Day 40 - a great day

After much pleading, Ellen was allowed home for a few hours today. We set off at midday and pushed her home in her buggy along the fields. To Ellen's delight we saw two horses and some cows on the way. We had a great time at home and even ventured out to feed the ducks. We are back at the hospital now and anticipate being home much of Saturday and Sunday with a final discharge date of Monday (Day 43!!).

Day 38

Ellen is doing fine. She is a great deal brighter. We have managed to play lots of games and spent much time walking around the hospital grounds. Ellen has also put a sterling effort into being allowed home. She asks a member of staff at any given opportunity and even tried to bribe her consultant by blowing him a kiss this afternoon. It has eventually worked as we hope to be allowed home for a few hours over the next few days with the aim of going home by Tuesday.

Day 36 - feeling much better

After a weekend of mainly sleep and the occasional walk off the ward Ellen is feeling much better. We now need to get her up walking and eating. Lets hope we will be home soon .......

Day 33 - a very special day

Ellen is doing really well. For the first time today our consultant said he was very pleased with her progress. Her liver is much smaller and she is beginning to lose all the excess fluid she has retained. We made it off the ward this afternoon and went to the hospital coffee shop. Ellen managed to eat a bit of sandwich which was an amazing sight. She was then laughing and joking like the real Ellen we know and love. We even went up to the top floor of the hospital in the lift to look out at the outside world. It was a wonderful moment and a real sign that Ellen is getting better. We would like to thank everyone for their messages of support and prayers which have helped us through this very difficult time.

Day 31

Ellen is a bit better today. Her white cell count has come up and her liver is improving. She has been much brighter and even laughed this afternoon. We hope that we will be out of isolation this weekend and if her morphine pump has been turned off we will be able to take her for a walk around the hospital grounds. Small steps but a definite improvement.

Day 29

Ellen is doing OK. The doctors are pleased that her liver is recovering and that her white cell count is starting to come up. They feel that she is over the critical period and is no longer considered high risk. Ellen, however, is not so pleased. She has been terribly uncomfortable today as her abdomen has become more swollen. This appears to be due to the fact that over the past few days she has been given too much fluid. The doctors have given her more diuretics to help her wee some of the fluid off which has helped. Whilst it is obviously a relief that Ellen's condition is improving, it is terribly distressing to see her so uncomfortable and quiet. We have been told that it will take at least ten days before she is feeling better.

Day 27

Ellen is a bit better. Her liver is starting to recover and the doctors are happy with her progress. Her abdomen is still very swollen and uncomfortable. She remains on morphine. Ellen does seem brighter and has been asking to go home; she even insisted on getting dressed this morning so as to try and persuade the consultant (unsuccessfully!) that she is well enough to be released. This is the start of a slow recovery but we hope that she is now through the worst of it.