D.I.D....

Hello Peoples.... @Determined @Former-Member @outlander @Faith-and-Hope @Shaz51.

The visit to Mum and Dad was hard. Dad's still going along much the same as ever, and seems mostly content. Mum is still in hospital, and it sounds like she will be for a fair bit longer.

They're not doing anything with the leg that has the ulcer. Quite possibly there's not really any treatment options. They are trying to get the wound on her other leg to heal- which is from a fall several months ago. Because her lymphedema means the skin is always moist, and stretched tight due to fluid retention, the wound never closed over. There's been some surgery to try to encourage the wound to start healing, and treatment to drastically reduce the fluid levels. Another round of surgery happened today, and it's probaby not the last one. We (sister and I) spent all day traveling, so will need to phone tomorrow to find out how it went.

She's up and down, health-wise and emotionally. I'm not completely sure that she'll ever go home for hospital. Sister and I are preparing for the possibility of a funeral... but she may surprise us all yet. With her compromised health, surgery is risky, and the background risk of systemic infection is still sitting in the wings.

💜💐 @Smc .....

Hugs @Smc

Sending gentle thoughts your way @Smc

Further news.... they've found a skin cancer on Mum's leg. News that I've learned today is that infected and/or scarred tissue are prone to cancers.

Still waiting to hear back how serious or otherwise it is. Apparently they can't do any radiotherapy until the infected ulcer clears, but it's been very recalcitrant so far.

And Older Daughter rang us last night terrified about imagined scenarios. Something that's never happened, and would be highly improbable in real life. That was sometime close to midnight I think?

Tired, sad and somewhat stressed. Rang Mum this morning, but she cut the phonecall short. I think just wasn't in the mood to talk.

@Smc .... 🌻💕

@Faith-and-Hope @Former-Member @Shaz51 @Determined @outlander

Seems I've been getting partial and partially accurate info re. Mum. I got to talk with a surgical registrar earlier today, so have more reliable info now.

They did do surgery on the ulcerated sore, and confirmed from that that it was cancerous. It's pretty bad, but fairly stable- it's not one of those cancers that go wandering around the body. But that means the best option is amputation. Mum's pretty teary about that option. Understandably.

So I'll be traveling up again next week to have a family discussion with Mum and the doctors... and in the meantime I've got a few difficult phonecalls to make to let friends and family know what's happening.

This timely little reminder came up as one of today's cartoons... step one, locate oxygen mask. And breathe.....

@Smc 🙏

Ta @Former-Member. Feeling exhausted by it all.

@Smc 🙏