Friday 10 August 2012

N is for .....


.........Nurse

Yes I have seen quite a few nurses this week!

My wound did not feel right on Saturday and on Sunday we went to A&E on the advice of my nurse who comes to drain my chest drain. This has to be a record – I was in and out of A&E in just 21 minutes thanks to a few phone calls from my lovely nurse Debbie. Other patients had a wait of 2-3 hours which I think is the norm. So we were back in time to watch Andy Murray get gold! Yes I had got an infection where the tube enters the body. Just picking myself up from the surgery and now something else to deal with!  I was also getting a bad reaction to the very sticky adhesive dressing that comes with the pluerx kit. So antibiotics for the next week or so. Please Lord just give me break! 

The saga continued! I had great difficulty swallowing the antibiotics ( I have a problem with gelatin coated pills and these were giant 500mg jobbies) and a very disturbed night. I went to my GP on Monday morning and he said I should not be on the high strength dose as the prescription is based on body weight. So he gave me the normal strength for a longer time in a liquid form. I am doing alright on this prescription.

Nurse came again on Tuesday and said that stitches really ought to be removed as they were not helping the infection and they were getting a bit mucky but they had to contact the consultant/surgeon at Guys hospital to be given the OK. Given the thumbs up the stitches were duly removed on Wednesday by another 2 nurses – bliss! They used a curved scalpel blade which was a bit scarey as they were right up to my skin – I held my breath and closed my eyes – all was well.


On Thursday I had 6 (yes 6) nurses! They were on a training day. They had done Day 1 training on using a Pluerx catheter system with the manufacturers but for Day 2 training they had to observe a real patient being drained! They were all lovely. Alan had to leave the room – he couldn’t cope with all those girls in uniforms!

In between times I have been getting out and increasing my walking distance. The weather has been good so the walking along the prom has been good. 

Tess x

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle.  I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.  ~Mother Teresa

3 comments:

  1. I bet you are so glad the stitches are out and the wound can heal properly now.I don't what all those nurses were doing for Alan's blood pressure so you may have to restrict his access to them for that reason alone.lol
    Hope you get stronger as each day goes by and get out as much as possible while we've got some sunshine.
    Love and hugs
    Beryl xx

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  2. Hi Tess, so pleased that you have been able to get out and increasing your walking distance. Thank goodness you didn't have to wait to be seen last weekend, a plus for hospitals. Don't think I would have liked having the scalpel so near to me either but you take everything in your stride. I hope you have a good weekend and make the most of the sunshine. Thinking of you both and sending love and hugs as always.
    Christine xx

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  3. My John was just the same when he had tubes fitted etc. when he was having his treatment, got infections all the time. We came through it - just wished the medics would prescribe stuff before it happened as they told us it was inevitable. Very difficult to get antibiotics at 3 am on a Sunday morning! Glad your activity level is increasing.

    Janet xx

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