Tuesday, July 17, 2007
One step at a time
For those of you who are wondering why Derek hasn't been blogging the last couple of days: Derek's feeling pretty tired these days - the withdrawal routine and the general healing is having some effect. He has an appetite, but is not eating overly much. We're trying to "fatten him up" by providing him high-calorie, sugar-free food and drink. It's up-and-down. Derek's sleeping and waking times are all over the map, he says. We're lucky to be next door to him and that's good for both him and us. We can help quickly with anything he might need.
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You're right, one step at a time, and you can also take your time to help him regain the lost pounds. There is no rush !
ReplyDeleteI had no idea before I saw it with my own eyes how it was complicated, difficult and tiring to eat a simple yoghurt when you are recovering from bowel surgery.
Time heals a lot of things, and he sure needs some rest ! Thanks for the news anyway.
So true, little baby steps. My younger sister is a nurse and she put it in another way: inside us, cells are growing anew, repairing and replacing, in tiny but important ways. We don't feel this so we don't think about it, but it's a crucial rebuilding and takes time. John recently spent 5 1/2 months in the hospital with crohn's disease and ankylosing spondylitis. This included 2 surgeries (to remove a section of colon and also to remove absesses) already and one more to come in the months ahead (reconnection). He lost over 60 lbs. and a few weeks ago was only 115 lbs. At first the weight gain was very slow and up and down, but since the last 2 weeks, we have noticed a rapid increase in his weight gain! He's now up to 130 and we're pretty chuffed about that! John couldn't eat for the first 4 months; he was fed at first through an "ng" tube and later through a "pik iv line" which is a long very thin tube that they thread down through an incision in your chest or arm via a major artery right up into your heart cavity. His taste buds were serverely affected by all of this as well as the myriad of antibiotics that he took and he is just now beginning to be able to taste things properly again. Tell Derek to concentrate on resting. Tell him we're thinking of him daily.
ReplyDeleteWe're glad to hear Airdrie has gone off to L.V. Hope she has a great time :)
Thinking of you all ... as well, we are sending our healing thoughts to you and your husband too laurence ... hope things are going better for you both as well.
Love,
Terry & John
xxxxx