Message Seventy Six

"Nothing in the notes!"  If only there had been some reference in Elizabeth's notes to her trip home last Wednesday.  The therapists agreed Liz could leave the ward for about three hours at a time, but they hadn't recorded it, and they don't work at the weekend.  We were all on tender hooks, with cinema tickets bought.  Elizabeth did her special look, and the ward staff decided to take a risk.  And the film? - How to Train your dragon III - (It's a dragon thing). Today it was lunch with Charlie and Jill.  Whoohoo.

Phoebe stopped off on her way to Nottingham Uni, and joined in with the dragon thing.

Elizabeth also received her new bespoke wheelchair, a gift from the NHS.  It is very fine, and includes a large bag for things on the back.

So Elizabeth is getting out of the ward.   We decided Lala's inaugural lecture would be a trip too far at this time.

A walk in the park

Lunch with Charlie and Jill

Message Seventy Five

It was a fun day today (Wednesday).  Elizabeth made the short trip from hospital to home with three of her therapists.  R, her Physio, L her OT and B, her Physio students (UEA).  With measuring tapes and test transfers we worked out how Liz will be able to do weekend visits home.  It will be easier when she has more strength to stand and move about so that our downstairs loo is less problematic.  That's coming.  Margaret and I are off to London for two days to visit a friend, and stay in my uncles house for a break.  Jo continues to work at a local deli. The hours have been a bit bitty, but this does fit well with seeing Liz, and doing some voluntary work.

We are so grateful to Liz's therapists, nurses and doctors.  They have all given Liz such a great service.  Let's not forget the Health Care Assistants and Housekeepers too.

This post was delayed because there was some dispute over the best pictures to use.  (I look a bit bored in this one, but I'm not so choosy.)

Lindsay helping Liz get onto the sofa at home.

Jo and Liz in our kitchen

Message Seventy Four

So, Liz got her Intensive Care diary back, and was touched to read about the love shown by so many friends, family and medical staff supporting her every moment of the way.  It seems a long time ago now, but it's been five months.  Liz therefore has seven months ahead of her before her third year begins at Sheffield.  We hope this will happen.  At the third care plan meeting which Liz, Joanna and Margaret attended, the plan discussed is for Elizabeth to finish her life on ward 2 in April.  By then we are trusting that she will be able to walk out of the ward.  Liz would like to move on to a private rehab unit in Leicester called Barclay House, where she can continue to have physio and other therapies.  If the funding is not secured for this, it will mean a move back to our house.  On Wednesday the plan is for Elizabeth's OTs and Physios to inspect our house to help with future planning.

Today Adam, Tash, Fran and Cameron all visited Liz.  We had one of our picnics in the staff canteen (with special permission.)  I was proud to have kept the pizzas hot with a brick that I had stashed in the bottom of the oven.  Now Domino's hasn't thought of that.

Pizza Meal with Liz's Sheffield crew.

Message Seventy Three

Conversation overheard on the ward.
a phone rings.

Elizabeth- "Helloo, I'm not at home."
Caller-  "Hello Liz, where are you at the moment?"
Elizabeth- "I'm in hospital."
Caller- "Oh, nothing serious I hope."
Elizabeth- "No, nothing serious."
Caller- "Well I hope you get better."
Elizabeth- "I will."
Caller- "Is anyone there with with you?"
Elizabeth- "Yes, Lots of friends are with me.  They can hear you. You are on speaker phone."
Caller- "Hi everyone, have a good evening .  Bye Liz, sleep well."
Elizabeth- "Bye."
Elizabeth's friend-  "Who was that?"
Elizabeth- "Oh, that was my dad."

Today we cruised round Leicester equipped only with a banana board.  Liz had an appointment at the Royal with Ear, Nose and Throat.  We wheeled into a packed Saturday Outpatient's clinic.  Perfectly on time,  Mr Haribaskaran saw Elizabeth and explained how he would put an optic fiber camera down her nose to examine her vocal cords.  With great skill he did this and reassured Liz that her vocal cords are fully intact and undamaged.   This means that with continued speech therapy, Liz should be able to get her singing voice back. 

Liz in the front seat 

Message Seventy Two

Liz has a driving licence but it's probably best that I drive at the moment.  Today she 'banana boarded' into the passenger seat of my car with Rachel, her Physio supervising.  It was a slick move.  We are preparing for Liz's next trip to the Leicester Royal Infirmary on Saturday where she will have her vocal cords examined.

We also traveled down the miles of hospital corridor to visit the Intensive Care Unit and requested an appointment for Elizabeth to be given her Intensive Care diary.  As she pointed out to the Sister, she feels that she was not traumatised by her experiences.  She has been largely conscious from the moment the haemorrhage happened, and has always felt peaceful.  The nurse could see this, but we agreed to their protective approach.  She will get it on Friday with the appropriate counselling.

A Banana and Apple visited at the weekend

Rachel with the banana board.  It's surprisingly green.

Message Seventy One

Elizabeth would like her left ankle to flex.  She feels that 'sensation' is moving down her leg and is about 6 centimeters away from her ankle, so it's on its way.  She would also like to know that her voice can be restored.  It is coming and she suggested that a little ditty she composed is put on the blog so that you can get an idea of how she is doing. (Click on https://soundcloud.com/andrew-starr-725590242/liz-little-patient ) (watch out for the follow on track- it's nothing to do with me - might be an atmospheric Korean song- quite good really.)

Yesterday Margaret was able to see Liz walk with the frame across the gym, and out into the corridor, turn right, and down to the nurses station.

Yesterday Anna and Joe came from Sheffield.  They all went out to the canteen and Liz had her hospital sandwiches.  Later Dave M was able to see the massive progress Liz has made having seen her in Sheffield.  Elaine saw her for the first time.  They stopped in Leicester en-route to the big rugby game at Twickenham.

Today we provided dhokra and Indian curries from 'Bobby's on the Melton Road to celebrate the reunion with Elizabeth's Mizoram team who visited for the day.  They turned up at the ward dressed as an apple and a banana.  The Nurse said, "oh yes, visiting Liz.  Second bay on the left."

A picture of Dhokla?  Well M from the opposite bed is brought it by her family and we are all very jealous.  Our friend Manju also cooks perfect Dhokla, is it's a real hit.

Dhokla- savoury Indian cake

Message Seventy

I have this saying that 'there are no secrets in families, just taboos.'

Elizabeth has probably now stayed on ward 2 longer than anyone else.  She knows pretty much everything that is going on in the ward, and could act as a prompt for staff, if they asked her.  The realisation of this caused a bit of a stir yesterday because it was noted that the strict patient confidentiality rules may have been stretched.  This resulted in them moving Elizabeth away from the nursing station. Elizabeth felt she was being pushed away and excluded when she has appreciated their company over these many days. It all felt too much and she was overwhelmed with sorrow.  Her therapies could see this and the nurses also felt bad.  Again we were reminded of how challenging it is to be cooped up in a hospital ward with next to no privacy, let alone experiencing significant disabilities.

Elizabeth enjoyed the weekend with her Uncle Peter and Grandma calling in late on Sunday evening after a train mix up delayed them by two hours.  We all ate late night cake, a gift from Helen.

Today Kate visited with a big bag of lychee to aid the celebration of Chinese New Year.  (We all pigged out.)

Happy New Year everyone.

Message Sixty Nine

The joys of communal living.  One of the people in Liz's ward became very unwell and was moved out to the Royal.  When she came back onto Liz's bay very late in the night, she rang her husband on speaker phone saying "I'm not sure where they have brought me.  I seem to be in a basement." It's not just students that wake everyone up when they come rolling in late from a party.

Yesterday I missed the action when D walked out.  He walked, unaided, with everyone cheering and clapping.  He said later to Margaret that he would have liked to have savoured the moment, and said farewell as he left, but he was concentrating so hard on not falling over that this all passed him by.  D was on 132 days, the same as Liz.  Margaret thought it would be nice to meet up again on day 365 for a celebration.

Today Elise and Adam visited from Liz's student house in Sheffield.  We had a pie (made by me), in the hospital restaurant.  The staff looked on amazed at our cheek, eating our own food, but didn't say a word.

Emma, Ruth and Granny are visiting this evening.  Liz continues to be up beat, though it has been tough realising that she cannot say she will be strong enough to share a house next year with her friends.  The options are still being discussed.  Liz is being remarkably patient noting that she will make friends wherever she is.

In the hospital restaurant

Adam, Elizabeth and Elise