... the Hyacynth Mum gave us showed its first bloom on Christmas Day; today it's well on its way to full gorgeousness ...
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Saturday, 24 December 2011
WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Monday, 19 December 2011
Cat-Angel Tree Decoration
The Cat-Angel on my tree (showing in yesterday's post) came from Victoria Burnett Designs:
http://www.victoriaburnettdesigns.co.uk/products.html.
If you can't find it on the site, email enquiries@victoriaburnettdesigns.co.uk & ask for "Laura's Guardian-Angel" :-D
http://www.victoriaburnettdesigns.co.uk/products.html.
If you can't find it on the site, email enquiries@victoriaburnettdesigns.co.uk & ask for "Laura's Guardian-Angel" :-D
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Dressing The Tree
Two decorations have gone on the tree ... more to follow when I've done my marking!!
Friday, 16 December 2011
♫♫ All I Want For Christmas ... ♫♫
She's back in the Hospice for "symptom control". I've put them under strict instructions to sort out those b****y symptoms quickly & get her home for Christmas!!
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Hepatic Encephalopathy ...
... is very scary. It just comes on so quickly!! I hope she's more coherent tomorrow or I'll need to call the hospice again.
Getting Ready For Christmas
After 3 weeks in Guy's Hospital & 2 weeks in Marie Curie Hospice, Susan came home. The medical team have told her she's an "anomaly"; her cc isn't behaving at all as they'd expect it to. She's so well at the moment, long may her "anomaliness" continue!!
We bought a real tree this year; I've never had one before & I'm getting excited. Sue's planning to decorate it today while I'm at work. I've asked her to take photos of its various stages of dress. Here's the 1st pic of our "naked" tree in its new gold B&Q tree stand
P.S. The Blog App keeps crashing when I try & post the photo; I'll try uploading again later ...
We bought a real tree this year; I've never had one before & I'm getting excited. Sue's planning to decorate it today while I'm at work. I've asked her to take photos of its various stages of dress. Here's the 1st pic of our "naked" tree in its new gold B&Q tree stand
P.S. The Blog App keeps crashing when I try & post the photo; I'll try uploading again later ...
Monday, 14 November 2011
Feeding time in Guy's Hospital ...
To see Guy's Donation Box in action, click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKrEKAyi9gw
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Valjee - from Cornwall, UK
It is with very great sadness that I must tell you that Valerie Mutton died on Thursday night. She was an amazing fighter whom I met on the CCF boards & was lucky enough to meet in person to celebrate her 50th birthday last year. Dearest Val, I don't know how I would have got through the last 2 years without you & your wonderful strength & humour. Rest In Peace, dear Val. XXX
Monday, 31 October 2011
Back In Guy's Hospital
They've drained 9 litres of ascites from her abdominal cavity since Tuesday & think there may still be a couple more litres to drain out over the next day or so.
She's lost just under 3 stone in the 5 days she's been draining.
She's lost just under 3 stone in the 5 days she's been draining.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Belated Update
It's been quite a rollercoaster summer (& I'm not talking about the weather ...) but we are both doing well. Actually, we're both doing VERY well, given the circumstances.
I'll update properly soon :-)
I'll update properly soon :-)
Thursday, 14 July 2011
ERCP & After
After the scan & bloods were analysed, the Onc decided to proceed with an ERCP (camera down the throat & into the bile ducts ...) to see if there was any issue with the placing or condition of the stents.
We were told it would be a day-procedure, but I could have told them it would be a longer stay than that. Last time they had to fiddle with her stents, she was very ill indeed. This time wasn't so bad, but she still had to stay in overnight. Her lovely friend, Paul, took her in, stayed with her pre-&-post procedure & returned to collect her & bring her home the next day.
Since then, she's slept about 22 hours a day. It may be post-Chemo or post-ERCP fatigue, but it's very distressing for us both. I go into hospital for my 2nd TKR (total knee replacement) on Monday & she wants to stay here during my hospital stay & subsequent convalescence. I'm dreading leaving her here alone whilst she's so incapacitated.
Hopefully, she & her Mac Nurse (Dorothy) can come to some arrangement, which will reassure me & keep Susan's independence. I think Dorothy's due to visit again tomorrow.
We were told it would be a day-procedure, but I could have told them it would be a longer stay than that. Last time they had to fiddle with her stents, she was very ill indeed. This time wasn't so bad, but she still had to stay in overnight. Her lovely friend, Paul, took her in, stayed with her pre-&-post procedure & returned to collect her & bring her home the next day.
Since then, she's slept about 22 hours a day. It may be post-Chemo or post-ERCP fatigue, but it's very distressing for us both. I go into hospital for my 2nd TKR (total knee replacement) on Monday & she wants to stay here during my hospital stay & subsequent convalescence. I'm dreading leaving her here alone whilst she's so incapacitated.
Hopefully, she & her Mac Nurse (Dorothy) can come to some arrangement, which will reassure me & keep Susan's independence. I think Dorothy's due to visit again tomorrow.
Monday, 13 June 2011
CHEMO FINISHED :-D
We were the last to be seen, having waited 2 hours beyond her appointed time - but it was worth waiting.
After hearing about Sue's recent infection, the Onc suggested she stop Chemo now. She said 7 Cycles is good & missing the 8th won't compromise the benefits she's already received from the treatment - so stop now & let her body recover.
The Onc is sure the infections which keep clobbering Sue are coming from the stent, internally, rather than being picked up from outside. The Onc Team will talk to the Gastro Team to compare the North Mid's latest scan with Guy's previous scans & see if the stent needs changing. (Metal stents can't actually be changed, but they can be looked at, & cleaned/expanded as necessary.)
Now she's off Chemo, she's at less risk of these sudden, violent infections, although not totally risk-free. Once the stent's checked & sorted, the risk will reduce even further.
We'll know more in 2 weeks, when blood & scan results have been assessed by the Oncs, but tonight we can celebrate the start of a new period of stability.
After hearing about Sue's recent infection, the Onc suggested she stop Chemo now. She said 7 Cycles is good & missing the 8th won't compromise the benefits she's already received from the treatment - so stop now & let her body recover.
The Onc is sure the infections which keep clobbering Sue are coming from the stent, internally, rather than being picked up from outside. The Onc Team will talk to the Gastro Team to compare the North Mid's latest scan with Guy's previous scans & see if the stent needs changing. (Metal stents can't actually be changed, but they can be looked at, & cleaned/expanded as necessary.)
Now she's off Chemo, she's at less risk of these sudden, violent infections, although not totally risk-free. Once the stent's checked & sorted, the risk will reduce even further.
We'll know more in 2 weeks, when blood & scan results have been assessed by the Oncs, but tonight we can celebrate the start of a new period of stability.
Pre-Cycle 8 Onc Visit
I left Sue at the coffee bar when we got to Guy's, so she could get checked in, whilst I got the drinks (tea for me & freshly-squose orange juice for her - lol). By the time I got into Onc Outpatients, she'd already had her bloods taken & was off to be weighed!! Blimey, considering how long it took 2 phlebotomists to take blood from 10 patients last month, I was pretty gobsmacked.
However ... the speed of the pre-Onc tests has been no indicator of the clinic's turnover rate ... we're now an hour past her allotted appointment time & no sign of being called in yet ...
However ... the speed of the pre-Onc tests has been no indicator of the clinic's turnover rate ... we're now an hour past her allotted appointment time & no sign of being called in yet ...
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Home & Feeling Better
Susan came out on Wednesday afternoon, after a week in side room in the North Mid. For the last night, she'd been relegated back to the Tower, where she'd been for the whole of her 1st Norovirus episode. Fortunately, it wasn't such an awful experience for her this time.
When mum & I collected her, I really believed she wasn't well enough to come home, but after 24 hours' total disorientation, my lovely sister started to resurface from the shell of the seriously ill person she'd been.
She's watching a morning of back-to-back Time Team episodes in the other room now & life's getting back to our "new normal" ... Welcome Home, Sue ;)
When mum & I collected her, I really believed she wasn't well enough to come home, but after 24 hours' total disorientation, my lovely sister started to resurface from the shell of the seriously ill person she'd been.
She's watching a morning of back-to-back Time Team episodes in the other room now & life's getting back to our "new normal" ... Welcome Home, Sue ;)
Saturday, 4 June 2011
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