I woke up feeling a bit bloated and windy, too much veg with the Christmas dinner I think. Shell was in the loo, she had not been right all night. Stuart was impatiently waiting for it, both of them had diarrhoea.
First thing to do, check Kim, her temperature was fine. You may be wonder why we are pre-occupied with Kim temperature, well here comes the science bit*.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) causes a drop in healthy blood cell production including White cells, Chemotherapy also causes a drop in white cells. This weakens the immune system. With the white cell part of immune system depleted other mechanisms kick in to combat the infection, one of these is fever. This is a very simple and affective why of picking up on illness in Kim and others with depressed immune system though leukemia and Chemotherapy.
Right with that out of the way, back to boxing day**. I can't decide if Shell and Stu have an bug or food poisoning, I'm not much to go by as my insides with take a lot of punishment. So it end up with a debate over what to do with Kim, let her stay or take her back to hospital.
Now Kim had very strong thoughts on this. The hospital staff had strong thoughts on this. I had thoughts on this, Shell Just had the urge to keep going to the loo! Oh and had thoughts on this.
The Hospital wants her to come back in, Kim wants to stay. Shell wants her to stay as healthy as possible and if that means going back to the ward then so be it. My thoughts, Well Kim will not move unless we physical carry her out to the Defender. The jury is out on why Shell and Stu are ill, and over the last 4 hours her Temperature has not change for the worst, it very healthy for her.
As this debate goes on Stu wants his mate in the house, and is not happy with the reply of no, from me and Shell. And headed off in a huff.
Where did the debate end up. Kim could stay with twice the amount of temperature checks, one move in the wrong direction, then it straight into the ward, no argument. Kim was sort of happy, The hospital and Shell was not happy, and Me well I was observing her and making the decision on the ground, and the less stress Kim had the better. So I was happy to go along with it.
*That saying reminds me of that bloody hair advert.
** There is a joke there about gloves, but I cant think of it.
Christmas Day - Part 3
Kim pulls a face and mutters as I wave the thermometer at her. “I'm fine, I don't need to do that to know I'm fine” “well, if you are fine, then you won't mind proving it to me” was my reply as I put it in her hand.
As Kim sits there with the thermometer in mouth in my mum & dads front room, We have only just finished the beef or turkey baps. Steph and my dad are setting up her wii, with some comical moments.
Kim hands back the thermometer say “told you I was fine, why do we have to go though it all the time, its almost as bad as at hospital, they keep doing it every five flipping minutes” I threaten to use my BP & Oxygen Saturation* machines when we got home if she carry on complaining. Her reply was something like**,' you can go away with that idea'
With the Wii set up it was time to play, bowling as four people could play it, as we did steph got over enthusiastic and her control flew out of her hand, flying straight up in the air and hit the ceiling hard, she dives of to side as it thuds to the floor near where she had been standing. We all laughed after we all looked up to see if there was a dent.
After much fun with the wii and time getting on. It was time to head for home. We are all tried out, and every one falls asleep, well almost everyone. I lay there looking at the ceiling thinking about the fun we had today, and how having a seriously ill child bring home the family togetherness that Christmas is all about.
*pulse oximeter as used by ambulance crew to see if you need oxygen.
** There was a few rude words used, I will leave you to work out what she said.
As Kim sits there with the thermometer in mouth in my mum & dads front room, We have only just finished the beef or turkey baps. Steph and my dad are setting up her wii, with some comical moments.
Kim hands back the thermometer say “told you I was fine, why do we have to go though it all the time, its almost as bad as at hospital, they keep doing it every five flipping minutes” I threaten to use my BP & Oxygen Saturation* machines when we got home if she carry on complaining. Her reply was something like**,' you can go away with that idea'
With the Wii set up it was time to play, bowling as four people could play it, as we did steph got over enthusiastic and her control flew out of her hand, flying straight up in the air and hit the ceiling hard, she dives of to side as it thuds to the floor near where she had been standing. We all laughed after we all looked up to see if there was a dent.
After much fun with the wii and time getting on. It was time to head for home. We are all tried out, and every one falls asleep, well almost everyone. I lay there looking at the ceiling thinking about the fun we had today, and how having a seriously ill child bring home the family togetherness that Christmas is all about.
*pulse oximeter as used by ambulance crew to see if you need oxygen.
** There was a few rude words used, I will leave you to work out what she said.
Christmas Day - Part 2
Shell and her mum Pat are busy cooking in the kitchen. The smell wafting out was wonderful, there is nothing like the smell of a Christmas dinner being cooked. I could not hang around the kitchen door taking in the wonderful mixture of smells. I got to get on and set up for the dinner.
With eleven People eating, I had to get the table, well to be correct tables and chairs ready. We had some and the rest came from mine & shell parents. So cue the Christmas favourite of walking across the road, with a dining chair from the in law in each hand.
Before long half of the table was up in the middle of the front room, my parents arrive with a garden table and chairs to join ours and complete the the extra large table area. As I looked around at the finished table with the mismatch chairs of differing heights, I knew that Christmas social meeting was upon us.
We all sit down to eat. Kim has opted for the sofa, and with the conversion of mine & shell's dad I don't blame her one bit. I see food disappearing under the table, thanks to Steph & Stuart. Then something runs into my legs. It was billy Kims dog having a whale of a time, with the food being chucked under the table for him.
With Billy Shut in the kitchen, there was nowhere for the kids to hide the bits of the Christmas dinner they did not like. My dad and shells dad George are putting the world to right over what was left of the sprouts , stuffing and cranberry sauce.
With eleven People eating, I had to get the table, well to be correct tables and chairs ready. We had some and the rest came from mine & shell parents. So cue the Christmas favourite of walking across the road, with a dining chair from the in law in each hand.
Before long half of the table was up in the middle of the front room, my parents arrive with a garden table and chairs to join ours and complete the the extra large table area. As I looked around at the finished table with the mismatch chairs of differing heights, I knew that Christmas social meeting was upon us.
We all sit down to eat. Kim has opted for the sofa, and with the conversion of mine & shell's dad I don't blame her one bit. I see food disappearing under the table, thanks to Steph & Stuart. Then something runs into my legs. It was billy Kims dog having a whale of a time, with the food being chucked under the table for him.
With Billy Shut in the kitchen, there was nowhere for the kids to hide the bits of the Christmas dinner they did not like. My dad and shells dad George are putting the world to right over what was left of the sprouts , stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Christmas Day - Part 1
I am woken by Steph shout “Daddy, Daddy, It's Christmas Day. Get up Daddy.” a hyperactive 11 year old excited about it being Christmas day is not fun at, umm. I Finally get my eyes to focus, 0643 in the morning.
Bleary eye we all head downstairs, where Kim takes tablets and has her temperature checked, before opening of presents. The first to open a present is Steph, and its a wii. That I end up setting up as the rest of the present opening.
I don't know what happened for the next hour or so. I dosed off on the chair, When I woke Kim was on the end of the sofa near the TV playing a gentle wii game with Steph. Shell is in the kitchen, getting stuff in the oven for Christmas dinner. It not our turn for having Christmas dinner here, but with Kim being ill it is safer for her to limit visits to other house. So the In Laws are coming here, so we can go to my Parents in the late afternoon.
I check Kim's temperature, before heading off upstairs to get dressed, As I do Shell's mum turns up to help with the cooking.
Bleary eye we all head downstairs, where Kim takes tablets and has her temperature checked, before opening of presents. The first to open a present is Steph, and its a wii. That I end up setting up as the rest of the present opening.
I don't know what happened for the next hour or so. I dosed off on the chair, When I woke Kim was on the end of the sofa near the TV playing a gentle wii game with Steph. Shell is in the kitchen, getting stuff in the oven for Christmas dinner. It not our turn for having Christmas dinner here, but with Kim being ill it is safer for her to limit visits to other house. So the In Laws are coming here, so we can go to my Parents in the late afternoon.
I check Kim's temperature, before heading off upstairs to get dressed, As I do Shell's mum turns up to help with the cooking.
"Ohh, That Cold"
Kim has slept for about 2 hrs. she wakes with the help of a gentle rub of her shoulder and the waft of dinner. Looking a bit better for the rest, she tucked into her chicken dippers and chips. She really enjoyed eating something that had not been in a heated trolley for about 30 mins.
As she is finishing her dinner, Shell is running her a bath, the first bath in almost 2 months it. The isolation room only had a shower. Kim slipped into it, not to be seen for the next 20 mins. She really enjoyed it, but then came the drying and creaming. Cue Shell disappear into the bed room with a box of medical gloves and the tub of cream. Then hearing Kim going “ohh, that cold.”
I never creamed Kim after bathing as it was an all over covering, and there is some things a bloke in late twenties should not do to a teenage girl. And this is one of them, due to it being embarrassing enough standing naked in front of her mum let alone me.
Just as they were finishing, Amy* one of Kim's mates turned up. When she find out kim is having cream rubbed in, makes a B line to the bedroom door and starts joking about it should be done by a celebrity that is the heartthrob of the time**
Kim is Laughing at Amy. As most of us do when she is in funny mode. Accidental double entendre, getting the best laughs. God it's nice to see Kim laughing & joking with her life long friend.
The question is how long is this friendship going to carry on.
*Amy, Same age as kim and has a larger then life personally, making her a mood lifter.
**I Can't for the life of me remember who Amy said!
As she is finishing her dinner, Shell is running her a bath, the first bath in almost 2 months it. The isolation room only had a shower. Kim slipped into it, not to be seen for the next 20 mins. She really enjoyed it, but then came the drying and creaming. Cue Shell disappear into the bed room with a box of medical gloves and the tub of cream. Then hearing Kim going “ohh, that cold.”
I never creamed Kim after bathing as it was an all over covering, and there is some things a bloke in late twenties should not do to a teenage girl. And this is one of them, due to it being embarrassing enough standing naked in front of her mum let alone me.
Just as they were finishing, Amy* one of Kim's mates turned up. When she find out kim is having cream rubbed in, makes a B line to the bedroom door and starts joking about it should be done by a celebrity that is the heartthrob of the time**
Kim is Laughing at Amy. As most of us do when she is in funny mode. Accidental double entendre, getting the best laughs. God it's nice to see Kim laughing & joking with her life long friend.
The question is how long is this friendship going to carry on.
*Amy, Same age as kim and has a larger then life personally, making her a mood lifter.
**I Can't for the life of me remember who Amy said!
Coming home for christmas
Its the morning of Kim christmas break. And Shell is coming to the end of the cleanathon, by hoovering the beds and washing the sheets. Thank goodness I would be on the road to the hospital when she is dueling with the sofas using a hoover pipe, It a sight to be seen. The Cupboards are stocked and space made for the pills, creams and thermometer.
It was sunny but cold December day. I had been tired up with another matter in Shrewsbury, and got to Kim in the early afternoon. She was sitting on her bed when I arrived, arms crossed complaining I was late*.
With the need for barrier nursing gone I just walk in, It is strange walking in without the apron and hand cleaning. I disconnect the Freeview box and pack up the Xbox. With this done everything is ready to go.
She came with a suitcase, backpack and one plastic shopping bag. And now I think we have the complete luggage set to take back. I resist the urge to joke about women and packing for holidays.
We say bye and see you after Christmas to the nursing staff. We head to the landy, I joke that with all this stuff it could be overloaded. Kim just looks at me with her 'thats a bad joke' look.
Kim settle into the landy wrapping her quilt around herself, As it cold out and the fan is doing the on off game. It amazing how thing start playing silly bugger when you need it. Oh, well. At least she is warm in her quilt.
We arrive home and everyone is in doing what they normal do. The in laws appear from across the road moments after we get in the door. Stuart is complaining that his mate cant come in, but one of them has had diarrhoea the day before. And he cant quite get it idea of bug being bad for kim into his head.
Kim settle on the sofa to watch a Christmas film, turn on the subtitles, Slides her hand up her head , turning off her hearing aids to block out her grandad taking about nothing really to her.
Pat, Shell, Mandy and myself are looking at each other trying not to laugh as we all know that kim has turn her aids off and that he is unaware that she has, He finally stops when kim falls asleep.
*She should know by now that I am not the best of time keepers
It was sunny but cold December day. I had been tired up with another matter in Shrewsbury, and got to Kim in the early afternoon. She was sitting on her bed when I arrived, arms crossed complaining I was late*.
With the need for barrier nursing gone I just walk in, It is strange walking in without the apron and hand cleaning. I disconnect the Freeview box and pack up the Xbox. With this done everything is ready to go.
She came with a suitcase, backpack and one plastic shopping bag. And now I think we have the complete luggage set to take back. I resist the urge to joke about women and packing for holidays.
We say bye and see you after Christmas to the nursing staff. We head to the landy, I joke that with all this stuff it could be overloaded. Kim just looks at me with her 'thats a bad joke' look.
Kim settle into the landy wrapping her quilt around herself, As it cold out and the fan is doing the on off game. It amazing how thing start playing silly bugger when you need it. Oh, well. At least she is warm in her quilt.
We arrive home and everyone is in doing what they normal do. The in laws appear from across the road moments after we get in the door. Stuart is complaining that his mate cant come in, but one of them has had diarrhoea the day before. And he cant quite get it idea of bug being bad for kim into his head.
Kim settle on the sofa to watch a Christmas film, turn on the subtitles, Slides her hand up her head , turning off her hearing aids to block out her grandad taking about nothing really to her.
Pat, Shell, Mandy and myself are looking at each other trying not to laugh as we all know that kim has turn her aids off and that he is unaware that she has, He finally stops when kim falls asleep.
*She should know by now that I am not the best of time keepers
Christmassy Hospital
Glad that I am out of the Santa suit, the lift door open and I step into the entrance area for Kims ward.
Oh great, Christmas decoration hang from the doors and the walls. Great I don't have the Christmas feeling, and Christmas is everywhere.
Kim is lying on the bed watching TV, and on the laptop chatting. As I chat with the nurses about the home rest over Christmas. It going to be for 10 days, hopefully normal enough to feel like the holiday season.
The Isolation is not a strict as normal as her white cell count is up and she is fairly stable. So she takes great Pride is telling me that she has been decoration the ward, and the tree. Kim loves Christmas, and is really looking forward to it, seeing the family and good food.
She was going on about her Nans Christmas dinner and how much she would enjoy it. Compared to the not very nice food* the hospital proves. As she did she was eating a bag of crisps I brought in.
She ends the visit by trying to talk one of the nurse that came in to check her temp, blood pressure, etc. in to letting her go now a day or so early. Much to the nurse's amusement.
As I am heading off I talk to the nurses, They enjoy her being there when she is like this, almost back to her old cheeky funny self. I take one last look. The next time I see her I will be a pack horse as we leave to come home together.
A Christmas with Kim being funny and cheeky. Maybe Christmas is not going to be too bad after all.
*well I can't repeat the exact words
Oh great, Christmas decoration hang from the doors and the walls. Great I don't have the Christmas feeling, and Christmas is everywhere.
Kim is lying on the bed watching TV, and on the laptop chatting. As I chat with the nurses about the home rest over Christmas. It going to be for 10 days, hopefully normal enough to feel like the holiday season.
The Isolation is not a strict as normal as her white cell count is up and she is fairly stable. So she takes great Pride is telling me that she has been decoration the ward, and the tree. Kim loves Christmas, and is really looking forward to it, seeing the family and good food.
She was going on about her Nans Christmas dinner and how much she would enjoy it. Compared to the not very nice food* the hospital proves. As she did she was eating a bag of crisps I brought in.
She ends the visit by trying to talk one of the nurse that came in to check her temp, blood pressure, etc. in to letting her go now a day or so early. Much to the nurse's amusement.
As I am heading off I talk to the nurses, They enjoy her being there when she is like this, almost back to her old cheeky funny self. I take one last look. The next time I see her I will be a pack horse as we leave to come home together.
A Christmas with Kim being funny and cheeky. Maybe Christmas is not going to be too bad after all.
*well I can't repeat the exact words
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