Sunday 11 November 2012

3 Days in Purgatory

It is six at night on Sunday 11 November and I’m feeling pretty low.  Since the skin graft on Friday I have been confined to bed.  Dr Kunaporn has visited me every morning and the graft seems to be going well.  The packing appears to be holding it properly in place and all is apparently going how he would expect.  That’s what I am trying to hang on to. 
The problems are that the perenerial area is well taped down with the medical equivalent of duct tape and round the edges of that my skin feel pretty raw and sore.  Finding a comfortable position to lie in is difficult.  On my back with legs 30 degrees apart if most comfortable for that area but after an hour of so I get lower back pain.  If I change to the foetal position in which I normally sleep, the pain from the tape increases.
On top of the above, I haven’t had a bowel movement since Thursday evening and although I eat healthily on Friday and Saturday I now have little or no appetite as my digestive system must by now be pretty well backed up.  I ordered a BLT sandwich for lunch today which looked great but I couldn’t face eating it.
And then there is the general frustration of being stuck in a hospital bed unable to do much for yourself.  I haven’t wanted the aircon on as the temperature is warm but fine and I find the noise distracting but every once in a while one of the nurses switches it on and I have to use the call button to get one of them to come to switch it off.  I also dislike bed baths, however competently they are performed but I long to stand under a shower on my own.
Apparently, most of this gets better tomorrow when the neo-vaginal packing is removed.  I do hope so.  Just 12 or so more hours to bear, not so much after 48 years, I suppose.
Robin Moira White

1 comment:

WILLIE...! =(^..^)= said...

Well! There's only one step after...
Purgatory............HEAVEN.....! :)