One day further from the surgery and one day closer to recovery. I think much of the worst of the worst has taxied and pulled into its final parking spot. Heart surgery requires chest draining tubes (see garden hoses in previous post) to make sure that no fluids build in the chest cavity to concern the lungs. Having these tubes removed the day or so after your surgery is at best a challenge. I don’t like to harp on the less pleasant components of any experience so I will spare the tugging, yanking and extracting details here – and leave that for a chapter in my next book that will be prefaced with a disclaimer saying: READ ONLY WITH… Nah just skip this section and RUN FOR THE HILLS. (No, seriously run now)
It took every scrap of strength, bravery and will that I had left to go though that horrible and tedious experience . But without fail tiny buckets of extra power – that you didn’t know you had – always seem to show up along the sidelines from somewhere and you get through. I got through.
The only consolation was that we had finally gotten my pain management back into a functioning routine after a day of feeling grey in the face and low in mood supplies of glitter bombs and magic cakes. That being said having the tubes out feels twenty-nine million times more comfortable and it afforded me a much better sleep last night. I feel more like a human than like a broken sprinkler system and am way more comfortable overall, very sore but more comfortable each day. I am just going to keep inching forward like an inch worm.
I am back on the oxygen face tube because my oxygen saturation levels were not totally jazzy last night. All the other tubes have been removed with the exception of an external monitoring system and pacemaker wires.
My bladder catheter comes out today which means I can no longer lounge for infinity sipping on cold drinks without the inevitable need to get up and pee. I find this to be a most remarkable system and will consider incorporating it into my daily life when I am fully better. Not having to get up to go pee is totally my jam. Using a toilet is so 2014.
4 Comments
so very happy to see you blogging yourself!
keep getting better! lots of positive vibes coming your way!
So enjoy reading your blog Tracey, your use of the English dictionary surpasses the drudgery of constant reading and is enjoyable to no end.
Lots of love… thinking of you everyday, even though I had to duck out of the whatsap group as it was distracting me from my duties. Luckily for me I have ‘I love you with all my chicken’ to keep me up to date. Give my love to Claudine, Kareen & Trudes xXx and of course gentle but warm hugs to you
I am happy to hear you tubes are mostly all gone. I am sorry your discomfort has made me smile so much but it is your fault as your writing is ridiculously descriptive and ever so funny. How is mum? Has this given her some new grey hairs? Hope I will be able to see you all soon.
So glad you’re through my dear. I look forward to your first pee postings.