HOSPITALS

Stephen was admitted to hospital on Saturday with fever and suspected infection of the Central Line in his chest or maybe somewhere else. Was given battery of tests and put on an antibiotic drip.  Apparently when a cancer patient is on chemo their white platelets take a nosedive for about a week after each session - which means their immune system is very low and they are susceptible to infection. It's often the infection that kills a cancer patient - not the cancer itself I was told.

When his temperature reached 38ºC, I was told by the cancer helpline to ring the GP, and get him to a hospital quickly, as it is a danger sign. 

I must tell you that weekend is not a time to be ill. No-one is about and it's very much a do-it-yourself situation. The woman at the end of our local weekend emergency line told me to give him 2 paracetamols!!  I ignored her advice and took him to the nearest hospital and the doctor, upon seeing him, arranged for Stephen to be admitted immediately to a ward at another hospital.

He seemed much better next day and I brought him home in the afternoon. Said he was frozen in the hospital as they kept the covers off the bed in order to lower his temperature. Was not a happy bunny and let everyone know it.

He was not well yesterday and when the nurse came on her weekly visit to attend to his Hickman Line she too noted the fact. Visited him again during the afternoon because she was concerned about his condition.  She is a super nurse - very caring and a true professional.  By this time Stephen's temperature had risen - again - to 39.2º (approx 103ºF) - dangerous sign - so she called the surgery and shortly a lovely young female doctor arrived who did some tests and arranged for Stephen to be admitted to hospital.  Where he remains - and I am waiting to hear the results of further tests they took last night.