Dougal

When I telephoned the ward this morning to see how he was I was told he was asking for his watch to be brought in. At 0500 hours, he also decided that he was not having his intubation tube in any longer and pulled it out. Fortunately it was due to come out at 0800 hours and was no longer needed.

He has made very good progress although he will not agree with me; impatient as ever. He has been out of bed sitting in his chair and also walking around his room, which is quite large and which he has to himself. He is still in the Intensive Care Unit, but does not need this degree of nursing; however, there is nowhere else, which is a suitable ward that has a bed free; he may be moved overnight.

The surgeon visited while I was there and explained what had been done and how lucky he was to still be here. She was very optimistic about his progress although the GOG is not so sure. She explained that it was the morphine causing constipation which caused the colon to perforate; to add insult to injury, he also had peritonitis! Then later her team and the consultant visited and answered some more of his questions. I have purchased a fourteen day parking permit, which at £30 will be much cheaper than paying every day and also much more convenient for taking stuff in and out than the Park and Ride would be.

He now has his watch, iPhone and charger and I have a long list of stuff he wants taking in, including his computer, although I am not sure he is quite well enough to use it yet. I am blipping Dougal today as the GOG is missing him and while we can visit him, Dougal cannot. As he now has his iPhone with him, he can look at Blip and maybe even find time to comment again.

The GOG says many thanks for all your good wishes and thanks from me too.