Day 52 - nearly home again

It's been a while since the last post because I have gone to Germany, and so have had to wait to settle a little before updating the blog.

Not a lot changed though. Dad has started to walk more around again, and has been moved into a room with another roommate. Last I heard they were at loggerheads over the curtains - Dad wanted them open, while the other person wanted them closed. So Dad just goes out to the lounge area to get the bright sunny rays.

On Saturday (I think) Dad had an MRI scan so we are still waiting for the results - I guess the docs need to get together to discuss...which could take a little while.

Apart from that, I believe Dad is going home tomorrow (Tues). So hope things work out at home.

Day 45 - bed sores + new bed

Today was pretty uneventful, except for the discovery of developing bed sores on Dad's back due to him lying on his back so long. Let's hope it doesn't develop further as it seems this could become another source of infection! He has received a new bed with a special air matress which helps with the circulation so that should help relieve the sores developing any further. This bed also works....the last one broke and didn't want to go up or down anymore.

On a different note, my car decided it didn't like the engine timing belt and that karked it! Not great timing when I have so many things to do before heading overseas on Thursday. :-(

Day 44 - recovering

In a way, it was a bit of a good thing that Dad had to go back to hospital on Friday because it fast tracked the next operation.

Yesterday (Saturday) he was in the operating theatre again. The source of the infection was treated - a cyst had formed at the site where an artery was taken from to use in the repair of his arm on the day of the accident. The cyst had become infected and over 500mL of fluid was drained/cleaned out! At the same time, the scaffolding (officially called "external fixators") was also removed, which has made the arm look better.

He has some tubes attached to him again, but they are due to be removed in about two or three days. So, it's not quite so bad this time.

Dad is recovering quite well from this surgery actually, having a slightly different view from his hospital bed this time. His skin grafts are growing more all the time, and it is looking much more like normal skin again.

Day 42 - ...and back again...

At 4pm today, Dad was taken by ambulance back to The Alfred. His body temperature rose to 39.7 degrees C and he became weak and had no appetite. It appears an infection has once again reared its ugly head.

Since Wednesday Dad has enjoyed being at home with the good food, and Chloe (the dog) and of course Mum and Oma to help look after him. However I think it was pretty tough having to carry his arm around (with the metal fixtures still in place) and not having his full strength back yet. I think getting around the house was a little more difficult than Mum and Dad had expected.

For now Dad will stay in the hospital, and tomorrow he is scheduled to have the metal scaffolding removed from his arm. He will also have a clean up of an inflamed lump where they took a donor artery in the first surgery (for his arm) on Day 1.

Day 40 - Home sweet home :-)

40 Days and not quite so many nights and Dad is finally going home. At 4pm today he was transferred from The Alfred to home.

He is by no means recovered, but there is no need for him to remain in hospital for the time being.

I'm sure this will be a much better environment for him to recover in. There will be special equipment given to him to help deal with everyday things like going to the toilet, washing and moving about the house.

Further surgery is still required but that will only mean a short stay in hospital (hopefully anyway) on those occasions.

I'll put more news up at a later stage about his experience coming back home. I'm sure the ambulance ride home will be interesting :-)

Day 37 - The rash you have, when you don't have a rash

You may be thinking I'm getting slack not updating this blog everyday, but there really hasn't been anything to tell.

Since the vacuum dressings and vancomycin has been removed (last blog entry) Dad's skin grafts are healing and the wounds are therefore closing. The place on his leg where the skin grafts were taken from are also healing. Dad says it feels like having a gravel rash, like when you fall off a bicycle.

We have been waiting now for a few days to hear what the orthopaedic surgeons want to do with the scoffolding in his arm. Hopefully tomorrow we'll hear something.

Day 33 - Off with her head!

"Off with her head!" said The Queen of Hearts (of Alice in Wonderland fame), and so too did the doctors about the vacuum dressings and drip for Dad. Well, not quite in those words but essentially the same meaning.

Dad's vacuum dressings are off.
Dad's vancomycin drip is off.
The rash will go away.

The skin grafts are looking healthy and good, so now he has a normal gauze and bandage on his arm. They should heal nicely and close the wounds over the coming weeks.

Dad was so excited to have the machines off him. Standing up he felt a bit faint, so had a bit of a rest, then moved on again to walk to the toilet, and begin the onward journey in life.

Now that Dad is a little less 'anchored' down (with no machines to cart around) he will be able to concentrate on walking and moving around more.

The next step is to talk with the orthodaedic surgeons about the scaffolding on his arm, and what they want to do with it - leave it or replace it with something more comfortable. He may even go home very soon :-)