Handhold, in HDU with respiratory failure and terrified

[Seafour]

Just that, is anyone awake?

Thank you for the loveliest support, when all this is over we should have a picnic and meet up in real life, this is the nicest MN thread in history.

Here's the photo I promised you.

Me on the side of the bed

You're doing so well and looking amazing so soon after such a huge op. Hope you have a good night. Night xx

Lovely to see you sitting up. I just wanted to check in on you before I went to bed. I hope things improve day by day for you and your insides get used to their new positions soon. Have a good night

What a brilliant picture. You’re looking fab!

Hope you get some sleep tonight.

Love love love that picture. You wear devastating pain and nausea well 😍

White toast and thin broth may work. Won't taste the most enticingly delectable but may just stay down. You poor woman. You don't have much internal reserves to keep you going. I, on the other hand, could last a season or so, as long as I get coffee.

A meet up is just what is prescribed. May we add a plane or two, along with the bus? Unless it is an incredible ocean sailing vehicle that can come get me? I shall make lovely scones and an amazing chocolate, almond and raspberry cake. I shall also bring a case of the bubbly stuff since the journey shall be long. And my knitting 😁

Sorry I rather vanished SeaFour - was in one of those patches where could manage Basic Life & nothing else. Well, Life was a bit busier than usual as trying to sort out two Brownie trips in January + 3 Promise Ceremonies & 3 Gold Award Presentations for this Friday’s meeting (including getting hold of the Gold Award badges); plus went to see Matilda on Thursday night, had lunch with my Daddy on Friday, & saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Saturday before church parade & coffee morning on Sunday. Am so very VERY relieved to see that you’ve come through surgery so well & hope you keep recovering well enough to make it home for Christmas. How frustrating re: pharmacist - I always find someone seems to freestyle things when clerking me in to ward. When given copy of my prescription & copy of my “hello, I am broken, please don’t break me further” listy-thing. It’s almost impressive. Just in a bad way. Hopefully nobody else will try meddling with your medications now.

Am quite sad I missed the Messiah-ing, though since the whole no-voice-at-all & needing speech therapy situation I’d not be able to join in properly. I’m pretty sure I’ve a copy of the score from when I sang it on choir tour in Switzerland. Our conductor had to fly home to conduct a prom & he properly got The Rage in rehearsals with Kasper The Friendly Conductor because Kasper would simply beam at us “very good, now we make the last 4 bars again & go on” while our conductor had about a zillion notes on his score...

InflagranteDelicto

We are lucky with all the pop-up rinks there are this time of year in London, though they’re pricey. And being in London generally provides lots of opportunities - though we’re constantly mindful of cost: an awful lot is out of our reach, like “Magic & Mayhem”. We’ve not really any outdoor space where we meet either: there’s the back carpark, for which the risk assessment is... long & special. Were you doing one of the UMAs with your Brownies that you were breaking out the hammers? IIRC there’s a Skills Builder that involves using tools too 🤔

Congratulations Gruber

Oh pants. Hadn’t realised how late/early it was. Gah.

Wow to the side of the bed photo, it's amazing how quickly they get up up and about. I would love the picnic in the summer, take good care of yourself slow and steady wins the race

Apart from the fact that you clearly are on hospital from your surroundings and rather fetching gown, it’s hard to believe from that photo that you are in hospital. Let alone recovering from major surgery.

I hope your organs become accustomed to their new positions soon and the sickness subsides. If you don’t help us out with this bus food soon we will all be like barrels before Xmas

I’m off to the doctors today with a view to retiring to work tomorrow from my operation. I’m still shattered so have visions of being asleep at my desk! I’ll still be checking in on you though.

You really do look brilliant. I hope today is a bit better for you .

I can't believe you're sitting up! I hope they're giving you loads of pain relief and your organs settle into place soon.

The feeling is mutual, we all love you too! I've never "met" anyone as strong and awesome as you.

Kettles on anyone fancy a brew? A bit chilly here this morning so I'll bring extra blankets and hot water bottles for those that need them

Wow! Look at you sitting up, that's a fantastic achievement ❤️

I'm at work today can the bus come and bust me out? I want blankets and hot chocolate!

I'm on it Justanother! Although I'm not the best of drivers so it may be a bumpy ride

Lovely to see you sitting up and looking so normal! after all you have been through and still have to cope with, what an example to us all. Dull damp day here today, will do some more present wrapping. Got our Iceland turkey yesterday, had one last year from them and it was very nice, I think we prefer the leftovers to the main event meal. Just had some aniseed gaviscon for reflux and was very sick - weird as I used to love aniseed balls! Wishing you all the best sea and the same to everyone on the thread.

Wow, it's fantastic to see you sitting up! Good morning - it's a beautiful day here, but very cold. Perfect for hot chocolate and fleecy blankets, I'd say. Can I have a shot of rum in mine? (the hot chocolate, not the blanket...)

Thats fantastic that you're sitting up already! Looking really great too, especially so soon post-surgery :)

You can have a shot of hot chocolate in your rum if you prefer?

Wow!
I didn't look that good when I got up this morning, and I've not just had major surgery!

@Justanother, now you're talking! Obviously a woman after my own heart...

Lovely photo Seafour though I winced at all your IV/CVP lines recent admission meant several lines tethered me uncomfortably to the bed
Do you feel taller yet? I'm curious as to how much height you may have gained - definitely new clothes shopping trip to plan for?
Perhaps a gentle jiggle might shake everything down suggested my DH after my hysterectomy etc - my reply was unrepeatable!

Perhaps a gentle jiggle might shake everything down suggested my DH after my hysterectomy etc - my reply was unrepeatable!

I feel queasy from just reading that @DaffydownClock

I love the sound of a bit of hot chocolate in my rum

I hope you had a good night rest @Seafour & have managed to eat something.

I've slept well and the numbers are looking good, I'm maintaining oxygen saturation without any additional now which is incredible, I needed a bit yesterday evening but to be off oxygen at this early stage is amazing and shows that my lungs are in good condition.

There is some argument going on about when I move on to the medical hdu ward (that was always the plan) it's the time of year when they are under lots of pressure and in many ways the most dangerous place for me is surrounded by chest infections and pneumonia but it's my "home" ward and they are ultimately responsible for my care on a day to day basis and regardless of the time of year they are always full of patients with chest infections and pneumonia. The consultant responsible for me has this morning said that they won't take me. My dh summed it up beautifully by saying "what an utter bastard" I can't say that I disagree. I really don't need this stress at all. The intensive care consultant keeps telling me not to worry but I feel so guilty for occupying an intensive care surgical bed when my "home" ward should be taking responsibility for me.

The plan now is that I move to intensive care step down where patients usually go for transition to other wards but I will stay there until I go home.

Lots of other things to tell you later.

Don't feel guilty, sounds like they can't do joined up thinking.

Good to see you sitting up, all those line thingys look ouch. Onwards and upwards. for you and DH.

I've got chocolate cookies if anybody wants one or two.

@Seafour
Great news re the sats.

Tbh, speaking objectively I think if you can avoid the risk of chest infections and stick with the transition ward til you go home, that sounds like a plan.

On the other hand, I can see that going to the ward where they know you well would make you feel secure.

Apart from the pharmaceutical ness up it does seem to have gone very well, so maybe it’s a good thing to avoid HDU -as you said, one of the most dangerous places for you to be?

And for goodness sake, cross feeling guilty off your list right now.

In other news , I’m sure all this talk of delicious treats us definitely having a barrel effect in this neck of the woods

Wow, you are one strong lady. I’m so pleased for you that your recovery is going well. You should not feel guilty for being in the ward that you are in, this is out of your hands.
Do you know how long your stay is likely to be?