Day 27 – More Good News

On the ward round the consultant was happy with me, and so with the nutritionists they have taken me off the TPN at 2pm yesterday and agreed I can go home on Sunday. That is a lovely Mother’s Day present, the best I could have, to be at home with my daughters, and having lunch at home!!!

So yesterday afternoon after a visit from Vicky I went home with Tessa and we had a lovely quiet time together and she bought me back. It is strange to be in hospital and not hooked up to a machine. I think they want to monitor me and check I am ok, do some blood tests I imagine and then take my line in my arm out and then I should be good to go. It is most satisfactory.

Jacqui who has been in the bed opposite to me has also been on TPN and we were both taken off it yesterday. She will probably go home after me as her fistula is still leaking, but she is eating well. Otherwise everybody else is different in the ward, and very quiet, I had an amazing nights sleep and it is so good not have a machine attached to me.

Rowena and Mark made it up to Glasgow and so we now wait and see what their verdict is ….

As my stay in hospital draws to a close I have a few musings on my stay. I have really seen the creaks and groans in the NHS with bed shortages, and that the lifts have not been working. The building, as I understand is managed outside of the NHS and it is hard to get light bulbs changed etc. and I guess lifts come under this, for the first time both lifts were working yesterday.

However the most amazing thing about both the private and NHS care have been the nurses. It makes such a difference is they have the ability to empathise, and give TLC. There are nurses who are very qualified and efficient but lack that ability to care, sympathise and just plain bully their patients into doing what they want and this just causes suffering. But when the nurse has a kind listening ear and a tender hand it makes all the difference.

The surroundings are better in the Montefiore and the physios were so much better and it was amazing that you were got up and out of bed, I have seen little of that here in the NHS and I am sure it contributes a lot to your recovery. However it is all the specialist teams at the County like the Pain team, the stoma team, and the general expertise which is impressive and makes me like being in an NHS hospital. To have been kept alive on the TPN was incredible and has been the factor that has made me better.