My wife is brave, and getting well!!!

[Doug_Dread]

Hey sorry it's late i only just seen but congrats on the new edition in the family, Again sorry it's late and glad to see life is up beat more for you guys.

LOL You're almost in time for the next one...... daughter 2 is 5 weeks preggy.

[SlickHolden]

LOL You're almost in time for the next one...... daughter 2 is 5 weeks preggy.

Well i hope i'm not to late for this one.

[SlickHolden]

LOL You're almost in time for the next one...... daughter 2 is 5 weeks preggy.

Well i hope i'm not to late for this one.

[Doug_Dread]

Gloomy times.

We're busy preparing and packing for our holiday on the beach, but Terry's health is alarmingly uncertain. Her dialysis line is packing up and the last 2 sessions were not very successful, leaving her, we suspect, tanked up with toxins. She's kept little down for the last few days, her breathing is shallow and today she just couldn't stay awake for longer than a minute or two.

I buzzed her doctor who said he'd check her out tomorrow at dialysis and let me know whether it's safe to go away. She may instead have to go back into hospital for a new line to be established.

Maybe another couple of k's in holiday deposits down the tubes, but that's ok, her life's worth infinitely more. She's seriously upset at the thought of possibly cancelling yet again.

I'm pretty worried and I'll probably be pushing beat through the night, just to be sure she keeps breathing.

Her legs are also not improving as expected, the pain is less intense than before the op, but the functionality is worse.

Didn't help my mood that the BIL only made 2 weeks. Memorial service was on Saturday.

[Matra et Alpine]

Doug you are a strong partner for Terry and from your messages we all have come to know the same is true for her.

My thoughts are with both of you and prayers for recovery for your vacation.

Tell Terry we're pitching for her !

Peter

[jugga]

get well soon and enjoy a well deserved holiday x

[Rockefella]

Bad news Doug. I was hoping you'd be done with this bad luck. Best wishes to Terry and her hopefully future improved health.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

As bad as things seem - you've both been through worse.

These problems will pass, and you'll be on your way again

[Doug_Dread]

Dialysis not going smoothly. The machine keeps alarming and stopping. They're changing the machine now in the hope that it's the machine and not her dialysis line that's faulty.

Doc is running a battery of blood tests to find out why she's in bad shape. Hopefully there's a quick-fix.

[Doug_Dread]

Ok, the results are in, her condition has deteriorated and blood toxins are way into the danger zone. Doc's making them give her an extra couple of hours on the machine today and getting them to arrange more sessions while on holiday. So we can still go, although there are now almost as many dialysis days as holiday days. I'll try and make plan down there to extend since another holiday opportunity is looking unlikely.

When we get back, she gets new lines but has to increase dialysis to 3 times a week. Terry's feeling very despondent. Another step nearer to the exit, but I prefer to see it as another step up towards heaven.

Like Robert Mugabe in Zim, no matter what anyone says, we shall never step down without a fight.

[john14]

Doug, my thoughts and prayers are with Terry and yourself. Both of you are fighting to the end. I really respect your fighting spirit and strength. All the best mate.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I hope your strength of will holds up to these trials. You both now know what the problem is and how to fight it, which surely will build some resolve - a face to the menace, if you will.

And above all, you've got each other.

[whiteballz]

You seem to have the will of a thousand men, I really admire what you and terry have, Its hard to fight what you cant see, but you two are fighting the right fight, And I hope it all works out

[Doug_Dread]

Hi there, we're baaaack!

The house was basic but comfortable with a few essential good features; a brilliant sea view, a fridge that kept the drinks icy cold, a comfortable bed and great shower i.e. one that let me easily remove the shower head for a solid stream instead of that drizzly nonsense.... something I got used to in the army where all the shower heads were vandalised.

I made the owner an offer to stay another week, around a third of his rate and he accepted, so the more frequent dialysis didn't stop us having enough time to holiday. Also, the local dialysis unit is a gem, very much focused on the patient's comfort and wellbeing and not at all like the 'sausage factory' up here. We also made a point of doing something fun straight after dialysis to minimise it's impact.

I love it when my car sniffs the sea air and goes like on steroids and the sea air had the same effect on Terry. On day one, I drove her to a point where there was a shallow ramp down on to the beach and she stepped gingerly on to the sand, found the crutches didn't sink in too far and her legs worked ok. She just burst into tears and I had to fight a few back myself. A small length adjustment on the crutches and off she went, the first of many longish beach walks.

That wasn't enough for her though. As her confidence grew she engaged the 4x4 abilities of her crutches and took on some heavy terrain including traversing the rocks! She scared the hell out of me at times and I nearly fell a few times, scrambling to try and get a good footing in case I had to catch her.

There were a few 'rescue' times. One, we went around on the sea side of some rocks when the seventh wave, you know, the one that gave rise to the adage "never turn your back on the sea!", came in. Not being able to run away, I told Terry to assume the position.... no, it wasn't my bad sense of amorous timing, I had briefed her to assume a crutch-legs-crutch triangle if threatened by waves. The water was too strong though and her legs buckled, but I caught her before she fell and floated away.

Another was when she walked several hundred metres along a beach, concentrating hard on getting a good workout and without warning, ran out of steam and was on the point of collapse. This happens sometimes, we don't really know why, possibly a sudden blood pressure drop. There was no way off the beach except back the way we came, so I seated her on a driftwood log and went the several hundred metres back to the car for the wheelchair. The wheelchair worked ok on the beach until she climbed into it and the only way I could make any progress was to drag it backwards on the fairly firm, smooth dry area between the lapping waves and thick churned up sand, both of which were bog-down territory. I was just about ready to drop when I reached the main swimming beach where dozens of strong, healthy young men lay relaxing on their towels or made me divert around their cricket game, stopping only to watch the spectacle. Finally a Lifesaver came and gave me a hand and we got Terry to a beachfront restaurant, where half an hour and a lot of drinks eventually got us back to normal.

We had a tremendous time and I really believe it lived up to the dream Terry clung so tightly to, during those dark days in ICU.

[Matra et Alpine]

Wow, Doug that has definately lifted my spirit !
Great to hear you and Terry had fun on the vacation.
And ... comment to Terry ..... "ran out of steam" ? Yeah, do anything to get a hunky Lifesaver to come to your rescue huh

Wishes and prayers for both of you and enjoy.

Peter