Elephant Hunt - the result

The Elephant is dead.

And there was much rejoicing.

Tusk wounds

Apologies for my absence for the last few days - the elephant that we thought had been killed had left a little present behind.

If there is anything that I like less than being around hospitals, it;s being around ER or A&E rooms, depending on where in the world you sit. So, when I came back from going with my son to football lessons on Saturday and was told I needed to take my wife to A&E, it was the start of a fun-packed few days.

Not.

She had developed a slight infection around some of the stitches she had had, and after calling a local dressing clinic was told to go back to the A&E department of the hospital where she had the op. After a wait of only (only?) three hours, she was admitted at 8.30 Saturday night to receive what was then called "a 24 hour course of IV antibiotics."

They stopped the IV yesterday. They also removed the stitches, which may have been aggravating the problem in the first place. She's still under observation to make sure the problem does not flare up again.

So I've spent a lot of time these last few days travelling to and from the hospital - hence my absence.

We also discovered the implant she was given was a temporary one - something she wasn't told at the time.

On the plus side, her recovery otherwise continues better than expected.

More later.

Apologies - lost looking for elephants

I did mean to come back and post every day, honestly and truly I did - but when it's an hour and a half each way from the home to hospital, twice a day, things kinda get drained away, such as energy and time to post.

After the operation on Tuesday, I saw Doreen lying there, pale and sweating, oxygen tube, morphine drip and fluids in place and four drains taking gung away from the incisions.

Today - she's up and walking around, there's only one drain in place still, and God willing she will be home on Monday.

The road ahead is still long - she may be bringing that tube home with her, and if so it need sot be checked every day - but she is recovering, and that is the main thing.

We also still do not know if the elephant is well and truly dead - the signs are it is no more, but until we hear from the specialist, it's still a remote possibility it will come back and try to trample us.

We both thank those reading this for the good thoughts and prayers you have all been saying - keep it up folks, it's working!

Elephant hunting

Well, that's an ..... interesting couple of days.

I finally took Doreen into hospital at 6 pm last night - the letter said five, but at about 12 she got a call from the Bed Manager at the hospital.

"Mrs Williams, you haven't called us."

"Was I meant to?"

"It states in the covering letter that you should call us on the date of admittance."

"What covering letter?"

"The one sent with your appointment letter."

"We didn't get a covering letter, we got two appointment letters"

".................."

So they say they'll call back between 4 and 5 that night with the ward to go to.

You can see it coming - 5.15 and no call. The next ten to fifteen minutes are spent trying to get through, and finally.....

"Oh - come in to the ward on your letter."

Ugh.


She had the operation today, and so far all looks like it is going well. Nothing to report that is bad - we await biopsy results now.

We now know how big it is

The Elephant that is.

An Indian calf.

Excuse me while I go and say a few words of thanks and scream in mild delight....

The Elephant Looms Larger

and the knot in the pit of the stomach gets bigger.

Doreen had a call today from her nurse - the date for her operation has been set for 15th July. Before that takes place, however, she needs to have a preliminary biopsy of her lymph nodes to ensure that the cancer had not become invasive.

This is our biggest fear - that because of the delays in getting tests done and co-ordinating calendars for consultants, the bloody thing has changed its character and began to spread out. If all is clear, then the operation proceeds as planned. If not, then we have the prospect of further treatment and possible delays to any reconstructive surgery.

Having that date fixed in my mind, however, has perversely removed one of my huge fears. For whatever reason, I am one of those people who work best with fixed deadlines and targets. Doreen isn't, but I am - one of those opposites attract things. Knowing when something is going to happen makes it easier to deal with than the big "How long is it going to be" and the unknown nature of such a statement.

A friend of mine put it best - Just take each day for now as it comes. Thank you for letting me share each of these days with you.