I'm back!

[stui magpie]

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]

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

[stui magpie]

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]

The doctor has okayed it all

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]

That’s great mate

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

[pietillidie]

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

[Skids]

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]

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]

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]

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?

It seems to have settled down a bit. Having said that, it's still 'uncomfortable' and wakes me up.... hence me sitting here on Nicks at 1am
I have been napping day and night since getting home, it's f&^$^*N freezing in Perth at present, so other than a couple of short walks with the dog, we've spent most of the last 2 days inside.

Outpatient appointment this morning at 10.45am. The way it has gone down in the last 12hrs, I think they may just see how it goes rather than draining it... i'm not sure.

A seroma, one of the most common potential complications after surgery, refers to the accumulation of uninfected and clear (i.e., serous) fluid under the skin. Seromas are usually found near the site of a surgical incision and can form soon after surgery or, sometimes, weeks later.

https://www.osmosis.org/answers/seroma# ... ks%20later.

[stui magpie]

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]

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]

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]

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]