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
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fantastic news Lozza! Look forward to coming to see you - at which point i will subject you to merciless tickling whilst you are enfeebled and defenseless. seriously though, I hope boot camp isn't too gruelling - and I guess its all for the good. Wohhoo
ReplyDeletelots of love Steve x
Wow wow wow Laura what fabulous news. I know Fergus was really glad to see you and reported back how well you were doing. Hope the progress really accelerates for you now. I know you are one determined lady so expect you to breeze through boot camp! Good luck, and hope to see you really soon. I will give John a shout the next time I'm in the neighbourhood and see if you are up for a visit. Lots of love. A xx
ReplyDeleteThat's great news, Laur! We had Susannah round for dinner a couple of weeks ago and she gave us a 'first hand' update -- but Adie and I can't wait to see you in person when you're ready. You're an absolute trooper, so no doubt you'll plow on through your bootcamp and be out of there in no time!
ReplyDeletexx Love you loads,
Suzi and Adie
Hey Lau,
ReplyDeleteThe news keeps getting better and better. Well done you clever girl. It still brings tears to my eyes knowing what you've been through so far, my god girl, you're one TOUGH nut!
Thankyou so so much for my birthday card! It's my favourite one, and I'll keep it forever.
Birthday bash was brill. You'll love it at Matter-way cool place! We'll go when you get out. Promise. Tom Novy is playing there this week!!! I'm sure he'll be looking on the podium for you!
Anyway, it's rainy and miserable outside. Our little country lane has been closed off to cars because it is flooded, can you believe it. Oh, the woes of living in the country! The veggy seeds are planted in the greenhouse, so we are waiting for them to sprout (might be a while yet...)
I've started a new job, which is both exciting and frightening!
We're hoping to come up to London again soon (21st?), and if you are up for it, I'd love to pop in for a good old chin wag....
Anyway, this week's postcard should be on it's way...
Good luck with decannulatin'
LOL
Han x
Laura, I've been wanting to get in touch for a while and now, thanks to my mum seeing your mum last night, I have got the blog details. It is Zoe Woolfson here - yes, a real blast from the past I know but wanted to get in contact to say that we are constantly thinking of you, you are doing amazingly and it would be really great to see each other again when the time is rights. Keep going with all your fabulous strength to get better and we will speak soon. All the very best Zoe x
ReplyDeleteHey Lors!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you're starting to make some real progress. I knew it would happen in the end but it seems like ages now since you were first admitted to ICU (i'm sure it seems longer to you and John!)
Your recovery seems to be nicely in sync with the days getting longer. Looking forward to summer nights and seeing you better.
Lots of love
Rusty xx
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteI have no idea whether this will ever get through to you. I have tried to follow the instructions to send you this message, but I do not know whether it will work [perhaps John could let me know in due course]. My electronic skills are extremely limited and I have never done a blog before, let alone set one up as I have just attempted to do.
Anyway, the whole family have been following your progress with fervent hope that you will improve asap and I now know from your parents that you have turned the corner and have even got out of the RFH for the first time today albeit only to Q.Sq. Never mind, this is the start of a really major recovery to full health and we all wish you well.
We know it has been an awful slog for you and we are full of admiration that you have come through the worst of it with your determination and optimism intact. However long it takes you to 100% recovery is not now the issue; it is that all will be well in the end and the whole thing eventually will be just a horrible memory.
We have every confidence that you will be up and about soon and when you are ready for it, we will visit you and share a few jokes!
Your parents are so much more forward-looking now and it was great to see them yesterday in their much more upbeat mood. We have all tried to give them our best moral support and I hope that has come through to you as well.
Jackie and I are off on a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia next week and I hope by the time we return, even better news will be around and we might be able to pop in to see you.
With all our love and very best wishes and keep your pecker up!
Love,
Adrian
Hello poppet!! How are you doing - have you moved yet?
ReplyDeleteHad a very enjoyable bus trip across London after saw you and then made it down to Brighton eventually (engineering works just for a change!!)
So lovely to see Kate R, Johnny mike and Fi etc at Stephs do. It was in a bar just behind Harry Ramsdens on the seafront by the pier. So much drinking ensued and a small bit of dancing but was tucked up in bed by 3am so quite an early one really!
Will be up hampstead way tomorrow eve for supper so if all ok with you both will pop in before.
Huge hugs and tons of love as ever.........just so pleased that things are oging the right way and you are being brilliant!!! xoxo
HURRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAH!!!
ReplyDeleteFabulous news beautiful Laura and glad to hear that John's paying for your hot chocolate!!!
Can we join you on the boot camp?
Anyway my lovely chum, hope John's learning to battle dragons or at least thinking of getting one as a pet for when you get home!!
Wonderful news!! Big smiles on all our faces here in the depths of Tuscany.
Good girl, keep strong and know that there's a worry wart in Italy thinking about you 24/7.
Love Ems xxxx
Salut Laura, c'est Michel
ReplyDeleteje suis heureux de voir que tu t'améliores de jour en jour .
Nous attendons avec impatience ton retour parmi nous.
Au laboratoire rien de très nouveau.
On courre toujours apres L'HTAP sans pouvoir la ratrapper.
On parle souvent de toi avec Sylvie
Allez ! courage ..... the show must go on !!
Michel
Hey laura,
ReplyDeletethat's really good. amazing how coffee at the royal free - wasn't it known as the loyal flea for a long time? - can be the elixir of life. Anne-so and I are thinking of you and your blog thing is posted on my desktop. you are incredibly brave and strong and we really admire you (and John too!). You sound so upbeat all the time and it must be really tough and now you've got the boot camp to look forward to too.
as for paris, as ever, rien de neuf. it is the quietest if loveliest city on the planet. lots of moaning about la crise of course but otherwise. i am trying to convince anne-so to work less and take more holidays (with me obnviously) but it isn't working very well and I'm trying to get a new book project off the ground which is complicated and a hassle but hopefully worthwhile in the end.
and Anne-so says in a post on the web can you put the adress for cards and stuff and also john's Uk mobile. i was trying to get in touch but have only got the french one!!
keep going, like you say, the light at the end of the tunnel is now visible and will get bigger every day.
thinking of you
Jason and AS
Laurs....I'm Soooooooooo happy to hear the good news. It must have been mind-blowing to finally get off ICU, although sod the hot chocolate- I'm looking forward to news of your first glass of champagne!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though things are moving pretty fast now and if willpower and positivity have got anything to do with it I'm sure you will make the bootcamp look like Butlins
Nothing much for me to report although about to go to Oz/Tokyo/Italy over the next few weeks and will be back at the beginning of April- would absolutely love to see you and so if you're ready to receive more visitors by then please let me know?
Loads and loads and loads of love
XX Shrutes