Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Grumbling...I'm not happy
Oooh I am not a happy camper.
First the TV we had in repairs awaiting parts for 2 months came back with distortions in the picture, when it went in the picture was perfect. Called Friday to let them know and was told it must have been transported near magnets, but should repair itself if we left the TV unplugged overnight. We did that all weekend, no change. Oh, the transported near magnets was their fault as the technicians taped the old parts they replaced on top of the TV - one was a very strong magnet!!
So Monday I rang the customer care line again, got a different lady who told me it was not their problem and we needed to bring the TV back in. So I went through it all again, told her about the conversation I had with the other lady on Friday. The lady Friday told me that if unplugging didn't work they would send a technician to the house with a special wand to demagnetise (?) it. So Customer Care lady #2 started heavy breathing into the phone like I had ruined her day, then said someone will come out tomorrow - not convenient as we are at the hospital all day today, so I upset her more and had her change it to Wednesday!! Fingers crossed someone shows up and fixes the problem.
Second grumble - we paid for the dining table and chairs on Sunday with a credit card. Initially the young girl behind the counter rang it up as $64.15 and had swiped my card for that amount. Silly, honest me pointed out that she missed the 5 in front and it should have been $564.15. I asked her to make sure the $64.15 hadn't been charged as I didn't want to pay extra, and she said it hadn't gone through and I didn't sign for that amount. She scanned my card again for the correct amount and away we went.
Checked my accounts Monday afternoon and you guessed it charged twice, $64.15 and $564.15. So on the phone again, the store is blaming the bank, but since I never authorised the $64.15 I can't see how it is the bank's fault that it was charged. The lady I spoke with was going to ring me back, but so far hasn't. She wasn't happy as she said she would have to look through all of the receipts and they were really busy Sunday so there are a lot to go through!! Today I'll ring the bank and make sure the charge is cancelled. Just so frustrating.
Off to hospital today to see John's specialist and then John has his stent removed....don't ask how, some things you just don't want to know LOL. I'll visit my sister while John has his procedure.
First the TV we had in repairs awaiting parts for 2 months came back with distortions in the picture, when it went in the picture was perfect. Called Friday to let them know and was told it must have been transported near magnets, but should repair itself if we left the TV unplugged overnight. We did that all weekend, no change. Oh, the transported near magnets was their fault as the technicians taped the old parts they replaced on top of the TV - one was a very strong magnet!!
So Monday I rang the customer care line again, got a different lady who told me it was not their problem and we needed to bring the TV back in. So I went through it all again, told her about the conversation I had with the other lady on Friday. The lady Friday told me that if unplugging didn't work they would send a technician to the house with a special wand to demagnetise (?) it. So Customer Care lady #2 started heavy breathing into the phone like I had ruined her day, then said someone will come out tomorrow - not convenient as we are at the hospital all day today, so I upset her more and had her change it to Wednesday!! Fingers crossed someone shows up and fixes the problem.
Second grumble - we paid for the dining table and chairs on Sunday with a credit card. Initially the young girl behind the counter rang it up as $64.15 and had swiped my card for that amount. Silly, honest me pointed out that she missed the 5 in front and it should have been $564.15. I asked her to make sure the $64.15 hadn't been charged as I didn't want to pay extra, and she said it hadn't gone through and I didn't sign for that amount. She scanned my card again for the correct amount and away we went.
Checked my accounts Monday afternoon and you guessed it charged twice, $64.15 and $564.15. So on the phone again, the store is blaming the bank, but since I never authorised the $64.15 I can't see how it is the bank's fault that it was charged. The lady I spoke with was going to ring me back, but so far hasn't. She wasn't happy as she said she would have to look through all of the receipts and they were really busy Sunday so there are a lot to go through!! Today I'll ring the bank and make sure the charge is cancelled. Just so frustrating.
Off to hospital today to see John's specialist and then John has his stent removed....don't ask how, some things you just don't want to know LOL. I'll visit my sister while John has his procedure.
Monday, October 30, 2006
What a weekend
Had a great weekend.
Simon entered 3 events in the Powerade Games and won 3 Silver Medals. Most impressive as he was competing in the under 17 age group and he isn't even 16 for a month.
Saturday we got a great bargain on a stereo and it works really well - I love music in the morning and now I can listen to my cds.
Today we went to look at dining room sets after we dropped Simon at athletics. Found one for $680 in a clearance centre, it was a factory second and a bit marked up. So we went to another big furniture outlet with a 15% off sale, both John and I fell in love with the first one we saw there, solid pine for $599. With the delivery charge added and the 15% discount it came to $564 and will be delivered Thursday.
I'll post pictures when it is in our dining room, we think it will look great.
John thinks I am spoilt LOL, but this is for all of us.
Simon entered 3 events in the Powerade Games and won 3 Silver Medals. Most impressive as he was competing in the under 17 age group and he isn't even 16 for a month.
Saturday we got a great bargain on a stereo and it works really well - I love music in the morning and now I can listen to my cds.
Today we went to look at dining room sets after we dropped Simon at athletics. Found one for $680 in a clearance centre, it was a factory second and a bit marked up. So we went to another big furniture outlet with a 15% off sale, both John and I fell in love with the first one we saw there, solid pine for $599. With the delivery charge added and the 15% discount it came to $564 and will be delivered Thursday.
I'll post pictures when it is in our dining room, we think it will look great.
John thinks I am spoilt LOL, but this is for all of us.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
What a weekend
Had a great weekend.
Simon entered 3 events in the Powerade Games and won 3 Silver Medals. Most impressive as he was competing in the under 17 age group and he isn't even 16 for a month.
Saturday we got a great bargain on a stereo and it works really well - I love music in the morning and now I can listen to my cds.
Today we went to look at dining room sets after we dropped Simon at athletics. Found one for $680 in a clearance centre, it was a factory second and a bit marked up. So we went to another big furniture outlet with a 15% off sale, both John and I fell in love with the first one we saw there, solid pine for $599. With the delivery charge added and the 15% discount it came to $564 and will be delivered Thursday. I'll post pictures when it is in our dining room, we think it will look great.
John thinks I am spoilt LOL, but this is for all of us.
Simon entered 3 events in the Powerade Games and won 3 Silver Medals. Most impressive as he was competing in the under 17 age group and he isn't even 16 for a month.
Saturday we got a great bargain on a stereo and it works really well - I love music in the morning and now I can listen to my cds.
Today we went to look at dining room sets after we dropped Simon at athletics. Found one for $680 in a clearance centre, it was a factory second and a bit marked up. So we went to another big furniture outlet with a 15% off sale, both John and I fell in love with the first one we saw there, solid pine for $599. With the delivery charge added and the 15% discount it came to $564 and will be delivered Thursday. I'll post pictures when it is in our dining room, we think it will look great.
John thinks I am spoilt LOL, but this is for all of us.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Friday...delivery day LOL
What a day for deliveries.
First the parcel post man delivered a parcel of stitching stuff for me - just some 28 count fabric, some popcorn buttons and Wisper thread, the 2 charts I ordered will come separately.
Second the TV was returned at 8.30am. I was on the school run, so luckily Bradley was awake and able to accept the delivery and luckily Justin was home so I was able to wake him when I got home so he could lift the TV back onto its stand!!
Third and last, the tea set I won from a cooking magazine. We all enjoyed the laugh as the letter I received 4 weeks ago said the prize was valued at $129.90. Now it is a nice little tea set - a single serve teapot, a slightly larger teapot and a creamer. All plain white porcelain made in Japan. Nice to win something but there is no way in the world anyone would ever look at this set and say it was worth that much LOL. I'll take a photo and post it later so you can see what I mean.
The only thing we didn't get today was normal mail. Could be the trainee posties missing our house as we are Number 12 on the corner and the house next door is also number 12 LOL. We have been getting their mail and ours lately, so maybe they got ours today...luckily we know the neighbours and they are nice.
Now time to feed the hungry tribe before we drop Shane off at his friend's for a sleep over, not that I think there will be much sleeping LOL.
My breathing is still a bit laboured, but the antibiotics are starting to do the job. I'll be back at the doctor on Monday afternoon and then at the hospital on Tuesday morning, so no dramas getting medical attention.
First the parcel post man delivered a parcel of stitching stuff for me - just some 28 count fabric, some popcorn buttons and Wisper thread, the 2 charts I ordered will come separately.
Second the TV was returned at 8.30am. I was on the school run, so luckily Bradley was awake and able to accept the delivery and luckily Justin was home so I was able to wake him when I got home so he could lift the TV back onto its stand!!
Third and last, the tea set I won from a cooking magazine. We all enjoyed the laugh as the letter I received 4 weeks ago said the prize was valued at $129.90. Now it is a nice little tea set - a single serve teapot, a slightly larger teapot and a creamer. All plain white porcelain made in Japan. Nice to win something but there is no way in the world anyone would ever look at this set and say it was worth that much LOL. I'll take a photo and post it later so you can see what I mean.
The only thing we didn't get today was normal mail. Could be the trainee posties missing our house as we are Number 12 on the corner and the house next door is also number 12 LOL. We have been getting their mail and ours lately, so maybe they got ours today...luckily we know the neighbours and they are nice.
Now time to feed the hungry tribe before we drop Shane off at his friend's for a sleep over, not that I think there will be much sleeping LOL.
My breathing is still a bit laboured, but the antibiotics are starting to do the job. I'll be back at the doctor on Monday afternoon and then at the hospital on Tuesday morning, so no dramas getting medical attention.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Boo Hoo...I'm Sick
Well, what I thought was a head cold has developed into something nastier. Had a terrible night last night trying to get my breath. Off to the doctor this morning, he has me on antibiotics and sent me off for a chest
x-ray as my lungs are not 100%. Back I'll go on Monday afternoon to get the results. I feel like I did when I came home from the hospital initially....not good.
My Dad is in hospital, he had prostate surgery and stones removed from his bladder, he was meant to be home again today after 2 nights in hospital, but is being kept in until at least Saturday because of infection. He is not happy lying in bed.
Spoke to the boys' principal today so she is now aware of what is going on and will keep an eye on things.
Too sick to read, stitch or do anything much except lie around :( Poor me.
x-ray as my lungs are not 100%. Back I'll go on Monday afternoon to get the results. I feel like I did when I came home from the hospital initially....not good.
My Dad is in hospital, he had prostate surgery and stones removed from his bladder, he was meant to be home again today after 2 nights in hospital, but is being kept in until at least Saturday because of infection. He is not happy lying in bed.
Spoke to the boys' principal today so she is now aware of what is going on and will keep an eye on things.
Too sick to read, stitch or do anything much except lie around :( Poor me.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Wednesday...what a day ahead
Well, just when we thought life was getting calm (right!!) what a day I have ahead.
John will be off to the hospital for about 4 hours today for blood work, same old same old, no dramas there. But I will be dropping the boys at school and then making phone calls.
Seems the friends of the little criminal that broke Simon's thumb have decided to target Simon, calling him names and threatening to get him if he gets any compensation, throwing sticks and stones at him and his friends. Simon went to the principal, but has no confidence that anything will be done as the principal deals with this group of thugs as a 'friend'. So today I will ring the principal in charge of the whole school and see what is going to be done. If I can't get a good answer I'll ring the education department and speak to her bosses.
I will be so glad when the boys are finished with high school!!!
Apart from that the battle with the head cold continues, I really don't like head colds, but guess I was a bit run down post surgery and our weather is up and down, so to get sick wasn't a surprise.
I do need a few things from the supermarket, but I might just send the boys after school.
John will be off to the hospital for about 4 hours today for blood work, same old same old, no dramas there. But I will be dropping the boys at school and then making phone calls.
Seems the friends of the little criminal that broke Simon's thumb have decided to target Simon, calling him names and threatening to get him if he gets any compensation, throwing sticks and stones at him and his friends. Simon went to the principal, but has no confidence that anything will be done as the principal deals with this group of thugs as a 'friend'. So today I will ring the principal in charge of the whole school and see what is going to be done. If I can't get a good answer I'll ring the education department and speak to her bosses.
I will be so glad when the boys are finished with high school!!!
Apart from that the battle with the head cold continues, I really don't like head colds, but guess I was a bit run down post surgery and our weather is up and down, so to get sick wasn't a surprise.
I do need a few things from the supermarket, but I might just send the boys after school.
Monday, October 23, 2006
23 years of marriage
We celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary yesterday, not much celebrating LOL as we are both still pretty tired most of the time.
I did give John a nice card and we had a lovely breakfast together, but the day was pretty quiet and boring :)
But today John surprised me when he came home from the hospital after seeing his specialist, he brought me a big bunch of pretty flowers and a single red rose. Poor dear it was the first chance he had to get out alone.
So a nice surprise for me and a lovely way to start the week.
We are both battling head colds at the moment, which is oh so romantic....NOT!!
Another early night tonight no doubt.
John has tomorrow free, then back to his specialist and 2 more blood tests on Wednesday. His arms are still a mess of purple bruises he has had so many needles.
Today he took in chocolates and gorgeous thank you cards (Thanks Kathy) for the renal liaison nurse, the renal team, the ladies in the pathology lab that take his blood tests and the staff on the renal ward who looked after him.
All the blood test results for both of us are good, I'm just happy not to have to see any doctors for a while LOL.
I did give John a nice card and we had a lovely breakfast together, but the day was pretty quiet and boring :)
But today John surprised me when he came home from the hospital after seeing his specialist, he brought me a big bunch of pretty flowers and a single red rose. Poor dear it was the first chance he had to get out alone.
So a nice surprise for me and a lovely way to start the week.
We are both battling head colds at the moment, which is oh so romantic....NOT!!
Another early night tonight no doubt.
John has tomorrow free, then back to his specialist and 2 more blood tests on Wednesday. His arms are still a mess of purple bruises he has had so many needles.
Today he took in chocolates and gorgeous thank you cards (Thanks Kathy) for the renal liaison nurse, the renal team, the ladies in the pathology lab that take his blood tests and the staff on the renal ward who looked after him.
All the blood test results for both of us are good, I'm just happy not to have to see any doctors for a while LOL.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
More Stitchy Finishes
A couple of things I finished. The Lizzie Kate Spring is a quick stitch. Tigger took a bit longer but was a surprise for John's birthday :)
Monday, October 16, 2006
Monday - What a Day
We survived Monday. John headed off to the hospital at 6.45am. I woke Simon and Shane and we were off to the school by 8am - an early start as Shane had an excursion on the first day of term. The bus was leaving at 8.30am and we didn't want to miss it. As it turned out we got to the school early, so sat in the car listening to Weird Al songs until it was time for the bus to go.
Next stop petrol station to fill up my Kia. Petrol is cheapest on Mondays.
Then I figured I would head to the shops, I bought a George Foreman Grill and Steamer combo pack for $118. Not a bad price for the 2 and after tonight's dinner I am very impressed!! A good buy.
Off to the post office and pharmacy next, then a few groceries and home again.
Time for a rest and a cup of tea, then ironing - yuck! But the good fairies don't do it unfortunately.
2.30pm I was off again, back to another grocery shop near the boys school to get a few things I forgot before the boys came out of school.
Home by 3.30pm waiting to hear from John. MIL rang at 4pm to find out if there was any news. John rang at 4.40 to let me know he had to wait to see the doctor to get the biopsy results and would be home by about 6pm.
He got home just before 6 with all good news - it seems the rejection is stopping, his creatinine is 113 (was 611 pre transplant) and normal is 120 or less. Plus - they don't need to see him till Wednesday.
Had grilled steak and steamed vegetables for dinner. YUM!!
Now to relax and breathe.
Next stop petrol station to fill up my Kia. Petrol is cheapest on Mondays.
Then I figured I would head to the shops, I bought a George Foreman Grill and Steamer combo pack for $118. Not a bad price for the 2 and after tonight's dinner I am very impressed!! A good buy.
Off to the post office and pharmacy next, then a few groceries and home again.
Time for a rest and a cup of tea, then ironing - yuck! But the good fairies don't do it unfortunately.
2.30pm I was off again, back to another grocery shop near the boys school to get a few things I forgot before the boys came out of school.
Home by 3.30pm waiting to hear from John. MIL rang at 4pm to find out if there was any news. John rang at 4.40 to let me know he had to wait to see the doctor to get the biopsy results and would be home by about 6pm.
He got home just before 6 with all good news - it seems the rejection is stopping, his creatinine is 113 (was 611 pre transplant) and normal is 120 or less. Plus - they don't need to see him till Wednesday.
Had grilled steak and steamed vegetables for dinner. YUM!!
Now to relax and breathe.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Back on track
Well, here we are 2 weeks and 4 days post surgery and I have been so slack with my blog, but back on track now. Trying hard to get back to 'normal' but not overdo things. I even had a nap this afternoon, went and lay down and listened to some Dixie Chicks music and had a snooze. The only trouble is I always feel worse after sleeping during the day.
We're having early nights and early mornings. But we got a day off today, John didn't have to go to the transplant clinic today, his first day off. I think his doctor was being nice to him today as tomorrow he'll be in hospital all day as he has to have a biopsy on the kidney to check for any ongoing rejection.
Physically draining for sure, but the emotional roller coaster continues.
I'll be shopping at some stage this week and picking up boxes of chocolates - one for the renal team, one for the nurses on the renal ward and one for the ladies who have been taking John's blood daily, sometimes 3 or 4 times in one day. I'll be making good use of the gorgeous Thank You cards my friend Kathy made for me. Hospital staff as mentioned, the friend who took time out on her only day off work to pick me up and take me to the hospital, our mechanic who not only collected our car and delivered it home but also did a full service for free.
Tomorrow, back to the same old routine for me - up early with John so I can see him off to hospital, then drive the boys to school, must fill the car with petrol and go to the chemist to get John's prescription filled. Will take time out for a rest in the afternoon and watch Dr Phil, then pick the boys up again and head to the hospital to collect John. At least keeping busy will keep my mind off of the biopsy.
We're having early nights and early mornings. But we got a day off today, John didn't have to go to the transplant clinic today, his first day off. I think his doctor was being nice to him today as tomorrow he'll be in hospital all day as he has to have a biopsy on the kidney to check for any ongoing rejection.
Physically draining for sure, but the emotional roller coaster continues.
I'll be shopping at some stage this week and picking up boxes of chocolates - one for the renal team, one for the nurses on the renal ward and one for the ladies who have been taking John's blood daily, sometimes 3 or 4 times in one day. I'll be making good use of the gorgeous Thank You cards my friend Kathy made for me. Hospital staff as mentioned, the friend who took time out on her only day off work to pick me up and take me to the hospital, our mechanic who not only collected our car and delivered it home but also did a full service for free.
Tomorrow, back to the same old routine for me - up early with John so I can see him off to hospital, then drive the boys to school, must fill the car with petrol and go to the chemist to get John's prescription filled. Will take time out for a rest in the afternoon and watch Dr Phil, then pick the boys up again and head to the hospital to collect John. At least keeping busy will keep my mind off of the biopsy.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
One week post transplant
Here we are 1 week since the surgery. Hopefully I am bringing John home today.
We were so elated when the transplanted kidney worked so well and got his creatinine levels down to normal for the first time in years by the Sunday morning post transplant. Now just stressed as the biopsy on Tuesday showed the kidney has had a 15 to 20% rejection and his creatinine level has risen again, only 12 points above normal, but not what we wanted to hear. Hopefully the rejection can be controlled with drugs, we really need this kidney to hang in there for as long as possible.
A friend is coming to pick me up this morning and drive me to the hospital. I'll have my blood test and then sit with John until he is discharged, fingers crossed there are no more set backs and he does come home today.
I'm really feeling like I've been hit by a truck and since we will be back and forth to the hospital daily for at least the next 2 weeks, I can't see the feeling passing for a while.
The boys have been great, helping out and behaving. You wouldn't know there are 4 teenaged boys in the house at all. Maybe this will continue when I am back on my feet LOL.
We were so elated when the transplanted kidney worked so well and got his creatinine levels down to normal for the first time in years by the Sunday morning post transplant. Now just stressed as the biopsy on Tuesday showed the kidney has had a 15 to 20% rejection and his creatinine level has risen again, only 12 points above normal, but not what we wanted to hear. Hopefully the rejection can be controlled with drugs, we really need this kidney to hang in there for as long as possible.
A friend is coming to pick me up this morning and drive me to the hospital. I'll have my blood test and then sit with John until he is discharged, fingers crossed there are no more set backs and he does come home today.
I'm really feeling like I've been hit by a truck and since we will be back and forth to the hospital daily for at least the next 2 weeks, I can't see the feeling passing for a while.
The boys have been great, helping out and behaving. You wouldn't know there are 4 teenaged boys in the house at all. Maybe this will continue when I am back on my feet LOL.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Kidney transplant, hospitals, home!!!
I am home Sunday morning already. Surgery was Wednesday but I'll start from the beginning when we got to hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
John was admitted first and we went to his lovely, private room with ensuite and met some of the staff. Had a 3 hour wait till I was admitted, and boy the time dragged. But at 4pm John and I went back to admissions and I was admitted. Off we went to see where I would spend the night - not such nice accomodation for the donor. I was in the old part of the hospital in a short term ward, 8 beds all full of people recovering from surgery, with only walking space between the beds. My bed was at least by the window, a better view than the naked butt of the woman in the bed next to me LOL. The nurses took my blood pressure and temperature and then told me to go and spend time in John's room until dinner at 5.30pm. So, I returned for my final meal before fasting, but wish I hadn't bothered. Instant potato that had so much butter mixed in it was yellow, runny white sauce with bits of chicken and carrot floating in it and a big cup full of mixed frozen veg. YUCK!!
After making an effort to make it look like I had eaten something I went back to sit with John until sleep time. Got back to John's room in time to hold his hand while the central line was being put into his neck. We had a quiet evening and chatted with various renal staff members until I said goodnight and went back to my ward at 9pm. Naked butt lady was getting dressed to go home YAY.
I slept pretty soundly from 10pm till midnight when the nurses woke me to see if I wanted another drink before fasting. I didn't and then I couldn't get back to sleep, so lay watching lights out of the window until 6am. Then one of the nurses asked if I wanted to see my husband before they got me ready. Short answer - "Yes". So off I trotted and spent 20 minutes with John before I had to head back for my pre-surgery shower.
I was cool, calm and collected until the nurse came to see me just before 8am and said they are coming for you in a minute. Sheer panic washed over me, this really was happening and really was scary. I lay there trying to breathe slowly when John, Linda our renal liaison nurse who has been walking us through everything, and a hospital orderly all arrived. I was still slightly panic sticken, but suddenly remembered I hadn't been given the surgical stockings to wear. So getting them and getting them on gave me something else to focus on. Then we were off, John was able to walk alongside the bed as I was wheeled through corridors and on and off elevators to the holdong bay. I was most impressed that he managed to push his drip and looked like a real patient.
We had a little while in the holding bay to hold hands and then it was time. I held it together a bit better than John, but it was definitely scary. Off into a rabbit warren of corridors, then into a little room with the "gas" team. Injections, calf massagers applied (to stop blood clots) and more chatting. By this time I was just hoping to breathe. A lovely member of the team held my hand and talkd quietly to me which was so calming, and then into theatre. The main gas man asked if I knew Monty Python and said he was hooking me up to the machines that say beep. My hand holder assured me I was ok and they would look after me....and then I woke up in recovery, to a nurse saying "we let your husband know that you are ok." Surgery took just under 4 hours.
From recovery where I was given one dose of morphine for pain I was taken to High Dependency, and my nightmare began. The surgical intern who saw me at pre-admission and wrote the order for post operative medications didn't stipulate a frequency for the pain relief, so the nursing staff couldn't give me any!!! In a short space of time I was in agony, couldn't breathe deeply and was at screaming point. The only doctor in the HD unit was doing a sterile procedure so couldn't sign anything and the nurse didn't know what to do. Luckily after a few hours Linda the renal liaison nurse came to see how I was doing. She hit the ground running, took the medication sheet and hunted down the renal doctors on another floor to get me medication.
I was not a happy patient. When John's renal specialist popped in later to see how I was I said "It seemed like a good idea at the time." He assured me I would feel ok soon.
One night in HD Unit, drain and catheer removed on the Thursday morning, up in the shower and then off again to another room. This time only one floor away from John and only sharing with one other patient.
Although I had been told the kidney was working I hadn't seen or spoken to John. Thursday afternoon Linda arrived with a wheelchair to take me to visit John. At that exact moment my oldest sister arrived, and though it was nice to see her I was disappointed as I asked no one to visit so that I could spend any time I had with John. But my sister came too, we both had to put on gloves and plastic aprons, then went and sat with John. My sister was good and just stayed a few minutes, so John and I got to spend some time together, alone except for the nurse who couldn't leave the room. For the first 48 hours John was nursed in isolation with constant one on one nursing. The room was hot and crowded with stuff and John was not looking great. I managed about an hour and then the pain was getting too much so I was wheeled back to my bed.
I was able to speak to John on the phone Thursday evening and spent 2 hours with him after I was discharged at 10am Friday. That was a scary time though as he had a heart episode and a whole team of doctors descended on the room with ECG monitoring and x-ray machines. I was moved out to the corridor while all was chaos. Eventually they worked out he was having an anxiety attack, everything calmed down and I went back in. My in laws arrived and spent a few minutes with us before taking me home.
I rested here all day Saturday, but am going back to visit John this morning. The kidney is still working and I spoke to John twice yesterday and he sounds a bit brighter. He has talked to the boys, but they can't visit yet as they have coughs.
I have 4 war wounds, one about 4", one about 3" and 2 little ones. All looks ok. Sitting, standing, moving all hurts but is improving. My lips, tongue and floor of my mouth are ulcerated but getting better and I have plenty of bruises, but it is all good. The boys and my in laws have been fantastic, I am just resting.
At least today I can hold John's hand without wearing rubber gloves!!!
I'll post another update after I've seen John.
John was admitted first and we went to his lovely, private room with ensuite and met some of the staff. Had a 3 hour wait till I was admitted, and boy the time dragged. But at 4pm John and I went back to admissions and I was admitted. Off we went to see where I would spend the night - not such nice accomodation for the donor. I was in the old part of the hospital in a short term ward, 8 beds all full of people recovering from surgery, with only walking space between the beds. My bed was at least by the window, a better view than the naked butt of the woman in the bed next to me LOL. The nurses took my blood pressure and temperature and then told me to go and spend time in John's room until dinner at 5.30pm. So, I returned for my final meal before fasting, but wish I hadn't bothered. Instant potato that had so much butter mixed in it was yellow, runny white sauce with bits of chicken and carrot floating in it and a big cup full of mixed frozen veg. YUCK!!
After making an effort to make it look like I had eaten something I went back to sit with John until sleep time. Got back to John's room in time to hold his hand while the central line was being put into his neck. We had a quiet evening and chatted with various renal staff members until I said goodnight and went back to my ward at 9pm. Naked butt lady was getting dressed to go home YAY.
I slept pretty soundly from 10pm till midnight when the nurses woke me to see if I wanted another drink before fasting. I didn't and then I couldn't get back to sleep, so lay watching lights out of the window until 6am. Then one of the nurses asked if I wanted to see my husband before they got me ready. Short answer - "Yes". So off I trotted and spent 20 minutes with John before I had to head back for my pre-surgery shower.
I was cool, calm and collected until the nurse came to see me just before 8am and said they are coming for you in a minute. Sheer panic washed over me, this really was happening and really was scary. I lay there trying to breathe slowly when John, Linda our renal liaison nurse who has been walking us through everything, and a hospital orderly all arrived. I was still slightly panic sticken, but suddenly remembered I hadn't been given the surgical stockings to wear. So getting them and getting them on gave me something else to focus on. Then we were off, John was able to walk alongside the bed as I was wheeled through corridors and on and off elevators to the holdong bay. I was most impressed that he managed to push his drip and looked like a real patient.
We had a little while in the holding bay to hold hands and then it was time. I held it together a bit better than John, but it was definitely scary. Off into a rabbit warren of corridors, then into a little room with the "gas" team. Injections, calf massagers applied (to stop blood clots) and more chatting. By this time I was just hoping to breathe. A lovely member of the team held my hand and talkd quietly to me which was so calming, and then into theatre. The main gas man asked if I knew Monty Python and said he was hooking me up to the machines that say beep. My hand holder assured me I was ok and they would look after me....and then I woke up in recovery, to a nurse saying "we let your husband know that you are ok." Surgery took just under 4 hours.
From recovery where I was given one dose of morphine for pain I was taken to High Dependency, and my nightmare began. The surgical intern who saw me at pre-admission and wrote the order for post operative medications didn't stipulate a frequency for the pain relief, so the nursing staff couldn't give me any!!! In a short space of time I was in agony, couldn't breathe deeply and was at screaming point. The only doctor in the HD unit was doing a sterile procedure so couldn't sign anything and the nurse didn't know what to do. Luckily after a few hours Linda the renal liaison nurse came to see how I was doing. She hit the ground running, took the medication sheet and hunted down the renal doctors on another floor to get me medication.
I was not a happy patient. When John's renal specialist popped in later to see how I was I said "It seemed like a good idea at the time." He assured me I would feel ok soon.
One night in HD Unit, drain and catheer removed on the Thursday morning, up in the shower and then off again to another room. This time only one floor away from John and only sharing with one other patient.
Although I had been told the kidney was working I hadn't seen or spoken to John. Thursday afternoon Linda arrived with a wheelchair to take me to visit John. At that exact moment my oldest sister arrived, and though it was nice to see her I was disappointed as I asked no one to visit so that I could spend any time I had with John. But my sister came too, we both had to put on gloves and plastic aprons, then went and sat with John. My sister was good and just stayed a few minutes, so John and I got to spend some time together, alone except for the nurse who couldn't leave the room. For the first 48 hours John was nursed in isolation with constant one on one nursing. The room was hot and crowded with stuff and John was not looking great. I managed about an hour and then the pain was getting too much so I was wheeled back to my bed.
I was able to speak to John on the phone Thursday evening and spent 2 hours with him after I was discharged at 10am Friday. That was a scary time though as he had a heart episode and a whole team of doctors descended on the room with ECG monitoring and x-ray machines. I was moved out to the corridor while all was chaos. Eventually they worked out he was having an anxiety attack, everything calmed down and I went back in. My in laws arrived and spent a few minutes with us before taking me home.
I rested here all day Saturday, but am going back to visit John this morning. The kidney is still working and I spoke to John twice yesterday and he sounds a bit brighter. He has talked to the boys, but they can't visit yet as they have coughs.
I have 4 war wounds, one about 4", one about 3" and 2 little ones. All looks ok. Sitting, standing, moving all hurts but is improving. My lips, tongue and floor of my mouth are ulcerated but getting better and I have plenty of bruises, but it is all good. The boys and my in laws have been fantastic, I am just resting.
At least today I can hold John's hand without wearing rubber gloves!!!
I'll post another update after I've seen John.
