Dear friends and family,
I have big news! On Monday night I left ICU and am now on the Neurology ward at the Royal Free, 6 East. My tracheostomy was removed last Friday, and after good progress over the weekend, the ICU team were happy that my breathing was safe, and so here I am.
I took my first trip outside the Hospital grounds on Monday to Queen Square for my neuro-rehabilitation assessment. The trip was a great success. The team want to take me there in two weeks’ time for intensive rehab, and this is much sooner than I had anticipated as I’m still incredibly weak. They can keep me there for up to 6 months as an in-patient, and have been very optimistic about my prognosis in terms of getting me home.
I am just realising, however, that despite getting through the most terrifying 70 days on Intensive Care, and making amazing progress to get to this point, I have a very long way to go. My arms and legs feel like lead, and I can’t lift up my arms or use my hands at all- I feel like a rag doll. They tell me that some of the nerves may take up to a year to regenerate....
I have been starting to do some proper physiotherapy and it’s really opened my eyes to what they do, but how far I’ve got to go. John will probably go back to work once I’m at Queen Square and I will miss him during the day so much, but I realise it’s necessary, and how lucky I’ve been to have him by my side through the illness so far. After 4.30pm during the week and all weekend I’m allowed visitors at Queen Square, and I can’t wait to see everybody.
Lots and lots of love,
Laura
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Week 9 update
Week 9 update (day 60 on ICU)
Dear friends and family,
Over the last two weeks things have at last started to really improve. They say that the first movements that come back are those that you lose last, and that’s exactly what’s been happening. Two weeks ago I got my proper voice back and I started eating again....and almost immediately I was able to start needing the ventilator less and less. Last week I was able to leave ICU with just John and one nurse and go down to the Royal Free coffee shop for the first time and order myself a hot chocolate (John paid!). Since then I haven’t looked back.
Today is the first day that they will let me spend 24 hours off the ventilator completely, and if all goes well, they will hopefully take my tracheostomy out later in the week. I am so excited- as you can well imagine. The only downside is that my arms and legs are still very weak, and I’m unable to do anything for myself, as I can’t use my hands at all (I can’t even turn a page). Despite this frustration, I am so pleased because I can see the light at the end of all this. Previously, I was finding it so hard because I couldn’t see that I was improving at all, and I thought I would never be able to get out of ICU.
If all goes to plan, I will (fingers crossed) leave ICU soon and go to the Neurology ward upstairs here at the Royal Free. I will then hopefully be transferred to the neuro-rehabilitation ward at Queen Square Neurology hospital, where the really hard work starts....the term “boot camp” has been used to describe the intensity of the physiotherapy régime there!
Thanks again to everyone for the ongoing e-mails, blog comments, cards, presents and love that have kept me going through this.
Speak soon
Laura
Dear friends and family,
Over the last two weeks things have at last started to really improve. They say that the first movements that come back are those that you lose last, and that’s exactly what’s been happening. Two weeks ago I got my proper voice back and I started eating again....and almost immediately I was able to start needing the ventilator less and less. Last week I was able to leave ICU with just John and one nurse and go down to the Royal Free coffee shop for the first time and order myself a hot chocolate (John paid!). Since then I haven’t looked back.
Today is the first day that they will let me spend 24 hours off the ventilator completely, and if all goes well, they will hopefully take my tracheostomy out later in the week. I am so excited- as you can well imagine. The only downside is that my arms and legs are still very weak, and I’m unable to do anything for myself, as I can’t use my hands at all (I can’t even turn a page). Despite this frustration, I am so pleased because I can see the light at the end of all this. Previously, I was finding it so hard because I couldn’t see that I was improving at all, and I thought I would never be able to get out of ICU.
If all goes to plan, I will (fingers crossed) leave ICU soon and go to the Neurology ward upstairs here at the Royal Free. I will then hopefully be transferred to the neuro-rehabilitation ward at Queen Square Neurology hospital, where the really hard work starts....the term “boot camp” has been used to describe the intensity of the physiotherapy régime there!
Thanks again to everyone for the ongoing e-mails, blog comments, cards, presents and love that have kept me going through this.
Speak soon
Laura
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