Back on This Again

Oh my goodness I have just looked back on my blog and it has been a month since I have updated. Oops. There has been a lot happen in that month but one thing that hasn't changed is that I am STILL in hospital.
I came in orginally feeling generally unwell and therefore knowing that I needed rest and a change of antibiotics. However, the doctors and everyone thought it would be best to keep me in here to get my weight up to a suitable level so that I could get back on the transplant list, as I had been sitting steady for like the past 6 months with no progress being made. I agreed to this just because I'm just sick of sitting with nothing happening so I knew if I stayed in it would give the team time to look at different ways in which I could put on weight. This is where the problems started! You may remember way back in October the time I had the abcess after my Portacath got infected I had a PICC line put in my arm for easy administration of my antibiotics, well the doctors thought we could use this to put through TPN which is basically just nutrition that goes straight into the blood stream. This worked well for all of em 48 hours and then my PICC line decided it had had enough and that it would pack in. GRR!!! So I then had to come off my IV antibiotics and I swear I must be addicted to them because the minute I came off them my chest started to go downhill so quickly.

So then last week the decision was made to put in another Portacath but until then they would try and get a long line into my arm so that I could recommence with the IVS because by this stage I was feeling yucky and my weight gain just wasn't happening. So I waited and got my new port in which surprisingly went in with no problems at all (lets just hope it stays there). This means I have been able to have IVS again and the difference is unbelieveable I feel so much better than I did when I was off them. However we had to dump the idea of TPN as the infection risk with a Port is too great. This means I have stepped up my feeds through my peg tube so that I am getting about 2800 calories through it a day and also they have increased the dose of the tablets they give me to stimulate my appetite because before this I was eating nothing and just feeling sick. So finally the weight is starting to creep on and I am now at 37.2kg which I know is still a good bit away from 40kg but its a step in the right direction. It has been hard being in hospital for so long but they have let me go home overnight for one night every weekend and to be honest I think it is those litte trips home that have kept me going and back in to the crazy ways of the Barr household lol

On the project side of things, it is progressing really well with our total now being just over £80,000 WOW. Also a meeting was held with Fields of Life both in Portadown and Uganda (the joys of technology egh?) and originally they were going to build the primary one to three block and then the rest but from the meeting the decision was taken to build it all together in wait for it... TWO MONTHS!!!!! This means that we should hopefully see a nice new Hidden Treasure Primary School in as little as FOUR MONTHS!!! WOOHOO. Its all very exciting. Thank you so much to all of you that have contributed to the project it is truley amazing the response that I got.
Anyway I think that is all of the news from the last month. Promise to update the blog sooner next time and hopefully from the comfort of my own home. HAPPY EASTER everyone
Char
xx

Portacath back in

This is Charlenes Dad, Dickie updating her Blog. Charlene is back in hospital and disappointed that she does not currently have internet access.

She went back into hospital on Tuesday for insertion of her portacath (the central line - that allows her to get her intravenous drugs easily when they are needed).

We all were a bit concerned as we didn't want her to have a GA with her chest as it obviously could have put her back weight wise with her appointment with the transplant sugeons coming up in about 10 days.

A lot of people prayed as she went down to theatres yesterday and the line went in easily under local.

Charlene was back in the ward and enjoying pizza last night. Her and her Mum had ordered so much pizza, there was even some left for me and Natalie when we visited later in the evening.

Although over all the medical staff are pleased with things, Charlene's white cell count is up a bit, so she has been started back on intravenous antibiotics again.

Her weight is over 38 kg so we are hopefully still on target for the 40 kg mark for her big appointment coming up with the transplant doctors.

The other big news is that GMTV want to interview Charelene - you can imagine the panic she is in - lol

We still need offers for coffee mornings, sponsored walks, table quizzes etc etc by many good folk to start the ball rolling well and truly with the fundraising.

Over 12,000 hits on this Blog - please please pass on about Charlenes blog site to all your friends and work colleagues so we make this all happen for her in Uganda.

Thanks, thanks, thanks for all your support and prayers.