Absolutley Bile!!!!!

Poor Kayla, she is now on her 7th day of TPN and 10th day of nil by mouth.

If her bowels need anymore rest they should be placed on a plane and sent to the carribean!

Her gastric nasal tube however, is on overtime! They need this bile production to ebb and stop. No chance the juices are running at biblical proportions........... no honestly she has now been producing bile for 40 days and 40 nights!!!!

But No Kayla being Kayla just has to be different...........the bile river just keeps on flowing........she is a one woman bile production line....... she is the EEC bile lake! I think her tummy is designed like Doctor Who's bloody TARDIS!

The only thing that has kept Kayla sane through this has been unlimited iced water. Well that has all stopped now! Mr B and Co have deceided that in order to staunch the bile flood Kayla can only drink a maximum of 500 ml/24 hours.................

She is not a happy bunny, her toys have left the cot, Her facial expression resembles a cross between a slapped a*se and a bulldog licking p*ss of a thistle!!!!

She is NOT a happy girl................ah well things can only get better I suppose (Gulp!) we have got to get home by easter! We are both going crazy!!!!!!!!!

PICC Heaven

Kayla in now well into her "Enforced Starvathon".

She last ate a food 6 days ago. When I say ate food.......... I mean a microscopic morsel.........By implying she ate food I could be in trouble by the "trade's descriptions act".

Kayla had a nibble of a cheesy cracker! The nibble was so "wee"that if you fed the same amount to a Pygmy Shrew it would have still been hungry!

Her skinny little frame is pathetic to behold her last weigh in revealed that she has lost just over 2 stone! She is now just about 8 stone! Lucky she went into Hospital sporting a little "Padding"!

On Tuesday she was taken down to Theatre and the team struggled to fit a PICC line in her arm. If this was a "No Go" then a Central line" would be placed into her neck. The reason for this proceedure was that she needed to be fed intra-veinously during the "Enforced Starvathon" She was getting weak and looked a little like Frodo Baggins did after he was stabbed by the "RingWraith King"!!!!!!!!!

There are many differences between a PICC line and a Central line one being the spelling! but they both achieve the same aim (permanant access to a vein) In Kayla's case the main difference was, she would be allowed home with a PICC line, with a Central line you are confined to Hospital.

She came back to her room bloodied, bruised but happy. They had taken 4 stabs (pardon the pun!) to insert her PICC line. Her left arm ( the one with absolutley SH*TE veins looked as if a snake had bitten her! Her right arm (the one with moderately SH*TE veins) was sporting a PICC!!! WHoopeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! At last something has gone right for a change! Kayla is now being fed (a bag of milky stuff) and her strength is slowly returning. She is getting up and about and trots abot the ward for a short spell then goes back to bed knackered for a nap!

Her spirit is back though and she will beat this and be home by Easter.

This is Stu Aspy for News at 10 The Royal Marsded, London

Mother's Day

Well here we are 26th of March "Mothers Day" Kayla is asleep in her bed as I type this Blog. It's been rather a depressing week, we don't seem to have made any progress.

Kayla was still vomiting and so The "Team" have decided to rest Kayla's bowel for a week to 10 days! Kayla's hopes of getting home before our children get home from Boarding School were dashed. In addition to this as Kayla cannot eat (sips of water only) she is getting weaker and weaker. She now sleeps most of the day (it's because of the starvation but it does ease her boredom).

A PIC line was attempted on Friday so they could set up TPN (intraveinous feeding) as they are becoming worried about her nutrition. The PIC team failed and blaimed it on Kayla's past Chemo wrecking the veins in her arms.

Mr B will call in a specialist to try again on Monday. If that fails it will have to be a central line (no not the Underground!) in her neck and this requires a trip to theatre (No not the West End!). If the vomiting does not ease then that will mean a Nasal Gastric tube (Eeeewwwwww!!!!!...ever had one of those? they are nasty this will Be Kayla's fourth!!!!!!)

If the PIC line goes in and everything looks good and she is tolorating the TPN then she may be allowed home next week!!!!!! Kayla says she will only beleive it when she is in her own bed. Bless her her spirits are still up but only just.

She really needs to get home. Anyway must go as her Mum and the Kids are due soon..................... They should cheer her up

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwllllllllll

Stu

Kayla has had a very busy day today. 1st she drank some water, turned her nose up at her breakfast then had a bath. Then she had a snooze, then drank some water then turned her nose up at her lunch. Then snoozed a bit more, and went for a little walk with her mum up to the "Day Room" where there was live music (violin & Guitar) Exhausted she had a big snooze until it was time to turn her pretty little nose up (again) at supper. She walked her mother out of the ward and then headed back to her bed for a big bloody sleep!

Phew! I am tired just typing that!

Today in between turning down hospital food, Kayla has feasted upon a tiny portion of "Greek Yoghurt and Honey" and a microscopic portion of "Chicken-Avacado-Rocket Salad" all washed down with lots of fattening iced water!

Phew! I am stuffed just typing that!

The doctor said take it easy on the eating and man is she taking it easy.

The ward think that she is a pig as I scoff everything............ even the tray sometimes! It's not coz the food is good it's coz it's FREE. Gotta make some savings as living in London for the last 5 weeks has cost me an arm and a leg.

And that's not counting the pony and a monkey Ive spent on tube fares, nor does it count the albertross and a Bison I've spent on takeaways and lets not even mention the gerbil and a platypus! but they were for private usage (but that's another story!)

Yep it ain't cheap living in the "smoke".

The next blog is gonna be the details of some of my London experiences and thoughts whilst traveling to and from the RM. It is hard work doing a 17 hour day 7 days a week I can tell ya Guvnor but some of the wacky, wierd and scary things that I have seen have made me smile and have brightened up my otherwise boring daily commute.

As we Londoners say..............Be Lucky mate.....Cor-Blimey.....Mary Poppins......Chimney Sweeps....Old Kent Road.... Mind the Gap..........Guvnor!!!

..................................................... Cockney Stu

The Wonderful World of the Wilshaw Ward

So on the 3rd or 4th of March (can't really remember so much has happened since then!). Kayla moved from the CCU to the Wiltshire ward of the Royal Marsden Hospital.

In one way it was fanny-bloody-tastic to get Kayla out of the Critical Care Unit and back onto a normal ward as it meant her journey towards full recovery was underway. It was also scary as hell in another way, Kayla went from having 1:1 nursing 24/7 to having slightly less than 1:1 nursing!!! It was a shock initially but we knew that the Staff of the Wiltshire ward are just as proffesional, caring and pro-active as the CCU gang. Its just a different kind of nursing.

It was like Kayla was returning home in a way ...........as she had spent 9 days on this ward prior to surgery.

Let me reflect for a while on the early days.............. erm yes Kayla had an epidural in to block the pain....................erm then it fell out! Then she had a second one fitted...... all went well then at about 5:30 on a Friday evening it ..........erm.............developed a leak and had to be replaced. The third one lasted slightly longer before going "Pete Tong" but and this is a big but (but not as big as the Butts on meny US tourists here in London) the fourth! epidural was tough and lasted the course. Mambo No 4 as we lovingly referred to it managed to stay in full working order until the "Pain Management Team" (PMT what an unfortunate acronim!) decided Kayla no longer needed it, as she was not yet well enough to undergo the second part of the surgery.

Days came and went Kayla's RM Groundhog Day started in earnest, with a few ups and downs thrown in for good measure. Surgically everthing was healing fine no infections of wound nor stoma. However, as Kayla had not been eating properly since January and had not been able to eat at all for the last 3 weeks a few wierd things were happening......

1. She weighed 8 stone!

2. Her taste buds were like a babies. Everything tastes overpowering! over-seasoned and horrid!

3. Her Gut had slowed right down due to the pain killers and anti-sickness drugs so that even if she did eat it took forever for her body to process it.

4. Her stomach was still producing acid and bile at the normal rate so every few days Kayla presented the nurses with a bowl of stomach contents!!!!! Mmmmmm what a nice shade of green! Normally about a litre but her personal best was a 1.4 litre explosion!.........a two bowl-er! That little episode has ensured her a place on the British Olympic Puking team for 2012.

So Kayla was weak, pained, emaciated, uncomfortable, nausious and "menopausaly sweaty" ....................yep a normal day at the office for my "Kale".

Her spirits were still up though and she was co-operating where she could with the physio-terrorists. She did draw the line once though, she told em to poke of no way was she fit enough for either the assault couse or high beam.

Thanks to the wonderful "Faher" (School friend of Chris, Cara and Ziggy) Kayla got a surprise on her birthday! Guess what she got? She got her kids!!!!!! Faher arranged for the "guys" to be driven down to London to surprise their "ickle" Mummy on her birthday!

Faher mate that was a wonderful jesture of kindness, compassion and caring. Thanks buddy from all of us it made Kayla's day "BIGGY DA RESPECT" to you and also a big thanks to Nigel and Gary for making it happen.

Kayla walked the length of the ward on Sunday the 12th and escorted the kidz off the premisies. They went back to school happy and Kayla went to bed KNACKERED! but with a smile on her face!

Monday (13th) started off badly Kayla's bloods came back not good and she had a UTI. X-Rays and Ultra-sound scans followed as Kayla deteriorated. Kayla became very poorly she was even refusing visitors.........I even had to ask her mum not to bother coming in as Kayla was just not up to it. It now seems that after a million blood tests, nasal-gastric tubes, drug tweeks, urostomy bags and a blood transfusion she is finally on the up.

Today she felt well enough to eat and took a shower and washed her hair. I assisted purley on a Health and Safety basis and not toshow my male shallowness by getting a sly glance of her boobies!I

The past few weeks on the ward have been hard work for Kayla and me,mentally, physically and emotionally........... we are drained. We feel very lucky though to have been supported by the wonderful staff of Wiltshaw. Ladies and Gents thanks for everything. I almost feel like a member of staff too.

I understand your medical speak and could easily navigate blindfolded around the linnen cupboard and ward kitchen. In fact from now on I wish to be addressed as Nurse Stu!


Ladies as I said before I will not name names as this is the public domain but you know who you are!!!!!! Thanks for the professional care and support you have given to Kayla this past month!

And a bigger thanks to you for not calling security and having me thrown out of the building when I have got under your busy feet during my daily 12 hour visiting sessions!

Also massive respect for putting up with my Mother and Sister-in-law's visits (they are a right pair of Spirigel guzzling-ward wandering wierdos!)

THANX GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!

We are almost there............ I am sure that in your safe hands Kayla will soon be heading home.

Hugs fae Stu XXX

The Dead Stu Scroles

"Cor lummy Guvnor"....."can you adam and eve it?" Up the "apples and pears"...down the old kent road" Pearly kings and Queens and other such cockney BOLLOX!

I am back! Seems like I have been away for ages. Have I have been under a spell or befudlement of some sort from Sauruman the Ginger? No I have just been so busy with Kayla that I constantly pass my self returning as I leave the flat!

Today I found a hand written blog from sometime ago here it is.....................

Wow! it's the 3/3/06!!!!....................... where has my life gone?
No!, No! dont "freak" I'm not doing a Frank Sinatra kind of trip!!!! In fact I have never "done it my way"....more's the pity Doh!

Its just the last days where have they gone?

Let's bring up a few statistics .......Last Blog update 24/2/06............... time since last blog 7 days!..............Last time Kayla was pain free?????..............about 1824ish!!!!............. Last time I had a peaceful easy life including sleep????...............1823ish! When was the last time I ate, drank and made merry?????? Now I bloody know that one!!!!! 20:26 2/3/06 "Corned-Beef-Hash" and a bottle of red................thanks Tesco Metro!!!!

I wrote this blog free-hand.......... (yep the old fashioned stylie.....with a quill, ink, baggy white shirt, pantaloons and pointy shoes!) Today was a very productive day at the RM.
So dear reader once again may I ask you to strap in an and get a quick taster of our Roller-coaster life" right now.............

RECAP

Kayla after only a remission of barley 3 months developed a very very aggressive re-occurrence. The pain very acute and 24/7 was horrific for Kayla and just as horrific for the family to see. The pain increased at an rate that would make a pain blind person weep in agony. She had surgery on the 22nd (15 hours in theatre with 15 litres of of blood loss!!) She recovered very quickly and then suddenly and without warning became very very ill. This decline meant over a week long stay in the CCU (Critical Care Unit), today she moved into the Wiltshaw ward.

RECAP......ENDS

During Kayla's stay in the CCU my admiration and awe for the RM's facilities,capabilities and management have only increased. The environment, equipment, clinical excellence was amazing. Above all, the professionalism, team-spirit and just the heart felt compassion that every member of the CCU team gives blew me away......... it was 100% 24/7!
You guys are a credit to your profession!!!!!!!!!!

Entering the CCU at 2am on the 23rd fearing for my darkling wife was somewhat traumatic to say the least!!!! (I will not use actual staff names as this is the WWW and I respect your privacy, but the following is my take on how I was supported during possibly the most traumatic moment of my life.

Initially I was given a room to wait in. I was gently awoken and told that Kayla was back from theatre and I could now go and see her. As I said earlier she was no oil painting. Pale!!! she was paler than a very pale person that was feeling a little peaky. Pale she looked as if someone had crept into her room and stolen everyone of her freckles!!!!!!

To the nurse who looked after my wife on that first nice from theatre I want to say "THANK YOU!" Even though Kayla cannot remember you, you will be with me in my warmest thoughts, forever.......... P.S and you have cool dreads!

I was a mess. So, in addition to the care my wife was getting, the care that I also received in my shocked state was fantastic. To the nurse who looked after me...... you made the right decision. It would have been silly for me to venture home in my state, that late at night, so you sorted me out a bed, a book and a cup of tea. You even gave me a slice of toast in the morning!!!! I was at an all time low that evening and you helped me through it, thanks a million.................. P.S you have a cool pair of glasses!

The initial shock over now began Kayla's road to recovery. During the next few days we got to know the staff and the poor staff got my wife! The local Cockney's (although there arn't a lot of em in South Kensington) call them "trouble and strife" and in Kayla's case lots of trouble and lots of strife! You guys always sorted out her problems.......no not the pain......nope not nausea......no not anguish...........her main cause for concern was the water just was not watery enough! and the ice was never icey enough! Well done guys you were great!

To all of you in the CCU on behalf of Kayla, my family and I can we pass on our warmest regards and BIGGY DA RESPECT!

You know who you are ...Girls ....Boys...Tall....short......dreads.......spec wearers ......old.....new.......High Wycombites....... and not to mention our Antipodean Cousins the Ausies and Kiwi's.

Big applause and we love each and every one of ya!

This is Stu over but not out....................................

Latest - News

Wow!!! is it Satuday already?

Sooooooooooooo much has happened but don't have the time right now to expand.

1. Kayla is out of the ICU, back on a normal ward and eating food! WOWEEEEEE!!!

2. Loads and loads of other stuff both funny and serious have happened this week.

3. I managd to get a haircut! (Just bought some sandpaper and rubbed for an hour!)

Will fill in the details when I get a free hour or so........................... looking at late 2008 ish!

Take care

Stu XXX

(the guy who nearly changed his name to Spew as all this worry makes one feel so sick!)