Update Saturday 27th
– Part Two
I know I promised another update yesterday, but to be honest,
not much happened!
I was hoisted back into bed at around 2.30, and dozed and
watched various things on I player (mostly Father Brown) . Robert arrived after
spending a long time exploring the hospital to try to find me, but he got here
in the end! It was lovely to see him, and we had a good catch up.
Then Julio arrived, and a little while afterwards, Sian (I
will find out how to put the accent in at some point – sorry, Sian). New hair
colour looks really good.
They all had to stand away outside the curtains as I was
hoisted into the chair for supper. Just after everyone left – Robert to go
home, and Sian and Julio down to Pret for something to eat.
Supper was Apple juice, pork grill steak, mash and baked
beans. It was the first disappointing meal I’ve had since being in – the baked
beans and mash were nice, but the grill steak was a bit odd. Coffee.
Hoisted back into bed at 7, so didn’t have a chance to get
out of the ward, but I wasn’t too bothered as a) the entrance and coffee shop
area is quite cold and b) I am still feeling very underdressed to be out in
public, even though other people are in the same state.
After Sian and then Julio left, I watched more tv.
More sugar, blood pressure etc. testing. Had 6 units of
insulin, which is good as I have been having up to 12.
Settled into my sleeping position (on side, with pillow
behind me to stop me flopping back, pillow at my front to stop me getting
squashed against the bed rails and a pillow between my knees.
Sugar test, then Listened to the radio for a bit, then
sleep.
Not a bad night’s sleep and only woken up once for the
sugars.
Sunday 28th
Woken up (as opposed to being half asleep and aware of
what’s going on around me) at 6 to have bloods – 9.8 – brilliant result! Dozed
until breakfast, listening to radio.
I invented a new thing for breakfast – coffee bran! I had
asked for bran flakes (the packet is still on my bedside table) and coffee. The
coffee was incredibly (i.e. impossibly) strong, so I ate the bran and
transferred the milk left in the bowl to my coffee cup. However, there was some
bran left in the bowl, so that got into the cup. Interesting!!!
After breakfast I listened to the radio some more whilst
waiting for the Tony Blackburn interview at 9. Just before the programme
started, there was the Radio 4 appeal. It was interesting that they still
referred to posting cheques – does this reflect the demographic of the donors?
My day nurse is a tiny young lady who is excellent at
explaining everything – what meds she’s giving me and why, and that I am having
4 of one tablet rather than just 2 as that is the size of dose they have and
that they totalled the 16g that I needed. Also why she keeps looking at my
catheter bag (to check the volume, colour and clarity of the wee). All is very
good.
Not a very good Carillion (they have the catering and
cleaning contracts) person delivering the hot drinks – just put it down on the
table without checking that I could reach it. As I was still in my
semi-sleeping position and a bit slumped, it was a bit of an effort to get it,
but managed.
After the Tony Blackburn interview tried to watch to, but no
picture, so I ignored the picture and just listened to the rest of the Andrew
Marr show, the Big Question and then some of Sunday Politics (which was interrupted
by everything else happening). Just goes to show that you don’ t actually need
to be watching the pictures – something I have known for a while.
The other members of the bay are more or less mobile - lady
opposite now able to be chaired (technical term!) or use a walking frame; lady
diagonally opposite is chaired, lady next to me either uses frame or is
chaired. Some need a nursing attendant with them; some shower, some just go to
the loo and wash. As each takes different time in bathroom, there was a queue
so nursing staff had to keep checking. As. I have bed bath, I said I was happy
to wait until they were ready.
Duty doctors arrived and as I hadn’t seen one of them
before, we had a chat. Everything going well – more movement in feet, and the
steroids are now in tablet form, rather than Iv. Still monitoring the blood
sugars a lot, but the 3 tests so far (waking, pre breakfast, after breakfast)
have all been under 20. The Dr and diabetic team are all being kept informed of
my levels.
Had my bed bath at around 11 given by the little nurse and
Wendy, the deputy sister (sisters have dark blue uniforms). Put me in the chair
ready for when lunch comes. I have lost the small pen I have been using (I
think I might have dropped off the table when it was being moved so it’ll be
turning up.
Pre-lunch sugars 12 (!) and ketones down to 0.1, sugar
normal range 5-7ish in non-diabetic people, around 7-10 for me. I think ketones
are supposed to be 0; mine have been around 0.2 and went up to 0.3 when there
was some tutting, so really good results.
Lunch arrived – potato and leek soup, turkey salad, roll and
butter. Can’t eat 3 courses, and the apple was of a type I wouldn’t usually
choose (red and soft and a bit bland). Nice cup of tea.
Watching tv and I have added something to my bucket list. I
was watching the Travel Show on the BBC News channel (rubbish on all other
channels) and they were doing an item on Lake Constance in southern Germany (when
I was a child we once there on a long day trip when we were staying in
Ludwigsburg). They visited where the Hindenburg was built and there is a
museum. They also have trips in a small Zeppelin (with an inert gas) that is
piloted by a woman pilot who says that it is flying by feel rather than wire.
It looks wonderful.
I had to press the call button as when changing position in
the chair I pulled the arm off and couldn’t see how to put it back!
Love me
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