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The truth

19th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

Here is the response from Crohns and Colitis UK

“Junk Food and Crohn’s disease” – Our response:

Crohn’s and Colitis UK welcomes the discussion that today’s BBC coverage has created as it generates greater awareness of these often invisible inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

However, the reference to Junk Food being a possible cause of Crohn’s disease is a controversial subject and potentially unhelpful as many patients eating healthy diets have strongly disagreed with the junk food comment.

At this point there has been no definitive scientific link made to any particular diets or food additives as being a sole cause of the disease. There are many possible reasons why a patient may develop Crohn’s or Ulcerative colitis, including genetic and various environmental factors, and each patient’s case is individual.

The reason for the increased numbers of hospital admissions over the last ten years may reflect the increasing numbers of patients, often young people, being diagnosed with IBD. An estimated 10,000 young people are diagnosed with both Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis every year.

The increased admissions figure may also reflect the fact that hospitals are improving their data information capture systems. We need more studies and information to offer a more definitive answer.

IBD and junk food – a big rant!

18th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

I had another post planned today but I am so incensed by the news report I have head today that I had to write this. The report said that IBD is caused by junk food and is on BBC’s newsbeat, you can read it here.

“Dr Sally Mitton says she and her colleagues at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south-west London, have seen a rise in the number of young people with Crohn’s. “We know that there are many genes that predispose someone to get Crohn’s disease. But we also know that lifestyle factors like eating a lot of junk food or taking many courses of antibiotics may make it more likely to happen.”

This quote has led to news reports leading with ‘news’ that junk food causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

I am seething, the NHS say:

The exact cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, although it is thought to be the result of a problem with the immune system.

Autoimmune condition

The immune system is the body’s defence against infection. Many experts believe that ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune condition (when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue).

The immune system normally fights off infections by releasing white blood cells into the blood to destroy the cause of the infection. This results in inflammation (swelling and redness) of body tissue in the infected area.

In ulcerative colitis, a leading theory is that the immune system mistakes “friendly bacteria” in the colon – which aid digestion – as a harmful infection, leading to the colon and rectum becoming inflamed.

Alternatively, some researchers believe a viral or bacterial infection triggers the immune system, but for some reason it doesn’t “turn off” once the infection has passed and continues to cause inflammation.

It has also been suggested that no infection is involved, and the immune system may just malfunction by itself.

Genetics

It also seems inherited genes are a factor in the development of ulcerative colitis. Studies have found that more than one in four people with ulcerative colitis has a family history of the condition.

Levels of ulcerative colitis are also a lot higher in certain ethnic groups, further suggesting that genetics are a factor.

Researchers have identified several genes that seem to make people more likely to develop ulcerative colitis, and it is believed that many of these genes play a role in the immune system.

Environmental factors

Where and how you live also seems to affect your chances of developing ulcerative colitis, suggesting that environmental factors are important.

For example, the condition is more common in urban areas of northern parts of Western Europe and America.

Various environmental factors that may be linked to ulcerative colitis have been studied, including air pollution and certain diets, but no factors have so far been identified.

I have had Ulcerative Colitis for ten years and so this blog revolves around my experiences, I know a lot more about Ulcerative Colitis than I do Crohns Disease but the plight of anyone with IBD is so important. Apologies to any Crohnies who feel I am biased towards UC, I just don’t know as much and have no personal experience of Crohns. I hope you read this knowing that I support Crohns and Colitis awareness and only talk about UC more as it is what I know.

Leading a report by putting the blame on patients is unfair, damaging and really upsetting to the hundreds of thousands of people with IBD in the UK. Diet “may” be linked to IBD in some way, but as the NHS website says so could air pollution! Yet we don’t see reports blaming the environment.

Putting the blame on the patient leads to a public shaming of patients, it is bad enough to have to deal with a disease that causes pain, bleeding, diarrhoea, fatigue. Having to take multiple drugs that each have their own set of side effects, facing many surgeries and possible death! But to then make the patient feel that it is their fault is heart breaking.

The report also says “there is no cure but many patients learn to manage the symptoms, often by altering their diet.” – I would argue this point too. Patients HAVE to learn to manage their LIFELONG INCURABLE disease through medication. A flare up CANNOT be controlled by diet alone. During a flare I have always been advised to eat a low fibre/low residue diet. A low residue diet involves avoiding roughage (insoluble fibre) that your body struggles to break down. Roughage is found in skins, pips, seeds, whole grain cereals, nuts and raw fruit and vegetables.

This makes it very difficult to have a normal healthy diet as you have to avoid a lot of fruit and veg and are encouraged to eat only white bread/pasta/rice.

Perhaps the rise in the number of patients could be to do with patients with IBD being a lot more open about the illness, blogs like mine and many other fantastic IBD blogs are demystifying the disease and perhaps this is making it less taboo so people having symptoms are more likely to go to the doctor?

There are many unknowns about IBD and I welcome any debate and discussion but blaming the victim by putting this onto junk food is unhelpful and damaging to all the people who are currently working so hard to raise awareness and provide support.

Love Sam x

*UPDATE* I got this response from @BBCnewsbeat on twitter…

Hospital check up

17th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

I had my four week check at the hospital yesterday with my awesome surgeon Mr Brown. Everything is looking good!

At some point I need to learn when it’s not ok to make inappropriate comments though. He needed to *ahem* examine me and so a nurse was present. She was asking me to assume the usual lay on you left side, knees up position when I said “yep I’ve been here before!”
“Oh” she replied sympathetically “have you had problems and had to come in after surgery?”
“Nah I’ve just had years of this so I’m used to literally being in this position”

Anyway, Mr Brown was happy that everything seemed ok with my pouch. But when we discussed my bowel habits (actually is it still correct to say bowel habits? You know what with me missing my large bowel…) he wasn’t happy with the amount of times I’m going.

It’s currently around 15 times a day, it’s very sudden and urgent and I’m having continence issues. I’m having to wear pads to deal with that and it makes me feel like absolute shit (excuse the pun) My confidence is very low and I feel embarrassed and really fucking sad about it.

Anyhoooo Mr Brown asked how much loperamide I was taking, the answer is I’m not because no one told me I should be or prescribed anything. He wasn’t happy about that and said I should have been taking it. So he prescribed that and was hopeful that it would solve a lot of the issues I’m having, which would be AMAZING!

He then asked if I knew someone who runs a certain shop in Sheffield, I said I didn’t think so but that I did run this blog so perhaps they had read something here. He said they had told him that and so he’d better do a good job incase I wrote anything mean about him. I assured him I had only put lovely things about him!

It was a bit weird to know people are talking about this place and that it’s got back to my surgeon!! But it’s all good and I can hand on heart say, without any persuasion from him, that Mr Brown has been fantastic from the beginning. He always comes across really caring and like you are important, I’ve never felt like just a name on a sheet and his care has been amazing.

Going from 8 years at Rotherham hospital to asking to be moved to Sheffield my care had improved so much. Both the Hallamshire and Northern General (with the exception of bitch nurse from last year!) have been awesome and I can’t thank them enough.

You know you have a good doctor when both nurses and other patients have nothing but good words to say about them. When I speak to other IBD patients in Sheffield, everyone gushes about him and one nurse in hospital said “Ohhh he’s like a fine wine, he’s just getting better with age!”

So Mr Brown, if you happen across my little blog (because let’s face it, most people would DEFINITELY google themselves if they heard they’d been blogged about!!) you are doing an awesome job and I thank you from the bottom (fnarrr!) of my heart for your care over the last year.

I have to say loperamide isn’t the instant cure I was (stupidly) hoping for, it made me feel quite queasy last night and there was no impact on the amount of times I’m going to the loo. But obviously it’s something that’s going to take time to get in my system.

I had a pint of Orange juice yesterday as I was craving for it but it was not good. At least I’m assuming it was the juice! It passed thru my system in about an hour and left me on the loo about 10 times in an hour. OJ is now on my pouch kill list…

But I have to keep reminding myself that it’s early days. I’ll keep plodding on and I’m sure things will get better soon.

Love Sam x

Tales of the embarrassed…

16th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

This is for Corinne from the ever awesome Motherhood Journeys who told the twitterland about her having to stick a cardi on as her shopping arrived and she was in her jamas with no bra… (Sorry Corinne but if I’m sharing then so are you!)

Anyway I thought I’d make her feel better by sharing this story. Anyone who knows me is aware I have a million embarrassing tales as in general I am a bit of a fuckwit…

So shortly after the birth of my third child, with my husband working away and my other kids being 2 and 4, we all came down with a tummy bug. I abandoned our usual cloth nappies as there was just So. Much. Shit.

So with two kids in nappies I just tried to muddle through the days. One morning I had changed both kids and lay exhausted on the sofa breast feeding the baby when I heard the bin van.

“Oh shit!” I thought, I haven’t put the bin out!!! So I laid the baby on the mat and went to dash out to drag the bin to the roadside. I was still in my nighty but I didn’t care, the bin was full of nappies and had to go.

As I went to run I stood in a shit filled nappy I had put beside the sofa after I’d changed the kids and then quickly fed Thom as he was screaming. I skidded across the floor, shit shooting UP my leg and ran outside like a maniac.

The bin men looked up in shock at a mad woman running towards them dragging a wheelie bin with shit up her leg!

“Don’t judge me!” I shouted. “The kids are ill!! There’s shit everywhere!!!!”

It was at that point I realised my left breast was hanging outside my nighty swinging in the breeze for all the world to see.

I slowly popped it back in and with my head held high walked back to the house like it was the most normal thing in the world…

Worst. Day. Ever.

Ok, now I’ve laid my soul bare, please share your worst embarrassing story so I don’t feel like a total moron alone.

Sam

Get a summer body (and other such crap)

16th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

Wait, what the fuck is a summer body? Is it better than an Autumn body?

That big glowing ball of light and warmth is warming up the air temperature slightly and so it is time for every magazine and website to start telling us to get ‘beach ready’, get a ‘bikini body’ and starve, scrub, wax and our disgusting Spring bodies to achieve the almighty SUMMER BODY!

Do you know the best way to get a bikini body? It is to put a bikini upon your body… And whether that body is fat or slim, muscly or bony, whether you have scars, stretch marks, a stoma, big boobs, little boobs, no boobs, a big bum, a flat bum, thighs that are tiny or thighs that have some meat on them… Your bikini body will always be better if you feel happy and confident.

Choose swimwear that makes you feel comfortable and happy. If that is a thong and nothing else, then hooray! And if it it a vest and shorts then bloody well go for it.

How hard do you have to work to afford a holiday? That one or two weeks should be about relaxing, having fun and enjoying yourself. With all the pressures we have in day to day life, why the fuck should we be spending time, money and emotional stress on dieting, exercising, exfoliating, waxing, shaving, buffing and primping? Go on your holiday and enjoy it!

There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight or to get fit. But do it because you want to be healthier or fitter, or because you would feel better dropping a few pounds. Don’t do it because the multi billion pound beauty industry use a season of the year to sell extra products by making you feel bad about yourself!

The phrase “are you beach ready?” is being used regularly at the moment, and by that they mean have you poured hot wax onto your skin and then torn the hair from your body, or have you used a sharp blade to scrape every inch of hair from your legs, fanny and armpits… Newsflash! Human bodies are covered in hair! Choosing not to remove it has no relevance to whether you are ready to go on a beach.

Can you imagine a world where it was socially unacceptable for a man to be in public with hair on his legs, armpits or genitals? No, me neither. Yet society tells women that it is abhorrent to have hair anywhere but on our heads! If you choose to remove your hair then that is up to you, but if you choose not to then you are open to ridicule and insults. Remember when Julia Roberts showed her armpit hair and the photos went around the world. How bloody bizarre!!! Imagine the same thing with a fella? Nope, just wouldn’t happen.

Not ok… Ok…

I came across a particularly vile theme whilst researching this post called #bikinibridge – the aim being to be so thin that your bikini bottoms bridge across your hip bones… Wow! Now some women are naturally thin and this is nothing against them, but to be aiming to lose so much weight that your stomach sits concave to your hips is both unhealthy and terrifying.

How bloody sad that women will waste their time worrying about how much of a gap their is between their hips and stomach? Man, go learn a language or attend a lecture, go spend time with your friends or read a book. Ladies, don’t waste your time worrying about making your body look like an underweight child.

Im a size 16 with pubic hair, scars, stretch marks and imperfections. Do I look like a supermodel on the beach? Hell no! But I tell you, I am grateful for this body, this body that holds me up and keep going despite disease, surgery and missing organs. This amazing human body is so strong and adaptable, it is a wonder. So when I go on the beach this year I will be celebrating what a lucky woman I am to be alive and well. I guarantee I won’t be worrying whether it is ‘beach ready’ or the ‘perfect summer body’.

It is my body and I am proud! The next time I am in a bikini, I will be having fun and worrying not about whether other people can see my scars, whether other people don’t like the shape of my stomach or the wobble of my ass.

Don’t get sucked in by this annual tripe, it is simply a lazy, easy way to sell magazines and products. If you are lucky enough to be going on your hols this year, then invest your time and money into something worthwhile. You are so much more than the size of your thighs or the hairiness of your fanny… The fact that you are well enough to travel, that you have enough spare money to be going on holiday mean you are in a better position than millions of people. Relish in that and go have fun in your beautiful spring/summer/autumn/winter body.

Sam xxx

Silly

14th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

This made me really chuckle. Im still on a lot of painkillers…

The time has come…

13th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

For me to get blogging. Apologies again for my absence, I really don’t know what to write about as I can barely understand how I am feeling right now, but I feel bad for not documenting this part of my journey and I know Ill probably regret it if I don’t. I am also so grateful for all the loving messages of support and want to thank my readers from all over the world who have emailed me asking how I am as Im not posting!

I suppose Ill take it from the beginning. I went into hospital on the 14th May at 7am and was taken through to the pre op ward where I had a few tests, got my surgical stockings and changed into my hospital gown. Soon after I was taken through to the theatre and my epidural (for post op pain relief) was put in place, it was a great team and we had a laugh as I was in there. I lay back on the table as they pumped the drugs through and my last memories are of the mask being over my face and breathing deeply.

I awoke around 4 or 5 hours later from my pouch surgery feeling very nauseous but glad to be alive! I had been having nightmares that I just wouldn’t wake up from surgery. I was really tired and the nurse came and said that Timm was on the phone, I believe I spoke to him but I can’t remember. I told him to sort out the kids and to come and see me once I was back on the ward rather than coming to the post op ward where he would only be able to stay a few minutes.

I slept and puked for a few hours and was really out of it before going up on to the ward. Timm and my mum visited and I felt ok, still quite sick and just exhausted. The surgery had been a success and as I pulled up at my gown and looked down, I saw that I no longer had my ileostomy bag and my stoma was gone! I had tubes everywhere, a catheter in my bladder, the epidural in back back attached to a drug machine, I had drips in my arms, a drainage tube sewn into my stomach and a drainage tube up my bum…

The first few days passed in a bit of a blur, I was on a lot of different drugs to deal with my pain as well as not being able to eat. I slept a lot and allowed my poor battered body time to recover.

I had a reaction to an anti emetic drug called cyclozine, I felt paralysed and couldn’t speak or communicate. The nurse saw this and sat with me, explaining that I was having a reaction but that I would be fine once it passed. After an hour or so the physical feeling wore off but for several hours I was left feeling completely confused, I didn’t know where I was, I thought I was dying and I couldn’t explain to anyone what was wrong. I lay there crying silently for hours, not knowing what was happening. Luckily it wore off after about 6 hours and I slowly started feeling normal again. Absolutely terrifying!!

I was put on a different anti sickness drug to deal with my nausea and vomiting, I say vomiting but as I hadnt eaten for days at that point it was more dry heaving. I also was given an acupuncture needle to help, it was a tiny needle placed into the inside of my wrist that had a small sticker and a plastic nub that I was to leave in and press when I felt sick. I can’t explain how it worked but I can say that before I had it I was having anti sickness drugs every 6 hours. After I had it I had two doses in the next 5 days!

After a few days they removed the catheter, the drain from my stomach and the epidural. The drain in my bum had to stay in for 9 days… It was awful. It was a tube inserted into my anus and into the newly formed pouch, its job was to allow any waste to drain from my internal pouch into a bag allowing the stitches on the pouch time to heal. Three times a day I had to pump sterile water into the tube and then drain it out. Honestly, it was the worst thing about the whole procedure. The tube was extremely uncomfortable and meant I couldn’t sit upright nor lay flat on my back so I was bed ridden and had to turn from side to side every hour or so. It was embarrassing too to have this quite large tube coming from in-between my legs and having to carry the bag around with me when I went to the toilet and back.

Im glad to say that the nurses and staff were amazing this time, I had no problems at all like the last time I was in. There was especially one nurse named Sam who just went above and beyond, she was so caring and easy to talk to. She took the time to speak to you and was just an amazing nurse. Im going to make sure I let the hospital know just how much I appreciated their care and support.

I wasn’t allowed any solid food for the whole 9 days that I was in hospital. 9 DAYS YO!!!! The first few days I had a drip, and after that I had to drink plenty of fluids and I had these fortisip drinks that I was supposed to drink three times a day. I think I had 4 or 5 in my whole stay as I couldn’t stomach them.

I was quite emotional while I was in hospital. Between the pain, lack of sleep, lack of food, the drugs and the emotions of dealing with surgery I was a bit of a mess. I cried quite a lot and felt ever so sorry for myself. There was a bit of a heat wave while I was in and Id see people coming in, in summer clothes and smelling of the outdoors and would silently cry to myself. Im aware this sounds a bit pathetic but it really got to me!

One day I asked Timm to make sure I had no other visitors, I was so chuffed that my friends and family visited me but that one day I just felt totally overwhelmed and just wanted to see my husband. He said he was coming at 2pm for visiting but he was running late. I lay there watching the clock tick by, logically knowing that he must just be caught in traffic, that he would have called if he couldn’t make it. But my mind started working overtime.

‘He’s not coming’ I kept thinking. ‘He doesn’t want to see me, how can I blame him? I have this horrid tube and Im so weepy and useless. He’s just not coming’ I worked myself into such a state that all I could do was lay there and cry. And then he appeared. A measly 20 minutes late, not a big deal at all but I had wound myself up so much that I just wept.

But you know, my knight in shining armour came and held me tight. “You thought I weren’t coming” he said and I just sadly nodded. He walked off and came back grinning with a wheelchair. “Come on Mrs C, we’re off on an adventure” he said. He bought me one of those donut cushions so I could sit and then helped me into the chair. He wheeled me through the hospital out to a little garden and we just sat quietly in the sunshine holding hands. Him on a bench and me in the chair, blanket tucked over me hiding the bag. For the first time in a week I smiled and it felt genuine, everything else, the pain and the fear, just disappeared for that hour. It felt like it was just me and him and that everything was going to be ok.

On Friday 23rd May I was finally allowed the tube in my ass to be removed, it was such a relief. I could have cried!!! And then I was allowed home! It was so good to get home to Timm and the kids and into my own bed. I have been home for three weeks now and the recovery is slow and steady. Physically I have recovered well from the actual incision wounds on my stomach, they have healed really well and I am pleased with them.

The first week I was home I had to go to the toilet and empty my bowels every two hours, I had an alarm set to remind me and this went on through the night too. The next week the time was extended to three hours so as you can imagine, I was just exhausted. Getting up through the night was tough as once I was up I was finding it difficult to get back to sleep. The reason for this is to make sure as little pressure as possible is put on the stitches in my pouch. The next week and from then on I am to hold the urge to go to the toilet for as long as possible to start the long process of training my pouch to stretch and hold waste so I don’t have to go to the toilet constantly. This can take up to two years…

Last Sunday I started feeling unwell, I had to go to the loo A LOT and by Monday morning I had been over 50 times in 24 hours. I was exhausted and terrified something had gone terribly wrong. I called my stoma nurse who recommended speaking to the specialised nurses at the hospital, they said I needed to see the GP as soon as possible. I saw the GP who oddly enough used to work with my consultant and surgeon Mr Brown! She was lovely and examined me and said she believed it was a virus that was going round. I was so relieved and came home to plenty of fluids and rest.

So a month after surgery I am now going to the toilet around 15 – 20 times a day, this is mainly because it is quite difficult to actually open my bowels, it feels so different to before and it may take 3 or 4 trips to the toilet to feel like I am ’empty’. It is very tiring going so much and I feel down about it. I have to wear a pad in my knickers ‘just in case’ which makes me feel like absolute crap. I feel really embarrassed talking about it, which is odd for me as I usually am happy to talk about anything but I think because my self esteem and confidence feel at an all time low, it is hard for me to open up and talk about it.

I know it is early days and I was warned that this recovery process is very long and drawn out, it takes a lot of time for the pouch to work properly and so I know I just have to be patient and accepting that this is how it is right now. But honestly, I am feeling very low. I feel sad, scared and weak. Im worried that I have done the wrong thing, I feel like I am ill with Ulcerative Colitis again and that I am back to where I was before the first surgery. I feel quite panicky and anxious a lot, like Im on the verge of tears. And Im finding it very difficult to open up and talk about it to those around me.

I am so lucky to have such wonderful, caring people supporting me. Timm, as ever, has been amazing, my awesome friend Caroline has been here looking after me and the kids, cooking, cleaning and just being there for me, my mum has been here cooking for us all and looking after the kids. I have had visits, messages and calls from so many fabulous friends and family and I feel so grateful.

But part of me feels like I need to be bubbly and happy, I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer whinging on and on and I find myself just saying “yes, Im fine!!!” to the question of how am I because Im worried that if I open up and say that actually I feel horrible that I will be letting people and myself down. I know that sounds mental, and if I think about it logically I know that it is absolutely fine to be feeling rubbish, I just had major surgery! I also know that people are there for me.

I think I find it difficult to voice my feelings because I honestly don’t really understand them myself. I just feel that under my day to day smile, there lurks this gloom. A heavy hearted sadness coupled with a chest thumping panic. I feel worried at the thought of being in public or around too many people, I feel safe here at home with Timm and so Im worried about leaving the house. We went to a shopping centre last week for an hour and it was quite scary but ok as I was with Timm, I was exhausted by it and went straight to bed afterwards.

I just need to keep plodding on, take each day at a time and accept that right now, things are shit. But as I recover, things will get better each week. This is a lonnnnnngggggg post so have a shiny star if you have managed to get this far! Thanks for reading and I will make myself keep on blogging, because no matter how difficult it is for me to get these words down, I know that I feel better for it and hopefully I can help someone else too.

Much Love

Sam xxx

Apologies

4th June 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

I just wanted to say a quick ‘I’m sorry’ for not blogging much at the minute. This surgery has hit me so much harder than last time and I just have no inspiration to write.

It’s an odd feeling for me as usually writing is my escape and feels so cathartic but right now I’m struggling to put pen to paper and I’m not sure why.

I think I’m filled with chaotic emotions at the minute and I’m struggling to share that with anyone. Everyone around me is being so kind, supportive and loving but a part of me still feels numb to it. I can’t really explain my feelings. I don’t understand them so it’s nigh impossible to get them out on paper in any way that makes sense.

I’m definitely starting to feel more human, the painkillers are working well and so at least I’m pain free, I’m still in the phase where I have to go to the loo every 3 hours, including through the night so I’m quite tired. But everything seems to have gone well, my pouch is functioning properly and my wounds are healing really well.

Physically I’m doing good but emotionally I’m a bit all over the place. I’m finding it really tough to communicate this with anyone though as I really don’t understand it myself. It’s easier to smile and say everything’s ok than to be a stuttering idiot who can’t explain how I’m feeling.

I’m just having to remind myself that I’m only three weeks out of major life changing surgery and so I’m bound to be a little mixed up.

I’ll get there. I know I will. I just need to take one day at a time.

Sam xxxx

Finally…

23rd May 2014/9 Comments/in Blog/by sam

I am home.

Thank you to everyone who sent me messages, cards and gifts. Who called, texted, visited and helped us out as a family this last 10 days.

I’m exhausted and still in pain, not ready to write down my experience yet but just wanted to do a quick post now I’m back home after my pouch surgery.

Everything has gone well though recovery is tougher than I could ever have imagined.

Thanks so much to my amazing husband Timm. For updating the blog, looking after the family, home and business whilst visiting me, being on hand constantly to speak to me and care for me. I honestly don’t have the words to say just how much I love that man.

Will update more when I can. Till then, here are a few photos from my week in hospital.

I've had a strong word…

20th May 2014/0 Comments/in Blog/by sam

With myself and all is good again… Still tired but not so Mardy (Grumpy for those not from Yorkshire) A good days work (Including welding and hammering, ALWAYS good) and a decent bit of time with Sam today has done the world of good… AND Ellie our fantastic daughter made buns… they we’re awesome.

Mmmmmmm…

So news from the ward, Sam’s doing ok, she’s having a lot of pain in the bum and its not me or the kids for a change… (sorry). She’s finding it a struggle to put any weight on it. Not to surprising considering what it’s been through, but the doctors have been keeping an eye on it and as her temperature has been a bit up and down they have done blood tests and a CT scan. The blood tests came back with inflammation markers so they wanted the scan. The scan showed that the pouch was in great shape and there are no leaks but there is a small collection at the top of the bowels, we’re not too sure what that means but the docs didn’t seem too worried (Although they were talking of “releasing it” tonight, no idea what that entails).

In other news she had to have something put in her hand for the scan and it’s made it swell like balloon…. Look!

Big Hand

Apparently it doesn’t hurt, just feels weird…

So tomorrow I’m off to find a donut pillow so Sam can sit down and I’ll be seeing her 2 times too… happy happy.

Thank you to everyone who sent supportive messages and such like, everyone of then made me feel a bit better and they definitely helped raise my spirits.

Luv

Timm

The truth