Day 196 Thu 24/06/10

Just had a video call with Fran - she is downstairs in the conservatory and I am upstairs in bed - this is the view I get.... X

Well here I am back at home...totally surprised as this has been a text book operation - no infections, not dehydrated and can eat - this is great, mine and others prayers must have worked :-)

This is not a moan and is definitely not negative...

I was on Barnes ward instead of Staveley, at first I was not totally happy as felt so much more comfortable at the last ward as knew the nursing staff, dinner ladies and cleaners from my last visit, Staveley specialises in bowel surgery and Barnes throat and neck...

It took me about half an hour to remember/realise that the big man upstairs has a hand in my journey... In the bed in front of me is a chap who despite heavy throat surgery, a hugely swollen face, a tube in his neck to help him breath and a tube in his stomach to feed himself still showed a sense of humour, the human spirit that some are blessed with never ceases to amaze me...I was there to pray for him and as a reminder that whatever happens some are worse off than I. In the bed next to me was a chap who was in having a hernia operation (also should have been on staveley). The hernia followed a stoma reversal several months previously, he was a guide put before me to advise on the weeks ahead, chewing gum to fool the stomach into working and what foods to eat were just a couple of gems...

Operation went well on Monday morning...I was first on the list! Came round and had two lots of morphine and one lot of IV paracetamol wahoo! Fran stayed with me (not in the operating theatre) and was there when I woke up....what a welcome sight :-)

Tuesday, pain a bit much had paracetamol and codeine which numbs it a bit had some consommé (bovril in a bowl) and ice cream for dinner, didn't really feel like breakfast or lunch. Had really bad gripe pains all night so not much sleep.

Wednesday, things seem to be settling down a bit...getting up and about is a bit easier and needed to be as need to get to the toilet at a moments notice...it looks so far away!!! Ate well today half a bowl of porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch and mashed potato and gravy for dinner! Watched the England match...nuff said!

A sign that my operation was a success happened and has not stopped since...I certainly cannot and should not take any chances...No sleep apart from 10.00pm to 12.30am and then up all night watching TV interspersed by frequent trips to the room across the ward and hall...it is amazing how pain can be absolutely pushed through when in a hurry...there was no gently raising me up to a sitting position and lowering my legs to the floor...

Dressing changed today for the first time - they have left the wound open and packed with algenate which has seaweed as an ingrediant. It is about an inch long and 1/2 inch across with a good depth of about an inch. It is amazing to see. Maybe not the sentiment some would say but to look and watch your own body heal to that extent is cool!

Thursday, Due to the bowel activity I am allowed home..so on calling Fran and after a bumpy ride home(darn that was painful) I am now up in bed typing my blog and watching the tv. Life... that deserves capitals and highlighting LIFE is good! Praise the lord!

T x