Wednesday 12th we got up early to make sure HUBBY had something in
his stomach before what the consultant had told us was her main day with us. We
proceeded to the spinal unit and put HUBBY onto the allocated bed. The
consultant and intern arrived shortly afterwards to explain the procedure for
the Baclofen test dose, which was to be carried by means of a lumber punch type
injection. HUBBY was then turned onto his bad left side, so was no comfortable
from the oft. Well firstly the intern had a go at finding the sweet spot
between the vertebrae, poking the very long needle into his lower back, then
the consultant had a go, HUBBY endured this for nearly an hour with short
pauses for him to get the feeling back in his arm. HUBBY was sceptical about
this procedure in the first place so I am there hoping against hope that they
sort it soon or I know he will abort the whole thing. Eventually they decide
the only way is to do the insertion with the help of x-rays. So off we all go
down the cold corridors to the x-ray room. Pat slide HUBBY across onto the bed,
try and hold him on his side but curled up as much as possible to open up the
spaces between his vertebrae. Every time the machine moved it knocks his knees painfully,
but this did enable the consultant to finally give HUBBY his test dose of
Baclofen.
So poor old HUBBY
was then returned to the ward rather bruised and battered to await for the
medicine to take effect. It took about an hour to start working he said
everything felt numb and he could no longer move his toes. The injection took
so long to perform we missed yet another physio and OT session although both
did come to see us. HUBBY stayed in bed at first so that blood pressure etc
could be monitored. Which fell very low indeed, 68/38 at one point the nurses
felt a bit concerned over and wonder whether he would be able to go for his
scheduled x-rays. HUBBY said he was going no where anyways until he had eaten
and so he did. The injection began to work as for the first time in two years
he was able to lie in bed with his legs straight and cover them under some
regulation hospital blankets. Mid afternoon he was able to be wheeled to his
x-ray and for a change I did not need to be present to make sure his legs stayed
where they wanted them. He had some x-rays taken of his neck, ankles and left
knee. Both the rehab consultant and orthopaedic surgeon were interested in
seeing the results. He was supposed to have a bone density scan but this got
pushed out because of the time.
Afterwards HUBBY
wanted to get up in his wheelchair, I was able to easily straighten his legs
and noticed that the right one especially flopped over to one side making it
rather awkward for me to put his socks and shoes back on. Very strange for me
having this totally flaccid body now in front of me not fighting my every
effort to get him dressed. HUBBY did look a lot straighter in his chair and
even propelled it himself without falling over to his left this time. So to the
onlooker the injection looked to be a success, we had found something that
works. HUBBY was less convinced after the days events, not impressed with how
long the lumber punch took, missing his bone density scan and the feeling of
the two pieces of rubber he was sitting on that used to be his legs. Wednesday
we were both exhausted and had one of best nights sleep for a very long time.
It is a shame it was that night that I carried out the smaller sleep study,
which was supposed to investigate whether I was experiencing problems because
of my broken sleep.
Thursday 13th, we
had a discharge planning meeting with all of the team present, when over what
the goals of the week were, achievements and future work to be done. I thanked
the team for the extra help they have given us due to previous bad NHS
experiences. Soon afterwards HUBBY’s orthopaedic surgeon came to visit and made
it clear that yes HUBBY did in normal circumstances need a total knee
replacement but he wants to wait and see whether he agrees to have the pump
fitted and then starts to carry out standing regimes on his legs. At which time
he feels it would be more appropriate to reconsider operating. The physio then
came to talk to us for a while. After which we went to get some food, have a
final session with the OT, hand over the keys of the GHU, catch our taxi back
to KGX. Train to Peterborough and another taxi to home at St Edmunds Court.
Now back home HUBBY
is being given some space to think about where he goes from here, to Baclofen
pump or not that is the question my dear readers….
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