If I hadn't had major surgery, I would never have discovered...
how damn uncomfortable it is to lie on one's back without changing position for the whole night...
that there are lots and lots and lots of different painkillers apart from aspirin, paracetomol and ibuprofen...
that jabbing yourself in the stomach every night with a syringe can make one feel like a junkie...
that 'suture' is the posh word for stitch - used often and with a 'je ne sais quoi' flair by surgeons and nurses alike...
that coughing can be woefully painful after you've just had part of your sternum removed...
that sneezing is... (no, don't even go there...)
that support (or anti-embolism) tights look extremely '80s when teamed with city shorts...
that drains do not always 'drain' away all the excess fluid or 'seroma'...
that a hospital room, regardless of how plush it is, after a week's accommodation, can feel like a prison cell...
that after a few hours under anaesthesia, upon waking you will have an intense thirst and feel like you're in the middle of the sahara desert...
that the human body is the most wonderfully adaptive, strong and resilient kick-ass piece of machinery known to mankind...
So there.
I really can appreciate this list. I had my 'big' surgery last summer and I am still sleeping mostly on my back. Ugh. I also really like the last item on your list. What I would add is that the mind is pretty darn adaptable too. I can't believe all the changes my mind has been forced to come to terms with recently too, just as my body has as well. Nice blog!
ReplyDeleteHI Nancy,
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right - I completely forgot to mention the mind - which should top the list for awards in adaptability, resilience and overall ability to keep going when it feels like the bottom has just dropped out of your own world ! Thanks for your comments ! Cx