First Weekend of Freedom

After 4 1/2 months in hospital what do you do the first weekend out, do you:

A) Stay in bed?

B) Watch telly

OR

C) Go to the middle of the Pennines where it is allways cold and windy, help run a clay pigeon shoot and do a bit of off roading to warm up without any of my carers.




"Lead as Normal Life as you can"




Obviously Option C



Returned with a tempreture and sun burn despite being June 2007 on top of the hills probably due to the wind.

I had to return to the hospital where we let out to the co-ordinator about the off-roading who passed this on to the consultant who in turn informed the Head Surgeon and manager.



Bollocking No.1!

2 weeks later

I finally got out of bed (lazy s*d) with the help of 3 people, I walked 3 steps still aided turned and fell into an arm chair. First time out of bed in 3 weeks an hour later I was back in it with the help of the same people, all I can say about this is that it was a good job I lost 34KG (75 lbs) in the previous 10 weeks because I do not think a 4th person could of got round to help. It is amazing what Furosemide (F's for short) can do.

2 Months later

Monday 4 June 2007 during the customary 8.00am doctors review a comment was made in passing that a discharge strategy would be contemplated to allow my return home with my little blue bag and big blue case of spare parts. At 2.00pm I was watching Morse on the tele' when the physio arrived over a hour early I was not over impressed because there was nothing on TV at the pre-arranged 3.30pm. However she was her to show me the exercises I should be doing at home Oh and incidentally you are going this afternoon! (Who said the NHS can not do things quickly). The main restriction was not to pick up anything over 1KG and I should limit my body building weights to a tin of baked beans, as my little blue bag weighed 3.5KG we agreed that this would be the maximum instead.



On my way out the senior surgen told me to



'Lead as normal a life as you can'



At 3.30pm I was out !!!!!!!!

Healthy to Less than a week to live in 5 months

On the 11 April 2007 the consultant gave me less than a week to live, well I am still here! On 14 April 2007 I had a Ventrassist Lvas pump fitted (mechanical heart pump for the likes of me and you) having been in 3 hospitals for 2 months. I have encountered some of the worst and best the NHs has to offer Thankfully saving the best to last which is why I am able to write this blog. I hope to show people with such a device fitted that there is life after implantation.
Each entry probably will not be in date order as I will start at 8.00am on 14 April 2007 my 3rd hospital I was descended upon by a group of doctors who asked if I knew why I was here. The answer being, to be assessed to see IF anything could be done? Well the three options given were

1. Heart Transplant
2. Install mechanical pump (Ventrassist)
3. Death

My Reply: I do not fancy Option 3 much so go for either of the first 2. At 1.00pm they started the operation. and that is the start of my recovery.