Morning Mike, not much else I can say really as I t has been said, I can only echo other sentiments and hope you get sorted on Friday. Sending more hugs....for you and Amanda who is doing a fantastic job.
Mike I am so much happier to know that Amanda's persistence has paid off. Everyone in your position needs an advocate, whether it be a partner, a son or daugher, a friend or neighbour, we would all do well to think about who would do that for us in that situation, because the NHS is like an enormous ediface, where the people who bang loudest on the doors are the people who get treated first and best. And when you are ill, you just don't have the energy for all that.
My parents generation, who went through the war, always had a habit of imagining that there were other people worse off than themselves, and they didn't want to be a nuisance. But being like that, nowadays, will get you nowhere with medical treatment. With my Dad, we had to transfer treatment from Surrey to Lincolnshire (between operation and follow up - radiotherapy et al), and that was incredibly stressful - exactly the grey area that Dove talks about, self imposed yes, but at the time my mother was in decline, and I couldn't manage their problems from 200 miles away, hold on to my job, deal with having a child and a husband with M.E./chronic fatigue.
The NHS and social services will use 'family' as much as you allow them to, and that is part of what I would want to tell you and Amanda. You both need to be very clear about what she can commit to, given her own situation. The NHS in Surrey were very good at wondering why I wasn't there with my parents, just as the parents of the children to whom I was teaching GCSE and A-level in Lincolnshire were very good at wondering why their child's teacher was off work again.
Hopefully, you do not have some of the complications my dad had (like having macular degeneration in his eyes which meant he couldn't see properly to connect and disconnect the day-bag to the night-bag himself) and insufficient memory to be able to be trusted with his pills - not that he had Alzheimers or anything, just never was that good at remembering things!
The way we had this described to us was that the bladder is like a balloon which inflates and deflates as the urine builds up and is released. Over time, like a balloon which has been blown up and let down, the quality of the rubber, or muscles, will deteriorate a bit. You have had an operation on the balloon, and the less inflating and deflating that goes on, the quicker it will heal - so the catheter takes away the urine before it has a chance to gather and cause a stretch. So unpleasant, and painful as it is, it is doing an important job, and is not so much a leftover from the operation, as an aid to internal healing. When it comes out, your muscles will have to go back to work, and sometimes that requires a bit of re-adjustment. I hope it will be out very soon - if not on Friday then in two weeks as they said. Let us know when your appointments are.
And if you are bored, ring me anyway. You have my number. It is a wet old day here right now, so I can't get on with all the things I wanted to. Hugs as ever - Bee xx
Busy bee makes a good point regarding your muscles needing to get back used to the idea of your bladder filling fully before it is emptied. When the catheter is removed try no to plan any trips out for a couple of days. If you're anything like I was you'll immediately notice that you have to plan your whole day around being close to a loo as your bladder "forgets" how to hold as much fluid and it'll take a few weeks to recover.
BUT and I mean this in my sternest voice don't see this frequent peeing as a reason not to drink as much (WATER! Dash it Mike put down that whiskey bottle you know we mean water!! :P ) It's very important that you keep your fluid levels up and your bladder is flushed through so no germs can take hold.
Gosh that's a big weight loss Mike and to think the the effort I went to so that I could lose 4 1/2lb last week.....and I still weigh more than you!! I had food poisoning last year and lost 8lb in 4 days, unfortunately as soon as I could eat again (after about a week) it went straight back on!
Seriously though, don't worry about the weight loss for now just worry about getting better. Before you know it you will be out and about and putting it back on....you need chocolates As always, hugs xx
That's good news Mike about removing the 'spare parts', I hope they can do something about the pain or that it eases on it's own. Now don't be rushing out doing gardening, just enjoy the view of your beautiful flowers. I'm sure they can look after themselves for a little longer after all the years you have given looking after them. Take care and don't over do it xx
Good news Mike, hope pain is easing off. Take care of youself and ditto about doing anything in the garden. Just sit and relax, listen to music, read a book and enjoy just sitting in the garden weather permitting.
Good to hear that's out Mike,hopefully you can begin to heal properly now.I'm sure the garden can wait until you're a bit more mobile,concentrate on yourself in the meantime. Take care now and much love from the fishes
Posts
*drums hand on desk impatiently waiting til Friday 09:30*
Mike I am so much happier to know that Amanda's persistence has paid off. Everyone in your position needs an advocate, whether it be a partner, a son or daugher, a friend or neighbour, we would all do well to think about who would do that for us in that situation, because the NHS is like an enormous ediface, where the people who bang loudest on the doors are the people who get treated first and best. And when you are ill, you just don't have the energy for all that.
My parents generation, who went through the war, always had a habit of imagining that there were other people worse off than themselves, and they didn't want to be a nuisance. But being like that, nowadays, will get you nowhere with medical treatment. With my Dad, we had to transfer treatment from Surrey to Lincolnshire (between operation and follow up - radiotherapy et al), and that was incredibly stressful - exactly the grey area that Dove talks about, self imposed yes, but at the time my mother was in decline, and I couldn't manage their problems from 200 miles away, hold on to my job, deal with having a child and a husband with M.E./chronic fatigue.
The NHS and social services will use 'family' as much as you allow them to, and that is part of what I would want to tell you and Amanda. You both need to be very clear about what she can commit to, given her own situation. The NHS in Surrey were very good at wondering why I wasn't there with my parents, just as the parents of the children to whom I was teaching GCSE and A-level in Lincolnshire were very good at wondering why their child's teacher was off work again.
Hopefully, you do not have some of the complications my dad had (like having macular degeneration in his eyes which meant he couldn't see properly to connect and disconnect the day-bag to the night-bag himself) and insufficient memory to be able to be trusted with his pills - not that he had Alzheimers or anything, just never was that good at remembering things!
The way we had this described to us was that the bladder is like a balloon which inflates and deflates as the urine builds up and is released. Over time, like a balloon which has been blown up and let down, the quality of the rubber, or muscles, will deteriorate a bit. You have had an operation on the balloon, and the less inflating and deflating that goes on, the quicker it will heal - so the catheter takes away the urine before it has a chance to gather and cause a stretch. So unpleasant, and painful as it is, it is doing an important job, and is not so much a leftover from the operation, as an aid to internal healing. When it comes out, your muscles will have to go back to work, and sometimes that requires a bit of re-adjustment. I hope it will be out very soon - if not on Friday then in two weeks as they said. Let us know when your appointments are.
And if you are bored, ring me anyway. You have my number. It is a wet old day here right now, so I can't get on with all the things I wanted to. Hugs as ever - Bee xx
Busy bee makes a good point regarding your muscles needing to get back used to the idea of your bladder filling fully before it is emptied. When the catheter is removed try no to plan any trips out for a couple of days. If you're anything like I was you'll immediately notice that you have to plan your whole day around being close to a loo as your bladder "forgets" how to hold as much fluid and it'll take a few weeks to recover.
BUT and I mean this in my sternest voice don't see this frequent peeing as a reason not to drink as much (WATER! Dash it Mike put down that whiskey bottle you know we mean water!! :P ) It's very important that you keep your fluid levels up and your bladder is flushed through so no germs can take hold.
(23 hours 10 minutes).
Gosh that's a big weight loss Mike and to think the the effort I went to so that I could lose 4 1/2lb last week.....and I still weigh more than you!!
I had food poisoning last year and lost 8lb in 4 days, unfortunately as soon as I could eat again (after about a week) it went straight back on!
Seriously though, don't worry about the weight loss for now just worry about getting better. Before you know it you will be out and about and putting it back on....you need chocolates
As always, hugs xx
No offence taken at all Mike honestly, I hope my post didn't read wrong
That must be a relief, Mike. Did they say or do anything about the pain?
That's good news Mike about removing the 'spare parts', I hope they can do something about the pain or that it eases on it's own. Now don't be rushing out doing gardening, just enjoy the view of your beautiful flowers. I'm sure they can look after themselves for a little longer after all the years you have given looking after them. Take care and don't over do it xx
Good news Mike, hope pain is easing off. Take care of youself and ditto about doing anything in the garden. Just sit and relax, listen to music, read a book and enjoy just sitting in the garden weather permitting.
Take care very best wishes and hugs Lily xx