Thank you for all your good wishes

Longwalker

Lovely to read your posts Jackie. You are truly blessed to have such a wonderful caring close knit family, which is down to you

You obviously extrude love and kindness as thats what you receive back 

I forgot those early morning wake ups in hospital. I was a week in one and I was totally exhausted the whole time. A snorer ( lovely girl but sounded like a fog horn at night ) and a dementia sufferer made certain the nights were never quiet and then no sooner did I drop of, I was woken.  This was in the days of long wards of 28 patients so the noise levels during the day meant no sleep either. Many a night would find me and a couple of others curled up in the day room trying to sleep

Hospitals are certainly no fun

Glad to hear that you are being well looked after by the staff. They are angels doing what they do day in and day out  with such compassion 

Hope you get home soon xxx

barole

Thinking of you Jackie and sending you positive vibes! Please take care and hopefully you are now recovering from your “procedure”. ❤️🙋🏻‍♀️😷🤞🏼

London_1

I was allowed to go home with the drain still attached, and am under what the local hospital call their SMART team of nurses.

 An acronym for  Surgical Medical Acute Response Team.

They come in daily to check my obs. and drainage dressings,today they will attempt to get some bloods. 
It frees up a bed in the hospital, and means while I await for a  theatre slot for  the op. I can be at home.

My two DDs have worked out a rota between them so I get my shopping, washing and anything I need doing done, bless them. Both of them ,and the rest of the family have been pretty amazing really.

 I am happier at home, and after almost three weeks in hospital I feel a lot more comfortable at home where its more peaceful.  

It feels a bit odd not going shopping though, but as I was told to limit going anywhere that I may get pick up an infection I am in a sort of lockdown ,but the family are fine to visit. they all wear their masks when coming in to be on the safe side and if they have a cold they stay away.
 
My eldest grandaughter, even though she works, and has two little girls has also been pretty fantastic and very helpful. She visited me yesterday with the youngest little one Ida, and brought almost a weeks worth of home made dinners for the freezer that will be easy to pop into the microwave.

I do tire very quickly at the moment and tend to sleep a lot. But as my eldest Dd says its a body's way of healing so I must be patient.

A couple of months or so before Christmas I had two cracked ribs which slowed me down considerably, and had more of less just recovered when I went down with this.

Sadly the older you are the longer it seems to take to recover from things. DD has been saying for ages I should slow down, but its hard when I've always been so busy, and lead a fairly hectic life what with various things I do, and folk I visit who are housebound ,plus the family of course. 

The boys have been great and text me daily,  Jack is loving his new job teaching, as is Henry in his new job, who loves working in the city, he is in a Merchant Bank and learning all the ropes and even enjoys the commute to London from Kent
Although the price of his fares are eyewatering. Mikey the youngest is happily settled in at Uni in Essex and he came to see me in hospital before he went back in the New Year.

I am just waiting for the phone call to say when they can do the procedure but with the hospitals jam packed at the moment It is possible another couple of weeks at home for me, but onwards and upwards and hopefully they will sort my narrowed bile duct out and be able to insert a stent to widen it and eventually I will be free of the drain.
Its nick name is 'Nan's Gucci bag'  My DGD's friend's daughter  ran me up a small cotton bag that goes over my shoulder, and I tuck the drain inside, and it frees up my right arm, instead of having to carry it all the time. What a little star she was and so talented at 13. 

People have been so kind, its times when you know who your friends and family are bless them all I am a very lucky lady 

Onwards and upwards chums 

JackieO xx

Auntycaz

It's really good news that you are home with your family taking care of you. You have the best of both worlds being at home and having the SMART team coming out to check on you. I'm sure you'll sleep better in your own bed without all the distractions of the hospital. Hopefully, home cooking will build your strength up ready for your procedure. 

skogar

Great to hear from you Jackie and lovely to hear how well you are being looked after. Hospital wards are not the most relaxing of places for sleeping so I am not surprised you are feeling tired. Rest up and enjoy those home made dinners. :-)

-taff

Good to hear from you Jackie, and good ot know you are at least home and comfortable ish for now. And how lovely of your family to rally round you, you are so lucky. and yes, slow down, at least until you've had your op and then you can run a marathon or something

Dfw38

Hi Jackie, I have 'seen' you on the OS boards and have always enjoyed reading your posts. Sorry to hear you have been very poorly, glad you are at home and hopefully able to build yourself up ready for the procedure. Your family sound wonderful and I am glad you have their love and support during this tricky time. All the best wishes to you for a short waiting time and a brilliant recovery. 💐

littlemoney

It's good news that you are home. You will finally be able to get a good nights sleep. Hope it's not too long before you get your theatre slot.

Gers

Lovely news Jackie. Rest well and enjoy your home, there's no place like it. 

London_1

Thank you everyone for your good wishes I have slowed down considerably in the past month. I have a lovely team of nurses whom I speak to daily.They come every two days to check and change the dressings in the drain, or my "Gucci bag " as we call it
My two DDs and grandchildren have all been amazing, and I'm barely allowed to lift a finger. I do tend to nod off quite a bit as I do tire very quickly, but the nurses said its normal and just follow my body it will let me know how I can carry on.

I was supposed to go to the theatre this Friday as part of one of my Christmas presents but that not going to happen but my DD has got her sis-in-law to go instead. As a 'virtual patient' I cannot go out at all, its really sensible as they don't want me to catch anything that will halt the procedure when a slot becomes available. Plus of course everything takes twice as log to do anyway at the moment But my eldest DD is brilliant and collects any washing or shoping I need and the youngest one pops in daily to tidy round and hoover bless them.

I really am very blessed with my family and am a very lucky lady to have such a caring lot around me.

I hope soon as I'm back to normal again I will be able to treat them all to something nice as a thank you.
In the mean time thanks to each and every one of you for all your good wishes, and I promise I will behave myself  

JackieO xx