That Friday Feeling

It's Friday 20th January 2017. This is our 14th day in hospital this month! Our year isn't even 3 weeks old and we've spent 2 weeks of it in hospital. We are optimistic that we will be back home by mid afternoon today and hoping that we don't have to return until the 31st January, our next scheduled appointment.

We woke on Sunday morning to a mini medical emergency that needed dealt with quickly. Without repeating the ins and outs of a communication nightmare we then had to go to our local A&E ( Peter Mac does not have an emergency department thanks to the wisdom of the Victorian Government. Huge big all singing , all dancing showcase hospital and no place for people with  cancer to go out of hours if they have a medical problem.) Our local hospital does not have access to our Peter Mac notes and whilst I am very capable of giving a very detailed history and report not everyone will. This was as frustrating for us on Sunday as it was for the Acute Emergency Consultant we dealt with.

We were admitted to our local hospital's surgical ward as an oncology boarder as there were no beds available at their oncology unit or at Peter Mac. We have become accustomed to delicous meals three times a day interspersed with tasty snacks three times a day. This was not the case in local hospital and rather disappointing for Scott. However we quickly became institutionalised to the ward goings on and the nurses were very lovely and doing their absolute best. The best thing about local hospital? The train station is directly opposite and within 20 minutes I was door to door. Ward to home. Home to ward.

On Tuesday we got word that a bed was available at Peter Mac and we would be transferred over...we had packed our things in such a hurry of the anticipation of going and then were told it wouldn't be for another 3 hours! So then had to keep dipping in and out of bags! At 4pm we were picked up by Mr Grumpy and his much quieter pal! We were driven to Peter Mac in a Patient Transport Ambulance and I got to ride shotgun and had a much better view than Scott. A sense of homecoming and familiarity ( although a different ward than normal) . The freedom to wander around , use pantry , make cups of tea , peel oranges! Scott was then moved out of their assessment unit and given the biggest side room we have ever seen. It seemed like an upgrade to the Excelsior Suite...it turns out it was the bariatric room. There are two on that ward and are for very overweight patients. The toilet was HUGE and we were scared Scott might fall down it as he is super skinny now!

We have been well attended to by nurses, doctors, food is excellent and plentiful. The first thing Scott did was order his meals! If we are going to spend time in hospital this is the one we would rather be in! I've read 3 books in past 6 days , I take the early morning commuter train I ironically used to
catch for work  and then jump on a tram and join Scott at 7.45am. Our day is interspersed with doctors rounds, IVs going up, IVs coming down, eating 6 times a day, watching life go past 6 floors down ...( slightly bemoaning our third floor view of city when I see the sixth floor view and thinking of that firework display!) . We've had some very thorough discussions with our consultants , a few snots and tears along the way....Scott now just pushes the box of tissues towards me. My voice freezes...the words are there but don't come out and then come out in a strangulated high pitch tone! Sigh! My face crumples and I'm aware that I am such an unattractive crier. You would think after almost 5 years of being a professional crier I'd have it down to a fine art but no....every confronting moment is a new one and fresh tears fall.

Anyway...onwards and just onwards at the moment. There is still life to be lived, love to feel and lots of smiling to do.