Hi Everyone @Shaz51 @Faith-and-Hope @Former-Member @Former-Member @Appleblossom, and anyone else I may have inadvertently missed. Just wanted to thank you for all your messages over the past couple of weeks. Its been tremendously difficult for me, to say the least.
Since I last posted, hubby deteriorated even further. In the end he was transferred to a City hospital for further assessment with a neurologist. So after being in our local hospital for 2 weeks, he then spent 8 days in a City hospital. It was there that they discovered he has auto immune encephalitis (inflamation of the brain). Likely as a result of the immunotherapy he has been on to treat his melanoma. It typically causes inflamation of internal organs. Though they tell me that the brain being affected is extremely rare. Umm, okay, but it obviously still happens. This has possibly been happening since January when he got the attack of Colitis. It was treated with large doses of Steriods which was eventually resolved. But as he was weaned off the steriods for the colitis, the still unresolved brain inflamation ran riot. So this explains why hubby went downhill so rapidly and dramatically over the Easter weekend. And also why he had the several falls in the couple of weeks leading up to Easter. And also his memory lapses and general confusion. Which incidentally, is also a side effect of the immunotherapy.
On a good note, the immunotherapy has had a good effect on the melanoma metastises. His cancer is now in remission. Not cured ... stage IV cannot be cured. But it is currently inactive, not spreading and reduced in size.
Anyway hubby was finally transferred back to our local hospital today after 8 tough days in the City hospital. While in hospital he also developed a life threatening pulmonary embolism, and had some form of cardiac 'event'. So he really has been in the wars. But at least they now know what ails him and can appropriately treat it. So in order to treat the brain inflamation, he is once again on high doses of Steriods. Not sure for how long, but he will need to reduce the dose at some point. And of course he is on lots of blood thinners to treat the lung blood clots. That will likely have to continue for 3-6 months.
Just the last 3 days he has finally been able to get out of bed for the first time in a couple of weeks. And has started to eat again. He is off the IV fluids, and can even stand up with assistance from 2 nurses or physios. So things are finally looking up. He remains very confused and is still paranoid and delusional. But most of the personality changes have settled down and he now has some idea of where he is, who other people are, etc. The neuro was non commital as to his prognosis, saying improvement may take a week, a month, or even no improvement. It depends on how much damage has been done to the brain and how long its been going on.
The 8 nights in the City during school hols was damned difficult to take, moving accomm several times in order to find somewhere to stay. The hospital accomm for patients families were fully booked up, so was not an option. And of course the City is not a good place for me to be. Too many bad memories. So being there on my own was an extremely anxious time, both personally for me as well as the uncertainty of hubbys health, if his condition was reversible and whether he would even pull through. At least he is now back in our local hospital where his friends can visit regularly. And he is improving well over the past couple of days.
But I'm back home again now thankfully, and have little Holly here with me again. A neighbour has been taking good care of her in our absence. Its so nice to be back home again.
Sherry
