Great news

And... he's not. Bummer.

He has had an itchy peffly cough for a while so they want to track it down and deal with it before sending him home. The hospital only decided this today. They took him off for a scan at the end of visiting time. I think they are just checking for clots just to be sure before he us discharged, which I hope will be very soon.

Anyway, the good news is that he looks so much better. He's got colour, put in weight and is his old self again.

Hospitals are the worst places to pick up a cough.

We always joke the worst place to be when you're ill is in hospital.

Anyway, Paul, sorry to hear your Dad's not homeward bound just yet. It won't be long, I'm sure.

If anything, this is a good thing - at least the hospital isn't like some who are only too quick off the mark to kick you out because they want the bed for someone else. At least they're being thorough, which is more than some hospitals are!

Being thorough is good - and they are clearly being that. CT scan etc. shows all is clear, so no problematic clots causing the problem. He did have a chest infection before he went in, and it was starting to clear, but with his immune system fighting the major problem, there was clearly not enough fight to go round.

So he’s in for another couple of days while they see if the antibiotics work. He’s being philosophical about it all, and feels that it’s the best place for him to be. As far as my mum is concerned, extra days in hospital means more healing time and care is done there, and he’ll be much stronger by the time he does get home. So even tough it’s frustrating, it’s also helping reduce concerns and worries elsewhere too.

Hopefully he’ll be back home for the weekend.

He’s still in, though it seems that the cough is now productive. The discharge date seems to be constantly being pushed back as time progresses. I hope he starts to show real signs of improvement this week.

However, as he stays where he is, it does mean that he recovers from the operation without him being at home in a very fragile state. He’s mobile, has his sense of humour back, is putting on weight and has permission to take himself out of the ward and down to the café if he wishes. He is also getting bored. He said that his mind switched back on properly the other day, and he’s now fed up with it all.

He is definitely in the best place for recovering quickly. I do sympathise with him RE the boredom. When I was 10 I spent two weeks in hospital recovering from an op and wasn't able to get out of bed for the majority of that.

That's when I really got into Snooker as the world championships were on.

Does he have access to a TV? Or even wifi? Just being able to read (ooh, early christmas present - kindle?) can help a hell of a lot. Even if it just distracts you from the passing time.

He has access to one of those pay TVs - but he doesn’t want any of that. He’s got a small radio and headphones which works in the ward he’s in.

He’d go ballistic if anyone spent the value of a Kindle on him. He says he wants braces for Christmas as he feels a belt may be awkward - he emphatically told me that he did not want a lavish spend on him. So that’s what I got him.

You just reminded me that my photography trousers need braces.
Cheers Paul.

Mark

Just got a text message from my mum. He’s home and having a sleep. He was complaining about the lack of sleep he was getting in hospital due to various checks they kept doing to chase off the chest infection. He said he’d “sleep for England” when he gets home.

I think we’re all glad to know he’s home. Maybe I’ll get to speak to him on the phone later on today if he’s up to it. The excitement of the return will probably wipe him out for the rest of the day.

That's good news. I didn't want to say it earlier but I've seen patients who've recovered well from surgery only to then develop say a chest infection which precipitates their demise. He'll recover better at home, in his own environment, eating food that he enjoys, etc. Mental wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing.

+1 The Tories wanted to close the hospital anyway.