Eastern Europe Trip

Another week has gone by, and apart from getting bored watching daytime TV (a lot of property programmes, which are giving me some ideas for our future adventures...) there's not a huge amount to report.

Tracy is still flat on her back in Hope hospital, and some of her less serious injuries are showing signs of healing. She's off the oxygen for now, as her ribs are starting to knit together and she's able to breathe better. Her right leg and pelvis have started to heal so she's now able to move her leg without too much pain, although obviously she's not able to get out of bed. The plastic surgeons came and looked at her arm and decided to operate last Monday, although they were uncertain of the exact procedure as there are 2 choices. First is a straightforward skin graft, where they will remove the dead skin from her arm and transplant skin from her thighs. Second is a procedure called a skin-flap where they remove the dead skin and then attach her arm to her stomach to allow the healthy skin to grow onto her arm for 2 weeks before seperating her arm and stomach again. They'll decide which to go for when they can see the extent of damage with the dead skin removed.

She was starved in preparation for the operation, only for it to be postponed as the hospital had sent the only 5 machines available for the operation to be serviced at the same time - to say she was not best pleased, having psyched herself up for the op, would be something of an understatement... The operation was then rescheduled for Tuesday, but again postponed, this time due to an emergency requiring use of the theatre... that didn't do much to help her mood, either... It's now been rescheduled for next Monday, so keep your fingers and toes crossed... if they cancel it again, I'll be trying to get her moved to a private hospital as I'm not happy at the way the delays are affecting her...

In addition to the physical issues she's dealing with, Tracy is also finding it very difficult psychologically, as every time she tries to sleep she's haunted by nightmares of the accident. I just wish I could be with her overnight to help, but that's not possible. All the nursing staff at Hope are doing a fantastic job, and taking great care of her, but it's not the same as being there myself.

As for me, my leg is healing well, and I'm now able to remove the splint in order to shower, as long as I don't put any weight on it at all. That's a releif, as taking a shower whilst sitting on the shower base with my leg out of the door was proving quite uncomfortable, not to mention highly undignified! At least I'm clean now... Hopefully when I have my leg x-rayd next week it'll show a good recovery and I can start to try to build up some strength in it again - it's amazing how much smaller the muscles in my right thigh now appear in comparison to my left, after such a small amount of time... If I start running again, I'll probably only be good for running in small clockwise circles!!

As for other news, the solicitor has sent some forms which I've completed and returned, and the recovery people have informed me their now bringing all our stuff back from Slovakia. Hopefully it'll all be here on 25th, and I'm really looking forward to being reunited with our possessions... hopefully we'll get back everything we had to leave behind...