Tonight it is one week since our lives and particularly Pete’s life changed. 
He’s already sick of the bed as well as being on the roller coaster that accompanies having a severe injury. 

As El and I walk down the road each morning we wonder what we will find. A pain racked Pete or peaceful Pete after the morphine has kicked in.

Pete posted on Facebook yesterday and it was a little hazy as he wasn’t his usual quick witted self. 

This morning was a bad one. He was tired , in pain and begging to go somewhere other than ICU with no window . The Doctors were worried as were El and I, but it resulted in the Doctors deciding he could move to a private room and Elena could stay with him. 

So it’s up on the 16th floor,  a big room with a view. El has a lounge to sleep on and it looks more like a hotel. Better for his morale. 

The medical team here are doing a good job – I think, I hope,  though today Peter insisted on the Doctor calling in as the bandage covering the still open gaping wound was proving to be too tight and was causing even more pain. 

The sweet nurses, in their little purple nurses hats, would take a look and say ‘it look alright’. But he insisted , the Doc came,  did a fiddle with the bandage and drain and out poured all this blood that should have been draining away into a bottle! Poor Pete. He immediately got some relief. 

I guess that better than in PP though where they forgot to hook up the drain at all! We finally commented on why wasn’t there any blood draining ? The doctor went ballistic. 

So you do have to keep an eye on things and I wish I had some medical training. 

People have been trying to offer help. I met someone from NIB health insurance. He called into see if we had any needs. The Australian Embassy phoned Peter to offer assistance and Peter suggested they might arrange his marriage to Elena, who he introduces as his wife as they don’t seem to understand the word fiancé ! When the pain is under control he’s funny. 

His team of doctors include Dr Nu the pain doctor,  an anesthetist. I told her I had a friend who was also an anesthetist at St Vincent’s in Sydney and she asked me to contact her and to see if she had any other suggestions for Peters pain management. 

My friend Liz ( who we met on our first swim trek) immediately conferred with her team and was in touch with Dr Nu. Liz also confirmed that we had a great team looking after Pete. She said they were trained to Australian standard and we were receiving the best care we could over here. Reassuring to say the least. 

So this afternoon Peter had a sleep and I took El to some shops to quickly buy a few clothes so she was warm staying in the cool hospital. She had packed so quickly she had only brought a few things from Kampot and had to borrow from me! But now she has a few things from H&M. 

Tonight Pete wouldn’t eat much despite the warning from the Doc that he needs good food and lots of it to aid healing. El had to boss him! 

Tomorrow Friday, surgery again at 2pm. Last chance to get some blood flowing to the toes and to repair the nerves. His foot is numb and his 3 big toes are almost black. Very worrying though I’m still trying to be hopeful they can be saved. 

So fingers X things go well. It’s so touch and go and I’m almost frozen with fear. 

But he’s alive. 

Steve comes from PP tomorrow and we hope the compensation meeting with the bas*+***d family goes well. We miss him. 

Catherine with Elena’s mum in Genoa

I miss you all and have no real idea when I’ll be back. 

My sister Catherine was meeting Elena’s mum today in Genoa!