AN UPDATE

Hi everyone,

First of all, I'd like to thank you all for your continuing support throughout this difficult period in my life. I'm not sure I would have survived it without you. You have all be my rocks...truly.

As you know, Austin was admitted to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London on 4th November, for an aortic valve replacement, via open heart surgery.
Well, the operation was a success, but then a short while later he suffered a massive bleed and had to be opened up again to rectify that.
Unfortunately, he contracted a lung infection a day later and his condition deteriorated rapidly. He suffered a collapsed lung, followed by pneumonia, and was in a coma in intensive care.
The doctors informed me that they were unable to find a cure for the infection as they had no idea which strain of bacteria was responsible, and the broad spectrum antibiotic he was being given was proving ineffective. They said I should prepare myself for the worst outcome.

Throughout those hours and days, my son and I could only sit by his bedside, talk to him and wait, while the doctors drained huge amounts of fluid and blood from his lungs and chest cavity...and the microbiologists tried hard to grow a culture that would provide a cure for this particular infection.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, they eventually managed to pinpoint the cause. It was an extremely rare strain of bacteria, and they had no idea where it had originated from.
But at least there was finally a cure.

What should have been a seven to ten day stay in hospital had stretched into a month's stay, so after the first three weeks my son and I had to return home and leave Austin there (the cost of the accommodation had just about bankrupted us, and Ayrton had to return to work!).
Leaving him there alone was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But I did arrange for the hospital chaplain to visit him in my stead, so at least he wouldn't be the only patient without any visitors throughout the following week...so if you ever read this, Mari...thank you so, so much, I am totally indebted to you.:)

Austin is back home with us now and is recovering, albeit very slowly. He has lost a huge amount of weight, and most of his muscle tissue. He has been left extremely weak, with virtually no sense of taste or smell and his appetite is very poor...but hey, he is still with us. And that was the very best present we could ever have hoped for!
He has to attend the rehabilitation centre twice weekly for the next year.
Yes, it is going to be a long haul. But at least now we are filled with hope for a future together.:)

I do intend to return to blogging now, but it may not be as frequently as it was before as there is still a lot to do here.
I really hope you will be patient with me. I have missed you all so much and will visit as often as I possibly can.

Thank you again for all your support and kind wishes.
I genuinely appreciate them all...I couldn't have survived this without my dear Blogger friends...:)


Happy New Year! xoxoxo


ps/  Just wanted to share with you the other good news...I became a grandma on 1st January! Baby Jonie is so beautiful...and I am so, so proud! :)))