Shelagh’s ALS Blog

Homeward Bound

November 6th, 2007

This will be the last blog from Shenyang!  We are going home day after
tomorrow!!  How sweet that word sounds.  It has been a bit of an up and down
week, treatments went well, no after effects, and the day after produced a
noticeable improvement in speech.  However, this has not maintained, but we
don’t know if it is because we have been so busy and rushing around doing
“last minute” things and I have got very tired, or whether the effect
was not going to last anyway!  When I get home and start to relax again,
we’ll see how it goes.

Today I woke with a headache and thought – oh no!  Not in the last week,
life couldn’t be that cruel.  But, after a really lazy day, with no
acupuncture and no physio, by the evening I felt a bit better.  So,
tomorrow, I’ll have to face the javelin thrower for the last time.
Unfortunately, I’ll also have my last massage, and they have been great, and
my last physio, which has improved the strength in my left arm no end.

We had a farewell with the staff tonight.  Had to have it today cos all
staff are very, very busy on Fridays, it is “cell day” for many
patients.  So we just bought them all a cake each to take home, a couple of
big cakes to cut up and eat at the do and we wrapped all the little souvenir
things we brought with us and put in a basket for them to have a lucky dip.
It all went down very well, and we had the dr in charge of the Neuro Dept
here and the guy who regularly stuck a needle in my back and the floor
doctor all turn up as well.  Thank heaven we bought enough cakes!  The guy
in charge has told us to keep in touch with him so he can monitor the
progress I make and that I can expect these improvements to continue for
about 6 months.  We’ll see.  It would be absolutely great if they did!

     Fri 2/11

I really would like to say to everyone, how great the staff have been here.
Even with the language difficulties, they have been outstandingly polite,
kind and caring.  We have learnt a few Chinese words since we have been here
and Mike is getting quite good.  We bought a Mandarin/English phrase book
before we left and it has paid for itself time and again.  Mind you, don’t
know when we will use it again!
“Shelagh is being very kind, my Chinese goes from ‘yingtong, yintong,
yintong yiddle, yingtong yiddle lie foe’  to  ‘Wingwong, wingwong, wingwong
wiggle, wingwong wiggle my toe’”

P.S.
We’ll write again when we get home and the WordPress people have issued us
with a new password.  Would you believe that they are updating their blog
sites and they have to “close down for about a day” so they say.
Unfortunately, their “day” of closure co-incides with our flight home! I
suppose someone has to be inconvenienced and this time it’s us!!

Carer Report 6 
I would like to add my thanks to the above comments from Shelagh.
The past 31 days have been made so much more bearable because of the
fantastic support we have received from all of our Family and Friends who
have sent blogs, txts and emails.  These messages have come from all over
the world; from all around the UK, Belgium, South Africa, Ireland, New
Zealand and all around Austrailia. It has been quite overwhelming and has
greatly contributed to our being able to stay positive in the face of
alternative non-action. We thank you all, many many times and most sincerly.

Nedelin, your generousity in lending us your laptop has been a godsend.  To
be able to ‘stream’ ABC’s 5AN Matt & Dave while composing blogs and emails
has been one of our greatest joys.
So, Ned our special thanks to you.

Couple of things just sprung to mind.
1. When Shelagh went down for her last jab with all, (yes including Ned),
the grandchildrens photos firmly attached to her bed, the operating doctor
asked her which of them were sisters and were born exactly 4 years apart. He
had remembered from when Willows pic went with her and from when the twins
pics did  aweek or two apart.
2. At the end of the tea party the Head Nurse came forward and gave Shelagh a
big hug while saying goodbye. (aparently an unusual action)
3.The Doctor who did the assessment on Shelagh’s first day called in Thurs
to do the final assessment so as to compare results,went to the head of her
bed and pointed to one of the inspirational notes she had bluetacked to the
wall and pointed out the one she got from Pat, which says “believe”.

Once again a big thank you to all family, friends, Beike reps and the
Hospital staff.

Please feel free to add comments, its not over yet.
Love, big hugs and best wishes to all
Mike (oh! and Shelagh)

Entry Filed under: als,Uncategorized