Jump to content

Cancer Treatment in France


Grecian
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote user="mint"][quote user="Pommier"]Grecian, when my husband was in hospital, the taxi company would take me to the hospital to visit free of charge any time that they had a 'paying' customer - and they picked me up from home! Might be worth asking.[/quote]

Pommier, I don't think this can be for Mrs G as the health people are already querying his eligibility for a taxi to take him to Bordeaux.  He does live a long way away.  OTOH, some kind neighbour or friend might put themselves out to take her so that they can at least see each other and be mutually reassuring.

[/quote]

Like you, Mint, I wish we lived near enough to help out with at least a lift to and from hospital; sadly, both of them must feel so alone, which can't do Grecian's health much good......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 285
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I agree with Mint here. If Grecian actually names the nearest town to his home surely there must be some kind person on this forum who lives in the vicinity and who could spare a day to take his wife to visit him. I know that Bordeaux is a long way from his area but I know I would hate to be in the position of being in hospital without seeing my partner for many weeks if not months. After all this forum is aimed at giving each other mutual support.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for your replies today, it really has helped a lot. In a

low spot at the moment but I am determined not to be spending anymore

time here than I need to, so back to being positive. Physically I am in

reasonable shape, obviously still pretty sore from the open surgery, but

I am managing two quite long walks each day now.

As regards to

moving back to a hospital nearer home, I asked the surgeon last Friday,

after he delivered his bombshell, if I could be moved to Bressuire

hospital, to which he replied, no problem, I will organise it for next

week. Having now thought it through and talked it through with my wife

we think maybe to stay at Bordeaux 2 more weeks, and see where I am

health wise then. At the moment I have a single room with toilet and

basin, the hospital offers wi-fi, telephone and television. Bressuire

hospital does have single rooms, but also double rooms as well, it would

really do my head in if I were to lose the privacy of a single room,

and have somebody else in the room with me. It may be too late to stop the transfer but I will try tomorrow.

Norman

I think you could be right about the stoma causing the problems, the

surgeon did say it wasn't working properly before the 3rd operation, so

it could be why the complications have occurred. Like that Norman I used

the 'c' word!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Following on to my last post, I have agreed with the doctors this morning that I will spend another week here in Bordeaux, and then reassess the situation. If things haven't improved and it is going to be a long haul, then I will request a move back to Bressuire. As much as I want to see my wife again, we both feel for the time being I am better off in Bordeaux.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Since my last update just over two weeks ago, it has been a real roller coaster.

My transfer to Bressuire was blocked because I still have a drain bag for my pancreas, and they refused to accept me, thanks a lot. Our French neighbours have finally rallied around my wife, who has been offered lots of support from them. I probably hit my lowest point in the last two weeks, only to have hit my highest point today.

Briefly, about two weeks ago they removed the awful tube from up my nose, which was in place for 10 days, no food for the next day, but then I was started back on solids. They gave me chicken for lunch, and ham for tea, quite stupidly on my part I eat all of it, having not eaten meat for 6 weeks previously. Unfortunately my body was unable to digest the second meal, and rampant sickness with plenty of green gloop pouring down the sink during the night and early morning. Food stopped again, low point, started back on my favourite tasteless soup for a day, then back on solids. Last Thursday at about 5.30am the runs started, I then spent most of Thursday morning and early afternoon visiting the toilet, not kidding over 20 times! Really low, it would seem every time I tried to eat solids the body was reacting to the food very badly. I did manage 2 biscottes and cheese on Thursday night. Friday only two yogurts all day, Saturday back on solids again, no problem from either end, and I managed to pass a stool[:D], the first for over 6 weeks!

I have been managing to eat solids since last Saturday, and was informed by the surgeon two days ago that today I can go home[:D][:D][:D], I still have the problem with the pancreas but they are prepared to discharge me, but I will be under the care of a nurse at home. I must also come back to bordeaux in 2 weeks time for the drain to be removed.

So after 7 and a half weeks in hospital I will finally get to see chez moi and my wife again today, to top it all today is my birthday, the best present I could have been given.

I know I never want to see another biscottes or compotes for the rest of my life, bloody awful things!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good news Grecian, I think we have all been very concerned for you.

It will be wonderful for you to be home with your wife. Just take it easy.

Perhaps the plus side of this horrible experience is the support and  friendship your wife has received from the French neighbours.

Edit:

I forgot to wish you a Happy Birthday![:)]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grecian said :

So after 7 and a half weeks in hospital I will finally get to see chez moi and my wife again today, to top it all today is my birthday, the best present I could have been given.

Congratulations on all counts. What a relief for you to be liberated after such an ordeal.

Hope all goes much better for both you and your wife from now onwards.

Sue
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Terrific news, Grecian! Now you are managing solids, your strength and your morale should i prove by leaps and bounds.

Happy birthday!

I hope your wife hasn't planned anything too heavy as a celebratory supper!

Angela
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good news, now are you going to be sensible and make sure that you BOTH have help at home for the time being!!!!!

You really do not need to have to be taken into hospital again in the near future, but simply recover properly at home.

Please be sensible about this. The assistante sociale and your Mairie/Centre Sociale should have help for you, but YOU do have to ask and make sure you get it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for your kind wishes.

Must admit it is really nice to be home again, although it is quite scary as to how weak I still am, my wife is telling me I am expecting too much too soon, which she is probably right. I did manage to have a reasonably long walk yesterday so must be healing, need to put some weight back on as I lost 17 Kgs whilst in hospital, quite a scary amount, my wife was really shocked when she saw me on Thursday.

It pains me to see my garden in such a mess, but really cannot do much about it at the moment, I will have to pay somebody to come in and cut the grass, and do some strimming, I certainly will not be up to very much for the foreseeable future that's for sure.

Norman so sorry to hear you will be back on the compotes again on Monday, I really hope your hospital stay is nothing too serious. Best of luck for Monday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's good to hear you're doing fine back at home, Grecian. It's normal that you should have lost such a lot of weight with what you've been through, and I'm sure you'll put weight back on as the weeks pass and you're eating normally. Your wife sounds very sensible, you probably are expecting too much of yourself too soon.

I sympathise about your garden - I'm our gardener here in England, and although I tend towards having a wildlife garden, it really got out of hand last year when I wasn't able to keep the worst of the weeds at bay, although thankfully, my husband mows the lawn.

I hope you soon find someone to keep your grass mown, as it will help your recovery to see it in some sort of order. But gardens soon recover from such enforced neglect, and when you're fully recovered you'll get it back to normal.

I join with Grecian in wishing you all the very best next week, Norman.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grecian so pleased to hear that you are home and now on the road to recovery.  I know what you mean about the garden, I have found it really hard not being able to contribute to keeping the garden ship shape, my OH is doing a grand job, but it's not the same as sharing all the daily duties.   I am sure you will be sensible tho' and not go rushing in, you need time to recover now and enjoy being back home.

Apologies for not writing sooner I have been having problems logging on to the Forum!

Norman sorry to hear that you will be in hospital next week, do hope all goes well for you.

Good health to everyone, make the most of each day as we truly only appreciate good health when it has gone!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry I missed your Birthday Grecian but the good news your back at home is the best.

Sorry to hear Norman's suffering especially as I am 5 years clear now (today) and nearly signed off but for another colonoscopy just to check but I received the news that as I am so young for this disease? they will keep "looking me up" [;-)] every two years. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had my Op 4 years ago and was clear until last month when they found a metastatic tumour in the liver.

Apparently this is quite common even after a few years (about 50% of cases) when there was any lymph node involvement.

So off to have a chunk of liver lopped off tomorrow...(well Wednesday..)

It has been caught early thanks to the very tests we all have to keep having so there is some hope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...