Tricky times

The last few days have been a bit tricky. Mike ended his birthday by calling an ambulance as he couldn't breathe. He had already discovered that his HB had been 8.5 (85) the day before and he reasoned that was the cause of his problems. As it was almost midnight, Mike went off to the hospital alone. It took him over seven hours to convince them he needed a transfusion, but they eventually gave in. After the transfusion he was discharged and safely back in his own bed by Saturday evening.

Today he was due into the day case for his immunoglobulins so we were up at 3 a.m. to set up the dialysis machine and get the process over before the appointed time. I duly delivered him to day case on time and made the 20 minute walk home. It was while I was walking Toni that I got a call to say they were admitting him, his breathlessness was a real concern and his infection markers were up. I rushed over with his night clothes etc. only to find him on oxygen, arguing that he didn't want to die in hospital. 

I won't bore with you with all the back and forth discussions, needless to say  Mike is now on ward, but only after he got his DNR, the last thing he wants is to find himself with an infection on ICU, unable to say no more please. To be honest, every time he goes into hospital he catches something, he even got Norovirus when he went in for his bone marrow biopsy. Tomorrow they will give him platelets, and drain his chest again. The hope is that Mike will gain enough time to sort out the loose ends that are bothering him.