Much, much better today.
Yesterday was definitely my worst day since the op itself, but I did have a similar day last week, when I couldn't face the effort of getting out of bed and having a wash, so I guess it is a combination of how I slept the night before, diet, mood etc.
I slept well in my own bed last night, although somewhat uncomfortably - i.e. I slept for long periods but woke up in pain. I am still struggling to sleep comfortably on my right side (my preference) because it does pull a little on the scar, and sleeping on my back is not as comfortable in my bed as I don't have the ability to raise the head and legs like I did in the hospital bed. Hopefully I will get used to that in time though.
I've had loads more energy today and have been up and about all day, so I guess we can put yesterday down as a blip, although I suspect I will have the occasional day like that now and again.
It's definitely good to be writing this from my home PC - so much less fiddly and irritating than trying to do it on a little PDA, so as promised, here are some pictures. Please note that the last few are of the various scars and may not be pleasant viewing for some, so just be warned!
Cheers,
Colin x
First, a couple of views of the room I've been in for the last fortnight ...
And some of me in the days when I was rather "attached" to my surroundings - do you like the anti-clot socks? Very fetching! At this point I was connected to food via the feeding tube, and liquid, paracetamol etc and morphine via the neck catheter. I also have oxygen in my nose, urine catheter, and chest drain.
These are some of the machines I was connected to. This was after my time in Intensive Care, so there were about 5 other machines that I had just been released from! The one at the bottom with the yellow sticker on was the "PCAS" - my friend the morphine machine - mmmm..... morphine ...
Don't go any further if you are squeamish - this next one is the "baby" neck wound before I had the staples taken out - only about 15 or 16 in this one ...
And these last two are the somewhat larger "shark bite", again before the staples were removed on Monday. The orange patch is where the chest drain was (now resembles a bullet hole), and the white thing below is the feeding tube, which was actually taken out in the end yesterday, so I am "tubeless" at last!
See - it goes all around the back too! ...
Various red rash-like marks are just from dressings that have been removed and have mostly gone away now.
That's all for now - I'll take some more as things develop.
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5 comments:
Wow they're impressive, you really do look like you've been bitten by a great white! Great 'chat up' story for the future "Ere luv do you want to see my scars?". Glad you are home and feeling a bit better. Love reading about your progress every day. Lots of love and big wet 'Southern' kisses. Annieeeee xxxxx
Great to hear feeling more energised and you're about.
Excellent blog today, the pictures say things words can't. You're brave and as scares go, you have the trump-card up your sleeve or shirt!
jb
See you did not bother with that key hole surgery nonsense, did not know the NHS employeed great whites as their surgeons! Still clearly the NHS is at the cutting edge of fashion. Hope you get a good nights rest back in you own home again. Take care. Alan & Alison
See, I said people like pics! I'm a bit confused though - I found this on the interweb (http://surgery.med.umich.edu/thoracic/clinical/what_we_do/esophagectomy_faq.shtml) and, looking at your scars, it looks like they did both operations to you! I love the drawings showing the surgeon's hands fiddling about inside the rib cage.... And, no, I don't think I'm peculiar at all, just naturally curious (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Glad to see you up & about though. And your scars are FAR more impressive than mine!
Glad to see you up and about chap. Those are marvelous scars! Don't overdo it and keep smiling.
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