Carol was violently sick several times on Sunday afternoon. It got to the stage, by around 11.30 that evening for me to ring 999. There was very little I could do to help and it was at this point that I decided she needed professional support. I was really surprised by how fast the ambulance arrived, but perhaps not when you consider that we live so close to Milton Keynes Hospital. She went off in the ambulance and I followed in our car. To cut a long story short it was around 4 a.m. that she was finally admitted to Ward 20 and as she was handed over to the nursing staff I returned home but only had around 4 hours sleep before I returned to the hospital. It's somewhat annoying to think you have to pay to park, but there it is. It's around a pound an hour and at £4.50-£5 a time it soon adds up. A disgrace when you think you don't choose to be in a hospital, for whatever reason. Perhaps it's to deter people who park in them for non-hospital reasons, for example, to go shopping.
As I write this blog post, Carol is in theatre. The surgeons are working to remove the bowel obstruction which has been causing her so much pain for the past three months or more. Yesterday evening the surgery team came to her room in Ward 20 to say that they had discussed how they were going to treat Carol. This is an emergency operation but they are yet to find a way to treat the cancer. It's a bit worrying, but I'm sure this will be dealt with in good time. We have been waiting for at least four weeks to get some sort of response in regards to Carol's treatment, and had hoped we would hear by at least last Wednesday or Thursday.
The operation was set for this morning at around 9.30. Carol was prepped by the team and a surgeon came to discuss the procedure. They had got the consent form signed by Carol yesterday afternoon. Carol had quite a few visitors as the afternoon progressed. I went home to have a rest as well as go to Sainsbury's for some food for lunch and then returned to hospital later, this time not driving but walking. Well, as the hospital is so close and it's only a 20-minute walk not only is it good exercise but it saves on having to fork out money for the privilege of parking on a bit of tarmac. We've been going to another church recently, Shenley Christian Fellowship. We actually used to go to this particular church when we lived in Crownhill. It was when they used to meet at Shenley brook End School and then they managed to build a new church on a piece of land not far from the school. We went for a couple of weeks together and then Carol was so uncomfortable when she sat for any length of time that we didn't go again until the cancer diagnosis was given and then I decided to go on my own. I've got to know what a few people there who've been really supportive, including Ross Dilnot who is the pastor. He's been to see us and prayed and he was with Carol when I arrived back at the ward later in the afternoon. After he left I got a call from Bed Searle from M.K.C.C. and she turned up about an hour later and then Lois and her daughter so we had a prayer session and then Pauline, Carol's friend from Milton Keynes Academy who left to get a teaching job who is coming back to work there in the New Year. Apparently Carol discovered via Lois, but Pauline, being the person she is, had to tease poor Carol, who is excited to have her back working with her in the science department. It's a really positive thing and will encourage Carol to get fit enough to be able to return to work. Pauline stayed with us, chatting to well past the time they allow visitors at the hospital and she said that I could be given a lift home because her husband, Paul, came in their car to pick Pauline up and it saved me having to walk home.
On Tuesday I got to the hospital very early because Carol had rung me as she was scared about the operation that was to take place later in the morning. During the morning Carol was being prepared for the operation. It had originally been set to be at 9.30 but it was at about 10.15 that she was eventually taken to theatre. I went with her and I left her just as she was wheeled into theatre. I went home and intend telephoning the ward to find out whether she had returned after the operation. It wasn't until 2.15 that I got the news that she had been taken to the recovery room and that some while later she would be bought back to the ward.
As I write this blog post, Carol is in theatre. The surgeons are working to remove the bowel obstruction which has been causing her so much pain for the past three months or more. Yesterday evening the surgery team came to her room in Ward 20 to say that they had discussed how they were going to treat Carol. This is an emergency operation but they are yet to find a way to treat the cancer. It's a bit worrying, but I'm sure this will be dealt with in good time. We have been waiting for at least four weeks to get some sort of response in regards to Carol's treatment, and had hoped we would hear by at least last Wednesday or Thursday.
The operation was set for this morning at around 9.30. Carol was prepped by the team and a surgeon came to discuss the procedure. They had got the consent form signed by Carol yesterday afternoon. Carol had quite a few visitors as the afternoon progressed. I went home to have a rest as well as go to Sainsbury's for some food for lunch and then returned to hospital later, this time not driving but walking. Well, as the hospital is so close and it's only a 20-minute walk not only is it good exercise but it saves on having to fork out money for the privilege of parking on a bit of tarmac. We've been going to another church recently, Shenley Christian Fellowship. We actually used to go to this particular church when we lived in Crownhill. It was when they used to meet at Shenley brook End School and then they managed to build a new church on a piece of land not far from the school. We went for a couple of weeks together and then Carol was so uncomfortable when she sat for any length of time that we didn't go again until the cancer diagnosis was given and then I decided to go on my own. I've got to know what a few people there who've been really supportive, including Ross Dilnot who is the pastor. He's been to see us and prayed and he was with Carol when I arrived back at the ward later in the afternoon. After he left I got a call from Bed Searle from M.K.C.C. and she turned up about an hour later and then Lois and her daughter so we had a prayer session and then Pauline, Carol's friend from Milton Keynes Academy who left to get a teaching job who is coming back to work there in the New Year. Apparently Carol discovered via Lois, but Pauline, being the person she is, had to tease poor Carol, who is excited to have her back working with her in the science department. It's a really positive thing and will encourage Carol to get fit enough to be able to return to work. Pauline stayed with us, chatting to well past the time they allow visitors at the hospital and she said that I could be given a lift home because her husband, Paul, came in their car to pick Pauline up and it saved me having to walk home.
On Tuesday I got to the hospital very early because Carol had rung me as she was scared about the operation that was to take place later in the morning. During the morning Carol was being prepared for the operation. It had originally been set to be at 9.30 but it was at about 10.15 that she was eventually taken to theatre. I went with her and I left her just as she was wheeled into theatre. I went home and intend telephoning the ward to find out whether she had returned after the operation. It wasn't until 2.15 that I got the news that she had been taken to the recovery room and that some while later she would be bought back to the ward.
Carol was bought back to the ward but she's not in the side room when she first arrived on the ward. She's now in the main ward, which is probably better, as she can at least have some sort of company as most of the other patients are communicative and so she can have a conversation. Unfortunately, though the patients either side of her are noisy. On one side is a girl who I assume has a learning disability and makes odd noises, as well as having a radio on constantly. But I think, in general, Carol prefers to be able to see what is going on around her. Who can blame her? When she was in the side room she had to contend with a next-door neighbour who was always shouting and being offensive and quite abusive to the nursing staff. I don't think they have to put up with this sort of treatment as they do a very good job.
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