Heavenly Beverley : Hi Honey, We're Home!

Tuesday 11 August 2015

Hi Honey, We're Home!

This last week has been rather busy. We have been up and down to Perth, twice, to try and get Michael admitted to hospital to fight The Bitch. Ladies and gentlemen, she was back with a vengeance. All Michael had to show for four weeks of oral antibiotics against this latest chest infection was a black tongue caused by thrush and a general malaise.

Two Fridays ago, our GP decided enough was enough and Michael needed to see his respiratory specialist. Monday we travelled down the hill with an overnight bag, computers, toiletries and drugs ready for admission. Scott, Michael's doctor thought admission and IV antibiotics was a good move.

Except I had already worked out the hospital was packed. The carpark was a disaster by 11am. I eventually scored a spot outside the private end of the hospital, a couple of hundred metres sprint from Scott's rooms. A very nice elderly man gave me his parking ticket. That was the high point of the day.

I arrived at Scott's rooms as Michael was about to be examined. Scott asked one of his staff to find Michael a hospital bed. She rolled her eyes as she already knew the hospital was full. There were no beds. Scott didn't want us to go home. So we rang Cal and stayed overnight at his and Bron's house, with our grandkitten Ragnar.

Tuesday afternoon, there were still no hospital beds. Our choices were - stay on longer in Perth, go to Emergency or go home on more oral antibiotics. We came home.

Wednesday, Michael seemed to be holding his own. He did nothing in a concerted effort to get on top of The Bitch. Thursday, he woke up miserable, congested and exhausted. I rang Scott's rooms. His advice was quite straightforward. Come to Emergency.

And so we did. Michael was admitted on Thursday evening on IV antibiotics. After a couple of ordinary days, he was well enough to come home on Sunday afternoon. After stopping briefly for some fruit and vegetables, we headed gratefully up the hill.

Michael is improving. But he is still tired and not out of the woods yet. Still on mega dose oral antibiotics. But we have been given clear direction from Scott, which is incredibly helpful. When, not if, Michael gets another chest infection, we act if he doesn't improve after a few days on oral antibiotics.

Structural lung disease has been added to Michael's complex medical profile. This means he is more susceptible to chest infections and The Bitch will fight harder and longer each time before she is defeated. And so we will continue to battle her when she rears her ugly head.

This weekend we are going to Leigh Doust's 60th birthday party. Leigh is one of Michael's oldest friends and we are intending on having a really great time. I just hope there are no repercussions for Michael's health.

I'll keep you all posted.