Mum stroke July 2023

Our lives changed dramatically on the 12th of July 2023. And receiving the news when we were on holiday was just awful as I wasn't there to hug, kiss her and be by her side. 

Thankfully lil brother Erik was there to help and support and I simply dont know what I would have done without him!

 

He visited her every day and kept sending videos and updates constantly to let me know he was there, so she didnt feel alone even though me and the family were in a different country.

 Apart from him being a doctor, very knowledgable and have a lot of experience with hospitals, he's also very close to mum like I am, and he has so much kindness, empathy and reassured me all the time that he was taking care of things until we got back. 

We rushed to High Wickham stroke ward as soon as we got back and I broke down completely and remember crawling up in her bed and laid down next to her and just held her. 

I knew her chances of full recovery were minimal, and even though she will never completely the same as she once were, im so happy to say that in the last year she has made remarkable strides. She's a fighter and I'm so proud of her. 

 

A very happy Friday! 💕

Heading for the hospital to collect Mum. 

Yes a very happy Friday indeed - after 24(!) nights in St Mary's Hospital, my mother is finally being discharged today, hurray! 

Mum on my mind ❤️

Just over two weeks ago I took mum to the A & E at St Mary's Hospital as she was extremely unwell due to a vascular problem that she's had since November last year. They admitted her straight away, and Erik and I have visited her every day, sometimes twice a day, for the last 16 days right up until today when the bypass operation is taking place. She is on high doses of morphine (Oxycodone that is; Longtec - a slow release twice a day, and Shortec - slow release every four hours) to relive the pain from her gruesome leg ulcer.

And as it happens, she is in the operating theatre right at this minute. Now we're hoping for a speedy recovery and thank goodness she's over here so I can look after her and care for her. On standby now to go and see her when she wakes up from the general anaesthetic. Nurses said the op can take up to four hours, so hoping for a phone call very soon. 🙏🏻


UPDATE: Mum's first two operations went well (angiogram and vascular bypass)- however a couple of days later, she got very ill. Completely unrelated though, it turned out her gallbladder had burst. They had to call in a surgeon late at night for an emergency operation to remove her gallbladder as well as flush out all the toxic fluids including blood in her tummy, they put in drains and she had blood transfusions.  She's currently in a high dependency ward, very week and a little delirious, but slowly but surely it appears she's getting better.  Again, thanks for all the support, messages and well wishes - really makes a difference during hard times like this. XOXO

Admitted to hospital

After having tests done (EMG & nerve conduction studies) and seeing a neurologist on Friday, he decided I need to be admitted to hospital for a few days in order to take more tests. Uncertainty and fear are both understatements of how I am feeling as I am packing my hospital bag, about to leave my boys for a few nights.

Will update once I know more, but in the meantime, here is a little info about where I'm going:

"The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, is the UK's largest dedicated neurological and neurosurgical hospital. Celebrating 150 years this year, it provides comprehensive services for the diagnosis, treatment and care of all conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nervous system and muscles. Services include specialist neurosurgery, a brain tumour unit, the Hyper-acute Stroke Unit (HASU), an acute brain injury unit, the National Prion Clinic, a pioneering neuro-rehabilitation unit, the UK's first interventional MRI scanner, the largest specialised neurosurgical ITU and the only neuromedical ITU in the country. Together with its neighbour, the Institute of Neurology, it is a major international centre for research and training"