Recap of the last week.
26th June, Wednesday Day 21, 3 weeks today!
Long flight home, 22 hours door to door and all of it sitting. Went back on the fentanyl patch 4 days before we left so I would have the relief for three days while packing and sorting etc, although Tim was fantastic in that regard. It also meant I would be in the middle of a patch the whole trip back. I would not have been able to make it without the addition of Lortab and Valium though. My mouth ulcers are still driving me mad.
27th June, Thursday Day 22
Completely wiped out. Slept and rested all day, don't think I got out of bed all day except to eat and pee 😉
28th June, Friday Day 23
Still wiped out, really cold and couldn't get warm, probably jet lag and the AC (it was about 100F outside). Spent the day lying on the lounger on the deck in the shade, it was probably 90F but it felt glorious. Slept or listened to a book on my iPhone, too weak to do anything.
29th June, Saturday Day 24
Beginning to feel human, was able to unpack although it took me all day between bouts of rest and sleep. Still no appetite, managed a small bowl of cereal for breakfast then a bowl of home made creamy vegetable soup for dinner, under protest, and with Tim giving me the evil eye till I finished it all.
30th June, Sunday Day 25
This did not start out as the birthday I had hoped. It seems I have a bladder infection to beat all bladder infections – again! I had 2 earlier this year, one in January and another in February but this one…..
I think everyone who has had one knows that burning sensation sucks big time, this though was through the roof, I literally was at the point of screaming, having kids didn't hurt that bad! I managed to get the pain bearable but not get rid of it with Cystex, and I still have mouth ulcers, bummer.
Bad, bad, bad day.
1st July, Monday Day 26
Got an appointment with my urologist, sent to hospital for immediate tests. Given prescription bladder pain meds and antibiotics, will call with test results. Back to laying down, feel lousy, since we got back I have felt so bad I haven't even felt like reading, which I love, or being entertained by TV, which I hate, or a movie, which I love to watch if it's a cartoon type like Monsters Inc.
All I can do is enjoy lying in the hot shade and listen to a story between naps.
2nd July, Tuesday Day 27
Prescription bladder pain meds work a treat but my bladder still has that burning feeling even though I can pee relatively pain free. It's a weird feeling, this circular burning pain low in the gut, adds nicely to the operation pain LOL
Miracles of miracles ate a real salad for dinner! It was still too much for me but I felt like I wanted real food, looks like my appetite may be coming back.
Still feel pretty lousy though.
3rd July, Wednesday Day 28 post op
Woke up this morning to spine ache. Just my spine not the muscles around it. Yesterday I tried to put my plate in the dishwasher, something one does every day (especially) in the US. Mistake! Felt a sharp twinge in my lower back but no real pain.
OK, NOW I feel the pain. My bladder is still sore but not burning thank goodness. Peeing also brings no pain, oh sweet relief.
Got a call from the urologist, yes for blood in urine, yes for bladder infection, yes for EColi. What………?
I know it can be a hazard for women as the anus is so close to everything else so I am über careful, especially having had two infections already this year. My guess is the ratio of my blood, which has immunities, to the transfused blood, which has none, is really low.
I lost almost half my blood so I only have half the immunities I did have so to speak. My marrow is desperately trying to pump out healing cells, my body is trying to replace the transfused blood, my guts are trying to get themselves back where they belong, my incision is still healing. I have obviously taken a huge hit to my immune system and it's very busy healing my op and doesn't have time fight infections.
Hence the mouth ulcers and bladder infection. When I say transfusions are not for the weak of heart, I'm not joking.
Tim has decided that I should not see anyone or go anywhere until I get MUCH better, he's really afraid I will come down with something really bad. As in 'wait till you hit 3 months' timeframe. I think I can do it sooner as long as I feel really well and can stay up all day without tiring or feeling weak. We shall see.
I wish I hadn't been in so much pain for so long prior to the surgery, I would have gone into it fitter and healthier and more able to cope with anything that might go wrong.
C'est la vie.