So....here we are again...and It's me, Steve, doing an update....but where to start? It's been another busy 24 hours ( not in A and E) and there's been lots going on since yesterday lunchtime.
The headline news is that we are still ensconced in Barlett Ward...Bay 6....not the sort of bay that Jill would choose...Bel Val Bay or La Coupe Bay would be preferable! The latest plan is that the transport to Hospice is now booked for 11:00 tomorrow....and there's already a queue of people volunteering to drive her...mainly to make sure she gets out!
So...yesterday afternoon the wonderful Dr PS decided to drain the left lung again....and another 1.5l+ has been taken. As I type the drain has been opened again but there's very little left. This is good news, as Petra is going to come in an hour or so and pump a mixture of talc and "stuff" back into the lungs....or, to be accurate, the gap between the lungs and the outer casing of the lungs (just imagine the lung sitting in a plastic bag, and then that bag being put into another plastic bag. The fluid has been building up between the two bags, and that's where the talc will go once the drain has done its job. The idea is that the talc sticks the two bags together and then doesn't allow the fluid to come back. There's an 80% chance of success....fingers crossed.
This is called pleurodesis, but Steve has explained it very well, and so far so good. I'm a bit concerned that when they open the drain again it will be painful, but I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
Jill's drug intake continues to know no bounds....and more new antibiotics have been started yesterday (they seem to keep finding different ones at the back of the cupboard!) along with some "normal" ones for her legs. They've also introduced methadone twice a day...that really helps the cough...which is good news, as coughing when you have a lung drain in is not good or the best idea if you want to stay pain free. There's also the now "standard" paracetamol and oral morphine.....all in all Jill is keeping those pharmaceutical company dividends looking good.
All in all things are a bit brighter today...this time yesterday she wasn't in great shape...and the news that big brother Pete is arriving tonight has helped to perk things up as well. There's also been the string of good wishes from literally all over the globe, which is so kind of everyone.
Jill has decided to write some bits...so here she is...she needs to vet my contribution, and also spell those long druggy words that she's been researching. Talking of vets....Jessie is kindly being taken for her checkup this morning by TH....while I was filling in the paperwork for the dog before I left home I noticed the monthly insurance payments! Flipping heck....as a tight Jerseyman I'm going to be putting those dogs to work soon.....time they started earning their keep...maybe we can harness them to some sort of trolley and get them to pull Jill around. That would put a whole new meaning to dog walks!
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Glad things are a bit brighter today Jill. Good luck with the move tomorrow, will be thinking of you. I will go a bit quiet for a few days as off to the Royal Albert Hall for Oscar's graduation from Royal College of Art also taking in 'Strictly Ballroom' and Wimbledon with Oscar on Monday - can't wait to see him xx xx God bless you xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for that explanation about the lungs Steve, and I concur with Jill, a good job of helping us simpletons to understand it all clearly. I am happy to hear there is an 80% chance of success of the ‘talc’ working, and I’m keeping everything crossed for you.....well, where I can cross after a vigourous yoga session today. As it’s my birthday, and I’m a year older....I’m not as flexible as I was yesterday when I was a year younger.... Keep fighting Rocky, you are amazing xxx
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