Wednesday 31 January 2007

Staples anyone?

Adams had belly ache and some sickness for the past day or so, it may be just a bug or perhaps the toxicity of his drugs building up, either way it means that he often throws up his drugs so doesn’t get the benefit of them.

We are going to UCH tomorrow to have the staples out of his stump, he’s very nervous about this. He thought there may be a few staples and I reckon there are 20-30!

He has been a bit down tonight and is simply fed up and wants his life back, cant say I blame him cos I know how he feels, but there is some progress and we hope to get the vac pump at last tomorrow or the day after, once received we can get it connected again and hopefully see the best improvement in his heels healing !


Will update after the hospital visit tomorrow.


Love to all


Colin

Tuesday 30 January 2007

Motor cars make all the difference

Monday 29 January



Adam had a good weekend, on Saturday we went to order his new car, he had test driven 2 versions of the Ford Focus, one with the 1.6 engine and one with the 2.0 engine. Not surprisingly, as he needs an auto the 2.0litre engine was much better so he plumped for this one.

He arrived at the dealership in his wheelchair and apologised to the salesman for being late as he had 'gotten legless' the previous night!

Afterwards we went into Croydon for some retail therapy, the first time we’ve been ‘out’ proper in public since the amputation and he enjoyed spending some cash, we saw some a few people and friends that we knew and he was fine with the leg thing.

Found out yesterday though that the mobility scheme that provides the car won’t insure someone under 25 in a 2.0 litre car so he has now had to downsize to the 1.6! Ying and Yang this boy or what?


We went to Mac and Lets on a spontaneous visit last night, I want to get him out as much as possible as I fear he stagnates in the house and we had a great time, he said as we got into the car afterwards, ‘thanks dad, I enjoyed being out’

I’ve now got a place in the Dumball rally http://www.dumballrally.org.uk/ which takes place later this year. I now need to find a car capable of taking 4 people safely to Istanbul and that costs less than £400.00. anyone with any bright ideas do please shout.

And, I learned recently that the Paris and London marathons in April are a week apart not two weeks!!!! (Thanks Asghar!!!!) So may need the services of a good leg masseuse in the week between or preferably a look-alike who can run fast!

As i've had to take a paid charity place in the London Marathon with the seafarers I'll no doubt be banging the sponsorship drum again soon! SORRY

Thursday 25 January 2007

Update 25 January 2007

Well, the first night at home came and went fairly uneventfully, we have set up a small camp in the dining room so Adam can sleep there until he is able to weight bear on his right leg and can then use his own room again, he hates being so dependant on us and I do keep pointing out to him that it is a temporary situation and things will change but at the moment he sometimes finds it hard to have the up attitude, for the most part though he is happy to be home, he’s getting bored already and I’ve said that I want to make sure he gets out of the house at least once a day to make sure he remembers that there is a world out there.

I thought I might try and find some work that he could easily do from his laptop from home to earn him some pocket money, we have a webcam and the appropriate software so if anyone knows any gorgeous models I guess a new porn site would be easy!

(Other, more appropriate suggestions would also be welcome)

Love to all

Colin

Tuesday 23 January 2007

MR HORN IS IN THE BULDING .....

Adam had his review this morning with the Vascular team and this afternoon he had the vac pump dressing changed on his right heel and front of foot, the docs are pleased with the improvements made with the vac pump and as he is now off the I/V painkillers, he was allowed home this afternoon!

Strangely the docs said that the vac pump isn’t allowed to leave the hospital so we now have to source one ourselves, Shelly is in contact with someone at St Georges who may be able to help and I have made contact with KCI, the makers to see if we can buy the portable version privately.

It was brilliant to finally get him home, we had Chinese and are now watching shameless, a proper slags nite in!

There are some practical issue we have to resolve with the house and his access to it but for now, we are just enjoying having him home and he is happy to be here.


Love to all

Colin

Monday 22 January 2007

Monday 22 January 2007

A brief update.

Adam is now off the IV morphine, I did a deal with the nurses at the weekend to slowly reduce the dose and this seems to have worked, he didn’t know it but was getting less and less dose. He is now on oral pain killers which mean that he is more likely to be discharged.

The Vascular team didn’t get to see him today so they plan to at 11.00 tomorrow, at which time the will check the progress on the heel of his right foot to see how well the Vac pump is doing.

The guy in the bed next to him has MRSA!

We don’t like it easy! There’s lots of reassurance about how difficult it is to catch etc etc, (if it was that bloody difficult then perhaps the guy in the bed next may not have caught it!) but I’m not reassured, Pauline has been putting pressure on as she’s in today, they offered to move him to another bed on the same ward but that seems to defeat the object as there is no guarantee that the infection wont carry.


Otherwise, Adam is in good mood and looking forward to getting back home.

Love to all

Colin

Sunday 21 January 2007

SUNDAY EVENING

Adam had a good day today, the pain is being controlled and, i presume, will begin to reduce naturally as he heals, the plan for tomorrow is to have the dressing on the foot changed and to see how the vac pump is doing, there is also talk of taking him off the IV morphine which would mean that he could perhaps come home anytime soon.

We have to look at how we manage him at home but i know that somehow we will.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Well, It just goes to show that you should never presume what a 21 year old guy might accept, want or need.

I told Adam about the blog and he didn't want me to do it... He sometimes expresses concern over his private details being punted around the Internet and in the past has moaned that people have called him with a response to an email and he didn't even know what was in the Mail.

So, in deference to my, occasionally stubborn (god knows where he gets it!) child, I shall refrain from posting the emails up on the blog and will change the emphasis to be less about his treatment and perhaps more about how it affects parents and me in particular, not sure that's of interest to anyone but I guess that's the idea of a blog.

AND TONIGHT HE FEELS THAT PERHAPS IT IS A GOOD IDEA AFTER ALL!
GO FIGURE!...

the beginning of the blog

This will be the first entry in the blog so we'll see if it's a good addition to the email updates for everyone, Adam doesn't see the email replies but he will be able to see the blog entries.