Aside from ensuring you don’t slip gently off this mortal coil the medical and nursing teams other top priority is continually ensuring your ongoing comfort.
Nothing is left off from this broad base of contributing factors, rightly at the top of this is pain relief and this is the first thing that you wrestle with following surgery.
It’s a difficult one, on the one hand too little and you endure excruciating pain, but on the other hand too much and you begin to lose control.
The first 24hrs for me were a challenge, but the unwavering attention to ensuring the right balance is struck soon gave me equilibrium and the golden prize of ‘being comfortable’.
The mantra that is driven in at every stage during recover is as follows:
- Are you feeling nauseous?
- Are you in pain?
- Are you hallucinating?
Personally I was looking forward to ‘tripping’ but it never happened.
Comfort in the other sense of the word is a little more challenging to obtain. With tubes & drains coming out of various orifices, folds, and other relevant squidgy bits it is nigh on impossible to achieve anything near comfort in the early stages, mostly as the fear of ‘pulling something out’ is almost as as bad as actually ‘pulling something out’.
Most of the important stuff is administered through the ‘Central line’ a close contender to the ‘Jubilee Line’ this bad boy is equally as crowded but delivers its contents much more efficiently, (9 ports delivered through 5 access points in 1 artery) clever stuff
However I am adding this to my list of worried beads of ‘things I am not looking forward to being taken out…..’
Unfortunately the NG tube never really becomes a welcomed bedfellow, and despite best efforts by all it has become more of an unwelcome squatter that I won’t be sorry to see the back of, but needs must so in the mean time ‘man up Cowls’
I started off by saying that comfort has a broad base of contributing factors and at the other end of the pain scale is personal comfort.
This is handled with the utmost sensitivity, compassion and dignity. Thankfully a broad mind and wicked sense of humour helps.
Let’s face it no man is every going to really like having a tube coming out of your old chap, but at 3 in the morning when you are laid out this wee’ing on autopilot becomes a distinct advantage.
Thinking about it I can think of many situations outside of surgery where this would work as well.
Rosemary and Francis Polglase
Just realised you have put your own blog up….well done Simon….you are a star…following you with our love and support….Upwards and onwards 😘Xx
Ali
The Boss is back and I’ve handed back the reins x
Karen Johnson
Matey, us women folk met up tonight and you were clearly the focus of our attentions. So, mark it in your diary June 2019 there are at least 8 of us that want a dance with you at our school reunion/ 50th birthday bash (bagsie 1st dance).
Your strength and determination post surgery is commendable so keep it up fella.
Wishing I was closer to be able to visit however as always sending BIG luv and hugs to you and Ali.
Cheers n gone for now xxx
PS pic on FB for ya
Simon
Thanks K, bless you all, I will be putting the date firmly in the diary! X
Liam
Herculean effort Simon. Looking forward to a quiet week and the nod from Tracey so we can visit. Until then continue to recover, at this speed you will be out before we can get in!!
Ali
Hi Liam, I have let Tracey know he wants to see people x
Pauline williams
Simon, your ability to contribute to this blog amazes me. You are a remarkable person with incredible grit and fortitude. Carry on carruthers!!!!