Moving forward????

Today is exactly three weeks since my heart surgery, and my progress feels painfully slow - literally!! Whilst I appreciate that three weeks is no time at all following a major operation I am getting a little impatient. I still feel very fragile and every movement is an effort. Just getting myself out of bed in the morning is quite an achievement. Fortunately I am able to go for a walk every day, and this certainly lifts my spirits considerably. I don't walk alone, and am very lucky that I always have someone to accompany me. I still have quite a lot of pain, and have to continually take painkillers, which I am not very happy about, but it helps day by day.
Today I learned that there is still some concern about the recovery of my kidneys to a 'normal' function. I was contacted by the renal unit at Charing Cross hospital telling me that I must attend soon for a thorough examination. There is still the very real possibility that I may have to start dialysis quite soon if there is not a real improvement. I had hoped that I could avoid this procedure and that I could go forward to the transplant later in the year, but this may not be possible. It just seems that problem piles upon problem!! Any way I will go to the hospital next Tuesday and then we'll see just what is in store for me.
I will report further next week.

Slow but sure

It is now one whole week since my discharge from hospital, and being at home has been very good for me. But I am unbelievably fragile and weak, and my activities are severely restricted. Basically I am allowed to do NOTHING!!!! As an independent person I find it very difficult to have to rely on others all the time, but if I am to recover properly I have no choice. And I am so very fortunate in having loving family and friends around me helping me at every step of the way. I am able to take a short walk each day, and my dear friends are almost fighting over the 'privilege' to walk with me. Now I know how it feels to be a family dog- treasured and loved in equal measure but actually quite useless. I feel much better in myself, but I still do have a lot of pain from the wounds of the surgery, and I suppose I will just have to put up with this until the healing process is much further advanced.
Yesterday I visited my GP and she examined me. Apparently everything looks good and she is very satisfied with my progress. She gave me prescriptions for all the medication I need for the next month, and I went to the pharmacist with my requirements. I came away with a huge sack of drugs, which I have to sort into morning and evening doses over the next few weeks.
I don't suppose I will have much to write about over the next few days, but I will post news of any real progress.
I will be back!!!!!

A new beginning......

Amazingly it is now two weeks since I last posted on this blog and I have been through life-changing experiences in hospital. Before I talk about that I must thank Jonathan for his great contributions while I was indisposed - everyone has said how much they 'enjoyed' his notes (particularly the blog dated 7th February!).

So much has happened that I don't know how best to describe my ordeal. In simple terms the operation on the 7th was entirely successful and I was taken directly into intensive care. To say that I was more uncomfortable than I have ever been in my life is such an understatement, but I don't know how else to describe it. I was in tremendous pain, had tubes and needles attached to every available part of my body and simply had to 'lie back and take it'. Sadly, and as expected, my kidneys failed to resume normal service and I had to have dialysis for three days. This kept me in ICU for five days rather than the usual one or two. However I must say that the quality of the care I received was beyond any expectations. I became totally in awe of the dedication of the nursing staff, who treated me with such care and consideration throughout this time. I don't know that I would have got through it all without that fantastic care.
After five days, and with my kidneys beginning to function better I was transferred to the high dependency unit, where I stayed for a further two days. During this period I was gradually 'weaned' off the various 'attachments' to my body, and I started to recover some of my independence. This accelerated my recovery by leaps and bounds. The re-humanisation gave me confidence and I felt a true improvement.
With all tubes etc removed I was then moved to a cardiac surgical ward where I improved hugely almost minute by minute. After just two days the doctors decided that I was sufficiently recovered to return home. What a relief!!!
I came home on Saturday the 16th, just ten days after I entered hospital.
Now the full repair process begins.
I will post more progress reports as I move forward.

Moving To High Dependency Unit

I am glad to inform the readers of this blog that dad has been progressing really well and is getting stronger every day.
So far Dad's recovery has gone really well. He is enjoying his visits and looking forward to being moved up to the ward which will be tomorrow or Thursday.

Getting better

Just a real quickie. Dad is looking so much better today. He is still in intensive care and will be for another two days or so. He is very unwell but is recovering and gaining strength. The hospital staff are great and his mood is significantly improved today.
More tomorrow.

Doing well already...

Day two, Dad is doing well.
The docs are happy with his progress and are satisfied the operation went well. An unfortunate and unavoidable consequence of such a serious procedure is that Dad is in a lot of pain. Hopefully, he'll start feeling much better in the next day or so and should be moved out of intensive care on Sunday or Monday.
The hospital staff have been brilliant and are doing a great job in keeping him comfortable as possible and encouraging him to sit up and start moving around. The sooner they get the blood circulating, the better the recovery time will be.
Dad is really glad that so many people have taken the trouble to enquire about him.

It's Alive!

I have just heard that Dad is in the ICU and that the op went OK.
I will post another update when more is known.

Ready for battle...An emotional roller coaster

I have, in many ways been dreading today. Whilst I was beginning to feel relief that my 'day' has almost arrived, I knew that there would be difficult moments. This morning I went to the office 'just as usual' but of course it wasn't just another day. I spent a couple of hours fiddling around with necessary stuff, knowing that eventually I would be saying goodbye to my friends and colleagues. I don't consider myself a particularly emotional person, but I just knew that this would be a painful farewell. I suppose I've become acutely aware of my own frailties and vulnerability, and I feel really saddened by this whole episode. Sure enough when I finally came to leave I had great difficulty in suppressing my feelings, and there ensued a fairly touching departure! It's not that I think I've left for good, but there is a very distinct closing of various doors on parts of my life. I fully expect to return to work, fit and well, and to resume my usual functions.
On the positive side I have been hugely touched and encouraged by the support of my family, friends and colleagues and I will carry all your thoughts with me as I hand over to the medical team tomorrow. All I have to do now is turn up and leave the rest to them!!!!!!
This is not the end.........

End of the road...(almost)

After days and weeks of anticipation, questioning, fear, wondering and concern I am almost at journey's end. On Wednesday I enter Hammersmith Hospital, and on Thursday I will have my long-awaited surgery. I will be handing myself over to the professional cardiac team and have every confidence in their superb skills. My only prayer is that all will go well and that on Friday I can start looking forward to the rest of my life. It's as though I've been the leading actor in a typically miserable soap, and that my bosses have finally decided that I've outlived my usefulness and will be axed! But that is, in my view a really positive situation, and my new role will be happier, more positive and forward-looking. In my 'new' life there will be golf, music and hopefully lots of fun. AND I hope you will all be there with me enjoying every moment.
I haven't forgotten that I will need more surgery later in the year when it is time for my transplant, but somehow it seems a lot less daunting than this lot!!
This will probably be my last blog before surgery, but I hope to back 'with you' early next week when I can get in front of a computer.
Wish me well!!!!!!