A London view

I went home last night feeling almost shell shocked by the conditions in that emergency ward of the hospital where Gavin was. I think it would be different if you were booked in for a procedure on a ward, but an NHS emergency ward on a bank holiday weekend is truly hell on earth.

I hardly slept last night worrying about Gavin so this morning I was up early and I decided to get him out of there. I spent most of the morning arranging a NHS to private hospital transfer. Lots of phone calls and paperwork involved. Gavin had spent all night in a chair with no medical care and then finally early this morning went on to a gurney in a packed corridor when one became available. 

Gavin had discharged himself by the time I got there around midday and so Luke and I drove Gavin to the hospital in London, rather than waiting for a private ambulance. He was admitted - after a bit of a delay due to not having all the right paperwork from the NHS - and the surgeon came in to check on him. He was so dehydrated that they could not get any blood  - as he is nil by mouth he is having IV drips.

He has a team of doctors now looking after him. His abdominal surgeon is the head of the NHS Abdominal Sarcoma Service so I feel that he is in safe hands. The scans were all repeated, and being a private hospital you get the results instantly - they don't think he has a brain bleed but rather some benign type things (can't remember the name). However the tumour in the abdomen is of primary concern, and so tonight Gavin went into the ITU for monitoring and to try to get him rehydrated and his levels correct before the surgery tomorrow. The tumour is large and very possibly malignant but we will know more tomorrow.

Tommy is flying home tonight. Tomorrow will be another long day, the surgeon is meeting me in the morning to go through everything. I have arranged for Xena to go to Fiona tomorrow as we will be out all day.

I did not take any photos today on my early morning walk with Xena, so here is an iPhone shot of the view of the Battersea Power Station as Luke and I went for a walk to get some fresh air, while Gavin was being scanned.