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God, I am so sick of the noise around here, people banging into my room at 5.15 and then Peter starts up - the first night I'm home, I'll sleep for 12 hours!! Once I'd woken up, I stayed awake and just played on the computer until Chris rang (the relief office staff is just as rude as the ordinary staff) My main problem is they don't listen to anything I say at any time like I'm a cabbagem just sitting there or something - GRRR!! We had a chat until the Indian nurse (yep, got her again) was hovering and talking while I was on the phone - sheesh!! They don't even say 'sorry' like it's their God-given right to forget the patient might need some privacy, their mission is so much more important. I finally gave up and Chris had to go anyway, her visitors were arriving very soon. All the nurse wanted was obs and to change dressing - which she did -- but I am sure every nurse in this place thinks we're all senile: some of the things they ask or remind you that you have to do ... did you know that oral care is very important and you should clean your teeth and wash your mouth out after meals? DOH? I get really impatient with that sort of thing - they're so hipped on cleaning around here and germs that they wash their hands every 5 seconds (especially with me because I have some bacteria that the hospital gave me anyroad as well as taking cytotoxic drugs) and yet today this stupid nurse who wasn't listening to a word I was saying about how to properly dress my trachie site given that I'm allergic to the covering bandaid thingie they usually use and also the tape they used to use to anchor the gauze properly, but it does need to be occluded so she has to use more than 3 strips of Steristrips (about ½"wide and 3-4" long) otherwise it doesn't cover it - all went over her head - first we put the ointment to help heal right in the middle of the little gauze pad (which goes over the site but the middle is where the dent is, not the areas around the dent where it needs it), then she just whacked the gauze pad on and taped me up - she didn't even clean it out - and it is really important I don't get another infection and there is still a slight opening into my chest cavity - but she couldn't be bothered cos wanted to go outside and gossip on Xmas Eve before she knocked off. I was not impressed.
Off to OT and Physio - it was really hot and oppressively muggy so I not only worked up a sweat, I felt totally wrung out (first time this summer season) but soldiered on to do what I could - I really hope I don't waste the 4 days and just lay in bed and do nowt!! I know that's my inclination but will try really hard not to. I had a go at the steps today - only the first step up - boy it's high, but I got up and down but mainly using my arms. Alissa let me get away with a shorter session today, don't think anyone was feeling much like pushing themselves. Then I had the rest of the day to myself - OT cancelled the afternoon session - yeay!
When I got back up to my room, Sally P was there with her daughter, Emily - for a quick Xmas visit - lovely surprise - Emily is a nice kid and you can tell Sally enjoys the company of her daughters. We all 3 chattered away about Italy (they're going in about 5 days), Florence, Venice and that they had to visit Pompeii, so I hope I talked Sally into it, cos with pollution, lack of world peace, climate change, not to mention Mt Vesuvius always looming, see it when the opportunity arises!!
I had time for quite a long play after they left and before Leigh arrived. Leigh said with the rain, the traffic and the people, it was all chaos out there but she made it by just after 4.00 pm. I got up to greet her and she was really excited - I love the feeling of getting up like a normal person so we got to have a real hug for the first time in 7 months!! She took some photos of me with her phone but will have to wait until she goes back to work and finds out how to download 'em from Mrs Lamb. At least I now have a couple of photos with the walker and being back on my feet. She brought the Weis bars, the Chuka all day suckers and the DVDs from Julie, so got all I asked for :o) - We had a good visit and she only left cos it was tea time and having had no lunch, I was starving. I did have a Weis bar while she was there but will have to eke them out!.
After tea I managed to get up properly again from the table, which was pleasing because I'm never totally confident I am going to do it. Then I went for a walk around the ward - only one but better'n none. My breathing wasn't crash hot today, felt a bit breathless if I made any effort - but that is probably the muggy heat, tho it did cool down later in the night because lots of lovely rain. I wrote Michael a long, rambling email for Xmas cos have been letting my blog catch me up for him. I'm getting so fast at "hunt and peck"typing, maybe I'll type like that permanently *G*.
Sleep quite early and was nice to snuggle down and listen to the rain and drift off ...
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