Eastern Europe Trip

Well, after such a long time in hospital, Tracy was finally discharged today!!

As mentioned in my last post, there were a few things that needed sorting before she was allowed home... First, I needed to fit a banister to our stairs, which Carlie and I did yesterday. We also needed the occupational health people to deliver some things for her - which they did on Friday. Finally, she needed to be stable and walking unaided - which she has been doing for a few days. So she agreed with the doctors that she could be discharged on Sunday (today). Her family (mum and dad, brother Craig and his wife Caz) came up yesterday and spent the afternoon at the hospital, and I went for my final "visit" last night. Then this morning we put up the big "Welcome Home" banner that Carlie had made across the bay window, and I drove to the hospital for what I hope is the last time... Once I arrived, we quickly packed up all her belongings (it's amazing how much stuff she had with her - more than we took round Eastern Europe!!), and then she wrote her "Thank you" cards for all the staff, before doing the rounds saying goodbye to her fellow patients (some of whom have become good friends) and the nurses (stifling tears all the time). And then Steven (one of the nurses, who completed his qualification whilst looking after her) ceremoniously cut off her hospital wrist band and we walked out of the ward and into the car...






Now, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that in addition to the huge amount of weight Tracy has lost, she's also lost quite a lot of hair... Well, if you can imagine laying on your back in a hospital bed for 7 weeks, unable to get out and wash or even brush your long locks, then you might be able to imagine the rather matted state her hair had got into... towards the end of her hospital stay it was this that was causing her most distress... especially as she looked like Russell Brand after a particularly heavy night out followed by being dragged through a hedge backwards... so Nikki (who used to be a hairdresser 20 or so years ago...) cut it for her - managing to remove a small rodent-like mass of hair from the back of her head!! We did have concerns that she'd have to have a "GI Jane" haircut, but Nikki worked some magic and left her with a rather attractive cut instead... and a big, big smile too!!

So now we're both at home, all the family has gone, the girls have gone out shopping, and apart from Jake (the dog), it's lovely and peaceful as we sit together on the couch, Tracy snoozing after eating her lunch and me updating blog!!