Slowly but surely.......by Stella

Well, it's been almost two weeks since John's excruciating journey back from Frimley Park. John's Dad, (also named John) was kind enough to drive me there to collect him. He looked good in hospital and deteriorated visibly, minute by agonising minute on the way home which was no reflection on the Land Rover or the driver just an indication that trying to sit up straight for an hour is easier in a comfy hospital chair than it is when being jiggled around in a car. He staggered up the stairs on our arrival home, ashen and visibly in pain, visited the bathroom and let me help him into bed. He barely spoke to anyone. Most of our children were downstairs, visiting for Mothers' Day. Some of them popped up to see him and our daughter, Naomi (the midwife) came up to show me how to do his daily injection of anticoagulant. It's a doddle. The needles are lovely and sharp and it doesn't hurt me at all!
I felt he'd left hospital far too quickly and the worry about his health was a real burden to me. He had only had the urinary catheter removed on the morning of the day he'd left hospital and was certainly not passing water normally when he arrived home and frankly hasn't been since. But things are improving. He measures the quantity he passes and that's  steadily increased but although he has, since leaving hospital, been treated for a urinary tract infection (ever seen a sample that looks like chicken soup?) it hasn't completely gone as the cloudy consomme I took to the surgery on Friday proved but we must wait until Monday to provide another sample that can be tested in the afternoon and  then yet more antibiotics can be obtained!
I'm getting to know the doctors and the chemists very well now. I've ordered more and more different types of pain relief for John (some drugs like co-codomol disagreed with him). I've bought hot water bottles, urine bottles and even Tena for Men!! The guy in the chemist asked if I'd like a bag for the Tena for Men. I smiled. "Don't worry" I said "They're obviously not for me".
Despite the problems with the infection John is improving. He's sleeping a lot but his periods of being awake are becoming longer and tonight he feels comfortable enough to let me sleep in the bed with him. So goodbye lumpy sofa and Tesco Value sleeping bag and hello comfort and clean sheets!
He's had a few visitors. His parents visit once a week, usually at lunchtime, when he's more likely not to be in bed. Our friend Mark has visited and enjoyed tea and cakes with me in the blissfully warm mornings in the garden we've been having.....but he hasn't seen John. Nigel Miles visited on Wednesday and presented John with his Queen's Jubilee Medal.....another one for the collection/pant drawer. It was nice for John to see Nigel and briefly discuss a few work matters but I think John looks forward to better times when they can go out and enjoy a nice fat greasy breakfast together!
On the friday after leaving hospital John's lovely Aunt Sheila died, quite suddenly, of a heart attack. I heard by telephone and told John when he woke up in the afternoon. It was so sad to see him so upset. I bought a few sympathy cards for John to write on and like a fool I let him walk down to the post box to send them. That wasn't a good idea. He didn't feel the effects until the next day but his back was in  terrific pain and nothing helped other than letting me rub it.......... for hours.

We managed a very short walk this evening, maybe 200yds (I'm no good at measuring distances) and he made it back in one piece. It was great to get some cool fresh air in his lungs but it was a very short walk. Slowly but surely he'll get there. I took a picture of him.
And here's a picture of John soaking up the unseasonably warm March sun.

Like the dressing gown?