Continuing progress

Well, I saw the physio, and have three more torments to undergo 3 times a day. But they do seem to be doing me good. I have actually started to go out without a stick - something that I have not done since July 2009! It all seems to be too good to be true. And I could not say that I walk gracefully, but we get there. Christmas will be spent at no. 2 son's house this year - I was wondering how that would work out, but so long as they do not ask me to walk the dog it should be very enjoyable.

More round about Christmas.

Progress!

Well, things have moved on in the last 10 days. I found last time that recovery occurred in bursts, and I am now walking about upright, without crutches and sometimes without a stick. Mind you, given the current depth of snow outside (8 inches) I am not proposing to go on a cross-country hike for the time being, but I am encouraged by all of this. And all without the benefit of Physio - I was due to see the physio-terrorist today, but for the same reason I have not gone. I still have reservations about red wine, but we did go to quite a decent restaurant for lunch yesterday, and I found that seriously expensive red wine was really quite palatable, although the cheaper stuff is still too overpowering. Shame, really!

About all for the moment, but things are very positive this week. Hope I am not shouting too early.

Carrying On

Not a lot to report. Still taking the pills and doing the exercises. Interesting today - Sonia has gone down with the flu, so I am doing more walking, cooking and washing up than normal. Might be interesting when the fridge is empty. Have to get Waitrose to deliver. Seriously, there is progress week on week, but from day to day it is all very slow. Still that is what happens. More in a week's time.

The Long Haul Back has started!

Sonia is out so I am having a short session. Much as before, but slower. I see the physio in about 2 weeks time. In the meantime horizontal is the preferred position. Glad to receive all txts and phone calls. More in a week's time.

Clive

sunday

Clive came home today and finds that our bed is much more comfortable that the one in the hospital. The wound is well healed but he has a lot of work to do on the movement.He is only allowed to sit for a very short time so I will be restricting the use of the computer.Do not bother to send jokes at the moment.He is very happy to chat on the phone but visits are more difficult as he is spending most of his time lying on the bed.

thursday

Clive is still in hospital as he has had a setback not with the back surgery but with a very reduced levels of sodium and potassium which is what we think caused all the symptons of nausea, headaches, and general drowsiness.He has been on a drip for the last 24 hours and the levels have gone up but not to acceptible levels so he will have to stay put until they do.So he will not be out entil probably Sunday.In himself he is much brighter and beginning to grumble always a good sign.He is happy to talk to people either on his mobile or the hospitol number is 01689 877855 room 109 ,and it is Chelsfield Park that he is in in Orpington.I will ipdate again when we know the date when he will be sprung Sonia

saturday

Although Clive is up and about he has unfortunately suffered another leak of cerebral spinal fluid which has caused him to be very sick and to have severe migraine type headaches.We hope that this will sort itself out very quickly so that he can come home.At the present he is not up to having visitors and when I go in I sit quietly in a corner and read my book.I will Update again in a couple of days.

It's a bit early!!

Well, on Wednesday I have to be at Chelsfield Park at 6.45 am! Having showered with a special soap both that morning and on the previous night. Sounds as though I am first on the list. I have a great list of what I must have with me. But I shall have the mobile, so I shall be able to make and receive calls and txts. Not a lot more to say at present.

We have a date!

Well, things happen fast when they do happen at all. X-ray on Monday, telephone consultation this morning at 10 am. Appointment at Chelsfield Park for the op next Wednesday, 20 October, with pre-assessment tomorrow at 4 pm. Same as before - de-compression and discectomy. But without the complication of an aneurysm op 2 weeks before and without a newly damaged femoral nerve, so that hopefully I shall be less disabled afterwards.

Now I have to cancel all the social events immediately afterwards - the problem is to decide for how long I have to hang about at home. At least I know that I cannot go swimming for a month or so. Pity - I have quite enjoyed getting into the water again on a frequent basis, although it was much better in the Caribbean!

The Next Step

A phone call from the specialist was disappointing. I have a further slip of the disc, and a big one at that. He is very unhappy, as he had hoped that it would all go away, but it has not. So there is to be another operation to remove the bit of disc that has popped out and is prodding the nerve, and he may also have to do a fusion, which means doing something to fuse 2 vertebrae together. I must find out a bit more about fusion operations. The next step is an ex-ray of my back this afternoon to see a bit more about whether a fusion is needed.

In the meantime I am still cultivating the allotment, which the specialist probably would not approve of, and swimming about four times a week. And the village social season has started, and have to draft a quiz for the village hall in February. Keeps me out of mischief.

Now we know the answer!

Went for the scan last Wednesday in Harley Street. All very salubrious. Attended by a couple of delightful young ladies in white coats. Emerged into the pouring rain and stood there for 5 minutes on crutches until a taxi arrived. And the rain stopped...

The result was phoned through to me today (Sunday). In brief, there is a recurrence of the disc problem. The last operation was to chip away some bone at the joints between the vertebrae and to remove some disc that had slipped out. There is now more disc that has extruded and it is pressing on the femoral nerve. The risks attendant on these back operations are multiplied on every recurrence. And often the disc that has slipped out will be absorbed by the body, which is why slipped discs get better without an operation in most cases. So we are waiting a month to see if this starts to happen. If it does not, or it gets worse, he will go in again. In the meantime keep taking the painkillers!

A step backwards

Well, it was all going swimmingly. Then about 3 weeks ago something moved in my back, and I am now back on 2 sticks! The GP said that there must be another impingement (i.e. something is pressing on the femoral nerve) and to see the specialist. I did that yesterday, and it is not straightforward. To see what is wrong they need an MRI scan. But you cannot do this when there is metal in the vicinity. And there is metal in the stent that they put in my aorta to deal with the aneurysm. This will, at best, distort the image, and may, because of the magnetic fields, move the stent! They are thinking about it....

But we had a great time on the Rhine last week. Sonia was brilliant, towing 2 suitcases, while I followed on 2 sticks. Then she went on all the incidental trips, and I stayed on board with a load of books and caught up with my reading. I could do that for a long time!

Now things are on the move again, there will be more frequent postings. All e-mails and letters gratefully received.

The Other Specialist

There has been a gap in communications - partly because things have been going well enough for me not to have much to say.Since January I have more or less had to learn to walk again, and I now have reached the stage that I go out without my sticks - if the walk is not too long. I need them on rough ground, though, which makes working on the allotment slow, but I am getting fed up with them, so I shall probably keep them for special occasions.

I went to see the other specialist yesterday - the one that deals with arteries. He put me through the scanning machine and the x-ray machine and then said that it had all worked, and that I could go away until December. Apparently I have to have a check-up every 6 months.

I am now swimming 900 metres a day - next week it will go up to 1000, and that will be far enough. I do not expect to lose any weight doing it, but I hope it will be redistributed a bit. It is good fun - I go to Tonbridge School Swimming Pool and if I choose the right time I get a lane to myself. Cost - £2.50 a visit.

The next trip is to Scotland - or at least to the Borders. I have volunteered to take the grandchildren there!! At least I shall not be able to run after them.

About all for now, although I shall probably think of things I wanted to say as soon as I sign off.

The Specialist.....

is pleased, and does not want to see me again until December. The flip side of this is that what I have then will be all that I will get! So be it.

I have also started swimming again - Tonbridge School has opened its swimming pool and other facilities to the public - on payment of quite a decent sum, actually, but I think it will be worth it.

I have also started digging again so we may get a few beans this year, but I am putting most of what I have down to soft fruit, so we shall probably have to get a new freezer if it all works out.

And if that sounds hopeful, you should see my gait, which needs sorting out. That is what the physio is all about, but I have had to learn to walk again, and I am just past the toddler stage. I always thought that there was something about a bottle....

About all for now. All visitors and messages welcome.

Further progress!!

It's a month since I last posted. Progress is monthly, rather than daily, but it is still there. I am now walking around the house without sticks, and have progressed to the grounds. There is still the problem of risking my knee giving up whilst walking down stairs or down a slope, but that is a symptom of what I have actually done, which is damage my right femoral nerve. When that happens I fall over which creates consternation among all around, but I have practised falling over and rolling, rather than crashing to the ground. The nerve is slowly reconstituting itself, but I guess it will take many months to recover fully. Still that is the stimulus I need to keep on doing the exercises 3 times a day.

Jonathan Nicholson, from Cayman, visited the other day, which was very nice, and Tim and Lorna from South Africa did likewise yesterday. It is always nice to have visitors from abroad, as I am not keen on the long walk to the aircraft that always seems to be my lot. And they never give me the electric trolley - it is always the wheel chair with a frail young lady to try and push me along.

About all for now - we see the specialist next week, when I may have some more things to say.

Getting on

Well, progress has slowed up - or so it seems. The physio seems satisfied that she can see improvement, and I suppose that over 3 weeks she may be right, but I should like it to go faster. Sleeping seems to be the problem at the moment - I get cramp and wake up about once an hour throughout the night. I get some quinine pills today that I hope will sort it out. I would have thought gin and tonic would be a better source of quinine, but you cannot get a prescription for that. Otherwise life goes on satisfactorily. I am driving quite happily now, which is a great relief. And I see the physio again in about 3 weeks, which will be the next entry unless things happen.

Further improvement

As expected, the physio has given me more exercises, but I am now getting around the house without sticks. A bit ungainly, to say the least, as there are a lot of atrophied muscles to be built up, and some nerve fibres to be regenerated before I am walking as freely as I would like.

However, we went to Cardiff a week ago and stayed at the St Davids Hotel on Cardiff Bay. Recommended! Luckily Sonia is quite happy doing long distance motorway driving, as although I am driving, I find sitting too long in one position induces cramp, which is embarrassing at 70+ m.p.h!

I am also finding the Blue Badge that I persuaded Kent County Council to issue to me is a boon and a blessing. Parking on yellow lines with impunity is a luxury that I shall find hard to give up. But it means I can go anywhere, really, and do my own shopping. You also get the best parking spots in the hotel car parks, and such like.

So, all in all we are getting there. All phone calls are still much appreciated, though, as are suggestions for lunch at pubs and so forth. I just wish that the sun would shine for longer than an hour at a time!

Better and Better!

Saw the consultant yesterday - he seemed pretty pleased and gave me the OK to drive, even though I still have little movement yet in direction that I want it. But where there is a will there is a way, and I drove to the allotment today and finished pruning the raspberries. All very positive. I still have to do the exercises though - 4 times a day, with promises of more. But definitely a move in the right direction.

Further Progress

Actually progress is difficult to follow if you are the subject being monitored and also doing the monitoring! But the physioterrorist who only sees me once a fortnight seems satisfied. I now have a programme of exercises that take about 20 minutes that I have to do four times a day. I am discovering muscles that I never knew I had, and also finding muscles that refuse to do what I ask them to, which is disappointing. But there is now very little sciatic pain, except at night, and the main problem is muscles that have been underused for nearly 9 months, and have become atrophied. Walking to the pub is now quite easy, with 2 sticks, and I actually went to the allotment yesterday and tied in the loganberries. The next task is to cut out the remainder of last year's raspberry canes and have a huge bonfire. And after that I have to sow seeds and so on. Fortunately last year before all this happened I decided that more of the plot needed to be put down to soft fruit, so that there would be even less digging, and now three quarters of the area has fruit bushes on it. There will be more by this time next year!

I go to see the man in the white coat on Tuesday, and he will tell my fortune. I suspect that it will be pretty uninformative, and that I shall be told that so far as he is concerned, I am doing OK and it is now down to the physio to do the rest.

Continued in our next, which will be after the consultation.

The Village has been reached!

Well, I managed to reach the village this week on 3 separate occasions. The pub was not open on a couple of days, and I had forgotten the wherewithal when I got the timing right. One of the things that one forgets is to put all the usual stuff in one's pockets when one is dependent on a third party to get one from A to B. So we learn.

This weekend is the Brain of Bidborough Quiz. I got inveigled into writing the questions, but that apparently means that I have to deal with all the stroppy people who come and complain that they got the answer sufficiently correct to be given the point even if they have been so wide of the mark that they are in the next parish. I shall attack then with my sticks!

Continued in our next...........

p.s. The spell check on this site suggests that for 'Bidborough' I really meant 'Bedbug'!

Not there yet...

I have still not yet made the pub - mainly again because the weather has not been conducive to walking with sticks to the village. But there should not be too much of a problem. Off to Rotary today, as there is not too much walking, although the chairs are pretty uncomfortable!

Went to the Physiotherapist on Tuesday. I now understand why my friend warned me that they should be called physioterrorists. I have to build up some muscles that have been idle for some weeks, and I now ache in places that I had forgotten existed!

Still every day provides a little progress. I think that future posts will be on at least a weekly basis, unless there is startling news.

Continued Progress

Not yet reached the pub - mainly because the weather has been too unkind. But have fixed up a physiotherapist for what has been described as 'aggressive physiotherapy' to rebuild muscles that have not been used for some time. I had hoped for hydrotherapy - massage under warm water by nubile young physiotherapists - but such is not to be. Must keep walking....

Another step forward

Well, the stitches are out, and I am walking to the garages twice a day, despite the temperature being about 2 degrees. Next week I shall start the trek to the village - a bit further at a time. When I can get to the pub for a beer I shall have achieved another step!! I am still not too fussed about the thought of some foods, including alcohol, but I am sure that this will pass....

home at last

Brought Clive home this afternoon thanks to our friend Chris and her people carrier.He is enjoying a life of lying in bed but seems to be making progress and enjoying the home cooking. He has lost some weight whilst in hospital and is telling me that hen is not now drinking and does not know if he will again. Which will save us some money and take away one of life's little pleasures. As he has to spend much of the time in a supine position visitors will be most welcome in the bedroom.

coming home

Clive is being let out of hospital today and I am collecting him at about seven this evening.We are using my friend Chris's car as it is higher off the ground than either of ours.He will then have 4 to 6 weeks at home before seeing Mr Sharr again and we hope that by then he will have regained much of his mobility.I have been out today to buy a new mattress for the bed and a raised toilet seat so am prepared for all eventualities.Thatb youb every one who have visited,phoned or written he is very happy to have any sort of communication.Olease keep it going when he is home as other wise he will only have me to talk to and not all these charming nurses and physios.

The next up date will probably be in his own fair hand and thanks for all the good wishes.Sonia

saturday and all is well

Clive is now back in his room at the hospital which is 410 it has a picture window overlooking the river one pays a good deal for rooms with such a view.He is progressing and the physios had him out of bed this afternoon and I saw him stand ip straight for the first time in a long while,so there seems to have been no deterioration but he will now have to work on improving the mobility. he was still pretty dozy today but I am sure that once the anesthetic has completely passed through he will be more awake or perhaps
it is my company.he would be delighted to hear from people and has his mobile switched on.Thank you to everyone who has sent good wishes.I am off up early tomorrow morning so that we can watch the tennis together,trains permitting as there are no direct trains from Tonbridge to london Bridge this sunday.Shall probably drive to Orpington.Leon and family are visiting tomorrow afternoon and we are all having lunch together.I will update this again once we know when he is returning home unless there is any other news.

Sonia

conscious again

Clive has had the operation and is round from the anesthetic.All appears to have gone without a hitch so we will now wait to see how good the results are.He is spending tonight in the high dependency unit at the london Bridge Hospital and should be back in his room tomorrow.I will update the blog after I have seen him in the morning.I might have a glass of wine tonight.

Off to London

Had an enjoyable Rotary Council meeting chez nous last night. Nice that people will come to us when it is difficult to get around.

I have also managed to get a Blue Badge to enable me to park where other beers cannot reach, but I hope to have to surrender it as unnecessary shortly.

We are off to London shortly. Five days in the London Bridge Hospital. Sonia will be at home and travelling up from time to time to check progress. The hospital sent me a booklet which indicated what I might expect. It was more interesting for what it did not say, but essentially it was very encouraging, although nothing is guaranteed... We are staying overnight tonight at the Novotel in Southwark Bridge Road so I can present myself at 0930 hours tomorrow. Not a good time to drive up to Town, we thought.

The next posting should be Sonia's work.

Moving on

Both the base-line x-ray and CT scan have now been done. Of course they wanted to do the scan at the very time that I was hoping to get to Rotary, but there is a law about these things. I think they will be checked on Saturday, but asuming there are no problems, I am now on the six-month monitoring programme. Roll on the 29th, so I can get the original problem sorted and, hopefully, throw my sticks away.

Progress..

Well, we have taken the next step. Today was the follow-up meeting with the consultant veins man. The future is 6-monthly check-ups by x-ray and CT scan to make sure that the stent is still in position and working properly. 1 in 5 chance of another 'intervention'. But the odds are improving weekly as they get more experience at doing it! OK by me. He thinks I could go tomorrow for the op on my back, but the back man has decreed that he wants 2 weeks between the 2 ops. Still OK by me. The first CT scan will be within the next few days to fix a basis for comparing future scans..

So after the consultation and the first x-ray to get a basis for future comparisons of x-rays, we went to the Spa for lunch. Couple of decent glasses of red wine and the world is a different place.

Home again!!

Well, the op seemed to go OK - and the consultant seemed pleased. Today he disclosed, before chucking me out, that I had "a very unusual aneurysm". Not something I would have wished to know about - it looks like another version of "interesting" which is usually bad news. Anyway, here I am back at Bidborough, in the cold and snow, slightly sore in places, which will wear off. All callers and visitors are welcome - give us a bit of notice so we can be prepared. The next op will be four days in the London Bridge Hospital, where they sort my back out, on the 29 January.

Not sure if I shall get to Lodge or Rotary meetings for a couple of months. It all depends on how mobile I am after the back op. No promises being made there, I imagine. And the seeds for the allotment have now arrived. Not sure about that either, although 2/3 of it are now down to soft fruit, in anticipation of old age and infirmity.

Clive

Operation went well, still in high dependency unit, back in his room this afternoon :)

We have a date

Clive will be going into Kings College Hospital on tuesday to have the aortic aneurysm corrected.He should be in for only a couple of nights but we will keep the blog updated.

Could be worse

Saw the vasologist today, who sent me for a CT scan - which apparently showed that the aneurysm is such that it needs dealing with before the back. This means that the op booked for the London Bridge Hospital for Thursday 7 December has been put on ice. I have yet to hear from him with details of the new op, but it sounds as though there is to be a stent or lining inserted in the aorta. This is not invasive surgery, which is good, but it is fairly new technology. But it is better that going in with me on a life support machine and replacing a length of aorta. I have yet to hear when and where this is to happen, but it sounds like the 12 or the 19 January at Kings College. More follows.

Otherwise Christmas has come to an end. We have undressed the tree - at least Sonia has - and finished up all the left-overs. Indeed we had guests for supper last night, which was good, and finished up the last decent bottle of wine. Must get some more in!

A Date!

A bit more certainty now - the op will be at the London Bridge Hospital at 3.30 on Thursday 7 January. I shall have to be there earlier than that, but I do not know whether I shall be asked to go in on Wednesday or Thursday am.

In the meantime Bryan Vernon has delivered a bar stool! Just what I wanted!! Makes me feel at home...