We arrived home and were no sooner in when we got another call from the GP. He told Alfie that they had a better picture of the lungs now and there was a real concern that needed to be investigated as soon as possible. He said that Alfie had a lot of fluid around his left lung. He told Alfie to pack some pyjamas for an overnight stay in hospital. He had already written us a letter and we were to pick it up on the way. Alfie was to be admitted into East Birmingham Hospital (bloody miles away from us!).
I sorted out the kids and off we went...
We arrived...we were told to go to the A and E department...what a nightmare! We waited hours to be seen. Alfie was admitted onto a ward. They didn't do much with him while i was there to be honest...not until the next day.
They drained 5.5 litres of fluid off his lungs! How was this man even walking around!?? He was in agony. He became very ill very quickly... His overnight stay turned into 3 weeks. NOBODY would confirm what it was...I had my suspicions by now....I'm sure Alfie did too, but neither of us said anything to each other, suppose we were scared, I know I was.
I managed to corner one of the registrars one evening when visiting. I asked him what was going on... I asked him if Alfie had cancer...He said he couldn't confirm anything as they were still investigating! However, they were planning on taking a biopsy of Alfie's lungs over the next day or two. (I often wonder if Alfie had told them not to discuss it with me until they/ he knew?)
Alfie was discharged after three weeks...we were very scared but trying to bolster each other up with positive thinking... neither of us ever crossing that line and stating our fears out loud. almost like you think talking about it may tempt fate... Because if you actually say it...it may make it happen. Stupid really, but I think we were both absolutely terrified of what the actual outcome might be.
Alfie had an appointment to see his consultant in 15th March back at the Birmingham Chest Clinic. I remember the appointment was for late in the day...around 4pm... We were called through to this room. (how terrible is it that I don't actually remember the name of the consultant!?) Anyway, the consultant was sat at a desk and there was another man in the room with him, he introduced him... I can't remember who or what he was...
He looked at Alfie and said 'young man, we have had so many problems trying to figure out what it was that was wrong with you. We now have the answers we were looking for, I'm only sorry that it has taken us so long to get there' he then put up two x-ray slides into a light box next to him. They were x-ray's of alfie's lungs. Both sides of his lungs were splashed with White spots/shadows. Almost covering both the lungs. I didn't know at the time that this space should really be black...empty...not White.;
