My wife is brave, and getting well!!!

[john14]

Congratulations Doug. It sounds like your wife is a very, very mentally strong woman to survive all of these health problems. All the best to her and you of course. It's great to hear about the new baby!

[Doug_Dread]

As we head towards Terry's 4th post-apocalypse Christmas, Terry is upbeat about it, very much looking forward to spending it with her family.

However, she still hasn't regained the losses from her last episode and now she's developed pneumonia as well. She's insisting on home treatment and flatly refuses to spend Christmas in hospital. General pain levels are becoming too difficult to bear and in her own words: "I don't want to live in this body anymore, it hurts too much."

Nevertheless, we're hoping for a great Christmas and new year and from Terry and I, we wish you all the same, or more appropriately, a much better Christmas and new year.

Warmest wishes,

Doug and Terry

[whiteballz]

I wish you and Terry all the best, Its clear the love between you knows no limits.

Please pass along from UCP our combined best wishes and a happy new year..

[McReis]

Hi Doug! That woman is amazing! What a strength!
My sincere wishes of the best possible Christmas. Considering all the love shown between you, it will always be good, no matter how strong the pain may be.

[willysjeep]

Doug..strongs to you and Terry and remember...always chin up...

[Cyco]

Doug and Terry, your strength is an inspiration to all the rest of us.

I hope Christmas goes well for you and your family.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I know it's late and stuff but a very merry Christmas to my two favourite South Africans

Constant pain is a stressful and heavy burden, And I'm glad she's got you to lift her spirits and back her up. I'm glad you have her to fight with and keep you happy. Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy new year.

[Doug_Dread]

Thanks all

Christmas was a bit of a mission for me but most rewarding as it resulted in a best-ever for Terry with our family, she loved it!

Y'all have a fantastic 2011!!

[Doug_Dread]

My wife is in intensive care...... again, unfortunately.

She improved from her previous ailment but it never quite healed and a couple of weeks ago, she experienced a severe pain in the chest which we treated as another 'routine' cracked rib. The pain intensity persisted too long though and was accompanied by increasingly restricted breathing and nausea. As a result she couldn't eat and grew rapidly weaker. Dialysis gave us a problem in that she had excess fluids on board but couldn't pump them out on account of a very low blood pressure. I started nagging for hospitalisation last week but Terry remained stubborn until she had to admit she was in real trouble.

I filled in the forms to admit her to a ward this morning, but before I could even deliver her file to the ward, the doctor switched her to General ICU (High Care). When we got there, I was kicked out while they settled her in and he examined her and before I could even get in to see her, the doctor switched her again, to Medical ICU, because he felt more intense treatment may be required. This filled me with images of the dreaded ventilator and tracheotomy horror. X-rays showed a totally opaque left lung and another doctor was called in to insert a drain in her side. In 10 minutes, over a litre of watery pus drained out. They already put Terry on general anti-biotics but they will test the pus to identify the microbe and target it with specific anti-biotics. The infection could have mimicked a cracked rib pain, hope so, then we cure that too.

We still have no idea whether we'll land on a snake or a ladder, could go either way, but we're remaining positive. At least I am, Terry's state is closer to panicky terror. Nevertheless, she withdrew her DNR with the doctor on account of her grandson to be born on 23 March and she wants to be there to see him before contemplating any off-world adventures.

[Matra et Alpine]

Doug, our prayers and hopes are with you and Terry.

[aiasib]

Keep strong, Doug. My prayers are with Terry and you.

[Cyco]

I'm sure she will be there for the birth. She is a fighter, and ready to fight for some time yet, I'm sure

[Doug_Dread]

Terry is a little more comfortable today, although very pale and weak; got a smile and a laugh or two out of her though, from behind the oxygen mask. Still a lot of nasty stuff draining from her lung, too much to ask the anti-biotics to cope, so they are going to take her to theatre and go in through the drain hole with a camera-equipped surgical device, try to break up the microbial party and flush it out. The doctor is not sure when, he says she's a very sick girl and must get a bit stronger first. They also want to CSI the bug and determine where it lies on the evil scale, culture results are due from the lab tomorrow.

I gave her tickets to Riverdance for her birthday and the show is on Sunday..... fat chance.... not going to happen. I've replaced that idea with a trip to the seaside at end February.... here's hoping.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I hope for the best too. My mother has been in and out of hospital with respiritory ailments recently so I know a little of the pain in regards to drains and the helplessness.

Sending all my good luck and best wishes to you guys. Stay strong.

[Doug_Dread]

Darn, that hospital is a snake pit!

Unlike in 2006 when they rushed Terry into ICU and connected her up to a host of horror gizmos and gadgets all at once, this time they snuck up on her and connected a few at a time. The effect is the same in the long run though. Having inserted the lung drain in her left side and thereafter, taking her to theatre to clean out the lung through the drain incision, the serous fluid draining out is almost clear of pus. However, her white blood cell count carried on climbing, telling a tale of more, undiscovered infection. The thoracic surgeon's bright idea was to do open chest surgery and go looking for infections to clean out; an idea shot down by her doctor and my wtf are you thinking reaction, on account of her being far too weak to survive such major surgery.

They settled for a CT scan, the results of which were not promising. There is more infection in the cleaned out lung in hard to reach locations and some in the right lung as well, plus serous fluid being produced by the body's defences which threatens to drown her. So, now she has a right lung drain in as well. She also has an additional tube in the left lung to vent air bubbles which neutralise oxygen exchange where they occur, a condition they call surgical emphysema. No more intrusions are planned, I'm told the anti-biotics are the last tool in the toolbox and it's all up to them now. We can only wait.

When I asked the prognosis, the thoracic surgeon's answer was essentially, "The anti-biotics sometimes work, but 'her doctor' is optimistic". Sometimes??!!

Terry of course, is in much pain and distress, as am I. I have the deepest, darkest sense of foreboding in the pit of my stomach and can barely breath.