Originally published 21/4/13
Where to start? Perhaps a summary of events today;
Kids came to visit
Feeding tube "lost" by consultant
Clips out
Stitches out
All but 1 dressing removed
Managed to escape (with consultants blessing) outside of hospital for an hour!
Woah, I mean, Woah what's been the highlight? Has to be the kids, first time they visited is still had drains and feeding tube and looked rather like Frankenstein when I walked.
The teenager (you know who you are!) Has been up often enough (this cheered me up no end too) to see progress at that first visit, but it was too shocking for the littler ones (8 and 6). In fact my youngest daughter cried as soon as she saw me, my son just went very quiet and withdrawn. It didn't help that I was still quite weak and easily tired and that my speech was pretty poor. Seeing them getting that upset nearly broke my heart. At that age daddy is big and strong and looking after me, but here is my daddy and he doesn't look or sound as I remember him would be enough to upset most young children. It really upset me too.
You can imagine that best part of a week later the difference is quite large, the consultant on call today decided to override the dietician and get rid of the feeding tube as just not being helpful, I'm pretty independent now and I was allowed to dress normally (rather than in pyjamas). My kids were really pleased to see me today, having brought me pictures and a superman and Darth Vader balloon as well as the sweetest smile a father could ask for.
Best. Present. Ever.
