Living in the tropics...

This continuing and apparently endless days of heat, clear blue skies and endless sunshine has to be, not only good for the soul, but distracting for the hapless blogger.

We're good-ish - trying to work out wtf is going on; trying not to resent the endless round of rehab and now more new docts (with really nothing new to add apart from $$ to the mounting bill) getting in the way of our daily jollies.

You all really should be here...enjoying Doug 'unstressed', mellow and waxing lyrical in the sunshine...

amazing what a vital ingredient that big yellow ball is..

Home!

Home and tucked in front of the tennis channel - astounded by the resilience and good humour of this man who has been through so bloody much.

Thanks to everyone's continued support, love and healing vibes...

Home tomorrow.

Looking good, feeling fine, home tomorrow...then the fun starts...

An unjust turn of events..

Bugger, I knew i should have written all the good stuff when it was all going so smoothly and Doug was progressing so well - now we've had an about turn this weekend so all last week is a hazy memory - thankfully, my secretary posted pictures of the wonderful hot day out we had 'dancing through the tulips' in Skagit valley after Doug had a busy week of learning to speed type in occupational therapy; tottering backwards on a beam whilst counting 7 backwards and waltzing his eyes in all directions during physio and back sorting those pesky shapes and colours in speech therapy.
All these amazing new skills have been put to rest for a while sadly as Doug was readmitted into hospital on friday evening with chest pain. We did manage to cause a bit of a rumpus in our sleepy neighbourhood with sirens and flashing lights alerting the neighbours to our drama but i hadn't quite calculated on a fire engine attempting to squeeze its huge body down our tight, dead end drive and 5 burly officers bursting out...so apparently (note to self), when one calls for medical assistance...you get the fire fighters...no complaints however...
Unfortunately, the worse scenerio occurred and he has developed 2 pulmonary embolisms. We knew this was always the danger coming off Warfarin but the suddenness and ferocity took us by surprise - so fucking unfair! Pain relief was slow coming but finally by saturday morning Doug was lost in cuckoo land and today Doug came through the whole bamboozle and barrage of tests looking good (the new tan helps) and handling his readmission pretty well..they started a heparin drip and no sign of it aggravating a bleed - thank goodness.
A setback...but hopefully not for long...

PS he's in room 6260 at U of W... but not for too much longer i hope...

A week at home .....

Back by popular demand...! I guess you still want to know how the old bugger's doing now he's been released and running me ragged!! Seemed to have more time on my hands whilst he was in hospital!! :)

Well - remarkably well with some ups and downs - but certainly not as entertaining - now that he has his marbles back! Fatigue is huge and headaches come on thick and fast - trying to juggle ('limit') the pain relief is tricky....
woke up with chest pain one night causing a bit of a scare - a) coronary? b) embolism? (again), c) muscular? or d) wind? - after brief assessment (yes, lesser would have crumbled) - resisted 911 thinking it was likely to be either c or d ... thankfully it seemed to be one or the other or both and no further repercussions...

Week spent first trying to book rehab appointments - it might have helped had they 'faxed' (i know) the right patients 'rehab referral form' - wasn't until i found myself at Kinko (don't start me) looking at his discharge form thinking whose this Mr Shores when i realised we had someone else's treatment plan - looked as if it could work for Doug however. I'm sure people sue for less...

The rest of the week spent actually trying to find appointments for the next few coming weeks - eventually (i think finally due to pity) we scrabbled a few appointments together... most important (and seemingly most elusive) was for Speech therapy - and, not to "get rid of that ridiculous accent" as Flea pointed out, but for his higher cognitive reasoning... a happy hour was spent juggling and arranging shapes and colours as instructed.... happy memories of nursery school games came flooding back but the intense concentration near wiped poor Doug out...might have helped if i'd remembered to take his pain killers along - oops..

Then came Physio, Occupational and Vocational therapy all in a row... surprisingly not as exhausting as that lone speech therapy appointment - although they wiped me out just watching... well at least i can get Doug out walking with me and the mutts but it'll be a while before i convince him to come along to yoga...

I'm having to learn how to cook again although pleased to see the message didn't get through that Doug was now home and a few 'meals on wheels' miraculously appeared on the doorstep :) And i'm eternally indebted to Kimberly for sending in the super squad fairies who miraculously left our musty old house sparkling...

We should be in LA this week visiting Jack (i did consider a later flight but DOug wasn't playing ball) - anyway, we've had a few warm and sunny days but just as the barrage of appointments are over for one week and i'm thinking of a drive up to Skagit Valley and the tulip fields, then winter sets back in ...bloody freezing...
PS Southwest airlines - brilliant, Alaska - awful - i'd like to request no one flies with them ever again...

and just got the statement for his 25 day stay at Harborview Hosp $355,560.47 (and that doesn't include the bill for initial emergency treatment at University of Washington hosp)... fascinating break down of costs that i'm not convinced are too accurate - after telling me they "don't do physio in ITU" they still charge $1000 - hmm - mysterious!! still, they did a splendid job of saving his life - and for that we are eternally grateful ...

and yes, we're taking visitors and calls - so feel free.... oh and making visits...Doug managed the excitement of watching the Golf Open last weekend with Matt - whilst i escaped for a little retail therapy....anyone free for babysitting?

Home...Let the rehabilitation begin...

Day started with a call from Doug - "Guess what? Thatchers dead" - sounded like he was reliving the horror of the 70's...

Now home - bit of an anti-climax...much sorting and signing (clothes never found - don't believe he came in naked?!)... different opinions from different docs... rehab programs to be booked although "very busy so might not get in" - just as "the Haematologist is very busy and can't guarantee an appointment" - the most 'expensive health care system in the world' is seriously giving the NHS a run for their money.
Anyway, the ICU team were stupendous and we thank them with utmost gratitude. The lovely nurse today bade us farewell with just minimum medication - for pain and poo - and off we went!

Doug currently snoozing on the sofa - then his pile of blankets started walking across the floor - hadn't realised Dora had quietly snuck herself underneath! Woke up up at 7pm asking for cereal for breakfast - good start!

Great news but there's always a down side to everything - and alas this means an end to my wonderful meals on wheels service - thank you all - was very tempted not to mention him coming home!! :) It really was an unexpected welcome - thank you again to Page for organising it...and all those who generously contributed...

Thanks for reading and resisting calling me all this time - i've had nearly 4,000 'page views' in the past month - a testament to the concern for Doug or my riveting updates?!! Also appreciated all the notes, emails and cards sent - sorry if i didn't reply to all - but they have helped us get through this - as putting this in writing has helped me... we've passed that last bend and on that now looking not so long road....

Doug said a week ago "you should write a book" - and his colleague Dan replied "she already has"!