Rehabilitation is a long process

Time to think of ways to entertain the patient....magazines are no longer enough, so a steady stream of reading material is required.  Next step is to see if we can get the computer organised.  He is now contactable on his mobile or via the desk at John Humphrey ward, who can give you the number for the landline by his bed.  One of his friends spent yesterday afternoon with him, and together they admired the view on the horizon, probably of Hampstead, and the corner of the exercise yard at Wormwood Scrubs prison closer by.

On the medical front he has been to the Charing Cross Hospital to have his eyes examined (very thoroughly apparently) - this is five minutes down the road but takes half a day, and results in a very tired patient! The ambulance arrived back at the Hammersmith and the driver left Vyvyan in the back while he went to get a wheelchair.....slight drama because he forgot to put the handbrake on so it was a bit exciting until someone leapt to the rescue.  Vyvyan has also had two blood transfusions (was it his neice's?.....GIVE BLOOD  all of you who can!) and is still having three doses of antibiotic a day, so is currently spending much time attached to a drip (the blood takes ages).  He can walk competently around the ward and deal with his own personal care now, but still dependent on the walking frame.  Still in considerable pain from his back, and an MRI to be done to check on progress.

Slow but steady progress

He is able to do more all the time.  Yesterday it was a couple of steps from chair to walker with no support, today some stairs.  Tomorrow he is going to the Charing Cross to have his eyes looked at, and an MRI is again in prospect to check progress.  Next step is to experiment with less pain medication, though antibiotics intravenously three times a day continues.  We are away 1-9 September, so all visiting would be very welcome.

He doesnt seem to have made friends with the heating engineer or similar yet, but no doubt that will come. He now has the rail maps and is checking that the line is being run properly.  He is being very well looked after, and there is some talk of a home date but all is speculation at this stage.

John Humphrey ward

It seems as if one of the consultants must find the whole case interesting, as it has been decided (in consultation with the patient) to keep him at the Hammersmith: he has now been moved to John Humphrey (wonder who he was) ward, which is for rehabilitation.  He is in a bay of 3 (with bathroom), and has the bed by the window, which even means he can see the trains (could be the main line out of Paddington, but he doesnt think they are the right sort).  He is annoyed that I consistently forget to bring him a street atlas, which is inhibiting him from working out exactly which trains are going past - like so many of the big hospitals what was a Victorian building (in this case next to Wormwood Scrubs prison) has been enormously expanded, and it really is quite difficult to work out which way you are facing (especially with August clouds so that the sun is not as much help as it might be).

He is persuaded that his mobile phone is a good idea, so is now in contact with the outside world.  He is still having intravenous antibiotics three times daily  Still some issues with sight and hearing, neither of which are quite back to normal yet, and obviously some infection in other parts of the system, but is noticeably improving every day.  He is starting to rip through the reading material (magazines so far) so may need further supplies soon!  Two of his friends e-mailed today and both made the assumption that he will have made friends with the resident engineer by now: I am sure the only reason it hasnt happened is that the cant walk that far yet!

Action for visitors

He has now decided he needs as much exercise as possible, so intends to enlist his visitors to escort him on his trips round the ward. He can talk and walk at the same time!

Three weeks today

Friday already! Its astonishing how much Vyvyan has been mended in the last three weeks, but still clear there is some way to go, with the main difficulty the pain in his spine. He is now in and out of bed with the aid of a walking frame but still in very considerable discomfort.  A neuro physio visits most days though they don't always see eye to eye.... He is still taking a selection of pain killers whilst the intravenous antibiotics (3 different ones apparently) continue.  Havent achieved a chat with a doctor all week so still in the dark about how they see progess from here - there is a limit to what information Vyvyan can relay while the drugs and the minutae of hospital life intervene. He is still in Ward A9 at the Hammersmith and no news of a move. Visitors would be welcome but I suggest you ring me or the hospital and just check that he hasn't moved before you go. Visiting is from 3 p.m.

Mattress brands

He has an astonishing mattress, which can be raised at the head and the foot and under the knees....and it is pumped with air so that it is always moving slightly to prevent pressure in any one spot.  Of course we have had to look up the manufacturer. No news of any move, but the specialist physio is helping daily.

Rehabilitation looms

He is still very uncomfortable with a lot of back pain which makes moving from bed to chair and further afield (we are not talking football pitches here) very slow and painful.  It seems likely that he may change hospitals, maybe as early as tomorrow, for rehabilitation with the help of physio etc.  Watch this space.

Graduated to a chair!

A big step forward (yes that was a joke) as he did a soft shoe shuffle to the bathroom today with the help of a frame and a capable physio.  Sitting up in a chair looking a bit tired and battered and obviously still in some discomfort/pain, but a great improvement!  He has the Economist and Private Eye, and starting to feel he can concentrate a bit.  Lovely cards which he has very much enjoyed - thank you all.

Bed #6

Tanya visiting tonight: took some time to find the patient who had moved again and is now in ward A9 which is a promotion to a regular ward. The prize is he now has his own bedside cupboard.  Downside was the man opposite with a very busy mobile phone, so glad to hear him telling a caller that he is going home tomorrow!

Cards and contact

Vyvyan has been moved four times so far, and as far as I am aware no cards have reached him.  I know some have been sent direct to the hospital so I will try and track them down.  Might be safer to send them to me and I will take them in.

More of the same

In pretty good spirits today after having a Hickman line put in so that antibiotics can be delivered intravenously over a protracted period.  He was thinking he might get around to reading The Economist from a few days ago, but it had got tidied away....must be the longest spell he has spent without reading since he first learnt how! Cardiology are looking after his recovery from the valve repair, and neurology are monitoring the cyst on his spine which is a legacy of the infection.  He had lunch in a chair, which wasnt very comfortable but made a change from bed. 

Slow Sunday on the ward

Ho hum not very exciting.  We had a nice chat tho. Large posses of doctors expected tomorrow.

NHS sheets

Now he needs a tape measure so that he can check up on the size of the mattress....clearly assessing the linen.  Its not fun but there are fewer tubes attached tho still plenty of antibiotics.  He is starting to work on getting mobility back tho quite why that involved a bed bath at 5 a.m. is not entirely clear.  He was very pleased to hear all the good wishes from the Newcomen Society.

Move to High Dependency Unit

I spoke to the nurse looking after him this morning,and he was doing well. I couldnt get through to the ward this afternoon or evening, so no further reports. During the course of the day he should have seen the neurological team and have been moved from the Cardiac Recovery Unit to the High Dependency Unit.

Post operative

He looks less as if he has been in a car crash today, though still wired up to all sorts of machinery.  He now has to recover his strength, which he set about doing by consuming his supper with determination.  He told me about the rare book he has out from the London Library, so I know he is feeling more himself.

The neurological team are now expected tomorrow to confer about the infection on his spine.  It still seems as if a protracted course of antibiotics will be required.

News from the outside world is clearly very encouraging, so thank you all for your kind thoughts.  Do keep in touch with him! I am sure he will be strong enough for visiting soon.

Surgery completed

The operation is successfully completed and was a valve repair rather than a valve replacement so that sounds good news.  He looks battered but brave! We had a very happy chat and gave him all the kind messages that everyone has sent. He was of course very tired so we didnt stay long. Next treatment is plenty of intravenous antibiotics.  The neurologists will see him tomorrow and so will we.

Surgery timetable

We expect the operation to be 8.00 on Wednesday morning (tomorrow).  He will then be in the ICU for a couple of days.  I will post news as soon as we have it.

Making contact

Follow the link for the address of the Hammersmith hospital 
I can't advise which ward because he will be moving after the surgery.

His cousin rang from Canada and managed to speak to him, but she is the only person who has managed to achieve this!

Anything sent to his home address or to Abbots Worthy will reach him via the visitor link.  And of course we will make sure he sees comments on this blog.

Start of a drama

John Vyvan Vickers has a spell in hospital

Vyvyan hasn't been feeling well, and went to his GP who diagnosed flu.  We were concerned; I went round on Friday and found him collapsed on the floor at home, conscious but confused.  The ambulance crew arrived (4 of them!) and we went with all guns blazing to the Hammersmith Hospital.

They efficiently tested everything, and it was clear he had a massive infection.  He was admitted and put on intravenous antibiotics and a saline drip.

On Saturday the concern was that it could be meningitis, but they couldn't complete a lumbar puncture.

On Sunday the cardiologist made the diagnosis of endocarditis.  This is basically an infection of a heart valve.  He also had an MRI at the Charing Cross; because he had back and neck pain and they wanted to check whether bits of the infection had floated off and lodged elsewhere.

On Monday it was decided that they need to operate to replace the mitral valve in his heart because the infection is being spread to other parts of his body.

Today is Tuesday.  Roger was the visitor today as Rolls and I were elsewhere.  Their preparations for the surgery tomorrow morning (0800 we think) included an angiogram.