25 July 2010 - At home

Deb at home today after her discharge from hospital


Yesterday Deb saw a Dr Roberts who confirmed she would be discharged today (Sunday). The nurses removed the large bandage to leave a smaller dressing just covering her head wound. The discharge letter was written and signed so all that had to be done today was to pick up her medication and leave.

I arrived about 11:30 but although all medication had been obtained from the pharmacy, we still had to wait an hour and a half for a doctor to sign the labels on the medicine to say it was correct. Why is it so difficult to get out of hospital? You would think they would want the bed available as soon as possible. I understand that some responsible person has to check that the drugs are correct before they are issued but you would think that a staff nurse or somebody on the ward could do that.

Deb is still on 16mg of dexamethazone per day. Over the next few days this dose will be reduced to 2mg per day (12mg for 3 days, 8mg for 3 days, 4mg for 3 days). Deb has also been prescribed the anti-convulsant drug Phenytoin to be taken each day before going to bed. All other medication continues as before.

Her scalp clips are due to come out 10 days after the operation. (They sent her home with a special tool to do this - something like an office staple remover). The GP practice could do the removal but as we are at the hospital on Monday 2 August to see Dr Sanghera, Deb will go back to the ward and the nurses there will do it.

Mr Kay will see Deb as an outpatient in 6 weeks time.

It was good to have Deb home again. She slept most of the afternoon and has promised that she will take it easy for the next week or two. She says she does not have a headache but the hospital have given her some extra strength codeine as well as paracetamol and told her to take these regularly.

Time for us all to rest and recover I think. My love to friends and family that have sent messages of support over the last week. Thank you all.