I'm back!

stui magpie · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 9:28 am

Only thing I can think of is there's very strict protocols around administering medicine, particularly pain killers that can be addicitve. Some require 2 signatures to ensure they've been dispensed correctly to make sure the nurse isn't nicking them.

Try to speak to the Doc when they come around for the big squeeze.

Skids · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 9:31 am

That's exactly what the nurse who got me handovered to just said!

stui magpie · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 10:14 am

Yep, they do regular audits of the ward drug cabinets to make sure that there's exactly how many left that should be and that everything that's been handed out has been signed for.

I had cases when I worked in health of Nurses nicking the tablets for themselves, which means a patient, usually elderly with limited communication capacity, goes without pain relief.

Skids · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 1:59 pm

The doctor has okayed it all Very Happy

I'm getting picked up shortly and don't have to be back until 8pm.... I need to get out of here so bad!

think positive · Side By Side Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere

That’s great mate

Don’t muck around with a staph infection though, it’s just not worth it,

pietillidie · Joined: 07 Jan 2005

Well done, Skids. Take it easy for a bit, though.

Skids · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 12:51 pm

Okay, out for the whole day, have to go back tonight and stay the night. Issue is a build up of fluid in the neck they need to vigorously squeeze out each morning, a process known as "the big squeeze"

This sees me laying on the bed, surrounded by student doctors and surgeons, a stress ball in one hand and either; a nurses hand, a doctors shoulder or the rail of the bed in the other. They then proceed to squeeze my neck with great force as i thrust my legs around like an epileptic freestyler. All over in a matter of minutes. One occasion required the natural drain passage thru my neck to be cleared prior to squeezing with the docs equivalent of a long screwdriver. Luckily I quite enjoy a bit of pain prior to my porridge.

The amount this morning was minimal but hey want to keep me one more night for the expulsion in the morning tomorrow. This can then be followed up daily as an outpatient during the week until no longer required.

So, that's it. Other than regular follow up screening, cancer has been booted from me and I should be ready for work within the next 4 - 6 weeks.

In celebration of this success, I have just booked tickets to Melbourne on the 13th of July for me n Kel. We'll be there for the Pies v Freo game and will also go to the D's v Lions game on the Friday night.

Be great to catch up with anyone who may be interested.... I may take a trip down Geelong way on Sunday to see a great friend. Lovely ferry trip that.

Skids · Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2023 4:20 pm

I am at home, have been discharged. Can't wait to sleep in my own bed. What an experience that was.
I wonder if it's a sign for the Brownlow medal.... 35 different patients rotated through the 3 other beds in my room.

stui magpie · Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2023 4:24 pm

Great stuff mate, how's the fluid buildup in the neck going? You going to have to present at outpatients every day for a while or they think it's settled?

Skids · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 3:13 am

stui magpie · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 7:23 am

I had some of that after Hernia surgery. When I went for the post op review with the surgeon, he just used a syringe to drain it. Only did it once.

Skids · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 8:39 am

I just took the dog for a 6k walk and it has come back up again. I'm thinking/hoping they do the same to me this morning. It's more uncomfortable than sore.

Skids · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:23 am

They decided to leave it and let it settle for a while. It has gone down noticeably overnight,
I'm up early again, mainly due to it being uncomfortable, not really painful.

Talking to my main surgeon (Dr Sader) yesterday, there were 8 in the operating room. He said everything went perfectly, I had given him a few more grey hairs but he was extremely happy (as am I!) with the outcome.

I mentioned a recurring pain in my left shoulder area when the painkillers start to subside. He said that was because they had taken some muscle from that area to rebuild the area where the tumour had filled.

Pain meds have been reduced. I now am only taking slow release tapentadol every 12 hours and maximum allowable (4000mg/day) panadol.
I can notice the difference already since going off the tramadol yesterday. I can take mersyndol if the pain increases. The panadol I took 90 minutes ago seems to be sufficient at this stage.

I haven't smoked any weed for months. The last time I did was when I was waiting for test results and it made my emotions go haywire. I'm not in any hurry to fire the bong up again to be honest.

Skids · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:57 am

Nah, the pain is f**&*^H.

Went to my GP this morning and he's given me a few repeats of Tramadol and a plan to wean off over the next 14 days. Been getting stuff all sleep because it's just been so uncomfortable lying down at night.

He told me my op is the talk of the medical scene in oz at the minute. It was just sheer luck the benign lump was pressing on and restricting my breathing. It was that which led them to discover the cancer in the trachea. In the past few cases, the actual cancer in the trachea has grown large enough to restrict the airway, mine was years from getting to that stage... the lump saved me, all hail the lump!

pietillidie · Joined: 07 Jan 2005

^Is the pain caused by the ups and downs of the healing process, infection, or a physical adjustment you have to get used to? Or is it that cavity they had to drain? I'm trying to imagine it — I think you posted a diagram at one point, but I can't recall the exact spot. Is it high in the trachea? I can definitely imagine that whole area being really sensitive, though. Lots of nerves for breathing and muscle contraction nearby, ensuring we don't asphyxiate??