End of June 2022: Things came to a head when M developed a fever again and developed very painful stomach cramps and severe diarrhea that threatened to dehydrate him, especially with the difficulties swallowing water. Again we had to rush into the hospital as a medical emergency and M was this time put on a drip to prevent sepsis. It took most of the day to get his temperature stabilised and for them to take the bloods and samples they needed to assess the exact nature of the infection, or at least, problem.
In the meantime, he had been starting to lose weight, so we had tentatively tried some solid food again - cornflakes soaked in milk with sliced banana and scrambled egg seemed ok, if eaten slowly, sitting upright and swallowed cautiously. When the hospital staff offered him a sandwich, he knew that would defeat him, so they managed to get hold of some cornflakes and a banana for him. Calories, calories, calories!!
He was sent home with the proviso that if his temperature spiked again, he would have to go straight back in, possibly admitted. The challenge was on to continue to try and get some calories and liquids down him. So this morning he cooked himself a cheese and mushroom omelette and success - it went down. Some pain and discomfort but not too bad. This evening he decided to try a small cod and chips from the chip shop. A brave choice, but it went DOWN! It seems with the retreat of the infection the swallowing issues are reducing.
Tomorrow, 1st July we expect to hear the scan results. It is torturous - but whatever the result - it is in the lap of the gods. We must be brave and face up to whatever lies ahead.
