As Kitten says, it may take a while to build myself back up again.
I am so weak from not having eaten properly for a number of days.
I am trying to get the calories in bit by bit, but it is tough mentally and physically.
I will get there!
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Home Again
Just a brief word to say Swordfish is back home and comfortable in his own surroundings.
He is feeling somewhat weak but we hope to build up the nutrition gently.
I'm sure he will be blogging very soon.
Thanks to all love Kitten x
He is feeling somewhat weak but we hope to build up the nutrition gently.
I'm sure he will be blogging very soon.
Thanks to all love Kitten x
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Displaced Stent
It seems that my problems have been caused by a displaced stent.
The errant one has been removed and it has been replaced by a new one.
Eating seems easier the next few days will tell for sure.
It is a bit of a relief!
I am still very weak and recovering.
I will be out of hospital tomorrow.
The errant one has been removed and it has been replaced by a new one.
Eating seems easier the next few days will tell for sure.
It is a bit of a relief!
I am still very weak and recovering.
I will be out of hospital tomorrow.
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Squeezed onto Tomorrow's List
I just took a phone call at 11:20pm to say that I am being squeezed onto the end of a theatre list tomorrow at around midday.
This good news as it is obviously less time to have to wait.
I now have to be back into hospital for 8am.
This good news as it is obviously less time to have to wait.
I now have to be back into hospital for 8am.
More Information
I was admitted to hospital today but have been allowed out for this evening.
I will be back in tomorrow and then will stay overnight before having a procedure on Thursday.
The procedure will determine whether the blockage is caused by a bolus of food or a node of the tumour.
If the problem is caused by a bolus of food then it will be dispersed.
If the problem is caused by a node of a tumour then it may be possible to use another stent (as this is much further up the passage way - close to my throat). However it may not be possible to do this if it interferes with the swallowing mechanism. If the latter is the case then a food line directly into the stomact may be an option.
I am very weak from not eating hence the brevity of the message, but I hope that the information is useful.
I will be back in tomorrow and then will stay overnight before having a procedure on Thursday.
The procedure will determine whether the blockage is caused by a bolus of food or a node of the tumour.
If the problem is caused by a bolus of food then it will be dispersed.
If the problem is caused by a node of a tumour then it may be possible to use another stent (as this is much further up the passage way - close to my throat). However it may not be possible to do this if it interferes with the swallowing mechanism. If the latter is the case then a food line directly into the stomact may be an option.
I am very weak from not eating hence the brevity of the message, but I hope that the information is useful.
We have a problem
Heuston we have a problem.
Admitted to hospital.
Procedure Thursday am to see what problem is.
Admitted to hospital.
Procedure Thursday am to see what problem is.
Monday, 3 January 2011
Good to See our Visitors
There is a certain air of relief on my mother's part in seeing me.
In truth it is not long since I last saw her, when she popped up with all her siblings. However, it is not as though she lives a mile away and with her son ill she is keen to visit as often as possible.
My sister is coping well with my dad in South Wales but, unbelievably, it is snowing again down there. I don't think it is particularly heavy at the moment though. So, no danger yet of people being snowed in or out.
I will enjoy the rest of my mother and my uncle and aunty's visit and not worry to much about the eating difficulties. We can worry about those when Kitten and I see the medics tomorrow afternoon.
In the meantime Kitten can enjoy the extra pair of hands that are in town and take herself off for a spot of shopping.
In truth it is not long since I last saw her, when she popped up with all her siblings. However, it is not as though she lives a mile away and with her son ill she is keen to visit as often as possible.
My sister is coping well with my dad in South Wales but, unbelievably, it is snowing again down there. I don't think it is particularly heavy at the moment though. So, no danger yet of people being snowed in or out.
I will enjoy the rest of my mother and my uncle and aunty's visit and not worry to much about the eating difficulties. We can worry about those when Kitten and I see the medics tomorrow afternoon.
In the meantime Kitten can enjoy the extra pair of hands that are in town and take herself off for a spot of shopping.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Mechanical Difficulties
There is an obvious development of nodes high up in my oesophagus and it is making it very difficult for me to eat anything.
The stent clears the way for food to get through the main obstruction i.e. where the oesophagus meets the stomach but there is no help for much higher up.
My previous diet was very diary based but the high obstruction is causing sickness through the creation of mucous. I have got around this by eating a more solid diet, but now I cannot get the solids down.
It is a worrying development and one which may have been around for a while. It may be that I am seeing the effect now because of the new to move away from what was a much softer food diet.
Either way it is not helpful.
Fortunately I am back in hospital on Tuesday, so a good chat is needed to see how we move forward before I start to panic!
The stent clears the way for food to get through the main obstruction i.e. where the oesophagus meets the stomach but there is no help for much higher up.
My previous diet was very diary based but the high obstruction is causing sickness through the creation of mucous. I have got around this by eating a more solid diet, but now I cannot get the solids down.
It is a worrying development and one which may have been around for a while. It may be that I am seeing the effect now because of the new to move away from what was a much softer food diet.
Either way it is not helpful.
Fortunately I am back in hospital on Tuesday, so a good chat is needed to see how we move forward before I start to panic!
Visitors on Their Way
My mother (Cymraes), Gandalf and Bee are on their way and should be here at around 12:30pm.
They will be staying in London overnight and returning tomorrow, so there will be plenty of opportunity for us to catch up.
I do not live far from my family, in the sense that it is only a few hours drive, but it can seem like a long way when you are ill. In the past I have thought nothing of driving to Wales for Sunday lunch, but those kind of stunts are just not feasible in the current climate (besides I can hardly stuff down a roast when I get there anyway!!).
What I am saying is that I am very much looking forward to seeing my family, though obviously disappointed that it will be sometime before we can include my father in the equation. I know that my mother is bursting at the seams to get up here, so there should be smiles all round.
They will be staying in London overnight and returning tomorrow, so there will be plenty of opportunity for us to catch up.
I do not live far from my family, in the sense that it is only a few hours drive, but it can seem like a long way when you are ill. In the past I have thought nothing of driving to Wales for Sunday lunch, but those kind of stunts are just not feasible in the current climate (besides I can hardly stuff down a roast when I get there anyway!!).
What I am saying is that I am very much looking forward to seeing my family, though obviously disappointed that it will be sometime before we can include my father in the equation. I know that my mother is bursting at the seams to get up here, so there should be smiles all round.
Saturday, 1 January 2011
A Happy New Year
I would like to wish everyone a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Every year is filled with ups and downs and I have had my fair share this year. There is, of course, much more difficulty ahead for me this year but there is also plenty of joy and fun to be had. It is the prospect of these rays of light which fill my heart with hope and with the knowledge that I can keep moving forward in the bosom of my family and friendships.
The support that Kitten and I have received this year has been overwhelming and when you are on the receiving end of such generosity it reasserts the faith that you have in the underlying good qualities of human nature.
It is clear from the number of people who read my blog on a regular basis that this generosity extends well beyond people that I know in a physical sense and that it extends to people who only know me by my words out there in cyberspace. I feel that this is a great comment in itself.
Yesterday was a tough day for me and I believe that it stemmed from the difficult journey that I had home from hospital on Thursday night. After I returned from hospital in the early afternoon yesterday I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed.
Notoplip, Sushi and children put in an appearance for a couple of hours in the early evening and I rose from my slumber to enjoy the occasion with them. After that it was back to bed but I am very pleased that Kitten woke the children and me up to see the new year in.
We watched the fireworks on BBC and a bit of Jools Holland before retiring at 1am and I am really happy that I made the effort for Kitten's sake. The children sat there munching on their little treats and there was the usual family silliness. Moments like that give her a sense of family through the never ending drudge of caring for me.
I will write separately on Kitten soon because she has been immense over the last few months and deserves special praise.
For now though, I just want to reiterate my very best to everyone for the new year. May 2011 by a great year for everyone.
Every year is filled with ups and downs and I have had my fair share this year. There is, of course, much more difficulty ahead for me this year but there is also plenty of joy and fun to be had. It is the prospect of these rays of light which fill my heart with hope and with the knowledge that I can keep moving forward in the bosom of my family and friendships.
The support that Kitten and I have received this year has been overwhelming and when you are on the receiving end of such generosity it reasserts the faith that you have in the underlying good qualities of human nature.
It is clear from the number of people who read my blog on a regular basis that this generosity extends well beyond people that I know in a physical sense and that it extends to people who only know me by my words out there in cyberspace. I feel that this is a great comment in itself.
Yesterday was a tough day for me and I believe that it stemmed from the difficult journey that I had home from hospital on Thursday night. After I returned from hospital in the early afternoon yesterday I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed.
Notoplip, Sushi and children put in an appearance for a couple of hours in the early evening and I rose from my slumber to enjoy the occasion with them. After that it was back to bed but I am very pleased that Kitten woke the children and me up to see the new year in.
We watched the fireworks on BBC and a bit of Jools Holland before retiring at 1am and I am really happy that I made the effort for Kitten's sake. The children sat there munching on their little treats and there was the usual family silliness. Moments like that give her a sense of family through the never ending drudge of caring for me.
I will write separately on Kitten soon because she has been immense over the last few months and deserves special praise.
For now though, I just want to reiterate my very best to everyone for the new year. May 2011 by a great year for everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)