Days 23, 24 & 25

I had a busy day on Friday, with lots of visitors (some even brought gin!). I heard mutterings about me maybe possibly potentially being discharged on Friday too, but I've been in this NHS game too long to think anything may realistically have come of it. Well, Friday came and went and it's now Sunday, and I'm typing this from room 6. I tried my wheelchair for the first time - dad made me do a 'wheelchair proficiency' test up and down the ward before I was allowed around the rest of the hospital in it. I've been given a pair of zimmer frames to take home - one for upstairs, one for downstairs. My custom leg braces also arrived - I've got one for now which is holding my right foot straight and putting it at a 90 degree angle in relation to my leg and it is INCREDIBLY painful (still hitting the opiates hard). I've got to wear this for a minimum of 8 hours a day, although the lovely man from orthotics said 24 hours a day is the ultimate target. I've also been fitted for a smaller one which I can wear inside a shoe as time goes on and I get walking properly.

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling incredibly groggy because I'd been guzzling morphine during the night to ease my leg and foot pain (I was still unsuccessful). Mum and dad got permission from the those looking after me to take me for a spin round Wicksteed park, but I hadn't even been wheeled to the car before I'd been sick twice. Still, we persisted, and I felt loads better once we were there - there are some photos below. Once I got back home (KGH is starting to feel fairly homely...) I was exhausted and slept solidly for a 6 hour afternoon nap.

Sunday morning I took another dip. I woke up feeling incredibly productive and got some of my research done, but then a headache, feeling of nausea and drowsiness came out of nowhere. After a few minutes I was being violently sick and begging for more water but as I'd already has 3 litres since midnight I wasn't allowed any. A quick jab of cyclizine stopped me vomiting, but the headache and dizziness stayed until the evening. Diabetes in all of its forms has been ruled out many times over, so a neurological cause of my excessive thirst is suspected.

I still can't say this enough: thank you. Thank you for all of your comments and offers of help. Thank you for understanding that, however much you'd like an update directly from me, my world has been turned upside down and I've not been able to give you that. Thank you to the people reading this who may not know me that well, but have been keeping my family strong for me. Thank you to those who have unrelenting faith I'll walk again and be a midwife. We're going to have the party to end all parties when I qualify.

I didn't get the hang of this 'feed the ducks' thing.