots to boost his white cell count he had his blood work done to see how things were and the results landed us up in the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital for the weekend! His white cell count which I think ranges between 7 to 12 was up to 127! Blood thickens during chemo anyway so this raised white cell count increased the risk of a blood clot and stroke quit significntly. The treatment was just having iv hydrating fluids and blood thinning injections for two days. We watched his white cell level drop to a safe point. The doctors felt comfortable discharging him on Sunday afternoon having dropped everything in the country and rushing into London the previous Friday evening.
Richard's weight loss has stabilised and I think he is gaining a bit now. His eating is certainly good though I still can't get him to have the required two desserts every day! I imagine after the chemo is finished his loss of interest in wine will change. Maybe not. He's lost alot of his hair again but it will return in a few weeks and maybe in some wonderfully bizarre way as people say it often does.
There is a new spring in Richard's step which coincides with the blossoming and full leafing out of the plants and trees around us. All is well for the moment and though we're prepared for last minute turbulence, we're countiing on a safe landing.
It feels like the pilot has just announced that we are making our descent and will be landing in a few minutes so we need to fasten our seat belts for any last minute jolts.
Remarkably, Richard had his last chemo session in hospital this past Tuesday and now only has pills to take until June 14 when the treatment is finished. He is over the moon with the knowledge that this whole experience which began last Sept 25th, 2010 will draw to a close very, very soon and old freedoms to enjoy travel, restaurants, crowds, exersize, etc., will resume.
Since the last post there have been some rapids to ride through. After having a low red cell count which delayed his first post-op chemo session, the chemo treatment caused him to develop a dangerously low white cell count. Correcting this delayed his second chemo session and also altered the strength of the second chemo which was reduced by 25%. This meant that the side-effects were greatly reduced. Richard ate and slept well after the reduced strength second chemo even though he said the second day after he felt bloody awful! I couldn't tell. And then three days afater the second chemo session and after taking the prescribed self-administered shots to boost his white cell count he had his blood work done to see how things were and the results landed us up in the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital for the weekend! His white cell count which I think ranges between 7 to 12 was up to 127! Blood thickens during chemo anyway so this raised white cell count increased the risk of a blood clot and stroke quit significntly. The treatment was just having iv hydrating fluids and blood thinning injections for two days. We watched his white cell level drop to a safe point. The doctors felt comfortable discharging him on Sunday afternoon having dropped everything in the country and rushing into London the previous Friday evening.
Richard's weight loss has stabilised and I think he is gaining a bit now. His eating is certainly good though I still can't get him to have the required two desserts every day! I imagine after the chemo is finished his loss of interest in wine will change. Maybe not. He's lost alot of his hair again but it will return in a few weeks and maybe in some wonderfully bizarre way as people say it often does.
There is a new spring in Richard's step which coincides with the blossoming and full leafing out of the plants and trees around us. All is well for the moment and though we're prepared for last minute turbulence, we're countiing on a safe landing.
Monday 18 April 2011
Two Weeks Into the Chemo
Finally, on his third try, Richard was allowed to start his chemo. That was Tuesday, April 5th which will be two weeks ago tomorrow. He's out mowing the lawn right now, doing it in fits and starts as he's feeling a bit short of breath.
Briefly, after the second postponement, the slight chest infection cleared following a three day course of antibiotics, the diarreah lessened, his energy level improved and his red blood cell count remained adequate so Prof Cunningham's team began this final stage of the treatment. Richard had about four visitors during the day and we drove home to Whithurst Tuesday evening where he ate a pretty good evening meal before tv and sleep.
The following day was not great. He awakened feeling horrible and nauseous and after trying to eat his porridge, threw it up. He was pretty swollen as well. For two dark and discouraging days he couldn't keep anything down but then things started to get better on Friday, enough so that he emerged in the evening to sit with two friends who had come to spend the weekend.
We had a small dinner party on Saturday night and then a lovely Sunday roast lunch for about twelve and Richard was eating modestly with the rest of us! It's been kind of up and down with appetite, energy levels, diarreah, mood and sleeping since then but we try to remember that each day we're getting closer to the finish line.
Last Tuesday, our wonderful Francois had to return to South Africa as his UK visa application had been refused. This was a blow to both Richard and myself as his suppotive presence has been so important during this period. Not just because of the countless things he did for us, cooking, cleaning, shopping, lawn mowing, dog walking, chicken feeding, chaufeuring, car washing, typing emails...the list could go on and on...but for his humour, love and positive energy. Tears were shed, needless to say. We are working to get him back.
In the mean time lovely Caroline, our housekeeper, is still away on holiday until May 3rd so we are in a fairly big transition with just the two of us keeping the home fires burning til then.
Last Thursday Richard drove in to London (I had to stay with the dogs!) to see Prof Hanna about re-stitching one of the corners of his feeding tube. Instead, he took it out!!! Richard was thrilled as he is finaly free of any foreign objects invading his innards! We're just hoping he get's through the next two chemo sessions without eating problems.
He's lost a bit of weight (his older trousers are once again almost comfortable around the waist!) and is still growling but with much less frequency. Being concerned about his breathlessness, today he consulted our local GP who immediately took his blood oxygen level which was 97 out of 100. This made Richard feel alot better and he was admonished to take it easy remembering what he has been and is going through. We're eating liver tonight. Lots of red blood cell helping iron in that! In fact, I've got to run, as I'm the cook!
Only 50 more days to go!
Briefly, after the second postponement, the slight chest infection cleared following a three day course of antibiotics, the diarreah lessened, his energy level improved and his red blood cell count remained adequate so Prof Cunningham's team began this final stage of the treatment. Richard had about four visitors during the day and we drove home to Whithurst Tuesday evening where he ate a pretty good evening meal before tv and sleep.
The following day was not great. He awakened feeling horrible and nauseous and after trying to eat his porridge, threw it up. He was pretty swollen as well. For two dark and discouraging days he couldn't keep anything down but then things started to get better on Friday, enough so that he emerged in the evening to sit with two friends who had come to spend the weekend.
We had a small dinner party on Saturday night and then a lovely Sunday roast lunch for about twelve and Richard was eating modestly with the rest of us! It's been kind of up and down with appetite, energy levels, diarreah, mood and sleeping since then but we try to remember that each day we're getting closer to the finish line.
Last Tuesday, our wonderful Francois had to return to South Africa as his UK visa application had been refused. This was a blow to both Richard and myself as his suppotive presence has been so important during this period. Not just because of the countless things he did for us, cooking, cleaning, shopping, lawn mowing, dog walking, chicken feeding, chaufeuring, car washing, typing emails...the list could go on and on...but for his humour, love and positive energy. Tears were shed, needless to say. We are working to get him back.
In the mean time lovely Caroline, our housekeeper, is still away on holiday until May 3rd so we are in a fairly big transition with just the two of us keeping the home fires burning til then.
Last Thursday Richard drove in to London (I had to stay with the dogs!) to see Prof Hanna about re-stitching one of the corners of his feeding tube. Instead, he took it out!!! Richard was thrilled as he is finaly free of any foreign objects invading his innards! We're just hoping he get's through the next two chemo sessions without eating problems.
He's lost a bit of weight (his older trousers are once again almost comfortable around the waist!) and is still growling but with much less frequency. Being concerned about his breathlessness, today he consulted our local GP who immediately took his blood oxygen level which was 97 out of 100. This made Richard feel alot better and he was admonished to take it easy remembering what he has been and is going through. We're eating liver tonight. Lots of red blood cell helping iron in that! In fact, I've got to run, as I'm the cook!
Only 50 more days to go!
Tuesday 29 March 2011
Two Thirds Down...A Third to Go!
The 22nd of March start date for the final three cycles of chemo was postponed until today, a week later. This, after we had driven up the night before, gone to the Marsden, given blood to be tested and had a somewhat lousy night's sleep at the flat before returning the following morning to the third floor Private Day Patients room for the treatment. Lovely Claire put the cannula in Richard's arm and then we waited for a bit. Dr Mochlosky, one of Prof Cunningham's team came and told Richard that his red blood cell count was low, at 10 whatevers, when it should have been around 12. He was anemic and it was borderline blood transfusion territory. Because Richard was feeling exhausted the team decided to put it off for a week much to our secret delight. A good call, we both thought. Time to consolidate Richard's recovery, let the much improved cough lessen even more and just have some time off.
So the past week Richard laid out in the spring sunshine which there thankfully was plenty of. He got a tan so doesn't look so anemic.
In my zeal, on Tuesday I called our sweet nutritionist Stephanie and told her of Richard's anemia. She said she would send me some diet advice and would order some iron pills to help. We got iron rich animal derived foods (haem iron)...liver, red meat, and combined with iron rich vegetable foods (non haem iron) like tomatoes to help boost things. On Friday we got the iron tablets and Richard took one in the afternoon. Almost straight away he got diarrhea but we didn't put it together until Sunday night that the tablets probably were the cause. I will try to remember to read the tablet literature next time though in the list of side effects it lists constipation and then diarrhea. Who knew?
This morning in his special chair at the Marsden he was once again readied with the cannula. We hadn't made it in the previous afternoon so we had to wait for blood tests. But then, when Dr J (another of Prof Cunningham's team) heard about Richard's continuing diarrhea he ordered an xray and asked that he be moved to a private room in case he had the norovirus.
It turns out that the xray showed there is still a little infection in his right lung which Dr. J didn't seem too worried about. Surprisingly, and in a rather contradictory way, his red blood cell count is now at 11.2 which Dr J said was about as good as it gets so soon after a surgery like Richard's. It was decided not to put him on antibiotics until they do a molecular test on a stool sample but did prescribe some anti-diarrhea pills. We are to call early Thursday afternoon to see if the diarrhea has subsided so we can go back in to start the chemo on Friday.
It's amazing how spirits dip and then soar with different medical pronouncements. Boo, that there is still some indication of a chest infection. Yipee, that the red blood count is up to 11.2! Hard to find the path to emotional well being within the twists and turns of bodily changes. There does seem to be some consolation though, that in a few short months the treatment will be done and the prospect of health will be realised.
On the lighter side, Richard is making some amazing sounds as his newly arranged esophagus and stomach are marrying with their surroundings. His cough has turned into a kind of growl with quite a few subtle nuances. Very handy to fend off muggers!
He's often really physically tired and feels fed up with the whole thing. Wants to get rid of his feeding tube which he is faithfully flushing three times a day. Wants to be able to travel again. Wants to be able to sit on the rider mower and do the whole lawn in two hours like he used to (he did one hour last week and then had to stop, exhausted). Everybody keeps reminding him that he's doing brilliantly after 14 hours of surgery but sometimes that's not enough to pick his spirits up. He acknowledges it could be worse as we watch the news reports from Japan and Libya... and the days pass with the promise that one day we might hear the pronouncement that he is cancer free. We talk about the fact that on that day he might just step off the corner and get hit by a bus! The moral of course is, live in the present moment as that's all there ever is. Easy to say.
So the past week Richard laid out in the spring sunshine which there thankfully was plenty of. He got a tan so doesn't look so anemic.
In my zeal, on Tuesday I called our sweet nutritionist Stephanie and told her of Richard's anemia. She said she would send me some diet advice and would order some iron pills to help. We got iron rich animal derived foods (haem iron)...liver, red meat, and combined with iron rich vegetable foods (non haem iron) like tomatoes to help boost things. On Friday we got the iron tablets and Richard took one in the afternoon. Almost straight away he got diarrhea but we didn't put it together until Sunday night that the tablets probably were the cause. I will try to remember to read the tablet literature next time though in the list of side effects it lists constipation and then diarrhea. Who knew?
This morning in his special chair at the Marsden he was once again readied with the cannula. We hadn't made it in the previous afternoon so we had to wait for blood tests. But then, when Dr J (another of Prof Cunningham's team) heard about Richard's continuing diarrhea he ordered an xray and asked that he be moved to a private room in case he had the norovirus.
It turns out that the xray showed there is still a little infection in his right lung which Dr. J didn't seem too worried about. Surprisingly, and in a rather contradictory way, his red blood cell count is now at 11.2 which Dr J said was about as good as it gets so soon after a surgery like Richard's. It was decided not to put him on antibiotics until they do a molecular test on a stool sample but did prescribe some anti-diarrhea pills. We are to call early Thursday afternoon to see if the diarrhea has subsided so we can go back in to start the chemo on Friday.
It's amazing how spirits dip and then soar with different medical pronouncements. Boo, that there is still some indication of a chest infection. Yipee, that the red blood count is up to 11.2! Hard to find the path to emotional well being within the twists and turns of bodily changes. There does seem to be some consolation though, that in a few short months the treatment will be done and the prospect of health will be realised.
On the lighter side, Richard is making some amazing sounds as his newly arranged esophagus and stomach are marrying with their surroundings. His cough has turned into a kind of growl with quite a few subtle nuances. Very handy to fend off muggers!
He's often really physically tired and feels fed up with the whole thing. Wants to get rid of his feeding tube which he is faithfully flushing three times a day. Wants to be able to travel again. Wants to be able to sit on the rider mower and do the whole lawn in two hours like he used to (he did one hour last week and then had to stop, exhausted). Everybody keeps reminding him that he's doing brilliantly after 14 hours of surgery but sometimes that's not enough to pick his spirits up. He acknowledges it could be worse as we watch the news reports from Japan and Libya... and the days pass with the promise that one day we might hear the pronouncement that he is cancer free. We talk about the fact that on that day he might just step off the corner and get hit by a bus! The moral of course is, live in the present moment as that's all there ever is. Easy to say.
Saturday 12 March 2011
Staying the Course
Two weeks has passed and Richard's physical state has changed significantly in some areas and not too much in others.
His belly incision dried up a while ago, so no more dressings and he finally got to get into the pool! Since the week before last he's worked up to over fourty laps (about 45' lengths) which he does gently and takes him 30 minutes. He then does push ups and has gotten up to 10 at a time. Not bad, most people would agree! He's not being fanatical about it and in fact has not swum for the past two days.
He also is no longer on any pain medication. That stopped about ten days ago and he seems not to miss it at all. I have also stopped filling in my endless charts as there doesn't seem to be much point. Richard is seeing to his three daily flushes of the jejostomy (feeding) tube, he gets his antibiotics three times a day and his new congestion medicine two times a day and takes his tummy acid pills in the evening just before bed. He's also been largely responsible for his mid-morning snack, his supplement drinks, his yokut (active culture yogurt drink) his mid afternon snack (tho' this one is harder to remember as napping sometimes interferes) and his twice daily steam inhalations. Besides all this Richard has also resumed driving and took himself to the Loxwood Surgery to see his GP so he coould listen to his chest. He's quite good at picking people up at the train station, as well!
His weight has stayed about the same after he lost that five pounds a couple of weeks ago. To me he appears to be eating quite well. He has diarreah about every other day but we put that down to the antibiotics.
We saw Dr Kon, his chest doctor, at St. Mary's a week ago and after taking an xray and letting us examine it with him he concluded that it would be best to continue the antibiotics for another two week course as, though improved, there is still a bit of infection in the lungs... mostly in the right one which had been collapsed for the op. So, I guess, technically Richard still has pneumonia. Dr. Kon also gave Richard a perscription for something that is supposed to help expectorate the mucus sitting in the lungs. So far it is not hugely apparent that it is having any effect. Richard is still coughing what seems to me less, though Richard declares is still the same. I do know that it now only takes him about 15-30 minutes of coughing to settle at night and then he is quiet and peaceful until about 7:30am.
This past Wednesday we went in to see Prof Hanna on Harley Street. Richard was feeling particularly exhausted (I think from the swimming) so just decided to lay down on the floor in front of the receptionists desk using my backpack as a pillow. Richard is still a wonderful eccentric. I had to just smile and nod my head at the smart ladies and gentlement who arrived and found a body in the fetal position laying at their feet!
Inside the treatment room Prof Hanna asked how everything was going and stitched back the three places on the jejostomy tube that keep it attached to Richard's skin so it won't come out. The previous week Richard was doing a flush in a rather relaxed position and not having much success getting the plunger down. I noticed that the tube was coming out (about 1 1/2") of his belly. That's when I screamed at him to get up! I thought that it was just a short length inside and was ready to pop out but have since found out that its about 12" of tube inside him, so no wories.
Prof Hanna thinks Richard is doing really well and again said he was not suprised that Richard developed pneumonia after the op but they had to do it when they did.
Yesterday we saw Prof David Cunningham, Richard's excellent oncologist at the Royal Marsden. He reviewed a CT scan Richard had done on Wednesday before seeing Prof Hanna. It showed two little patches of infection in both lungs but everything else seemd good. The chemo is now set to begin March 22nd if Richard's chest has suitably improved.
I think the continued chest problems which manifest as a cough and a slightly painful tightness are getting Richard down psychologically. That's also coupled with knowing he has to get through the 63 days of chemo which Prof Cunningham has warned might not be tolerated quite as easily as the first rounds. There is also the risk that Richard will become neutropenic (no immune system) and pick up pneumonia again during the chemo. So, for the past few days he's felt pretty down and today disolved into tears muttering that he didn't think he could make it. I, of course, try to rationalise with him....that he IS doing better; there IS progress with the chest infection; his cough IS a lot less. But I realise what I realy need to do is just listen and acknowledge his suffering and fear.
We talk about going away to the sun for a few days but the prospect of getting on an airplane which at the best of times usually ends up giving Richard some illness, makes us reconsider. There has been some idle talk about renting a private jet! Who knows. I think I'll just have faith and hope that a benign power will work this one out for us.
His belly incision dried up a while ago, so no more dressings and he finally got to get into the pool! Since the week before last he's worked up to over fourty laps (about 45' lengths) which he does gently and takes him 30 minutes. He then does push ups and has gotten up to 10 at a time. Not bad, most people would agree! He's not being fanatical about it and in fact has not swum for the past two days.
He also is no longer on any pain medication. That stopped about ten days ago and he seems not to miss it at all. I have also stopped filling in my endless charts as there doesn't seem to be much point. Richard is seeing to his three daily flushes of the jejostomy (feeding) tube, he gets his antibiotics three times a day and his new congestion medicine two times a day and takes his tummy acid pills in the evening just before bed. He's also been largely responsible for his mid-morning snack, his supplement drinks, his yokut (active culture yogurt drink) his mid afternon snack (tho' this one is harder to remember as napping sometimes interferes) and his twice daily steam inhalations. Besides all this Richard has also resumed driving and took himself to the Loxwood Surgery to see his GP so he coould listen to his chest. He's quite good at picking people up at the train station, as well!
His weight has stayed about the same after he lost that five pounds a couple of weeks ago. To me he appears to be eating quite well. He has diarreah about every other day but we put that down to the antibiotics.
We saw Dr Kon, his chest doctor, at St. Mary's a week ago and after taking an xray and letting us examine it with him he concluded that it would be best to continue the antibiotics for another two week course as, though improved, there is still a bit of infection in the lungs... mostly in the right one which had been collapsed for the op. So, I guess, technically Richard still has pneumonia. Dr. Kon also gave Richard a perscription for something that is supposed to help expectorate the mucus sitting in the lungs. So far it is not hugely apparent that it is having any effect. Richard is still coughing what seems to me less, though Richard declares is still the same. I do know that it now only takes him about 15-30 minutes of coughing to settle at night and then he is quiet and peaceful until about 7:30am.
This past Wednesday we went in to see Prof Hanna on Harley Street. Richard was feeling particularly exhausted (I think from the swimming) so just decided to lay down on the floor in front of the receptionists desk using my backpack as a pillow. Richard is still a wonderful eccentric. I had to just smile and nod my head at the smart ladies and gentlement who arrived and found a body in the fetal position laying at their feet!
Inside the treatment room Prof Hanna asked how everything was going and stitched back the three places on the jejostomy tube that keep it attached to Richard's skin so it won't come out. The previous week Richard was doing a flush in a rather relaxed position and not having much success getting the plunger down. I noticed that the tube was coming out (about 1 1/2") of his belly. That's when I screamed at him to get up! I thought that it was just a short length inside and was ready to pop out but have since found out that its about 12" of tube inside him, so no wories.
Prof Hanna thinks Richard is doing really well and again said he was not suprised that Richard developed pneumonia after the op but they had to do it when they did.
Yesterday we saw Prof David Cunningham, Richard's excellent oncologist at the Royal Marsden. He reviewed a CT scan Richard had done on Wednesday before seeing Prof Hanna. It showed two little patches of infection in both lungs but everything else seemd good. The chemo is now set to begin March 22nd if Richard's chest has suitably improved.
I think the continued chest problems which manifest as a cough and a slightly painful tightness are getting Richard down psychologically. That's also coupled with knowing he has to get through the 63 days of chemo which Prof Cunningham has warned might not be tolerated quite as easily as the first rounds. There is also the risk that Richard will become neutropenic (no immune system) and pick up pneumonia again during the chemo. So, for the past few days he's felt pretty down and today disolved into tears muttering that he didn't think he could make it. I, of course, try to rationalise with him....that he IS doing better; there IS progress with the chest infection; his cough IS a lot less. But I realise what I realy need to do is just listen and acknowledge his suffering and fear.
We talk about going away to the sun for a few days but the prospect of getting on an airplane which at the best of times usually ends up giving Richard some illness, makes us reconsider. There has been some idle talk about renting a private jet! Who knows. I think I'll just have faith and hope that a benign power will work this one out for us.
Thursday 10 March 2011
Coming Soon!
...new post on Saturday to include..." I screamed, 'Stand up quickly Richard, your feeding tube is coming out!' " and " he said he'd done 30 laps and 8 press ups..." and "I'll drive myself to the surgery!"
All this and more in Satruday's (12 March 2011) post!
All this and more in Satruday's (12 March 2011) post!
Saturday 26 February 2011
Good Days, Bad Days
It's been a week since the last posting and my sense is that Richard is progressing well physically. Tummy infection almost all healed up and dry. We're just changing a small dressing after Richard's shower every day. The saintly district nurse, Theresa is confident with my handling this so she might not be back until we think we can stop the dressing altogether. We're hoping that will be sometime next week. It's an important date as that is when Richard will be able to get back to swimming, an activity he is longing to resume to build up his strength and just for the shear pleasure. We've been assured that he can do this safely with his feeding tube...no problem. We might just put a gauze pad over the site and then put a waterproof bandage over it so there is no chance that it gets snagged on anything.
The cough is diminishing though there has been only slight progress with getting any phlegm up. Three days ago was the best day for that and we thought we were on a roll. Two big globs and three smaller ones in the morning. Extraordinary!! Fabulous! Hurrah! It came after Richard had been doing his inhaling of hot steaming water infused with Olbas drops. But with subsequent sessions nothing has come up. We will persist and have a few other "products" approved by Dr. Kon which we will try.
The cough is what has been getting Richard down as it uses alot of his energy and is often painful to his healing incisions. He has gone from 4000mg of paracetamol a day to just 1500 which is an amazing reduction. I have to keep reminding him that if he is feeling a bit rotten sometimes he needs to recall that the paracetamol is not masking the pain in the same way anymore! Other gentle reminders from Helen, Dr. Kon's sweetly mannered secretary, lovely nutritionist Stephanie (she and Andy flew to Thailand last night for a week..) and the queen of Practice Managers, Melinda are all encouraging Richard to accept that he is doing really well and that progress is typically slow with such a serious operation...and, the chest infection WILL GO!
It seems clear that as the antibiotics (he's on a second week long course, I think just for good measure) tend to be depressants and coupled with the trauma of the surgery as well as the huge physical adjustments regarding energy levels and physical abilities, it's no wonder he feels down alot of the time. When the sun comes out, quite literally, his mood changes. Sadly, February in southern England doesn't promise that much sunbathing time! Should we go to Spain? Morocco? Some perfect beach? We do drift there in our minds with some storytelling/visualization sessions which seems to help.
Despite eating really well Richard has lost five pounds over the past week. I put this down to a bit of diarrhea brought on most likely by the antibiotics, a bit of an interruption in the switch from Skandishakes to Fortisips and Calogen shots, the new nutrition supplements and possibly the final loss of extra body fluid as his ankles and legs have finally stopped swelling up when he is inactive. He's stopped wearing the tight white stockings. I'm pretty confident he can gain the weight back as his appetite is good.
Richard has an appointment to see Prof Hanna next Wednesday and then Dr. Kon the following Friday for a chest xray. I imagine an appointment with Prof David Cunningham, Richard's oncologist will come shortly thereafter.
So, today we are surrounded by colourful, fragrant cut flowers and blossoming bulbs of every variety courtesy of so many deeply loving friends and listening to lovely calming music. Richard is reading the Saturday papers as I type. What could be nicer? Oh...I think he's hacking up a glob! That's even better!
The cough is diminishing though there has been only slight progress with getting any phlegm up. Three days ago was the best day for that and we thought we were on a roll. Two big globs and three smaller ones in the morning. Extraordinary!! Fabulous! Hurrah! It came after Richard had been doing his inhaling of hot steaming water infused with Olbas drops. But with subsequent sessions nothing has come up. We will persist and have a few other "products" approved by Dr. Kon which we will try.
The cough is what has been getting Richard down as it uses alot of his energy and is often painful to his healing incisions. He has gone from 4000mg of paracetamol a day to just 1500 which is an amazing reduction. I have to keep reminding him that if he is feeling a bit rotten sometimes he needs to recall that the paracetamol is not masking the pain in the same way anymore! Other gentle reminders from Helen, Dr. Kon's sweetly mannered secretary, lovely nutritionist Stephanie (she and Andy flew to Thailand last night for a week..) and the queen of Practice Managers, Melinda are all encouraging Richard to accept that he is doing really well and that progress is typically slow with such a serious operation...and, the chest infection WILL GO!
It seems clear that as the antibiotics (he's on a second week long course, I think just for good measure) tend to be depressants and coupled with the trauma of the surgery as well as the huge physical adjustments regarding energy levels and physical abilities, it's no wonder he feels down alot of the time. When the sun comes out, quite literally, his mood changes. Sadly, February in southern England doesn't promise that much sunbathing time! Should we go to Spain? Morocco? Some perfect beach? We do drift there in our minds with some storytelling/visualization sessions which seems to help.
Despite eating really well Richard has lost five pounds over the past week. I put this down to a bit of diarrhea brought on most likely by the antibiotics, a bit of an interruption in the switch from Skandishakes to Fortisips and Calogen shots, the new nutrition supplements and possibly the final loss of extra body fluid as his ankles and legs have finally stopped swelling up when he is inactive. He's stopped wearing the tight white stockings. I'm pretty confident he can gain the weight back as his appetite is good.
Richard has an appointment to see Prof Hanna next Wednesday and then Dr. Kon the following Friday for a chest xray. I imagine an appointment with Prof David Cunningham, Richard's oncologist will come shortly thereafter.
So, today we are surrounded by colourful, fragrant cut flowers and blossoming bulbs of every variety courtesy of so many deeply loving friends and listening to lovely calming music. Richard is reading the Saturday papers as I type. What could be nicer? Oh...I think he's hacking up a glob! That's even better!
Saturday 19 February 2011
Eleventh Day at Home
Sorry not to have posted for the past three days. Been busy!
Richard's Wednesday appointment with Prof Hanna went well. Though exhausted while sitting in the waiting room, when we were called he walked up the flight of steps to be greeted by Melinda and Prof Hanna. A real showman! They were impressed. Prof Hanna reviewed everything with Richard and told him he was very pleased with the pathology reports on the bits they had removed. Apparently it shows that the cancer is very chemo sensitive which is good and if I have this right, cancer cells were not found in the extremities of the bits they removed, a very good sign. Generally very pleased with everything except the cough and continuing infection in the chest. So he said he'd set up an appointment with a chest specialist colleague at St. Mary's Hospital. Prof Hanna and a nurse inspected the belly incision and changed the dressing. They did their fair amount of poking and prodding and seemed pleased enough saying we should just keep having the district nurses attend to it. Prof Hanna said yes, stop the antibiotics for the tummy incision.
We went down a block on Harley street to see Haley, the Speech and Language Therapist for a very brief consultation in which it was decided that everything was going so well we'd wait for a few weeks before booking another appointment.
Ate out at our local with a friend and went to bed fairly early at our flat in London. Around 2:30 Richard had a coughing attack which did expel the largest amount of mucus to date, from his lungs. But it was pretty uncomfortable for him. For most of the rest of the night he sputtered and coughed trying to get more up but with not much success and we both were drained by the morning.
Despite that we got on with the day and Richard walked to his barber Michael, a good ten minute walk away while I ran some errands. Richard returned to the flat accompanied by the loving presence of Michael. His kindness is healing.
Richard got driven back to the country by a friend while I went to an appointment regarding the JoseLondon Show which I am helping to hang in April. I returned to the tail end of a lunch party with three friends which Richard had organised. We had a good, relaxed evening and a pretty good night's sleep as compared to the previous one.
On Thursday the dressing was changed and it's looking better. Melinda called and said she had an appointment for Friday afternoon to see Dr. Kon, the chest specialist at St. Mary's. We also booked an appointment to see lovely Stephanie, the nutritionist as she also offices at St. Mary's. We spent the day carrying out our routine tasks, medicines, flushes of the jujostemy (feeding) tube, meals, puddings, snacks, skandishakes, walking outside, rest, breathing exercises blah, blah, blah. Francois is cooking us delicious food, Caroline is keeping us in clean clothes and bed linen and Mark and Maisie are getting the Walled Garden into a productive state. Rosa and Yooee are watching after us in their wonderful doggy fashion.
So, after a not so good night sleeping-wise because of the cough and having lunch with a good friend who drove down from London, we drove in to the city and saw Stephanie (some new nutient rich drinks to substitute for the skandishakes) and Dr. Kon who after examining Richard wrote out a prescription for an antibiotic to fight what is technically still pneumonia, the slight infection sitting in his right lung, the one which they had to collapse for the operation. He didn't seem too concerned and expected that it should show signs of improvement in two or three days. I frantically ran to fill the prescription while Richard waited in the car and by 8pm he had the first two 5ml spoonfuls in his mouth and we drove back to Whithurst to have Francois' cottage pie and cauliflower cheese followed by amazing custard from our very own chickens eggs.
Had a bit better night, though still not great and carried on with the day seeing the wonderful district nurse at 11am for a dressing change. Things are slow but improving.
Have been having a few guests for small lunches and some friends just stopped by for a drink so it has been a nice mix of quiet and active times.
We both are trying to learn to be patient and not allow fear to overshadow the light of love all around.
Richard's Wednesday appointment with Prof Hanna went well. Though exhausted while sitting in the waiting room, when we were called he walked up the flight of steps to be greeted by Melinda and Prof Hanna. A real showman! They were impressed. Prof Hanna reviewed everything with Richard and told him he was very pleased with the pathology reports on the bits they had removed. Apparently it shows that the cancer is very chemo sensitive which is good and if I have this right, cancer cells were not found in the extremities of the bits they removed, a very good sign. Generally very pleased with everything except the cough and continuing infection in the chest. So he said he'd set up an appointment with a chest specialist colleague at St. Mary's Hospital. Prof Hanna and a nurse inspected the belly incision and changed the dressing. They did their fair amount of poking and prodding and seemed pleased enough saying we should just keep having the district nurses attend to it. Prof Hanna said yes, stop the antibiotics for the tummy incision.
We went down a block on Harley street to see Haley, the Speech and Language Therapist for a very brief consultation in which it was decided that everything was going so well we'd wait for a few weeks before booking another appointment.
Ate out at our local with a friend and went to bed fairly early at our flat in London. Around 2:30 Richard had a coughing attack which did expel the largest amount of mucus to date, from his lungs. But it was pretty uncomfortable for him. For most of the rest of the night he sputtered and coughed trying to get more up but with not much success and we both were drained by the morning.
Despite that we got on with the day and Richard walked to his barber Michael, a good ten minute walk away while I ran some errands. Richard returned to the flat accompanied by the loving presence of Michael. His kindness is healing.
Richard got driven back to the country by a friend while I went to an appointment regarding the JoseLondon Show which I am helping to hang in April. I returned to the tail end of a lunch party with three friends which Richard had organised. We had a good, relaxed evening and a pretty good night's sleep as compared to the previous one.
On Thursday the dressing was changed and it's looking better. Melinda called and said she had an appointment for Friday afternoon to see Dr. Kon, the chest specialist at St. Mary's. We also booked an appointment to see lovely Stephanie, the nutritionist as she also offices at St. Mary's. We spent the day carrying out our routine tasks, medicines, flushes of the jujostemy (feeding) tube, meals, puddings, snacks, skandishakes, walking outside, rest, breathing exercises blah, blah, blah. Francois is cooking us delicious food, Caroline is keeping us in clean clothes and bed linen and Mark and Maisie are getting the Walled Garden into a productive state. Rosa and Yooee are watching after us in their wonderful doggy fashion.
So, after a not so good night sleeping-wise because of the cough and having lunch with a good friend who drove down from London, we drove in to the city and saw Stephanie (some new nutient rich drinks to substitute for the skandishakes) and Dr. Kon who after examining Richard wrote out a prescription for an antibiotic to fight what is technically still pneumonia, the slight infection sitting in his right lung, the one which they had to collapse for the operation. He didn't seem too concerned and expected that it should show signs of improvement in two or three days. I frantically ran to fill the prescription while Richard waited in the car and by 8pm he had the first two 5ml spoonfuls in his mouth and we drove back to Whithurst to have Francois' cottage pie and cauliflower cheese followed by amazing custard from our very own chickens eggs.
Had a bit better night, though still not great and carried on with the day seeing the wonderful district nurse at 11am for a dressing change. Things are slow but improving.
Have been having a few guests for small lunches and some friends just stopped by for a drink so it has been a nice mix of quiet and active times.
We both are trying to learn to be patient and not allow fear to overshadow the light of love all around.
Tuesday 15 February 2011
A Full Week at Home
Hard to believe we have been back home for a whole week and it's three weeks ago, as I write this, that Richard was in a deep, anesthetized sleep with Prof Hanna working diligently over him!
I think, even to Richard, it feels like our feet are at last, once again on the ground. The pesky cough is still there but diminishing. The belly infection is almost gone. Today Elizabeth from the District Nurses Assoc. came in to change his dressing. I called her a Kiwi when she is from Cape Town...oops! She only needed to put a small dressing on the lower half of the incision.
Richard is sleeping 9 hours a day, about seven at night and then a two hour nap in the late morning...eating extremely well (it almost feels like what he normally ate before the op!) doing what one does in the bathroom like he was before the op, exercising well (walked to the first cattle grid on our drive, about 500 yards, and back in the late afternoon sunshine yesterday) and it seems to me, processing the whole experience emotionally and spiritually in a healthy way.
Tomorrow we go in to London to see Prof Hanna and then Haley, our Speech and Language Therapist. I think they will both be impressed by his progress. We'll spend the night in our flat and a friend will pick Richard up and drive him back to Whithurst while I attend an appointment and dive back down a little later.
There seems to be alot less of a pressing nature to write about. Thank goodness!
PS - Nurse Ratchett has gone away to harass some other needy invalid but I fear she could show up unannounced at any time!
I think, even to Richard, it feels like our feet are at last, once again on the ground. The pesky cough is still there but diminishing. The belly infection is almost gone. Today Elizabeth from the District Nurses Assoc. came in to change his dressing. I called her a Kiwi when she is from Cape Town...oops! She only needed to put a small dressing on the lower half of the incision.
Richard is sleeping 9 hours a day, about seven at night and then a two hour nap in the late morning...eating extremely well (it almost feels like what he normally ate before the op!) doing what one does in the bathroom like he was before the op, exercising well (walked to the first cattle grid on our drive, about 500 yards, and back in the late afternoon sunshine yesterday) and it seems to me, processing the whole experience emotionally and spiritually in a healthy way.
Tomorrow we go in to London to see Prof Hanna and then Haley, our Speech and Language Therapist. I think they will both be impressed by his progress. We'll spend the night in our flat and a friend will pick Richard up and drive him back to Whithurst while I attend an appointment and dive back down a little later.
There seems to be alot less of a pressing nature to write about. Thank goodness!
PS - Nurse Ratchett has gone away to harass some other needy invalid but I fear she could show up unannounced at any time!
Sunday 13 February 2011
Fifth Day at Home
The sun came out yesterday and we took the opportunity to get outside and enjoy it. Between walking up and down the drive we sat in the rose garden and luxuriated in the warm sunshine listening to the birdsong all around.
At 3:30 Stephanie the nutritionist who works with most of Prof Hanna's patients, and her boyfriend Andy arrived having driven down from London. What a great couple. Andy drove around the area looking at homes for sale while Stephanie quietly and patiently sat with Richard and me, answering all our questions and asking Richard her own assessment questions. The outcome was a new eating regime which liberates us from the fast paced two hour feeding schedule. Instead, seeing that Richard is doing really well and eating most everything, we are back on a five small meals a day (plus puddings) plan, plus one of the scandishakes. Basically this is what we used to do anyway! Breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack/tea and then dinner. Both lunch and dinner can be followed by puddings 45 minutes later. Takes a huge amount of pressure off both me and Richard who was finding it hard to keep up. Little by little his meal portions will get bigger but really, he's doing amazingly well right now! We just had a roast Sunday lunch of chicken, potatoes, broccoli au gratin and carrots with a creamy mushroom gravy. Yum...
The ticklish cough plaguing Richard, Stephanie said was absolutely typical for this op and she immediately suggested drinking small sips of ice water. Richard found instant relief from this simple advice. She wants us to flush out the feeding tube three times a day and in a few weeks, when everyone is satisfied with Richard's nutritional progress she will just gently pull it out. Any holes in the lower intestines close within seconds and the outer skin closes within a few hours. Sounds like science fiction but we believe her.
Mother Teresa was in again and changed the dressing on Richard's belly which is looking alot better. Having a look this morning there is hardly any sign of discharge so we wait for Theresa to return to change it tomorrow.
Unbeknown to me Richard called the out-of-hours doctor to come listen to his cough so mid-morning yesterday Dr. Young arrived (nice blond young lady doctor) listened, looked, probed and said all looked well and getting some simple cough linctus (syrup) would help. Done! Richard again, greatly relieved by a professionals advice.
Had a few lovely visitors yesterday and will have about ten today spread out over the afternoon. It been a good pace and feels very right.
At 3:30 Stephanie the nutritionist who works with most of Prof Hanna's patients, and her boyfriend Andy arrived having driven down from London. What a great couple. Andy drove around the area looking at homes for sale while Stephanie quietly and patiently sat with Richard and me, answering all our questions and asking Richard her own assessment questions. The outcome was a new eating regime which liberates us from the fast paced two hour feeding schedule. Instead, seeing that Richard is doing really well and eating most everything, we are back on a five small meals a day (plus puddings) plan, plus one of the scandishakes. Basically this is what we used to do anyway! Breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack/tea and then dinner. Both lunch and dinner can be followed by puddings 45 minutes later. Takes a huge amount of pressure off both me and Richard who was finding it hard to keep up. Little by little his meal portions will get bigger but really, he's doing amazingly well right now! We just had a roast Sunday lunch of chicken, potatoes, broccoli au gratin and carrots with a creamy mushroom gravy. Yum...
The ticklish cough plaguing Richard, Stephanie said was absolutely typical for this op and she immediately suggested drinking small sips of ice water. Richard found instant relief from this simple advice. She wants us to flush out the feeding tube three times a day and in a few weeks, when everyone is satisfied with Richard's nutritional progress she will just gently pull it out. Any holes in the lower intestines close within seconds and the outer skin closes within a few hours. Sounds like science fiction but we believe her.
Mother Teresa was in again and changed the dressing on Richard's belly which is looking alot better. Having a look this morning there is hardly any sign of discharge so we wait for Theresa to return to change it tomorrow.
Unbeknown to me Richard called the out-of-hours doctor to come listen to his cough so mid-morning yesterday Dr. Young arrived (nice blond young lady doctor) listened, looked, probed and said all looked well and getting some simple cough linctus (syrup) would help. Done! Richard again, greatly relieved by a professionals advice.
Had a few lovely visitors yesterday and will have about ten today spread out over the afternoon. It been a good pace and feels very right.
Friday 11 February 2011
Third Day at Home
Things are going very well!
Physically, the little infection of the belly incision is responding well to the antibiotics and the dressing changes, the coughing is far less as Richard has learned to sit up straight or stand up when it is a problem. Slouching around on the sofa aggrivates it. (His lungs are telling him to give them space to expand!) Mother Teresa (one of our lovely Distric Nurses) was here with a colleague, Sister Sue who gave Richard a good going over and said his lungs sounded really clear. We think his coughing may be more a function of his recovering/reconnecting nerves in his throat area. The diarreah (Richard HATES me to blog about this...oh well, he isn't reading it!) has more or less gone as he is off the food bag and eating relly well.
Emotionally, yesterday was a bit tough and we were a bit weepy in the late afternoon. Gratitude, exhaustion, loss, fear of the future, processing the long days in intensive care under an oxygen mask...who knows what produces our emotional dips. But, we know they are a part of the process and a very important part to experience fully so that we can move on to something else, most often gratitude, joy and love.
So many lovely cards and amazing flowers/blosoming spring plants arriving and affirming we are surrounded by love. Amazing! Wonderful, easy visits by friends and realtions make for a real healing atmosphere.
I've become (AM!) Nurse Ratchett with my black notebook full of charts documenting Richard's nutritional progress, medications, dressing changes, weight, temperature, feeding tube twice daily flush, loo habits, exersize regime, etc (can you think of anything else I should be measuring??) and orders to "sit down and eat" or "sit up straight". All motivated by wanting a sense of well-being to be the norm. It's coming, slowly and steadily.
Physically, the little infection of the belly incision is responding well to the antibiotics and the dressing changes, the coughing is far less as Richard has learned to sit up straight or stand up when it is a problem. Slouching around on the sofa aggrivates it. (His lungs are telling him to give them space to expand!) Mother Teresa (one of our lovely Distric Nurses) was here with a colleague, Sister Sue who gave Richard a good going over and said his lungs sounded really clear. We think his coughing may be more a function of his recovering/reconnecting nerves in his throat area. The diarreah (Richard HATES me to blog about this...oh well, he isn't reading it!) has more or less gone as he is off the food bag and eating relly well.
Emotionally, yesterday was a bit tough and we were a bit weepy in the late afternoon. Gratitude, exhaustion, loss, fear of the future, processing the long days in intensive care under an oxygen mask...who knows what produces our emotional dips. But, we know they are a part of the process and a very important part to experience fully so that we can move on to something else, most often gratitude, joy and love.
So many lovely cards and amazing flowers/blosoming spring plants arriving and affirming we are surrounded by love. Amazing! Wonderful, easy visits by friends and realtions make for a real healing atmosphere.
I've become (AM!) Nurse Ratchett with my black notebook full of charts documenting Richard's nutritional progress, medications, dressing changes, weight, temperature, feeding tube twice daily flush, loo habits, exersize regime, etc (can you think of anything else I should be measuring??) and orders to "sit down and eat" or "sit up straight". All motivated by wanting a sense of well-being to be the norm. It's coming, slowly and steadily.
Wednesday 9 February 2011
First Full Day at Home
Richard slept a full six hours while 700ml of food was pumped in. We're hoping he can get off this food as one side effect is diarrhea. His nutritionist said he could stop the food if he ate 8 small nutritious meals (each meal being about 1/4 of an average main meal portion) plus two Scandishakes (high nutrition drinks) and two litres of liquids during the day. That means every two hours starting at 7am. He missed two mini meals as I thought he only needed six a day, but he has done all the rest so tomorrow at 7am we only have to put the pump on for two hours of food. Hopefully that will be the last of the food pump and it's side effects. This food is effective as we noted today that Richard hasn't lost any weight over the past two weeks. Amazing!
The district nurse, Theresa, came to change Richard's dressing today and found it still a bit weepy so
we're treating it with antibiotics. The same thing happened when he had his laparoscopy back in October. We were also told by our local GP, to stop eating dairy for a few days and eat a little rice and pasta. On Friday we have a 12:30 appointment in London with a nutritionist who works very closely with Prof Hanna and who is the expert in dealing with Richard's post-operative condition. I think with her guidance we will get to our wellness goal even more quickly.
Richard listened to lovely music and napped a bit through the day. He walked back and forth from the morning room to our bedroom about ten times which is actually quite a bit of walking. Tomorrow we will get out and I want to get Richard in the woods as they are filling up with bird song, itself a healing treatment for those who take it in.
I worked out a food plan and menus with Francois so we can get these mini meals together with not alot of fuss. Wrote a medication and sleep log so we can help the nutritionist and clinicians with their assessments of Richard's progress.
The lesson Richard is learning from all this is patience...trusting the a little movement in the right direction is good enough.
The district nurse, Theresa, came to change Richard's dressing today and found it still a bit weepy so
we're treating it with antibiotics. The same thing happened when he had his laparoscopy back in October. We were also told by our local GP, to stop eating dairy for a few days and eat a little rice and pasta. On Friday we have a 12:30 appointment in London with a nutritionist who works very closely with Prof Hanna and who is the expert in dealing with Richard's post-operative condition. I think with her guidance we will get to our wellness goal even more quickly.
Richard listened to lovely music and napped a bit through the day. He walked back and forth from the morning room to our bedroom about ten times which is actually quite a bit of walking. Tomorrow we will get out and I want to get Richard in the woods as they are filling up with bird song, itself a healing treatment for those who take it in.
I worked out a food plan and menus with Francois so we can get these mini meals together with not alot of fuss. Wrote a medication and sleep log so we can help the nutritionist and clinicians with their assessments of Richard's progress.
The lesson Richard is learning from all this is patience...trusting the a little movement in the right direction is good enough.
Tuesday 8 February 2011
Two Weeks After the Operation
Richard sits beside me here at Whithurst sipping a chocolate high nutrition Scandishake and watching "Big Fat Gypsy Weddings" (rather reluctantly) on the tv after eating two poached eggs just laid today by our chickens.
Yes, we're back home! A huge step that a week ago would have been difficult to imagine.
I'm too exhausted to blog...it's 11:35 pm, Richard is sleeping comfortably in bed. All is well.
Yes, we're back home! A huge step that a week ago would have been difficult to imagine.
I'm too exhausted to blog...it's 11:35 pm, Richard is sleeping comfortably in bed. All is well.
Monday 7 February 2011
The Thirteenth Day
Richard did it! He passed the "swallow" test!
After a relaxed night, lovely care and Richard's determination to get his lungs expanded by doing blowing exercises and walking the halls as much as possible we were taken via ambulance (a cab would have done just as well!) to Wellington Hospital at 2pm accompanied by the wonderful Sheila, Richard's day nurse. After a little kerfuffle finding the correct building and with nerves almost as bad as the day of the surgery Richard had the test which had him sitting in a chair and being xrayed while he attempted to swallow some well masticated strawberry and yoghurt. Apparently it went down the right way! He has to swallow twice after every intake as the liquid tends to "pool" a bit after the first swallow right now. Then he should cough. It will all get better with practice. I was nearly jumping up and down with joy as I sat and listened to Haley's report as she went over everything with Sheila. She's happy if Prof Hanna is happy to take off the "nil by mouth" designation. Richard was quietly jubilant.
So back at our little nest in the hospital Richard rested on the bed for a bit taking everything in and then had a couple little sips of apple juice. Melinda Ziff, Prof Hanna's Practice Manager came in for a chat and said Richard could have consomme, jelly, and ice cream right now and if they go well, graduate on to mashed and minced foods. She's organising us to meet the nutritionist who knows the most about this particular operation later this week. Harley Street Clinic has a good nutritionist who we have met with and who we will see tomorrow at 2:30 before we leave for interim instructions.
So, over then next 24 hours we will be processing tomorrow afternoon's departure and the transition from cocoon to hurly-burly world.
A bit sad to leave all the loving, kind, skilled nurses, doctors, technicians, cleaners, porters and caterers but we know it's the appropriate move and feel up to the challenge. Over the next week or so Richard will still be given food and water via the tube into his lower intestine but the amount will gradually be reduced as he takes more and more of his sustenance through his own mouth, until the bag is no longer necessary. Prof Hanna wants to fatten him up so he can do well through the next cycles of chemo so wants to make sure Richard is doing well with eating before he takes out the tube.
Besides the fabulous medical care we want to thank all of you who have been silently intending, praying, wishing good things, focusing good energy on your mental picture of Richard. It all seems to be working in concert to produce a picture of steady recovery to health.
After a relaxed night, lovely care and Richard's determination to get his lungs expanded by doing blowing exercises and walking the halls as much as possible we were taken via ambulance (a cab would have done just as well!) to Wellington Hospital at 2pm accompanied by the wonderful Sheila, Richard's day nurse. After a little kerfuffle finding the correct building and with nerves almost as bad as the day of the surgery Richard had the test which had him sitting in a chair and being xrayed while he attempted to swallow some well masticated strawberry and yoghurt. Apparently it went down the right way! He has to swallow twice after every intake as the liquid tends to "pool" a bit after the first swallow right now. Then he should cough. It will all get better with practice. I was nearly jumping up and down with joy as I sat and listened to Haley's report as she went over everything with Sheila. She's happy if Prof Hanna is happy to take off the "nil by mouth" designation. Richard was quietly jubilant.
So back at our little nest in the hospital Richard rested on the bed for a bit taking everything in and then had a couple little sips of apple juice. Melinda Ziff, Prof Hanna's Practice Manager came in for a chat and said Richard could have consomme, jelly, and ice cream right now and if they go well, graduate on to mashed and minced foods. She's organising us to meet the nutritionist who knows the most about this particular operation later this week. Harley Street Clinic has a good nutritionist who we have met with and who we will see tomorrow at 2:30 before we leave for interim instructions.
So, over then next 24 hours we will be processing tomorrow afternoon's departure and the transition from cocoon to hurly-burly world.
A bit sad to leave all the loving, kind, skilled nurses, doctors, technicians, cleaners, porters and caterers but we know it's the appropriate move and feel up to the challenge. Over the next week or so Richard will still be given food and water via the tube into his lower intestine but the amount will gradually be reduced as he takes more and more of his sustenance through his own mouth, until the bag is no longer necessary. Prof Hanna wants to fatten him up so he can do well through the next cycles of chemo so wants to make sure Richard is doing well with eating before he takes out the tube.
Besides the fabulous medical care we want to thank all of you who have been silently intending, praying, wishing good things, focusing good energy on your mental picture of Richard. It all seems to be working in concert to produce a picture of steady recovery to health.
Sunday 6 February 2011
The Twelfth Day
A lovely relaxed Sunday following the best sleeping night yet.
Five visitors at a good pace. A nap in the early afternoon followed by an "outing" down to Starbucks on Marlybone High Street accompanied by a wheel chair for a little assist. Then a drive around Regents Park just to see the sights of the world at large denied over the last twelve days. This was possible as Richard is taken off the feeding bag for four hours every day. It was fun and restorative.
Just saw a team of doctors and the Sister on duty doing their rounds. Did a little drink test and Richard's swallowing, though better, is still bit lazy. It will come as the nerves and muscles get ever more used to their new situation.
Chest infection under control, more protein showing up in the blood tests, all good indications.
We're looking forward to another good night's sleep and then seeing the nutritionist and the physiotherapist and then on to the swallow test. We've got our work cut out for us on the start of another work week!
Five visitors at a good pace. A nap in the early afternoon followed by an "outing" down to Starbucks on Marlybone High Street accompanied by a wheel chair for a little assist. Then a drive around Regents Park just to see the sights of the world at large denied over the last twelve days. This was possible as Richard is taken off the feeding bag for four hours every day. It was fun and restorative.
Just saw a team of doctors and the Sister on duty doing their rounds. Did a little drink test and Richard's swallowing, though better, is still bit lazy. It will come as the nerves and muscles get ever more used to their new situation.
Chest infection under control, more protein showing up in the blood tests, all good indications.
We're looking forward to another good night's sleep and then seeing the nutritionist and the physiotherapist and then on to the swallow test. We've got our work cut out for us on the start of another work week!
Saturday 5 February 2011
The Eleventh Day
Everything proceeding well for a projected Tuesday morning discharge. Sounds sticky, but I'm confident it will all go smoothly!
Prof Hanna said Richard could go home on Tuesday after the Wellington visit but I think Richard wants to process this transition home very deliberately. A rather new approach for our dear Richard!
Yesterday, after a full day of 12 visitors, physio, nebulisers, drips, etc, etc we both got better sleep than any day previous. I missed the nutritionist meeting but there will be another on Monday and Francois took audio notes on his iphone which he then email to me. Amazing! Dr. Patel came while I was gone to examine Richard and said regarding his pneumonia, "a lesser man would probably have succumbed."
Today, when I left around 3:30 to come to the flat we'd already had nine visitors, a shower, dressing changes, meds, a walk around the corridors and a meeting with Dr. Patel, the day duty doctor and Prof Hanna who all arrived around the same time. They agreed to take Richard off a few medications and proceed towards a Tuesday discharge. Prof Hanna examined Richard's incisions and had the sister on duty take out all the staples in both the front and back incisions. So now he only has a dressing on his front incision as it is not yet completely dry, but that's it! Still has his iv port on right wrist and the feeding tube but we're getting there.
Apparently, regardless of the outcome of the swallowing tests on Monday we will go home and Richard will start to drink and then eat slowly with special techniques determined by the test data, all the while supported by the nutrition from the feeding tube. I will be administering the food which is to be delivered along with the pump to Whithurst on Monday. I've been watching and training with the nurses and feel pretty competent. Prof Hanna told me I would have no problem...it's not at all difficult and you can't really mess anything up.
Richard and I were talking about employing a private nurse for a few days or a week but Prof Hanna smiled and said we didn't really need to, we would be able to handle it easily. I know he's right and I feel he knows how important it is that we assume the responsibility for Richard's well being as soon as possible. The final step will be my releasing Richard to assume that responsibility for himself just as soon as he feels ready. Might have to give him (and myself) a little nudge but it will be a gentle one! All will be accomplished in the fullness of time.
Thank you all for your continuing prayers and good energy!
Prof Hanna said Richard could go home on Tuesday after the Wellington visit but I think Richard wants to process this transition home very deliberately. A rather new approach for our dear Richard!
Yesterday, after a full day of 12 visitors, physio, nebulisers, drips, etc, etc we both got better sleep than any day previous. I missed the nutritionist meeting but there will be another on Monday and Francois took audio notes on his iphone which he then email to me. Amazing! Dr. Patel came while I was gone to examine Richard and said regarding his pneumonia, "a lesser man would probably have succumbed."
Today, when I left around 3:30 to come to the flat we'd already had nine visitors, a shower, dressing changes, meds, a walk around the corridors and a meeting with Dr. Patel, the day duty doctor and Prof Hanna who all arrived around the same time. They agreed to take Richard off a few medications and proceed towards a Tuesday discharge. Prof Hanna examined Richard's incisions and had the sister on duty take out all the staples in both the front and back incisions. So now he only has a dressing on his front incision as it is not yet completely dry, but that's it! Still has his iv port on right wrist and the feeding tube but we're getting there.
Apparently, regardless of the outcome of the swallowing tests on Monday we will go home and Richard will start to drink and then eat slowly with special techniques determined by the test data, all the while supported by the nutrition from the feeding tube. I will be administering the food which is to be delivered along with the pump to Whithurst on Monday. I've been watching and training with the nurses and feel pretty competent. Prof Hanna told me I would have no problem...it's not at all difficult and you can't really mess anything up.
Richard and I were talking about employing a private nurse for a few days or a week but Prof Hanna smiled and said we didn't really need to, we would be able to handle it easily. I know he's right and I feel he knows how important it is that we assume the responsibility for Richard's well being as soon as possible. The final step will be my releasing Richard to assume that responsibility for himself just as soon as he feels ready. Might have to give him (and myself) a little nudge but it will be a gentle one! All will be accomplished in the fullness of time.
Thank you all for your continuing prayers and good energy!
Friday 4 February 2011
The Ninth and Morning of the Tenth Day
Are we all getting a little "blogged out"?
Richard's been doing his physio, walking around, blowing in this little tube game-like thingy (technical term) trying to cough and generally being a good boy. It's paying off and his breathing is alot less congested sounding to me...no rattling chest. All his functions are good and he's gaining more strength every day. Just an hour or so ago after his shower, dressings changes and new clothes Francois and I walked with a tubeless Richard (they just disconnect the food bag) around the ward corridor, stopped in to say hi to Paul, another patient of Prof Hanna's who's had the same op and who thinks he's being discharged today, carried on down the lift to the reception area for a breath of air, strolled back to the ICU ward where he got a hug from Googoo, one of his magnificent nurses and then went back upstairs to the room. 20-25 minutes of good exercise. I took his blood saturation levels when we got back and they were at 94-95...excellent. He's still having to take a tiny bit of oxygen when he's laying down as lungs don't operate at full capacity in that position.
Richard slept more last night. About three hours from 10:30 - 1:30 and then probably another hour or so in there til 7am. So that's getting better. No strangled/coughing in the night either, thank goodness.
The outpouring of loving concern expressed in flowers, plants, cards, crystals, rose water sprays, books, etc is overwhelming! It has made a very beautiful physical display on his wide window sill. Visits are flowing with a healthy, reasonable pace...we just wish we had some more chairs!
Richard is scheduled to go to the Wellington Hospital at 2:30pm, this coming Monday for an assessment of his swallowing function in the specialist unit. Haley, his Speech and Language Therapist, comes from there and it is where they can then see via xray and some special liquid what's actually happening and then be able to treat it with specific exercises. My feeling is that they are also just giving it time to repair naturally, as the inner bruising of the controlling nerve and muscle tissue subsides. He gets to ride there in an ambulance which he's quite looking forward to!
Claire, his physiotherapist told him today that he was doing well and to keep up his hourly blowing/sucking exercises, keep walking and to stretch his limits just a little each time being careful not to overdo it.
There's supposed to be a training meeting with his nutritionist this afternoon so we can be prepared for the eventuality of his eating and drinking at home even if that, for the moment, is hooking up the nutribag.
All seems to be moving in a positive direction.
Richard's been doing his physio, walking around, blowing in this little tube game-like thingy (technical term) trying to cough and generally being a good boy. It's paying off and his breathing is alot less congested sounding to me...no rattling chest. All his functions are good and he's gaining more strength every day. Just an hour or so ago after his shower, dressings changes and new clothes Francois and I walked with a tubeless Richard (they just disconnect the food bag) around the ward corridor, stopped in to say hi to Paul, another patient of Prof Hanna's who's had the same op and who thinks he's being discharged today, carried on down the lift to the reception area for a breath of air, strolled back to the ICU ward where he got a hug from Googoo, one of his magnificent nurses and then went back upstairs to the room. 20-25 minutes of good exercise. I took his blood saturation levels when we got back and they were at 94-95...excellent. He's still having to take a tiny bit of oxygen when he's laying down as lungs don't operate at full capacity in that position.
Richard slept more last night. About three hours from 10:30 - 1:30 and then probably another hour or so in there til 7am. So that's getting better. No strangled/coughing in the night either, thank goodness.
The outpouring of loving concern expressed in flowers, plants, cards, crystals, rose water sprays, books, etc is overwhelming! It has made a very beautiful physical display on his wide window sill. Visits are flowing with a healthy, reasonable pace...we just wish we had some more chairs!
Richard is scheduled to go to the Wellington Hospital at 2:30pm, this coming Monday for an assessment of his swallowing function in the specialist unit. Haley, his Speech and Language Therapist, comes from there and it is where they can then see via xray and some special liquid what's actually happening and then be able to treat it with specific exercises. My feeling is that they are also just giving it time to repair naturally, as the inner bruising of the controlling nerve and muscle tissue subsides. He gets to ride there in an ambulance which he's quite looking forward to!
Claire, his physiotherapist told him today that he was doing well and to keep up his hourly blowing/sucking exercises, keep walking and to stretch his limits just a little each time being careful not to overdo it.
There's supposed to be a training meeting with his nutritionist this afternoon so we can be prepared for the eventuality of his eating and drinking at home even if that, for the moment, is hooking up the nutribag.
All seems to be moving in a positive direction.
Thursday 3 February 2011
The Eighth and morning of the Ninth Day
Things seem to be progressing nicely now.
I got back to the hospital around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Jill, Richard's sister and Mike, her partner were there with him having a good visit. He'd already had three other visitors and was to have two or three more during the course of the afternoon and early evening. More lovely cards and beautiful flowers arrived...his window sill is chock a block.
He'd had more physio and they had reduced his oxygen to just 2% indicating that his lungs are doing what they need to. No real news on the eating and drinking front as I think they are just giving it a few days to allow the natural healing to occur when everything will reset itself.
Francois has been a guardian angel and keeps everything ticking over in a positive way. He left to stay in our flat, I got some dinner sent in and Richard fell into a delicious early sleep. We decided "sleep when sleepy" was the best policy in trying to get back to a pre-operative pattern. The peace and quiet in the room was palpable.
Dr Patel and the duty doctor came in for a visit and said things were looking good and then a bit later Prof Hanna came in and Richard exhibited his re-found agility by standing up and running a bit in place. Prof Hanna again indicated that if things keep going the way they are Richard might be discharged by the weekend. He must be pretty confident that his eating and drinking are going to be restored momentarily. But he said, we won't rush anything. He'd be sure everything was a "go" before discharging. Brilliant!!!! Prof Hanna told us he was off for Edinburgh to lecture on Thursday and would return late Thursday or Friday morning to see Richard.
Rosalind, our sweet night nurse got Richard's three things, paracetamol, antibiotics, food bag and nebuliser all done and dusted so we could get to sleep straight through. Richard had a little choking fit as the nebliser started to bring things up his bronchial tubes, which is a good sign. We're more relaxed now so, it came and went without incident.
The night was easier for both of us but I think a normal sleeping pattern will be a week or so away.
This morning Richard had a sponge bath by two lovely nurses, had his dressings changed, given new stockings and gown and all his morning medicines. The "Impovement of the Day" award goes to having the oxygen taken away as his oxygen saturation level is now normal! One less tube! Now he just has the feed bag to drag around. Perhaps this experience is teaching Richard patience as he has been an excellent patient throughout!
Richard says he is going to be able to tell visitors that he has to go to sleep when he feels tired because there does seem to be the danger of numbers of well intentioned friends showing up at the same time. If that happens to anyone who is yet to visit, please know that Richard does want to see you but his healing process is still very much on-going and rest is a huge part of it so "short and sweet" is what it must be. Literally, just seeing your faces and hearing your voices for a minute or two is enough right now. There will be plenty of time for real visiting later on. And if I have to, God forbid, I might ask that some people come back another day if it feels like it's getting to be too much. (What me, a control freak?? How very dare you!) To avoid this I ask that you call or text Richard's mobile 07770225536 or the room 415 phone before you come up to the room. You all are a big part of the healing process too but the balance has to be right.
I just had lunch around the corner and the waiter who is a friend of ours has a new tattoo on his arm. "Memento Vivare". Remember to live. I will tell Richard.
I got back to the hospital around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Jill, Richard's sister and Mike, her partner were there with him having a good visit. He'd already had three other visitors and was to have two or three more during the course of the afternoon and early evening. More lovely cards and beautiful flowers arrived...his window sill is chock a block.
He'd had more physio and they had reduced his oxygen to just 2% indicating that his lungs are doing what they need to. No real news on the eating and drinking front as I think they are just giving it a few days to allow the natural healing to occur when everything will reset itself.
Francois has been a guardian angel and keeps everything ticking over in a positive way. He left to stay in our flat, I got some dinner sent in and Richard fell into a delicious early sleep. We decided "sleep when sleepy" was the best policy in trying to get back to a pre-operative pattern. The peace and quiet in the room was palpable.
Dr Patel and the duty doctor came in for a visit and said things were looking good and then a bit later Prof Hanna came in and Richard exhibited his re-found agility by standing up and running a bit in place. Prof Hanna again indicated that if things keep going the way they are Richard might be discharged by the weekend. He must be pretty confident that his eating and drinking are going to be restored momentarily. But he said, we won't rush anything. He'd be sure everything was a "go" before discharging. Brilliant!!!! Prof Hanna told us he was off for Edinburgh to lecture on Thursday and would return late Thursday or Friday morning to see Richard.
Rosalind, our sweet night nurse got Richard's three things, paracetamol, antibiotics, food bag and nebuliser all done and dusted so we could get to sleep straight through. Richard had a little choking fit as the nebliser started to bring things up his bronchial tubes, which is a good sign. We're more relaxed now so, it came and went without incident.
The night was easier for both of us but I think a normal sleeping pattern will be a week or so away.
This morning Richard had a sponge bath by two lovely nurses, had his dressings changed, given new stockings and gown and all his morning medicines. The "Impovement of the Day" award goes to having the oxygen taken away as his oxygen saturation level is now normal! One less tube! Now he just has the feed bag to drag around. Perhaps this experience is teaching Richard patience as he has been an excellent patient throughout!
Richard says he is going to be able to tell visitors that he has to go to sleep when he feels tired because there does seem to be the danger of numbers of well intentioned friends showing up at the same time. If that happens to anyone who is yet to visit, please know that Richard does want to see you but his healing process is still very much on-going and rest is a huge part of it so "short and sweet" is what it must be. Literally, just seeing your faces and hearing your voices for a minute or two is enough right now. There will be plenty of time for real visiting later on. And if I have to, God forbid, I might ask that some people come back another day if it feels like it's getting to be too much. (What me, a control freak?? How very dare you!) To avoid this I ask that you call or text Richard's mobile 07770225536 or the room 415 phone before you come up to the room. You all are a big part of the healing process too but the balance has to be right.
I just had lunch around the corner and the waiter who is a friend of ours has a new tattoo on his arm. "Memento Vivare". Remember to live. I will tell Richard.
Wednesday 2 February 2011
The Seventh and morning of the Eighth Day
Couldn't get online last night...sorry.
It's all getting to be a bit of a blurr.
Yesterday all the doctors agreed that Richard would be better off upstairs in a private room rather than remaining in ICU even though the outcome of his pneumonia was not completely certain. Richard told them that he had not slept a wink in four days. This, undoubtedly has been affecting his thinking, his mood, the entire healing process. While doctors and nurses have been telling him that he is going to be fine, not to worry, he has been fearing the opposite.
All his vital signs are good. He's a bit anaemic and the congestion in his lungs has not shifted significantly, plus he still cannot eat or drink. Sounds horrible, but considering what his body has been through and that he is now only connected to oxygen (only 6% as opposed to 15% three days ago), feeding tube into upper intestine (2000kcal a day with hydration) and has a cannula on his right hand with ports to connect iv antibiotics and paracetamol , (his only pain killer) that's not too bad! He says he's doesn't feel hungry and is constantly swishing water about in his mouth and then spitting it out to keep it moist and feel like he's drinking. He looks entirely normal (why are some of you laughing?) to me! His mobilization is improving exponentially. He's going to the loo on his own. We put the little two pronged nose oxygen nozzle on him today so his face has been freed up. So, really allot of progress.
Yesterday he had his SALT assessment by a lovely Kiwi, Hilary. Essentially what it showed was that his epiglottis (muscle flap) and vocal chords which overlay each other and keep food and liquids flowing into the esophagus and not the bronchial passages is not functioning properly at the moment which the doctors believe is down to bruising of the muscles and nerve, so they're doing some more investigations and frankly just waiting to see if it corrects itself which is what I think will happen. This is why he can't eat or drink yet and also why he hasn't been able to perform the helpful act of coughing up the phlegm in his lungs. It will get better each day is what I believe and what the doctors have told us.
Just two more things before nap time.
Please text me before coming in to visit. There is the potential for visitations to get out of hand and Richard, as most of you know, has a hard time restricting his socializing! He's indicated to me that it's not quite time to open the doors fully. Both of us though, want to say how much everyone's incredible outpouring of love has meant. The prayers that people are saying for Richard all over the world, just that positive intention, like someone holding your hand when you are scared, is getting through. Thanks for the cards, beautiful flowers, supportive emails, texts and telephone calls!!!
Lastly, the roller coaster ride nature of Richard's journey so far was reflected in a frightening incident last night which ultimately resolved itself in a positive affirmation. Around 10pm after getting settled in the private room and meeting our night nurse, Beverley, Richard was dosing and I was trying to get on the computer. His yawns sound a bit like someone is stabbing him right now for some reason but they come and are over in a few moments. This particular yawn though kept on, and I looked up to see him writhing in his bed gasping and trying to cough. I ran to the bed and pressed the nurses button and gently hit his back and said, calm down, I'm getting the nurse, you'll be ok all while he was gasping for breath in an extremely distraught way. It seemed like something had gotten loose in his chest and was clogging his airways. Beverly came in a minute or so and by that time he had recovered somewhat only to have two more fits which he said he could feel coming and which ended in a little bit of discharge. We asked that a doctor be called and calmed ourselves down as his breathing resumed in a normal way. About 30 minutes later Prof Hanna, who had been doing his rounds, and the duty doctor came into the room. Prof Hanna sat on the bed and listened to the story and examined Richard. I told him about his SALT assessment earlier in the day when Richard had drunk three tiny sips of a starchy liquid, two of which seemed to go down the bronchial passages, or so the therapist said. Dr. Hanna after a few minutes deliberation said. You're fine. Don't worry. If that happens again just try to be calm. Nothing can go wrong. He smiled and said, you're doing well. You might even be back home by this weekend! Richard rolled his eyes a bit in humoured disbelief. And so it goes.
I was able to spend the night on a cot in his room and had my eyes and ears attuned to him the whole night just in case there was another episode which, thankfully, there wasn't. We both slept fitfully, but for Richard, I think cumulatively he must have gotten a good four or five hours sleep.
So today there is another SALT consultation, the doctors pow wow, the physio, a few scheduled visitors, and hopefully some more sleep!!!
Francois came up from Whithurst and is staying with him in the room while I get some sleep in the flat and gather a few things together. Francois got me on the hospital wifi so I should be able to post more regularly.
Lastly, the roller coaster ride nature of Richard's journey so far was reflected in a frightening incident last night which ultimately resolved itself in a positive affirmation. Around 10pm after getting settled in the private room and meeting our night nurse, Beverley, Richard was dosing and I was trying to get on the computer. His yawns sound a bit like someone is stabbing him right now for some reason but they come and are over in a few moments. This particular yawn though kept on, and I looked up to see him writhing in his bed gasping and trying to cough. I ran to the bed and pressed the nurses button and gently hit his back and said, calm down, I'm getting the nurse, you'll be ok all while he was gasping for breath in an extremely distraught way. It seemed like something had gotten loose in his chest and was clogging his airways. Beverly came in a minute or so and by that time he had recovered somewhat only to have two more fits which he said he could feel coming and which ended in a little bit of discharge. We asked that a doctor be called and calmed ourselves down as his breathing resumed in a normal way. About 30 minutes later Prof Hanna, who had been doing his rounds, and the duty doctor came into the room. Prof Hanna sat on the bed and listened to the story and examined Richard. I told him about his SALT assessment earlier in the day when Richard had drunk three tiny sips of a starchy liquid, two of which seemed to go down the bronchial passages, or so the therapist said. Dr. Hanna after a few minutes deliberation said. You're fine. Don't worry. If that happens again just try to be calm. Nothing can go wrong. He smiled and said, you're doing well. You might even be back home by this weekend! Richard rolled his eyes a bit in humoured disbelief. And so it goes.
I was able to spend the night on a cot in his room and had my eyes and ears attuned to him the whole night just in case there was another episode which, thankfully, there wasn't. We both slept fitfully, but for Richard, I think cumulatively he must have gotten a good four or five hours sleep.
So today there is another SALT consultation, the doctors pow wow, the physio, a few scheduled visitors, and hopefully some more sleep!!!
Francois came up from Whithurst and is staying with him in the room while I get some sleep in the flat and gather a few things together. Francois got me on the hospital wifi so I should be able to post more regularly.
Monday 31 January 2011
The Fifth and Sixth Day
Very briefly...last night was pretty rough. Richard thought he was going to die. The day was pretty routine but punctuated by two visits from Professor Hanna both of which left a smile on Richard's face and confidence in his heart. Constant moist oxygen altered with a nebuliser to get the phlegm broken down. I wanted to stay the night at the hospital and luckily they had the same room available. I went up around midnight leaving Richard sounding pretty awful and told him to call me at any moment he felt like he wanted me near. The call came at 3am and Maria, the duty nurse said he wanted me. He was very agitated and said he thought he might be dying. I got Maria and another amazingly sweet nurse to come over and tell him how well he was doing (no lie), all his vital signs looked very good and it was just going to take some time to get rid of the infection. This put him in a better mood and by 3:30 he was asleep holding my hand and we pretty much stayed that way until 5am when he woke and said he felt a lot calmer. They kicked me out at 6am and I went back to sleep upstairs til 8:00. He seemed a bit better and full of purpose when I returned and he shooed me off to take the car back to Earl's Court and get back by 10:20 for a big doctors meeting about him. I did that but when I returned I had to wait til he was finished with physio. By the time I got back he'd already done two walks around the ICU unit and was being taught coughing techniques.
Janine, the day duty nurse, set my mind at ease saying he was doing really well and we shouldn't get worried.
Signs of progress: he had a bowel movement! (momentous occasion), they've reduced the concentration of his oxygen by about half and he is getting excellent saturation levels which shows that the lungs are improving, I think. They turned off his epidural and will remove it tonight if he's still comfortable. The neck iv should be removed this evening and he is scheduled to have his SALT (Speech and Language Test) later today to access how his throat valve is working as it must stop liquids and food from getting into his bronchial tubes before they let him drink and eat.
When I left around 12:45 after the panel of doctors had done their assessment and seemed pleased with the progress, Richard seemed determined to do lots of walking and practice his coughing. He said his life depended upon it. So he's still very nervous about his condition but feeling optimistic at the same time.
It's 2:19, I'm back at the flat and am going to sleep for a couple of hours or else I won't be good for anything.
Janine, the day duty nurse, set my mind at ease saying he was doing really well and we shouldn't get worried.
Signs of progress: he had a bowel movement! (momentous occasion), they've reduced the concentration of his oxygen by about half and he is getting excellent saturation levels which shows that the lungs are improving, I think. They turned off his epidural and will remove it tonight if he's still comfortable. The neck iv should be removed this evening and he is scheduled to have his SALT (Speech and Language Test) later today to access how his throat valve is working as it must stop liquids and food from getting into his bronchial tubes before they let him drink and eat.
When I left around 12:45 after the panel of doctors had done their assessment and seemed pleased with the progress, Richard seemed determined to do lots of walking and practice his coughing. He said his life depended upon it. So he's still very nervous about his condition but feeling optimistic at the same time.
It's 2:19, I'm back at the flat and am going to sleep for a couple of hours or else I won't be good for anything.
Sunday 30 January 2011
The Fourth Day
I saw Richard in hospital around 1pm where he was again sitting in his chair. They'd already had him up walking and had to insist that he couldn't go up the stairs! (I haven't seen the process of 'walking' myself but I think its a bit of a to do...like a courtly procession, with all the machines being dragged around behind him and people making sure he's not snagging any tubes!) I sat opposite him and rubbed his stockinged legs until the new lady patient next to him said, "When you're through with him you can start on me!" Nice to be appreciated. I was told that they'd started him on antibiotics to head off the little infection in his chest. Two visitors kindly came in very briefly to say hi just before 2pm.
Around 4:30 I returned to find Richard soundly asleep so went into the reception to give him some time. When I returned around 5pm there were several nurses huddled around his bed and I rushed over. He was shivering violently and said he'd just awakened from the worst nightmare he'd ever had. His temperature rose to 38c and they gave him some paracetamol intravenously. In about five minutes he was fairly well settled again. He told me he'd had two more lovely visitors since he'd last seen me.
The evening progressed with another visitor coming in and cheering Richard up wonderfully. We all, with the fantastic nurses, rather comically stood/sat around and practiced our coughing techniques as it's important that Richard eventually can cough up the phlegm in his chest.
Dr Patel came in and looked over Richards charts and heard about his shivering episode and didn't seem too worried. He asked that a new type of moistening oxygen mask be put on. At the 8pm shift change Professor Hanna came in and looked over all Richards charts, spoke to all the nurses and introduced us to one his sweet young daughters who was making the rounds with him. He said that the infection in Richard's lung was being treated and he fully expected it to clear up. The reason that Richard was having trouble coughing was that the nerve which controls the valve around the larynx was bruised and therefore impeding the process. It would take a few more days to recover. He said that Sunday he wanted for Richard to have his leak test, which if he passes, will allow him to take some small quantities of water and slowly build up to soft solid foods. He also said the neck iv port would be removed and replaced by an arm one and a couple of the drains would be removed. A few less wires, tubes and piercings. Yipee!
Richard was shooing me away at 8:30 to have dinner with good friends, David and Ian, in Earls Court but I told him to call me if he wanted me back as I could tell he was a bit on edge after his shivering episode. Sure enough, at around 11pm Freddy, his nurse called to say Richard wanted me back in...the duty doctor was talking about putting him back on a ventilator as his congestion was a bit worse. Ian, himself a renowned surgeon who was on call with his hospital, selflessly drove me back to the hospital and came in to talk with the staff and see Richard. It appears that, whatever Richard understood the duty doctor to have said left him extremely frightened that unless he stayed up all night and cleared his lungs every 20 minutes, he would die!!! So, no wonder Richard was agitated and wanted me there. Because of this Richard had also asked that a physio come in to see him immediately. And, in fact, the lovely Eve appeared in no time and helped Richard in a wonderfully quiet, reassuring way to try and cough up what he needed to and assisted with a vacuum tube down his nose. Ian felt Richard was in good hands and saw all his vital signs were good so went home. I sat around until about 12:30 am when Maria, the duty nurse kindly found a room upstairs for me to sleep in, just in case Richard wanted me during the night. I slept til about 7:45 then went down to be there during the shift change. Richard told me he had slept some and had gotten some phlegm up during the night. All his signs were good. He's still having to have constant oxygen til the lung that was collapsed for the surgery regains it's full capacity. And sadly, his new mask, while providing warm, moist air which is giving him oxygen plus helping to break up the fluids in his lungs, is a bit less comfortable than the other ones. I left him around 9am looking forward to a dressing change, then getting to his chair and hopefully the leak test, though his nurse Manga said she thought those were only done on weekdays. Poor guy, he's been through the wars! It will be such a good step change when he's into a private room where I know he will sleep as I did last night. With luck, that should be Monday or Tuesday. It's 11:28 as I sit here back in the flat and post this update. Onwards and upwards!!
Around 4:30 I returned to find Richard soundly asleep so went into the reception to give him some time. When I returned around 5pm there were several nurses huddled around his bed and I rushed over. He was shivering violently and said he'd just awakened from the worst nightmare he'd ever had. His temperature rose to 38c and they gave him some paracetamol intravenously. In about five minutes he was fairly well settled again. He told me he'd had two more lovely visitors since he'd last seen me.
The evening progressed with another visitor coming in and cheering Richard up wonderfully. We all, with the fantastic nurses, rather comically stood/sat around and practiced our coughing techniques as it's important that Richard eventually can cough up the phlegm in his chest.
Dr Patel came in and looked over Richards charts and heard about his shivering episode and didn't seem too worried. He asked that a new type of moistening oxygen mask be put on. At the 8pm shift change Professor Hanna came in and looked over all Richards charts, spoke to all the nurses and introduced us to one his sweet young daughters who was making the rounds with him. He said that the infection in Richard's lung was being treated and he fully expected it to clear up. The reason that Richard was having trouble coughing was that the nerve which controls the valve around the larynx was bruised and therefore impeding the process. It would take a few more days to recover. He said that Sunday he wanted for Richard to have his leak test, which if he passes, will allow him to take some small quantities of water and slowly build up to soft solid foods. He also said the neck iv port would be removed and replaced by an arm one and a couple of the drains would be removed. A few less wires, tubes and piercings. Yipee!
Richard was shooing me away at 8:30 to have dinner with good friends, David and Ian, in Earls Court but I told him to call me if he wanted me back as I could tell he was a bit on edge after his shivering episode. Sure enough, at around 11pm Freddy, his nurse called to say Richard wanted me back in...the duty doctor was talking about putting him back on a ventilator as his congestion was a bit worse. Ian, himself a renowned surgeon who was on call with his hospital, selflessly drove me back to the hospital and came in to talk with the staff and see Richard. It appears that, whatever Richard understood the duty doctor to have said left him extremely frightened that unless he stayed up all night and cleared his lungs every 20 minutes, he would die!!! So, no wonder Richard was agitated and wanted me there. Because of this Richard had also asked that a physio come in to see him immediately. And, in fact, the lovely Eve appeared in no time and helped Richard in a wonderfully quiet, reassuring way to try and cough up what he needed to and assisted with a vacuum tube down his nose. Ian felt Richard was in good hands and saw all his vital signs were good so went home. I sat around until about 12:30 am when Maria, the duty nurse kindly found a room upstairs for me to sleep in, just in case Richard wanted me during the night. I slept til about 7:45 then went down to be there during the shift change. Richard told me he had slept some and had gotten some phlegm up during the night. All his signs were good. He's still having to have constant oxygen til the lung that was collapsed for the surgery regains it's full capacity. And sadly, his new mask, while providing warm, moist air which is giving him oxygen plus helping to break up the fluids in his lungs, is a bit less comfortable than the other ones. I left him around 9am looking forward to a dressing change, then getting to his chair and hopefully the leak test, though his nurse Manga said she thought those were only done on weekdays. Poor guy, he's been through the wars! It will be such a good step change when he's into a private room where I know he will sleep as I did last night. With luck, that should be Monday or Tuesday. It's 11:28 as I sit here back in the flat and post this update. Onwards and upwards!!
Friday 28 January 2011
The Third Day
He's doing well. That's what all the marvelous nurses were saying today.
Apparently, Prof Hanna came in to see Richard last night at 11pm after he had completed another long surgical procedure. I think he asked that Richard be put in his chair as early as 5am to help clear the fluid in his lungs and I believe Richard stayed there until 11am. He got to go back to bed where I greeted him around noon. He seemed a bit groggy and was desperately trying to cough up his congestion. We're practicing cause he's about 85% there. Angeline, the Sister on duty said, "Don't worry...It will come!"
He was in his chair visiting with a friend when I returned around 5pm and while the friend and I visited Richard dropped off into a deep sleep for about 30 minutes. Nice to see. A bit later another friend arrived and Richard perked up more to reach his cresendo for the day which seems to end at the shift change around 8pm.
If Richard progresses like his neighbor in the ICU who had exactly the same operation by George Hanna last Saturday, he should be graduating to a private room on Monday. That will be wonderful for all concerned, as there he will be reunited with his mobile phone and his texting fingers will get back to their former glory!
Apparently, Prof Hanna came in to see Richard last night at 11pm after he had completed another long surgical procedure. I think he asked that Richard be put in his chair as early as 5am to help clear the fluid in his lungs and I believe Richard stayed there until 11am. He got to go back to bed where I greeted him around noon. He seemed a bit groggy and was desperately trying to cough up his congestion. We're practicing cause he's about 85% there. Angeline, the Sister on duty said, "Don't worry...It will come!"
He was in his chair visiting with a friend when I returned around 5pm and while the friend and I visited Richard dropped off into a deep sleep for about 30 minutes. Nice to see. A bit later another friend arrived and Richard perked up more to reach his cresendo for the day which seems to end at the shift change around 8pm.
If Richard progresses like his neighbor in the ICU who had exactly the same operation by George Hanna last Saturday, he should be graduating to a private room on Monday. That will be wonderful for all concerned, as there he will be reunited with his mobile phone and his texting fingers will get back to their former glory!
Thursday 27 January 2011
The Second Day
Doctors stated they were all happy with Richard's progress at this mornings daily pow wow. Richard told me he was exhausted though as he hadn't slept at all. He had also been in a bit of pain as they had decreased the epidural so they put it back up to what it was. He's pretty swollen again...something very temporary, apparently.
He sat upright in a chair for over an hour today which is considered excellent therapy for the lungs and chest cavity. He's going to try and top that tomorrow!
When I saw him again this evening from 6 til 8 he'd been bathed and his nurse Edgar said he'd actually slept for an hour. We saw in three visitors who were wonderfully sensitive to Richard's fragility right now but who also added the spice that gave his day a good flavour to go to sleep with.
He sat upright in a chair for over an hour today which is considered excellent therapy for the lungs and chest cavity. He's going to try and top that tomorrow!
When I saw him again this evening from 6 til 8 he'd been bathed and his nurse Edgar said he'd actually slept for an hour. We saw in three visitors who were wonderfully sensitive to Richard's fragility right now but who also added the spice that gave his day a good flavour to go to sleep with.
Wednesday 26 January 2011
The Morning After
Richard is doing amazingly well! He was having "physio" when I arrived at 10am this morning so I had to wait for a bit to see him. He's connected to a zillion tubes but gave me a big smile and squeezed my hand. Our friend Charl joined us and he awakened further through the visit talking through his oxygen mask and asking very lucid questions and joking that he was bored and ready to leave.
The nurses are pleased with all his signs and the progress he's making, one sign of which was the removal of the oxygen mask to be replaced by the less cumbersome oxygen tube under his nose.
So far he's had five visitors!
Before I forget it, some pertinent info:
Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street
London W1G 8BJ
0207-935-7700
ICU2 Visiting Hours: 10am-2pm 4-8pm daily
Direct tel numbers 0207-034-8483 and 8484
no more than two visitors at a time
for the moment very short visits are recommended (5-10 minutes)
as his defenses are down don't visit if you're not feeling 100% Should be obvious but worth mentioning!
This is still a pretty critical period in Richard's recovery and I think the ICU nurses know the right balance regarding the benefits of seeing ones friends and the necessity of rest and avoiding infection so I completely defer to their instructions. That is not to put anyone off who really wants to visit, just to add a note of caution.
Hopefully, in five days when he passes the leak test he'll be moved to a private room and the party can begin!
Thanks for the cascade of notes, prayers, good wishes, helpful thoughts and offers. Truly, truly amazing!!
The nurses are pleased with all his signs and the progress he's making, one sign of which was the removal of the oxygen mask to be replaced by the less cumbersome oxygen tube under his nose.
So far he's had five visitors!
Before I forget it, some pertinent info:
Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street
London W1G 8BJ
0207-935-7700
ICU2 Visiting Hours: 10am-2pm 4-8pm daily
Direct tel numbers 0207-034-8483 and 8484
no more than two visitors at a time
for the moment very short visits are recommended (5-10 minutes)
as his defenses are down don't visit if you're not feeling 100% Should be obvious but worth mentioning!
This is still a pretty critical period in Richard's recovery and I think the ICU nurses know the right balance regarding the benefits of seeing ones friends and the necessity of rest and avoiding infection so I completely defer to their instructions. That is not to put anyone off who really wants to visit, just to add a note of caution.
Hopefully, in five days when he passes the leak test he'll be moved to a private room and the party can begin!
Thanks for the cascade of notes, prayers, good wishes, helpful thoughts and offers. Truly, truly amazing!!
Tuesday 25 January 2011
11:15, The Night of the Operation
Professor Hanna just called to say that Richard is now in the ICU and that all went well. He removed all of the lymph glands which might have become cancerous and he doesn't think Richard should have any problems with his recovery. Phew!! He advised I should wait til 10am to see him. All is well.
10:00 pm, The Night of the Operation
What we thought was going to take 10 hours is looking more like 14 hours at the moment. I just spoke to an ICU nurse who says they are waiting for Richard to be wheeled in, probably within the hour. Apparently Professor Hanna is so amazingly thorough, precise and detailed, the procedure takes longer than one might expect. I was assured by a senior vascular surgeon this evening that this is why he has such high success rates so it's a wonderful thing it's taking so long.
An ICU nurse is going to call me when Richard arrives and advises that it will probably be best for me not to come in tonight as he will still be deeply sedated and not able to talk. If I arrive at 10am tomorrow, the start of visiting hours, he will most likely have been brought 'round and will be in some state fit to communicate. I don't know if I will hear from Prof Hanna by phone this evening as it is growing so late so can just report that when I went in to the hospital around 7pm I was shown to the entrance to the operating theatres by a lovely ICU nurse and she spoke with several of Prof Hanna's team who said Richard would be in til 11pm but didn't indicate that anything was amiss. So I am assuming that everything is OK.
We'll all just keep embracing Richard in our thoughts and know he will be getting some restorative rest in the ICU which will allow him to face the morning's challenges.
If I hear anything significant during the night I'll give an update as soon as possible.
An ICU nurse is going to call me when Richard arrives and advises that it will probably be best for me not to come in tonight as he will still be deeply sedated and not able to talk. If I arrive at 10am tomorrow, the start of visiting hours, he will most likely have been brought 'round and will be in some state fit to communicate. I don't know if I will hear from Prof Hanna by phone this evening as it is growing so late so can just report that when I went in to the hospital around 7pm I was shown to the entrance to the operating theatres by a lovely ICU nurse and she spoke with several of Prof Hanna's team who said Richard would be in til 11pm but didn't indicate that anything was amiss. So I am assuming that everything is OK.
We'll all just keep embracing Richard in our thoughts and know he will be getting some restorative rest in the ICU which will allow him to face the morning's challenges.
If I hear anything significant during the night I'll give an update as soon as possible.
The Operation
Richard is approaching the halfway point of the estimated 10 hour operation as I write this. It is 1:49 pm GMT now and he walked down to the operating theatre a little past 9 this morning. He was well rested, blood pressure perfect, ECG perfect, has had no weight loss and I assume his blood tests all looked very good. The doctors told me to go home to our flat in London and they would call me if needed as after the operation he will be sedated to sleep through the night and won't wake up until tomorrow morning. He will/does have an epidural to control the pain and will be in the Intensive Care ward for up to five days. They hope to get him up and walking around a bit tomorrow to decrease the possibility of a chest infection. On the fourth or fifth day they will do a "leak" test to make sure all the inner crafting is as it should be and then he will be allowed into a private room where he will be able to take liquids and some soft foods. So I imagine that will be this upcoming Saturday or Sunday and he'll probably be there for a further week until all his bodily functions have returned to a somewhat normal state and he is discharged to go home to Whithurst.
Richard was in good spirits but, as one might expect, scared of what he was about to embark upon. But, I think everybody's (including the doctors and nurses!) good wishes, thoughts, prayers, kind words and immeasurable skills have and will be sustaining and helping him (and me!) through his difficult time of unknowns. So "Thank You!" and keep it coming!
Have yet to find out about visiting hours but suspect that most visits might have to wait until he's in his private room next week.
Professor Hanna, his surgeon, is supposed to call me when the operation is finished so I will update the blog this evening when I know how it all went.
Richard was in good spirits but, as one might expect, scared of what he was about to embark upon. But, I think everybody's (including the doctors and nurses!) good wishes, thoughts, prayers, kind words and immeasurable skills have and will be sustaining and helping him (and me!) through his difficult time of unknowns. So "Thank You!" and keep it coming!
Have yet to find out about visiting hours but suspect that most visits might have to wait until he's in his private room next week.
Professor Hanna, his surgeon, is supposed to call me when the operation is finished so I will update the blog this evening when I know how it all went.
Sunday 9 January 2011
Since the third chemo into the New Year...
It's January 9th and Richard is doing wonderfully!
Since the last post alot has happened. His last chemo session at The Marsden went much as the others and his reactions were much as before, some mild nausea and tiredness, but nothing too dramatic until the morning of December 14th when we had to rush him to hospital with a raging temp of 40c (104 farenheit). We were very fortunate to find a bed available at The Royal Marsden in Sutton (a sister hospital located in a suburban community about 30 minutes southwest of London) and within two hours of leaving Whithurst he was in a lovely private room with an intraveinous drip of antibiotics in his arm to fight the pneumonia that had crept up on him. It was coincidental that he was scheduled to have another endoscopy at the same hospital the next day which, suprisingly, they went ahead with. After three days of loving care, lots of iv's, shots, measuring, monitoring he was released the Friday morning of the 17th and we drove home at a snails pace through a magical winter wonderland of snow and ice feeling so very grateful.
Saturday evening though found us at The Royal Surrey Hospital A&E department in Guilford (about 30 minutes from Whithurst) with a "suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis" in Richards right calf which was 3 to 4 cm larger than his left. A surreal experience but after about four hours we were back home having had blood taken and analyzed and a doctor show me how to inject Richard with a blood thinner until he could have an ultrasound exam on Monday to see what was up in more detail. Long story short, it was not a DVT, just bleeding into his leg (apparently not so bad!) and it corrected itself, slowly shrinking over the next week.
And then it was Christmas with Richard feeling almost completely restored as he had been taken off the chemo pills a week early because of the pneumonia. We had a wonderful time with Richard's lovely family and friends. Twentythree of us around the table for Christmas lunch! Lots of love and affection savoured and shared.
On New Year's Eve day we had an appointment with David Cunningham, Richard's oncologist, in London. We were both trying to self-soothe our fears of a bad report regarding the cancer and its possible spread as we had not heard the final results of the latest endoscopy and MRI scans. We left elated as Mr. Cunningham told us that the tumour had shrunk from 7 to 4 cm and the lymph nodes near the tumour which were also cancerous had cleared dramatically. so everything was GO for the operation and our goal of a cure!
So now we are preparing for Phase 2 of the journey. The big op with George Hanna at the Harley Street Clinic which is scheduled for Tuesday, January 25th. An 8-10 hour operation with a probable two days in ICU, then 10-12 days in hospital until normal eating and body functions resume. Then it will most likely be 4-6 weeks or longer, depending on how Richard does, until Phase 3, the final three cycles of chemo to eradicate any cancer cells that might have gone undetected. I figure the whole process might be finished by early to mid June.
Since the last post, along with the doctors and nurses, we've also experienced so many friends wonderful healing intentions with sessions of reiki, group prayer, sacred music, coherence breathing and more. All of it seems to stem from a profound love for Richard and our common humanity. A HUGE heart-felt Thank You from Richard and me!
Onwards and upwards!
Since the last post alot has happened. His last chemo session at The Marsden went much as the others and his reactions were much as before, some mild nausea and tiredness, but nothing too dramatic until the morning of December 14th when we had to rush him to hospital with a raging temp of 40c (104 farenheit). We were very fortunate to find a bed available at The Royal Marsden in Sutton (a sister hospital located in a suburban community about 30 minutes southwest of London) and within two hours of leaving Whithurst he was in a lovely private room with an intraveinous drip of antibiotics in his arm to fight the pneumonia that had crept up on him. It was coincidental that he was scheduled to have another endoscopy at the same hospital the next day which, suprisingly, they went ahead with. After three days of loving care, lots of iv's, shots, measuring, monitoring he was released the Friday morning of the 17th and we drove home at a snails pace through a magical winter wonderland of snow and ice feeling so very grateful.
Saturday evening though found us at The Royal Surrey Hospital A&E department in Guilford (about 30 minutes from Whithurst) with a "suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis" in Richards right calf which was 3 to 4 cm larger than his left. A surreal experience but after about four hours we were back home having had blood taken and analyzed and a doctor show me how to inject Richard with a blood thinner until he could have an ultrasound exam on Monday to see what was up in more detail. Long story short, it was not a DVT, just bleeding into his leg (apparently not so bad!) and it corrected itself, slowly shrinking over the next week.
And then it was Christmas with Richard feeling almost completely restored as he had been taken off the chemo pills a week early because of the pneumonia. We had a wonderful time with Richard's lovely family and friends. Twentythree of us around the table for Christmas lunch! Lots of love and affection savoured and shared.
On New Year's Eve day we had an appointment with David Cunningham, Richard's oncologist, in London. We were both trying to self-soothe our fears of a bad report regarding the cancer and its possible spread as we had not heard the final results of the latest endoscopy and MRI scans. We left elated as Mr. Cunningham told us that the tumour had shrunk from 7 to 4 cm and the lymph nodes near the tumour which were also cancerous had cleared dramatically. so everything was GO for the operation and our goal of a cure!
So now we are preparing for Phase 2 of the journey. The big op with George Hanna at the Harley Street Clinic which is scheduled for Tuesday, January 25th. An 8-10 hour operation with a probable two days in ICU, then 10-12 days in hospital until normal eating and body functions resume. Then it will most likely be 4-6 weeks or longer, depending on how Richard does, until Phase 3, the final three cycles of chemo to eradicate any cancer cells that might have gone undetected. I figure the whole process might be finished by early to mid June.
Since the last post, along with the doctors and nurses, we've also experienced so many friends wonderful healing intentions with sessions of reiki, group prayer, sacred music, coherence breathing and more. All of it seems to stem from a profound love for Richard and our common humanity. A HUGE heart-felt Thank You from Richard and me!
Onwards and upwards!
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