My Big Fat Long Blog!

My lovely journey to Southport

Well it seems Southport does exist after all! ....the first week in ages we weren't expecting a move in the slightest and it actually happens, bizarre! ....about time really, eight weeks in 'boro is enough for anyone!

The daily trek... goodbye!

Apologies if any staff from Middlesbrough are reading this! ...but while I'm on the subject, I'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone over there for treating me fantastically, I certainly wouldn't have made half the progress I have without you all, in fact I'd still have a broken neck to be honest, so that kind of goes without saying! 

My first afternoon in Southport has been pretty chocca, assessments, questionnaires and yet another new ward! Sadly back in high dependency, as they need to monitor me and make their own opinions, so it's pretty busy and very noisy, monitors, ventilators and the guy next to me snoring like a trooper (I've got headphones in while I'm typing this and I can still hear him, in fact  I can almost feel the reverberations!) 

...my assessments went quite well, so that was a pleasing start, now a c8 incomplete if anyone's been reading up on things!! Doesn't mean I'll be playing footy any time soon but certainly a huge improvement on my initial c4 complete assessment! ....so all in all not a bad couple of days really! 

Celebration Time Come On!

Sorry to my mates from work and Beth (you're an honorary kaplanite!) already en route to Middlesbrough when the news came through, so weren't best pleased knowing they could have waited 24 hrs and saved themselves the trek! I hope we made it up to them, as the sun decided to come out for once so we sat outside all day, JK treated us to a Chinese and we had some bolli to celebrate (ta Beth) albeit out of plastic hospital beakers, very classy!

Things could however, have been much different, as about 4 days ago I got stuck back in isolation and told my infection was back, despite the fact I felt absolutely fine! ...thankfully when we spoke to the Doc he said it was likely I was colonised, which apparently is no big deal and crucially would not, and, as it transpired did not affect my transfer! So just back on antibiotics and taking my fixed catheter out and that should hopefully clear it! 

That mini drama aside, the last week in 'boro has been pretty low key, a lot of quality time with Jen having convinced my mum and dad to go home together for a few days and spend some quality time with Alfie. Unfortunately the little guy has been pretty poorly and had to spend a few days in hospital having loads of nasty tests, so it was not quite the break from hospital they'd anticipated! Thankfully and touch wood it all seems to have passed and he's back to his normal mischievous self, he looked at me suspiciously earlier, so that's certainly his typical behaviour!

One final thing before I get looking for my earplugs!

Who do you think paid?

The highlight of the week was when Jenna treated me to my biggest expedition away from the hospital yet, well before today! As we got a taxi to Pizza Express on Saturday and basked in the sunshine and had a great lunch, ate far too much mind, but loved the normality of it, well except the paying part that is!!

Love to all, thanks Mark

....oh and sorry, last but certainly not least. 

Another huge thanks to Betty and all her fellow line dancers for all their tremendous fundraising efforts in completing a six mile dance challenge on Friday night, it looked like you all had a great night and an extra thanks for the video message which meant a lot. I hope you've all recovered! 

Love mark x