34) Monday 8th June Another attempt to fit a new stent.

 I went to visit again, with Ant, after work as I'd heard from another church person visitor that he was fading fast. I spoke briefly to the nurse on the way into his room and she said they were going to try and fit a new stent as soon as possible, hopefully the following day, but they'd need him to stabilise first with his blood pressure and blood oxygen levels. They'd need to send him to another hospital in Cardiff a few miles away for it to be fitted as they had a different machine.

He was in bed, but awake when we got there. He asked if we had spoken to the nurse and I confirmed we had. He made a huge effort to sit up, I'm not sure why as we could hear him, He's obviously in pain with his stomach. The sign above his head 'NIL BY MOUTH' reminded me he hadn't eaten proper food for a long while and as a result is looking frail and thin. When he'd sat up he started to tell us they were looking to fit a new stent as soon as possible. He said he was aware the stent fitting may be the end of him but he'd be dead in a few weeks anyway if he didn't have it fitted. He asked if we all agreed we knew the risks and it was the best thing to do. We did. 

He said 'a stupid young female' had told him he wasn't quite ready yet, because his blood levels needed to get better, but apparently, he said she didn't understand if he didn't have the stent fitted, he'd die.

There was silence for a moment, then, 'Could you sort out my pyjamas?' he asked. It's totally ridiculous - they change the sheets every single day and pyjamas as well. How damn stupid is that? I mean surely normal people wear pyjamas for at least two weeks before washing them...' I clocked the whole room was silent..

'No Dad, a week maximum - absolute maximum, and it depends if you wear anything underneath as well...'

He wasn't convinced. 'Really?'

'Yes dad. Really!'

He was wearing a hospital gown so we said we'd take his pjs home and wash them then bring them back asap.

The conversation was very stunted because he was in a four bed ward and the other three patients and their visitors were all silent and he speaks loudly due to his hearing difficulties. We all knew this was a possible last-ever conversation. If the stent fitting didn't work then he'd not be able to eat and that would be the end. If the stent fitting went wrong, that also could have been the end. It's hard to be emotional and have a private conversation with 5 other people listening.

We gave him a hug and a kiss and we went home. I looked back and he was watching us leave. I bit my lip. hard.

Tuesday morning I had a call about 12.30 - they had been intending to take him to Llandough to have the stent but they'd not been able to find any transport to take him, they were still trying and had escallated it to management. I rang them at 4 and they said he'd just left for Llandoough. At 6pm Llandough called me and said he'd had the stent done and was sitting up in hospital and would stay there overnight and will be returned to the Heath hospital tomorrow.