Brisbane, QLD


Saturday, August 19, 2023

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS AROUND THE CORNER

 It has been ages since I posted. A lot has been going on in real life and I haven't had time or inclination to post. On 23 July, Bill got up from the table and walked around the corner to his study when I suddenly heard him say, "What's going on ?". Then I heard his feet shuffling followed by a crash. I knew he had fallen. I rushed into his study and found him unconscious on the floor. He came to when I touched him and spoke to him. He was on his side and he rolled over and attempted to get up but I insisted he stay still and rest for a bit. His glasses were broken on the floor and his face was bleeding where they had dug into his head. His paper thin skin had been torn off his arms and bleeding. Luckily, it wasn't too hard to stop with a handful of tissues. While I was doing this his Apple watch was asking if he was okay as it had detected a fall. I knew he wouldn't be able to get up off the floor so I said let the watch do its job. So after 60 seconds the ambulance service spoke I answered and explained what happened and they told me how to stop the bleeding and sent an ambulance. 

Bill spent three days in hospital. They x-rayed his head to try to establish why he blacked out. Everything looked okay except they found a screw loose!!!(Hee Hee). The little screw that holds on the arm of his glasses had embedded in his head. So they dug it out and sewed him up and patched up his arms and sent him home with a change to his medication to try to avoid low blood pressure.

The next day his knee swelled up and he was in a lot of pain and couldn't walk on it. He was having loads of trouble trying to get around the house. Village friends lent us a wheelie walker and we hired devices to help him get out of bed and chairs and in the bathroom. Our daughter flew from Melbourne to come and help. She is an angel. However, the pain got worse and the skin went red so we had a video consultation with the doctor who suggested he went back to hospital in case it was cellulitis. 

Unfortunately, our favourite private hospital was full so he was taken to our local public hospital. After a week of investigations and intravenous antibiotics they transferred him to a private hospital where he still is today. He has been treated for gout (uric acid crystals) and pseudogout  (calcium crystals) in the knee. He is having more drugs and physiotherapy. Just as he was beginning to walk a little on the painful leg  he developed pneumonia so that was a set back and more intravenous antibiotics needed but all his veins collapsed when they tried to insert yet another cannula after a few days. So now he is on another tablet.

He had a terrible cough but it is subsiding now. The doc said his chest is clear but they saw a shadow on his lung in the X-Ray so now they are investigating that. Poor guy has had enough. He is sick of being unwell and of being in hospital. Our other daughter flew from Melbourne for a week to cheer us up and help at home. We are so lucky to have such fabulous daughters. They both flew home last Monday.

Hopefully I'll have some fun things to write about soon.

The public hospital had modern equipment, great nurses but too many people and not easy to communicate with doctors.


Learning to walk again but it was painful. In a private hospital, which is showing its age but he had a room of his own with a view and good nurses and a doctor who spoke with us every day.

Our girls come to cheer up their dad.

Then pneumonia strikes.


21 comments:

  1. Oh no, please don't step in my footsteps ! Although the diseases are completely different, but the signs are the same. I see myself in your situation which I had several times. I think that's why now I am sick all the time. I was strong as long as I had to be and then I collapsed. It's strange, I get the impression that I know you better than people here, and you both became such good blog friends ! How adorable of your daughters to come. Dario after a week in Switzerland (Grand Montagna) is now on his way to Italy to see the family or what remains ! I don't want to go to there now, it's too early.

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  2. So sorry to hear about Bill and hope he soon recovers and there are no more nasty surprises around the corner for you both. Take care.

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  3. Oh, Diane!!! Bless both your hearts!!! Bill just couldn't catch a break!
    I'm praying they find out the root cause of Bill's fainting episode...that's where it all started. I hope they checked out the heart, arteries...lungs...and brain. Something caused the first action...praying they figure it all out.
    Sending big hugs to you and the girls. I know how worried you all must be!
    hughugs
    Donna

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  4. Home is a dangerous place. Anyway, you, the Apple watch, the two daughters did the right thing.
    Wishing Bill a smooth recovery!

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  5. Thank goodness for caring ambulance services, quality x-ray departments, beloved daughters and hospital staff. Every family has to deal with hospital stays from time to time, so all I can wish you is that the stay be successful and time limited.

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  6. I'm so sorry to hear Bill is in hospital and I do hope he starts to feel better and recovers fully soon. Worrying times for you. As you say, you never know what is round the corner and I guess that's a good thing really! I know you make the most of every minute and that's all we can do. Sending love and blessings.

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  7. I like that while Bill was clearly very unwell, he is up to speed with technology and his watch alerted emergency care. He is on a bit of rough road. Love him and take care of yourself.

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  8. OH MY WORD, Diane, what a fright and frightening experience. I saw your your photo with your two lovely girls, on FB but only now do I see how serious Bill's fall turned out to be. Hang in there, dear Diane and Bill Thinking of you both. Jo

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  9. Oh my, I am so sorry to hear about Bill's health problems. It seem when it rains it pours. There are too many things happening at one times, sending well wishes and healing prayers for Bill. I am glad your daughters are there to help cheer the two of you. Take care , wishing you a better week ahead.

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  10. Dear Diane I commented here earlier, but somehow I don't think it published. What a frightening experience for you and for Bill, I saw the photo of you and your beautiful girls on FB but only now realise how serious this was. Hang in there, both of you. Thinking of you. Jo

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  11. I am so very sorry to read about Bill's health issues, at our age, a fall can have one issue after another caused from the fall. Bob's cardio doctor had a talk with him about doing his balance excercises. and the reason he was put on blood thinners 3 weeks ago, ha has had nothing anywhere near what Bill is going through. Prayers for healing from the pneumonia and you are blessed with your daughters. so happy he got into the private hospital. please keep us posted, even just a few words with no photos, just a short update. your title is so appropriate for our ages and even for younger. I got shivers reading about the sound of his fall... hugs

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  12. I've just returned to Blogland today so hadn't realised you'd been missing. I'm so sorry to hear of your and Bill's travails. I hope that he gets positive results of the x-ray and that everything mends itself quickly so that he can get back home.

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  13. Sorry to read about the troubles for Bill. Hope all is good going forward.

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  14. A big spot of bother there for Bill, yourself and your girls Diane. Hope Bill will return home quickly and don't you wear yourself out, it's important you look after yourself as this time..
    Take care.

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  15. How awful for you all. Poor Bill having to cope with all these health problems. Glad your daughters were able to drop everything and visit. I wish Bill a speedy recovery and for you to take care of yourself during this very stressful time.

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  16. I am so sorry about this Diane, what a scary thing to happen. Very happy to hear you had your girls with you. They must have been a great comfort. Wishing Bill a speedy recovery and hoping he will be home soon. I agree with Margaret, take care of yourself too. Sending hugs! xxx

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  17. What a terrible story for both of you. Hope Bill will recover soon to be able to go home. Wish you all the best!

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  18. Oh my goodness not good news, all that drama and then the pneumonia. I know what the latter feels like, so I hope it is only in one lung and not double. Thoughts are with you both, and I hope that Bill recovers very soon. Please keep in touch, so glad the two girls are there for support. Hugs, t'other Diane

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  19. So sorry to read about Bill's fall and then the subsequent tests and hospitalization. You have both been through so much, but good that you were there and also that Bill's Apple watch detected the fall. This device is well worth the expense in my opinion as the older we get, the more cautious of a fall. I hope that Bill will gain back his strength and be able to go home. It was nice to read that your daughters both came to support their father and you.

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  20. So sorry to read this. I do hope Bill soon recovers and will be able to come home.
    Thinking of you both and sending my good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  21. Brings back vivid memories of my 2 damn months this year in hospital and the intensive care
    unit. I also had to learn to walk again - weird???
    The gown is the same - the one they put on you to take you to the toilet or the shower-chair.
    I hope I never see one again.
    Let well ASAP Bill.
    Best wishes
    Colin

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