Living in limbo

Well, here I am banged up in the Royal Derby for an undisclosed term. No, it’s not a sudden deterioration, it’s another twist of the waiting game. Having had a repeat endoscopic ultrasound, some pus was discovered and sent off to microbiology. I was given a five day course of the broad spectrum antibiotic co-amoxiclav to take while we waited for results. Next thing I know, on Thursday morning I get a phone call from my excellent specialist nurse to say I’m to be admitted that day for IV antibiosis. With the welcome transport help of Bill Smith, I was admitted to ward 304 that afternoon.

Initially housed in a four bed bay, I’ve been transferred to a single side room because even my pee shows some bugs so I’m being barrier nursed at the behest of Infection Control. The barrier nursing isn’t too onerous, nothing fancy just extra care with procedures to avoid cross-infection. When they changed my sheets, for example, the dirty ones were put in their own special pink bag.

I’m having three antibiotics by drip: amoxicillin, metronidazole and gentamicin. I saw both the consultant and the specialist nurse yesterday. Seemingly, I have three different bugs lurking in my pancreas and they’re sensitive to different drugs, hence the mixture. It’s a bit tedious sitting around here – the food’s not too bad, the nurses are fine and competent but the day ends with a drip at half eleven and starts with another at five. At least I have plenty of chances to nap during the day. I’ve had a repeat CT scan and may well need yet another EUS, oh joy.

The thing is, three attempts at biopsy have failed to find undoubted carcinomatous cells, so it’s possible still that this is all a rare form of pancreatitis after all.

Further discussions will take place tomorrow morning, Monday. Meantime it’s a life of drips and blood tests...