A Special Treat

On Friday I was given the good news that they were stopping the IV antibiotics and all my test results looked good, so if I would like to, I could try going home for the weekend. I was so excited, it felt like such a major milestone, yet I felt ready and confident to do it.

Home again, jiggety jog

Leaving Papworth and driving home in the car felt very surreal, as though it shouldn't be happening really. Once we arrived home and got inside a whole flood of emotions hit me at once and I started crying for the first time. I don't really know what for - everything - the shock and trauma of events since I left home; my donor, we had just been given some information about them that I had requested; just the fact of still being alive and standing in my own home again; it goes on ...

It was quite late, so we sorted the evening's medication and then I got an early night, that felt special too though, my own bed and next to Rob once more. 

With some of my cards and presents

The next few days were spent getting to grips with the medication. We had to run a hospital regime really, first round of drugs at 6, nebulisers at 8, a whole host of tablets with breakfast at 9, more tablets at 10 and 12. It feels quite a regime with little lull in the morning. This will get much better in time though. Things quieten down as the day goes, with just a few more nebulisers and tablets at tea and supper time. So we felt we managed this well, but compared to managing the medication I used to be on it felt a breeze. 

I need one of these at home!

I tried out things like having a bath, now that was fun! I managed to get in alright and I used my step and small bath chair I had from my Pulmonary Hypertension days. Getting out was another matter, because of my scar and injured sternum and ribs, I am unable to pull myself up like a normal person and I suddenly found I was far too low to attempt it safely. So there I was stuck in the bath thinking, 'oh no, we're going to have to phone the fire brigade to hoist me out!' Somehow in the end we managed to do it, but I will definitely need to use a higher bath stool next time. It was finding out those little simple daily things that this weekend was about though. 

I'm beginning to get some of the drug side effects too. One of the drugs, Prograf, can make you shake. I didn't think my shakes were so bad until I tried to pluck my eyebrows and had to abandon it as a dangerous mission immediately! 

A friend brought a pressie round to give to Rob for me and was stunned when I came to the door. She gave me some lovely chocolates, which I enjoyed, I've got to eat for healing, so guilt free chocolates, you can't beat that! 

In the garden (with the Michaelmas Daisies)

I enjoyed a walk around the garden. I had been waiting all autumn for a huge display of Michaelmas Daisies and thought I would miss them, but they were out at their best and I was so pleased I got to see them. Small pleasures, enjoying simple things was the weekend. 

Rob cooked a lovely roast dinner and we had a quiet afternoon before all too soon it was time to go back, which felt quite hard. Rob loaded the car and I stood and had one last, big glance at the house before we set off back to Papworth. 

The weekend went well, we are fine with the medication, I've found some things I can manage and some things I can't, but I feel confident and motivated to get home properly now and really start getting on my feet. 

When I got back to Papworth, I was still in my old room, so that felt good as I know what's what and knew I would probably get a decent sleep on my own.

Now for the next phase in my recovery.....