Getting home p6

                  PART 6

Getting home after such a long time was like being handed the winning lottery ticket, I know hospital staff and Doctors look after us when in need, but there's nothing like having family in close proximity. The Grandkids were pleased to see me and my wife stepped right back into carer mode, she is an amazing woman and the backbone of our family, she too had health issues but never once complained about anything. 

It was around 2nd week in may the hospital histology dept called and advised me that NO cancer cells were present after the last tissue was taken, a massive weight lifted from my shoulders, we were all elated, we had been on edge for a few weeks wondering what was going to be said.

I had to attend the QE Birmingham on the 30th for a pre chemo check, bloods and COVID swab, a 28 mile round trip can be tricky on the M6 at the best of times. With that complete I went home and was put on "bed watch" again, sitting by the phone waiting to see if that morning or the next and so on, had a bed for me on the ward. 2nd of June I've got a bed, could I be there for 6pm same day. The wife and I had already packed a bag so we were ready in that respect. I arrived on the ward and the nurse booked me in and said my PICC line would be fitted in around an hour, I'd arrived at 5pm so the staff were also ready for me. After 2 attempts of pushing and pulling the specialist finally got the line in situ, I knew by tomorrow my arm would be black and blue from all the stress.

And oh boy did it bruise! But I was at least ready for what was coming, the next morning in came the two chemo nurses checked off the chemo and started the IV.

The cover on the outside is to protect the Chemo from UV, the first day went well without any complications, except for the arm, it felt painful and heavy. Day 2 and the cycle starts again, 2hr fluids, 30 minutes Doxorubicin, 10 mins steroids, 30 mins flush, 4 hrs Cisplatin, 2hrs fluids, 30 mins flush, 2hts fluids, Cycle 4 complete.

So 10hrs and I'm done!

Silly me, why did I say it was all going well? Day 3 it hit me like a brick, sickness, fatigue and one hell of a fever kicked in, I hated this part of the cycle, for me it was a given factor of receiving chemotherapy. Knowing I still had 2 full cycles to go was on one hand good news but on the other, not something I would look forward to. I was really ill this time and after several days of tests the Dr informed me that I had yet again got Neutropenic sepsis, commonly caused by bacterial infection with Gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus sp, Streptococcus pneumonia e and S. The next week I was in and out of it, I can't really remember the day it ended, but I did remember the care and support from all the staff at the QE Birmingham, I'm sure without their intervention I would not be here today.

July soon came and went, most of it spent trying to get back some mobility and recouping from another bout of Sepsis, again the family, especially Nicola got me through some pretty dark days and I had found a bit of an appetite at last. I had noticed late in July that my leg had started to lose a little flexion, very slowly but surely by mid August it had almost locked up, one morning I woke up early because I felt something trickle down my thigh, I looked down and my scar seemed to be oozing. The following morning I rang Professor Abudu's secretary and told them what was going on, within two days she rang me back and said the Professor wanted to see me urgently, could I make it to the hospital tomorrow, I said I would and did. At the appointment Mr Abudu checked my leg over, looked at me and said “unfortunately David, this is being caused by a deep infection” we need to book you in quickly for a debridement and washout of the prosthesis, it will I'm afraid mean opening up your leg again (3) to access the problem. My wife and I embraced, we knew another long stretch in hospital was coming. I received a call two days later, can I come in today early for a pre-op and then stay in, the operation would be the next day.

The infection 

Arriving at the hospital the ward staff couldn't believe it, what on earth are you back here for again David, they said to my wife, can't you keep if just for a few months! I can only imagine how Nicola felt, here one minute in hospital the next, that's how it had been for nearly two years, since my first operation to correct a broken femur.

Part 7 follows.

Back in hospital p5

 April 5th 2022, I was back at the ROH in Birmingham, I will be taken to the QE Birmingham to have my procedure done (IVC filter), I didn't realise that the procedure was so technically challenging. A wire with the filter attached would be passed through a vein in my neck down to the Inferior Vein down in my stomach, I had to remain still, very difficult when someone is baring pressure down on you neck!

Prior to the operation I was advised that if the filter didn't sit right clots could get passed and cause an embolism, no pressure then huh!

The procedure took around 40 minutes and was carried out successful by a team of around 7 people. I was allowed a cup of tea and transported back to the ROH the same afternoon.

7th April and it was time for me to go under the knife of professor Abudu once more, he would be taking out the plate he previously put in along with 80% of my femur bone, he will then replace it with an Endoprosthesis (EPR). This was another major operation and I was indeed a little anxious, the team greeted me in the anaesthetics room and explained pretty much every step of the operation that was about to begin.

As you can see from the above, it's a rather extensive surgery with many risks. I did however keep telling myself, the story could have been far more life changing if amputation was the only option available.

I spent a few nights in ICU as I had been given 2 units of blood and my core temperature was a little low. The team there were absolutely incredible, a dedicated nurse station at the end of each bed, monitoring everything as it happened.

Back on the ward I was allocated a side room, again with a pretty decent view of the garden area, squirrels and birds visited nearly all day. The following day a nurse came and told me she was going to take off the packing and redress my wound, I was a little shocked at the length of the wound covering that was on my leg, it ran from below my knee to just below my hip.

The scar on top is where the previous biopsy was taken, the surgical team wanted to be sure the area was free from bad cells. By the time the nurse had finished dressing my wound the pain was intense, the nerve block had been taken out prior.

That night was very uncomfortable, having to lay on my back for the last 7 months was hard, I was able to get a pillow behind my knee which did help. Physiotherapy came the next day with a leg brace, it was fitted and the flexion (bend) set at 10°, basically it means when you stand the brace will stop the knee bending passed 10°, something that would be altered every week.

Standing was really painful but the best way forward, I really didn't want my leg to be stuck straight with no bend, apparently the first 6 weeks are the most important where flexion is concerned, if I could get to 90°, it was likely that anything beyond that would be a bonus.

Over the next few days I noticed a lump developing where the drain had been taken from, I mentioned this to the doctor who said it looked like an haematoma, a clotting of blood under the skin, he said he would keep an eye on it over the next few days. Eventually it subsided and I felt a little less anxious about it. The next week was made up of physiotherapy and trying to find an appetite, those of you who have spend longer than 7 days in a hospital knows the menu repeats on day 8, you can mix it up but choices are limited, I do however understand that hospital catering has to provide meals for hundreds of people, so having a fixed menu makes sense.

The day came when it was time to have my staples out, I wasn't looking forward to it as I remembered last time! It went without any problems unlike previously when a few clips just wouldn't budge.

New dressing on and a few hours off from wearing my leg brace, it felt really nice.

Home time after nearly 4 weeks with a plan that histology would ring with the results from the tissue they took from my leg during the operation.

Please stay tuned for part 6.