Strange day today. It started off so badly. My pain medication wasn’t working well so I barely slept and I had horrible dreams. I didn’t want to get up and I couldn’t contemplate walking the corridors or doing my breathing exercises. I was useless.
My surgeon Arun Ariyarathenam who’s been working with me since Grant Sanders took some leave has been great. He arranged intravenous pain medication for me to get some rest. He also decided to put me on a nil by mouth diet all morning to prepare for a barium meal X-ray to see what exactly was happening with my stomach. Then we’d make further decisions based on that.
By the time Neil arrived I was exhausted and unhappy. Neil gave me such a big hug and I cried.(Unfortunately it hurts to laugh or cry at the moment so luckily the crying in rare but I have had some hysterical moments with many, even with Arun!) I cried for the very first time in all this, not because I felt sorry for myself, but that I felt so hopeless.
Neil was lovely. He put me to bed and I slept uninterrupted for 2 hours! When I awoke he explained that he set himself on guard duty and wouldn’t let anyone in. (I have a private room daaaaarrling). He banned the cleaner and all sorts in non essential nurses. He was sooo bad!!! It seems Neil on guard duty is quite a force to be reckoned with!!!
So after my 2 hours sleep I felt a million times better and planned our escape. The lovely nurse Sharon told us about a secret exit to the back of the hospital.
First we went down to the depths of the hospital for my barium meal. I drank sips of it standing in front of a big lead wall as he took various X-rays as I swallowed. He did front, back and sides then we returned to put our escape plan into action.
I put on my shoes and dressing gown and we set off down the lift and out to the back of the hospital. It felt wonderful being outside again. Neil carried my drain for me (so romantic). We found a lovely leafy area with picnic tables but each table was full of smokers. My lungs aren’t working well anyway without that stink. So on we walked and found a bench in the sun hidden away by itself overlooking a pond. Albeit a rather scruffy pond, but hey! We were soaking up the autumnal sunshine outside. It felt glorious.
Going back I felt elated. Neil had once again worked his magic on me. I was told I couldn’t leave the hospital with a drain attached, but we did anyway which made it feel even more exciting.
So…. back at the ranch, changes were afoot! Arun came back and said the results of the X-rays were very encouraging and some food is getting through. And also , after a lot of jocular banter going back and forth he surprised me by saying the final drip can come out!!! Yay!! I’m so fed up carrying it everywhere and it will make a big difference to my sleep. When the nurses extracted it I asked to see it. Do you know it was about 14” long inside my body!!! Wow!
So now, all I have left is a tube up my nose which has to stay until my swallowing is totally sorted out.
I feel so elated. Every tiny step is significant for me. Neil has been with me every step of the way and I love the fact he’s here every day. I love him so very much. There’s a university swimming pool just 15 minutes away and he’s now swum 41km of his 100km goal!!!
What a topsy turfy day! Such are the vicissitudes of life (especially mine!!)
