Amitabh Bachchan may have to extend his hospital stay

Highlights

• Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who has been recuperating at a hospital here since his abdominal surgery and follow-up treatment, might be required to spend a few more days at the hospital before he gets home.
• "Looks like a few more days... before they set me free... but recovery at home will be another few months," Bachchan tweeted today.
• "Getting independent gradually... a careful shower avoiding the cuts and needles and 'kites'... pretty dexterous exercise," he wrote.
• Earlier this week, hospital sources said that as his health is improving he might get discharged in a day or two, something which has now been ruled out.
• Bachchan said in his blog last night that the doctors seem to be satisfied with his recent improvement in health.
• "The meetings of the morning with the team of doctors.. the most trying for the patient. As you await results of their assessment, you wonder what new discovery they may have found that would immerse you in further treatment. But happy to note that they seemed satisfied with the progress and after a few closed door discussions, came back with a few points that would bring relief to any sufferer."
• There are chances that the megastar might be discharged soon. "He is doing fine now... his health is improving. He might be discharged by tomorrow or the day after," hospital sources had said yesterday.
• "A welcome day! many aspects improving, many reports positive, smiling satisfied faces all around... your prayers work so well... Hunger pangs swell for the first time... docs say its good sign... hope so," Bachchan had tweeted.
• "The 'kites' gradually and slowly disappear... 'kites'? Yes, the various drips and tubes stuck into the body... I used to tell this to Abhishek and Shweta when they showed dismay and fear in 1982 hospital visits... 'kites'!!," he added further.
• The actor even watched the India-Australia match on Sunday (February 19, 2012). "Saw some Tv... the India-Australia match! Sad we lost, but some bizarre moments by the umpires...! pressed wrong button?," Bachchan had said.
• On Saturday (February 18, 2012) Big B showed signs of improvement and the doctors at Seven Hills Hospital decided against another surgery on him.
• "He was supposed to undergo second surgery as he had developed pain post the first surgery. However, there is no hassle as such...he is not critical but under observation," sources from the hospital had said.
• Doctors treating the superstar went into a huddle when he suffered fresh pain in the abdomen.
• Amitabh Bachchan went through two abdominal surgeries on Saturday (February 11, 2012). He was taken to the Operation Theatre where doctors inserted a "central line" through an incision on the neck.
• "The night started off with great apprehensions, what with the temperature of the fever going up - always a dangerous signal. But the mercury fell during the night, or in todays terminology the digital reading in these modern contraptions, showed improvement and by the morning there was a freshness and hope of repair. Soon after wards though, the additional pain that has developed in the abdomen, apart from the surgical, kept doctors busy and going into a huddle. When ever they do that I always surmise there is something more than normal in the patient. Heavy dosages of even more antibiotics were pumped in, and to facilitate this operation they had to wheel me in to the OT again to put a 'central line', through an incision on the neck, "he posted on his blog.
• Amitabh Bachchan is a voracious social networker. He keeps his fans up-to-date on his health through his tweets and blog posts. On Tuesday, he posted a terse two lines, telling fans fresh medical issues had cropped up and he needed to concentrate on treatment.
• With news of another surgery, fans swamped Twitter with anxious messages, to which Amitabh Bachchan posted:" I refrain from giving greater details of my condition .. in the West patient has the right to not disclose - even to family !!"
• "I realize anxious members of EF and TwFmXt need to know ..whenever there is some important procedure, will inform !" he added.
• Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan's son and actor Abhishek Bachchan, filming Bol Bachchan in Jaipur, returned to Mumbai to be by his father's side. "Abhishek returns from Jaipur shoot to be with us...greatest joy for parents is the love of their children..all else comes afterwards," Amitabh Bachchan posted on Twitter.
• On his part, Abhishek Bachchan says his father's dialogue Mard ko dard nahi hota from the movie Mard couldn't be more relevant than now, when the ailing star is keeping his spirits high despite battling serious health problems.
• "Morning spent with pa at hospital, then at NASCOMM in the afternoon. Back to hospital where, despite his pain, SrBachchan is cracking jokes. Guess he said it true in his film mard ko dard nahin hota! Legend," Abhishek posted on Twitter.
• Amitabh Bachchan's daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda too is staying by her father.
• Amitabh Bachchan has been battling a string of stomach ailments since the famous and near fatal intestinal injury he suffered while filming a fight scene in the 1982 movie, Coolie. He remained in hospital for many months with fans camping outside. Bachchan was again admitted to hospital in 2005 and underwent bowel surgery.
• Anupam Kher and wife Kirron, Sanjay Dutt and wife Maanyata and other industry colleagues have visited the hospital where Amitabh Bachchan is admitted. In the early hours of Wednesday (February 15, 2012), Amitabh Bachchan daughter-in-law Aishwarya brought her three-month old daughter to the hospital too. Undoubtedly, she would have been the grandfather's most special visitor yet.
• (With inputs from PTI)