Sunday 6 March 2011

A brief moment in time. Up and about.

True to their word, the next day our catheter's were removed, all cannula’s no longer required were also removed from the back of our hands. One amusing incident with one of mine on my left hand involved my asking the first nurse that visited my bedside to remove it because it had been hurting so much during the night. “What Cannula?” she asked, looking at my cannula free hand. Where was it?  It was no longer there! Either I had been so irritated by it during the night that I had removed it myself, or it had fallen out It was duly found on the floor at the side of my bed.

Firstly I was asked if I would like a bath. Would I? The nurse went off to prepare the bath and fill it with delicious bubbles for me to languish in. She then returned and escorted me to the bathroom, where I had to sit down on the hoist whilst she carefully removed my pajamas and fetching knee high socks which you all have to wear to stop blood clots forming in your legs. That accomplished, I was hoisted above the bath, the hoist was then lowered into the bubbles and the bath raised. I was given some wipes with which to wash myself with. My scar, reaching from my belly button downwards was covered in some kind of hard ‘lattice worked’ cover. I was assured that it was okay to get it all wet, in fact the bath would help to ease any pain and discomfort.

The nurse told me to take as long as I wished and left me with a push button with which to summon her when I was ready to get out of the bath. Oh what heaven! It was exactly the right temperature, I felt relaxed and could have gladly remained there all day but M was also due to experience this delight, and so eventually I pressed the ‘nurse’ icon on the button, and she returned to get me dressed. Returning to the ward, I did not get back into bed but instead sat thankfully on the high seat chair next to my bed with a pillow at my back for comfort.

In fact, I stayed out of bed and in the chair for most of the day. I was reluctant to get back into bed, and only did so if I felt really tired. We were also encouraged to slowly walk down to the dining area at meal times to eat, not that I felt like eating anything. I didn’t feel hungry at all. I did keep trying to eat, but the only food that I seemed to be able to enjoy at all was the ice cream and the rice pudding.  Everything else tasted dire. I couldn’t drink the tea at all, or any of the fruit juice, I seemed to have permanent acid reflex in my throat and constantly there, and eventually had to ask for some ‘Gaviscon’ to help relieve it Everyone else seemed to be eating some of the meals, but I felt so full I simply couldn’t bring myself to attempt more than a few spoonful's of anything.

I was at a loss what to drink. I had asked my sister and brother to bring me some of my favourite Grape Juice in, but this just seemed to add to the acid discomfort in my stomach. I told the doctors all about it. It did sometimes happen. The Gaviscon did help. I would just have to stick to plain water for mow which seemed to be the only thing I could drink without making the acid reflux worse. I also began to walk around the corridor whenever I could. Slowly at first, taking my time and holding onto the grab rail that ran all along the length. This I knew should help to get things moving internally which let’s face it, was the mainstay of conversation with every resident on there. Wind. It was as if we had all been filled with it whilst down on the operating table, like so many car tires blown up too far.

Now we were all paying the price. It had to be got rid of, it was the cause of our pain, staff also were preoccupied with the subject as well. Questions were asked. Had we heard any grumblings or rumblings? Had we passed any wind down below? Physiotherapists called with exercises for us all to do to help to get the whole thing moving along. ‘Lay on your back on your bed. Raise both knees up. Slowly rock both of your knees from the left to the right and back again. Try to go as far left and right as you can. Repeat about 10 times.

We also had a very enjoyable visit from a lady from McMillians who was a qualified masseur and who gave M and myself a hand massage and Br a foot massage. We couldn’t have the foot massage as it would have meant removing our stockings which was a task to be avoided at all costs.

Well, I should sleep tonight! I thought to myself after enjoying such a busy and energetic day. Of course I didn’t sleep any better.

TG

12 comments:

  1. Well TG it sounds like a long process , but glad to hear the help is there when you need it. That bath sounds like heaven , hope to that wind lets itself free. Take care of yourself Sheila :)

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  2. Thanks for the comments both of you. It did come rather windy outside as well with the weather coming out in sympathy

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  3. Quite a day but the steps to recovery are like that I'm sure. I'm glad to hear of the improvement and see how you are chronicling this time in your life. Another step to the top of the staircase where total recovery is!

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  4. Thanks Joe for your comment and good wishes. I am now well on the road to recovery.

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  5. Hi TG, Whew just catching up on all your hospital experiences, which were all very detailed. It almost made me feel as if I were there in the ward - thanks heavens, NOT. Seriously though, I am very glad that you are feeling better and on the mend and look forward to reading more (or less?) about your road to full recovery. Take good care of yourself as we missed you!

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  6. Thanks Beatrice, I was definitely in the right place. The level of care was 100 percent.

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  7. Your talk of the wind has brought back memories of the time I spent taking my "wind for a walk" round the ward following my hysterectomy which was many years ago now. Glad you are back up and running and feeling a bit better.

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  8. Yes Diane, its one of the best ways of getting that wind to shift and keep moving, and in total I think I must have walked a mile or so around that ward.

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  9. This might make you laugh! During my stay we had a terrible snow fall and the hospital was snowed in and ran out of food. I went home in an army land rover wearing nothing but my nightie. The snow as waist deep and chilled the parts that other beers cannot reach.....

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  10. Hi TG
    Glad that things are on the mend and once you can pass some wind that will help a great deal then maybe you will feel more like eating
    Who is staying with Kay is she ok ?
    Carry on getting better I am thinking of you
    xxxxxxxxx

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  11. K is fine thanks Lo. She had been my 24.7 Day and Night nurse throughout my worst weeks since arriving home and I couldn't have coped without her.

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