Friday 5th.....

Steve here, kicking off this evening as her Ladyship is eating some sort of high protein salad creation thingy...it's great to have her at home....at certain points during today I wasn't sure if that would be the case.

We started off by going together to the hospital nice and early at 09:15...the theory being that we'd get in and out nice and speedy, and allow time for the rest of the day. At 15:00 we were driving home (school rush hour) wondering where the day had gone.....little did we know.

An hour and a half later we were heading back yet again to the big building in the Parade .... there was a "discussion" when I insisted in parking in the emergency area outside the front door.... Jill didn't think she qualified....but I put her in a wheelchair...so that helped....the fact was that we DID need a chair (but more of that later). We came away finally at just after 19:00.....and that was our day. I thought recently that I knew the inside of the Royal Marsden better than the General Hospital over here....but I suspect that it must be a close thing now. First name terms with just about every nurse, sister, surgeon, consultant.... in fact it seems like when we arrive now the word goes out and everyone who's not operating or on holiday just turns up "for a look and a chat".....at one point this evening we had 3 consultants at the bedside, something that just doesn't happen in "normal life"according to the Sister...they're all great, full of encouragement and kind/wise words....or is it that Jill is such a "one off" that they all think they can learn something from her case?

I have been thinking that the last few days have been two steps forward and one step back....I suspect today has been plus three, minus two....but we're home, happy and hopeful that we really are starting to make progress, if only very slow. The food has now been consumed, and tea is being drunk (no doubt some weird infusion of dried animal dung or something)...so I'll hand over for the first hand detail. If you're eating at the moment it's probably time to stop reading and come back after your meal.

I shall try to be concise..... Consultant NM managed to take out my 'pigtail' drain, not easily as it refused to 'unwind', couldn't have done it without local anesthetic, bit painful. Fluid followed before the flow was stemmed and to be on the safe side, two 'purse' stitches were put in to block the hole the drain had left. Heavily bandaged in order to apply as much pressure as possible we left the hospital. Glad to be home, I had drugs and food (thanks Bex) and was quietly resting on the sofa, reading the JEP and thinking of having a nap, when i became aware of the paper becoming soggy..... yet another change of clothes (i've lost count) wads of kitchen roll and a huge feeling of disappointment we headed back to hospital. I'm sure they are as fed up to see me as I am to see them!!

Following discussions with the Marsden, and putting together of many heads, it seems that Plan C( or is that Plan D?) would be to try and put another few stitches, maybe this time deeper, although that would mean making more holes..... KG did an excellent job, but i'm afraid despite lots of local anesthetic jabs I was a bit of a wuss....

I'm not entirely sure that the stitches and rigged up stoma bag are enough to stop the flood....on top of which my legs and hips are now very swollen with lymph fluid too....

Enough, if I write any more I really will be depressed.... but hey I do have some GOOD news, my little brother is coming over tomorrow for a whole week....and then my BIG brother is coming over on Sunday for three days, that means more men to run around looking after me!!!!