Friday, January 28, 2011

Bedside manners

Snippets:

Jess: how you going to wash your hair Mom?
Me: in a bowl you just splash a load of water on and give it a good rubbing. It's all ever did when I was a girl
Luke: is that before you used to spread the beef dripping on?

Me sitting on a bed pan at visiting time nothing happening: is that me or Danny?

Me to social worker: my husband has been endeavouring to meet my personal needs for 42 years why change the habits of a lifetime?

So the legs are worse, no feeling at all from top of thighs down. Doubly incontinent too and that's a breeze in the main. I can wash and brush half way, including the hair scrubbing and beef dripping application and then the nurses take over. They do it tenderly, with humour and it's really rather nice.

Yesterday I went to the gym and managed to shuffle from a slidy banana, ooh er missus, onto a wheelchair. So that was progress.

Social worker and OT have started the discharge process and so beds will be arriving and carers lined up. I have to prove I am a medical case to get funding but that should not be hard.

To say it has all been disturbing is an under- statement. To have totally senseless stumps sticking out of you and not being able to twitch a toe puts a very different perspective on life and knowing that this is your life now no going back. But I am coping friends I am the cheeriest on the ward. As I said yesterday I am still me, I can write a symphony, I might just try and publish this blog and become a strange, quirky, commentating superstar for a while. Who needs legs?

6 comments:

  1. No surprise Jean, that you are the cheery one on the ward. As for publishing your blog.... it IS your masterpiece, it IS a masterpiece

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  2. Jean, What can I say. You are amazing. Im not going to say strong or any of those words people say to us cancer patients - it makes me want to punch them. But truly you are an inspiration and your blog and posts are helping me to carry on through my stuff.
    much love
    Dot

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  3. Yes, I couldn't agree more with that. Your blog and posts are a valuable insight into the course of this rare cancer and into the stuff you are made of, yourself. They will be of use to others well down the track who are searching for information written in an honest and gutsy way.

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  4. Hi jean or hi pommy as am in sydney should use the local slang. Am on granny duty to help Richard & sara with Oliver Hugh (21/1). Great to have all these new fellas - hope twins are doing well - mind boggles how they cope with all xtra work. Re toiletries was in City centre & needed loo so pressed button on these all singing dancing tardis ok opening but would it shut nooo so hear voice going past Strewth how about that! Love aussie humour. Big xx to everyone Sue

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  5. Hi Jean
    I have been reading your blog since you started it! I lost my wonderful husband, Alan, to fibrosarcoma in July 2007 he was just 50. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2010 and have since had a double mastectomy, and I am now taking tamoxifen and doing really well. You and your family are amazing - please, please publish your blog - it has helped me and will help others. You are all in my thoughts.... Keep strong.....

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