As the title of this post might foreshadow, I absolutely hate the catheter drains that are left in after surgery to allow fluid to drain outside the body instead of collecting inside with nowhere to go. They serve a vital role in recovery and I fully recognize that, but it does not change my opinion of them. I currently have 3 15 inch drains in my body that are just a pleasure to deal with. One goes in my neck on the left side and snake through my body somewhere, I can't exactly tell where it goes. With prior neck dissections, the drains went in at the base of my neck and went up to my ear and I could physically underneath my skin. These drains go somewhere that I can't feel and probably don't want to know. I will definitely feel where they go when I get them pulled out. That is the other thing about drains, the dread that comes with knowing I want them out but then also knowing the horrible feeling that comes with having them removed. It is not a very intricate procedure. They are currently held in with some sutures at the immediate area where they emerge from my body. One in the upper left neck and two right next to each other just underneath my right armpit. The procedure is to simply remove the stitches holding it in place and yank on it until it comes out. 15 inches later, the drains are out and life goes on. The first time I had some removed, I passed out and they were in the process of trying to resuscitate me when I awoke, dazed but alive. The next time, I didn't have any issues, so I hope that tomorrow goes like that. Bottom line, I want them out and will endure whatever I have to to experience the relief that comes with that wonderfully awesome occurrence.
Today was a turn the corner kind of a day. I woke up and felt really good this morning. My pain is well under control with just one pain pill every 6 hours or so and I probably don't even need it that often, I am just fearful of not staying ahead of it and it becoming a big issue. My condition today versus one week ago are worlds apart. The day started with a the usual pill barrage, a shower (made ever so difficult by the fact that I have three drains to contend with as mentioned above), some bulb drainage and finished off with ointment application to all my stitched areas. At this point, I am very Frankensteinesque in my neck/chest region and I would imagine a bit of a shock to see for the everyday person. I have a pectoral muscle that has been surgically disconnected from my chest and reattached somewhere in my neck (hopefully they can tell me what it is attached to tomorrow), a decent size piece of pasty white skin that was removed from my right chest that was grafted over the skin void created at the base of my neck during surgery, and numerous stitch lines crisscrossing the entire area. Probably not what Costco shoppers want to or expect to see in their daily shopping venture to the glorious warehouse chain. With that, i transition into today's official activity: a trip to Costco to pick up some household supplies. We went ahead and covered up the worst of the visuals with a gauze pad and off we went. It was a good feeling to get out of the house, but I definitely know that I am still extremely limited in what I can do at this point. A thirty minute trip to the store is about all I have in me right now, but I continue to grow stronger. The moved muscle intrigues me but is also is a source of much of my mental struggles these days. I can still trigger a muscle response from it, but man does that feel weird! If I really got after it and tried to use that muscle like a used to, could I separate it from wherever it is now connected? I can't imagine that would feel very good and would probably cause some major problems, so I don't plan on giving it a try. Came back home after some lunch and had some quality recliner/bed time through the afternoon and still feel fairly well. I imagine I will sleep very well tonight. I have been getting some good sleep and only waking up once during the night, mainly to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I drink a lot of water during the day and it provides much in the way of a need to evacuate. I also think it helps me in every way. Along with all the juicing that I am doing. I can really feel a difference after I drink a good hearty vegetable juice and I am doing that twice a day and I believe that helps me immensely as well.
Nothing very profound today, just a glimpse into the activities of the day here at Stobb manor. Tonight will be dinner followed my showers and bedtimes for all with some hockey and baseball sprinkled in for good measure. Tomorrow I should have some juicier stuff to share as I have three appointments and will get to talk to a couple of my doctors.
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