Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Please don't Stanley, that is where I throw up. I could always tell you about my experiences when I worked in Histology in the path labs at Withington hospital. There was this sample that we got in to analyse and...

[Stanley]

Cathy, I remember that thread too but it wasn't me. Does anyone remember the story?
Sue, I suppose I've spent so much of my life dealing with excreta and noxious fluids that I am de-sensitised to many things. Don't worry, I shall only tell if requested (Mind you, it's a funny story!). I always remember visiting a maggot farm at Bradford with an old bloke. as we went in he said "Dosta smook a pipe lad? Best thing is to leet up now!" He was right and if anyone wants a description of maggot farming for fish bait, just shout!

[PanBiker]

I used to breed my own "Gozzers" when I was match fishing. Interesting what a chicken, some yoghurt and bucket can do!

[Stanley]

Careful Ian, you'll be putting the more sensitive off their tea!
I shall be enjoying the Monaco race today.....

[EileenDavid]

Hello I am back and in Brittany. No takers for buying the van yet but enjoying our stay here at the moment with blue skies and warm sunshine. Today I will be reading outside on the decking. Eileen

[Sue]

Selling? I thought you loved it there.

Yes it's going to be a nice day here today, I think the wind has gone at last.car booting this morning, a French Sunday morning tradition. They love it. Then out for a long leisurely lunch at our local restaurant.we have some Wensleydale, some Lancashire and some Cheshire cheese for them as they have never tasted English cheese. I think they will find it a bit strong.

[Wendyf]

Cutting the grass, doing some washing (taking advantage of free hot water and electricity) and making sure Alfie the daft old dog doesn't go off wandering like he did yesterday.
Col has gone off to see a friend in Runcorn, calling in at Ikea on the way to get some worktops for the utility room...I don't envy him that task on a sunny Sunday!

[Stanley]

That's the way to convalesce Eileen!

[EileenDavid]

Hello Sue, we love the area but we are a bit bored we want to go to different places and feel we have to use the van. We bought thinking the children would want to take their families but no one took us up on our offer. Thanks for the good wishes Stanley it is relaxing now we have give it a good clean. Today I will again be soaking up the sun I think beautiful blue skies here and no cloud yippee! Eileen

[Marilyn]

Brought Febby home from hospital this afternoon. Tried to prepare son that he looked different, had lost a lot of weight, was a bit of a strange colour and needed to get his strength back, but it was still a shock for my son, who had not seen him for ten days.
Scary how a person can deteriorate that quickly. But he is in the best place...we can restoreth the man with rest, love and good food. He lost 7 kilos in hospital.
Still a long journey ahead. Six weeks of antibiotics, twice weekly blood tests and numerous specialist visits.
Don't want to go through this last fortnight ever again...

[Moh]

That's good news Maz - you look after him. I did not know your son lived with you.

[Sue]

So glad he is home. Progress is always better at home so fingers crossed.

[PanBiker]

Yes good news Maz, I hope he continues to improve. A bit of home cooking will no doubt go down well.

[Marilyn]

Moh...adult son (34) sold his house and wanted to take his time choosing a new one...so he moved in here, with DOG.
He bought a new house last week, and will be with us until the end of June.
It has worked out well for all of us, but I struggle to cope with the dog hair, that needs daily hoovering. I get a full vac barrel every single day! (even though I encourage the dog outside most of the day while the weather remains so nice).
I didn't know Labradors had such a hair problem...especially as we are coming in to winter and she should be keeping her hair now.

[Stanley]

Maz, good to know David is back home, give him my best regards. Now you have to crack the whip, make sure he takes his cod liver oil (Very good for the immune system) and make sure he doesn't do too much. He will still have good days and bad days because he has been under severe attack. Work on the assumption that his immune system has been compromised by all the ABs and try to shield him from stray infections as much as possible. Might be a good idea if the dog was kept away from him! The good news is that he seems to have followed the same route as son in law Mick and he made a complete recovery, in fact he's possibly better now than he was before the acute episode. Good grub and TLC will get him through. Love to you both.
Today could be a writing day, looks as though we are in for a day of gloom and rain.....

[Marilyn]

Following instructions Stanley...
His immune specialist hasn't suggested Cod Liver Oil, but has him on Zinc and Vitamin D three times a day. ( doesn't Cod Liver Oil clear your bowels? Because we don't want that...if the antibiotics are hurried along too quickly they won't do their job.)
Lovely, sunny afternoon. I made sure he was wrapped up well and we had a half hour slow walk around the sunniest parts of a garden centre. He enjoyed it.
After his bypass, he used to like sitting in the sunny court yard at the pub and sipping a small beer...but he is not allowed alcohol with the antibiotics...so the garden centre was ideal today. We bought a plant with the money we would have spent on a couple of drinks.
He is eating quite well. In fact, he was eating quite well in the hospital every time I visited. It is just that the infection was so rampant...and the elbow joint suffered necrosis and took loads of calories to heal...that he lost over 7 kilos in 10 days. It is like his body was consuming itself in an effort to get better.

( I told him this morning that he doesn't have a bum at present..l. ...just a space where it used to be)

[Sue]

Cod liver oil has the vitamins D and A in it plus essential fatty acids. If he is taking vitamin D tablets then don't take both. A good diet will ensure the rest of the nutrients.

[Marilyn]

He is on Selenium 3x a day.
I put his pills out for evening meal...7 in total...and he has never been one to take pills...
We are hoping some of these can go when the specialist gets two consecutive blood tests he is happy with.

[Marilyn]

Grrrrr...he lost another kilo overnight....

[Stanley]

Maz, the only way you lose weight that fast is dehydration. Make sure he drinks lots of water! You appear to have him well in hand!
It'll be a mix of small tasks, reading and writing today....

[EileenDavid]

Not much else to do so will be reading but unfortunately it will be inside not out. Eileen

[Sue]

Yes the tablets may have a diuretic effect. Keep drinking plenty of fluids.

[Sue]

Damp and miserable again today. Back on the ferry tomorrow.

[Stanley]

Brightening up a bit here Sue. Rochdale could be quite welcoming!

[Marilyn]

He seems to be drinking regularly.
Don't want to push fluids too much. Would rather run with his own level of thirst after the degree of kidney and liver failure he has had due to the overwhelming systemic infection.
( put it this way...I tend to drink a lot of water...and he has had more than me today)