Hospital time, coming home and tales of Roy

Sunday 6th January.

Back home again last night, cup of decent tea, then a bath to scrub off the hospital feel followed by 13 hours sleep with only brief wake ups for the loo, absolute heaven ( sleep not the loo! ).

Going back a step, the 2 days before I went in were very stressful. Fear of the unknown and the realism of it all came crashing in and there were tears for both Mandy and I, even a huge row for which I apologise unreservedly. I suppose it was surprising it didn't happen earlier.

The hospital is not a great overall experience. Most things I cannot fault, certainly not the nurses, these girls put up with so much and are total angels. I could not do what they do.

Being attached to a drip for 10 hours at a time is not fun either. Having to unplug it and wheel it with you to the loo and get back before the reserve battery runs out. It seems like I am obsessed with the loo from this but let me explain. For 3 days I have had to write down everything I drink and what time whilst also doing all my wee in a bottle and write down that as well. All to make sure I am not retaining liquid. At least I could get to the loo on my own and have privacy, unlike several of the others. Poor Bill in the next bed having to do everything ( very loudly most of the time ) with everyone listening. A really nice guy though, 87 years old with bone marrow cancer so they are just keeping him alive, but still upbeat and can't wait to get home.

Then we come to Roy. Really sad this one, I think I may have described him as a nutter but in fact has a problem with his calcium ( to go with his lung cancer ) which leaves him very confused. I don't think he is perhaps all there normally but not as bad as this.
He really was the typical character from a comedy hospital sketch on Friday. He sat on the side of his bed, picked up his pudding ( bowl of sponge pudding with custard ), the spoon got half way to his mouth when he dropped off to sleep. Spoon got lower, back into bowl, then the whole lot onto the floor. This woke Roy who just commented ' f***ing great, I'm not f***ing staying here anymore.'
Then just straight back to sleep sat up for about 3 minutes, then back awake, stands up and wanders off as if nothing had happened.
All very funny in isolation but his daughter visited a couple of times and looked so upset the whole time it made you want to cry.

I know all this can be a bit depressing for which I apologise but I am going to try to be honest. I think I will try to write some light hearted ones separately so stay tuned.

Lastly just a plea. If anyone reading this has a concern about anything they find like the lump I did, go to the doctor straight away. It is a win/win situation. Hopefully they tell you it is nothing and you stop worrying. If it is something then you get treatment earlier and it is easier to treat. Never, never wait.

OK. Lecture over. Till next time.

Tim