Cancer 31

I have now been in hospital for about ten days after my setback. Hopefully I will be out tomorrow. I am being released. I have reached that point where medical science has done its job and now the home environment will complete the recovery, as fr as it goes. I will still be on oodles of medication, but it can all be taken orally. I will still be limited in how far I can walk, but at least it will be to look at the garden rather than the entrance to the ward. I will still be limited on how much food I can eat, but it will not be hospital food.

One sign of being ready to leave hospital is attitude towards hospital food. Earlier, I thought there was a good menu and the food was pretty good. Now I can’t bear it. The food is not good. It is hospital food. Another sign is the view. I am lucky enough to have a bed by a window. I can see the sky and I can see boxy hospital buildings. There are no trees or grass. It is good to see the sky, watch its changes, enjoy the sun, the clouds and the rain. But now I want more. I want to see my garden. I want to see hills. I want to see trees. I want to be in nature.

One final sign that I am ready to leave is that I have started work on my book again. I don’t have far to go but I have struggled to get going. If I am out tomorrow I want it finished and sent to the publishers (CUP) by the end of the week. I still not live to see it completed but I can be more confident it will be completed.

The next 24 hours are critical. Nothing must go wrong. I must exercise, eat a little, and try to deal with my gout. Of course, if something does go wrong I will stay here, but I am beginning to go stir crazy. I know I have not been in long compared to many people, but I can only feel for my own experience. Back to the book.