Sunday, May 17, 2015

Dear Friends,

I have been enormously grateful for your messages of sympathy and encouragement.

After 48 fairly horrendous hours, my husband was taken back into hospital on Friday – not chest-infection this time, but urology. My own diagnosis, for what it's worth, is that the first set of drs sent him forth into the world seriously constipated from which resulted a number of unpleasant consequences. In My Day, drs were passionately concerned about the state of one's bowels no matter which other organ was their primary focus of interest. Nowadays, not so, according to my husband. He says that no questions were asked on that subject at all during his first admission.

James came up from London on Friday for a weekend of visiting and support. Thanks to the miracles of mobile telephony, I was able to intercept him en route and send him directly from the station to the hospital, where he found us sitting around in an assessment bay. We remained there for many hours. The NHS has redefined the meaning of the word “soon” – another observation of my husband's.

He was finally admitted to a ward, with a catheter.

Yesterday James and I found him furious that he was not being released. He is scheduled for discharge on Tuesday – not the end of the world, for heaven's sake. He thought he had agreed that he would stay in overnight, and be let out if the blood tests were no worse than the evening before.

Yesterday's visit was grim. He harangued us on this topic for over an hour. I was very glad that James was there. I phoned our niece C. last night – the daughter of my husband's beloved sister – and she happily agreed to accompany me on today's visit. (She and I went to Greece together recently – she's the one.) Alexander is coming over tomorrow, when C. will be back at work. And on Tuesday he will be released.

So that's where we are. I sort of think we navigated a bend in the river, yesterday. I can't at all say what it looks like downstream. James has gone back to London.

Knitting

I finished the fifth pocket square on Friday as we sat about in Assessment – and cast on the sixth. Of eight. Serious progress.

I keep logging on to Old Maiden Aunt, but so far I have found no supplies of the yarn needed for Kate Davies' wonderful Fantoosh. When the yarn finally turns up, I'll have to order it, and the pattern, if only to commemorate this crisis in our lives.

From Zite, these knitted cactuses. I'm having a sort of cactus phase at the moment so this is particularly welcome. But I like this sort of knitting in general – although I don't like doing it.

Arne & Carlos have done a “Summer Night” yarn for Regia. Very tempting, but my next purchase of sock yarn is going to be madelinetosh Whiskey Barrel in their new sock-compatible yarn, for my husband.


Zite also had a link to the Future Museum of South West Scotland. That's a link to the knitting section of the website. Here is a much more interesting link to the section on Sanquhar knitting in particular. I've never been to Sanquhar, but I remember the turn-off sign somewhere in the long, desolate stretch between Glasgow and the Border, when we used to drive every so often from Perthshire to Birmingham. I've never attempted any Sanquhar knitting, either.

25 comments:

  1. Oh, Jean -- what a trying week you have had. May this one take a turn for the better!

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  2. Prayers continue for you and your husband. I hope things will rapidly improve.

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  3. What a difficult time it's been, I hope things improve. I was in the Old Maiden Aunt shop yesterday, and she was drying her latest batch of the yarn for Fantoosh, so it should be available soon. The colours looked just wonderful.

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  4. Poor man...there's nothing worse than plumbing problems. And you're right on the bowel issue. The first question I have been asked before dismissal. Stressful times. Hope all is on the mend soon for you both.

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  5. I wish you both better health and a better week. Did you get the nurse coming in figured out? I have to say, that acupuncturist I go to is always much more interested in my bowels than the western MDs ever seem to be. They must know something.

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  6. Glad to hear from you. You continue to amaze me with your strength and your ability to swing with the punches. I hope life will soon stop sending you so many punches. Best of luck with your husband's return.

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  7. All good thoughts to you and yours. Your fortitude is remarkable.

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  8. Christine2:48 PM

    Dear Jean, what a stressful and worrying time for all of you. As a community nursing health worker (in a GP Practice) I think that it's really important to have as much support as possible in place before discharge from hospital, even to the extent of delaying discharge a few days. Otherwise all the bricks are much more likely to tumble down. So my advice would be: keep plugging away at insisting on all the help you can get. After all if you can't cope who's going to do the caring then? Please look after yourself well, you are the linchpin in all this. Thinking of you lots,

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  9. Very glad to get up this morning and find you back with us. It must be very helpful to have the support of other family members to help deal with your husband's insistence on returning home before he may be ready. I think of you often and continue to wish you as easy a journey as possible through all the upset.

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  10. I second Christine's comments. Please, please make sure you have support in place before Tuesday. Things will improve. Take care of yourself. Hugs.

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  11. So sorry to hear about these woes. Do you feel like quoting Job? Prayers winging your way.

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  12. I'll keep hoping for better days for both of you!
    And the bowels are incredibly important. I had my gallbladder out, and had to go back in due to incredible pain every time the painkillers wore off. Turns out the particular painkiller (percoset) had basically stopped my digestive system. Once we figured that out, switched my meds, I dealt with a few more hours of "OH GOD MAKE IT STOP" and a rather epic "movement" as it were, I was fine.
    I mention this only because if your husband is on pain meds, well, that can do a major number on the proper movement of the bowels, as can stress. The gut is amazing and complicated and we don't give it enough credit (though I really wish my transverse colon either didn't have major scarring from uterine lining growing on it or pain endings cause chronic pain sucks).
    Also, having dealt with someone losing independence, I offer this..."he's mad at the situation, at his failing body, and the world right now and you're part of the world and so he's mad at you, but it's like a kid throwing a tantrum. He loves you, and this too shall pass,"

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  13. other posters have already written more eloquently what i would say... adding my support and prayers here for a resolution to the home care help and as painless as possible reentry home with your husband.

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  14. I had a similar problem to Melfina. I had my appendix taken out and was given morphine. The pain I had was the most incredible pain ever and apparently the morphine is a constipator second to none. I was taken back into hospital where they got things moving and have been just fine ever since!
    Bowels are a very important thing~~

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  15. Thinking of you. Thank goodness you had Greece.

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  16. Anonymous8:19 PM

    Yes, thankful that you have Greece, and sons not too far away, and your reserves of strength. I second the insight that your husband's harangue is at the situation in general, all though aware that it can well appear to be directed at you. Holding in you in my thoughts,
    - Beth in Ontario

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  17. Thank you for taking the time to keep us all updated. Along with so many others, you and your husband have been in my thoughts and prayers often.

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  18. I'm one of many, I'm sure, who was relieved that you were at least able to post again. At least your husband's temper is in fine form, I hope that the plumbing is also working properly soon. My husband had hernia surgery recently, and we had a heck of a time getting him released from the hospital because he just could not empty his bladder. It seems that the catheter used during surgery irritated his urethra, and it had no interest in relaxing. Things got sorted out before the stroke of midnight, thank goodness.

    Very glad to read that the family is able to rally for you as well - you do have a terrific group of offspring.

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  19. Anonymous10:22 PM

    So relieved to hear from you again, though sorry you've had such a trying time. If you feel it would help to discuss things with a dietician, (to avoid problems with your husband's digestive system) do phone the hospital in the morning and say so.

    Can't remember where I found this quote: I find it a wry observation - "A consultant is a doctor who knows more and more about less and less."

    Meanwhile, please rally your family to the cause and get the necessary help in place before your husband returns. Has the Occupational Therapist visited? If not, then it is time to insist! As said above, by others, you are the key person, do take care of yourself.
    Best wishes, anonymous Helen

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  20. Thinking of you in Philadelphia.

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  21. God be with your husband. I bet he's plenty tired of being a patient. I hope the hospital discharge goes well.

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  22. Oh, Jean, blessings on you for taking the time to let us know what was happening. Like many others, I miss your daily missives and worry a bit. I am so glad that your family is rallying round, that James could get there from England and your niece help too, and that you were able to go to Greece before this all erupted. I agree with so many others that support at home is critical for your sake as well as your husband's, before he comes home again. And I know how hard it is to balance it all when someone is in the hospital and wants so much to come home! Sending strength and good wishes to all of you in the next few days, and beyond.

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  23. I was most relieved to see you in my timeline this morning. If you were a little closer I could add you to the current round of meal deliveries for those who have family in hospital. As I cannot all I can say is, "Thinking of you".

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  24. skeindalous2:08 AM

    The Old Maiden Aunt yarn came and went. You blink---you miss it! She has other lovely yarns that would work, also, just the particular one Kate used is gone again.

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  25. It used to be my job to help with home going arrangements in situations such as this, so I will say from experience: the best way to get the help that you need is to stand your ground and say, "I "can not do this anymore", and keep carrying on until all help is in place. Otherwise, someone will just write "discharged hom to wife's care", and someone else will say, "Jean's such a trooper", and on you will go, as you have. If a good care plan is not in place, you need to make it clear that you can not pick him up. And when he harangues, you need not listen...give it 10 miutes and walk out. You need to care for yourself above all else, or you will both end up in care.

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