Day Two post op

On day two post op Friday

I got myself up out a chair and went to move my drains and then had myself a little panic attack. I think the drains reminded me of my lung collapse and I felt like the air was vanishing from me. The nurse walked in and sat with me whilst I apologised and started to breathe better again. The physio came in and got me up on my feet marching on the spot, nice and slow and then lifting my leg a bit further then I had another wee panic attack. The physio said I’ve been through a lot and how well I was doing but I’m just so aware that I have such an amazing opportunity with these lungs that I don’t want to ruin in any way.

Day three Saturday

My two lower chest drains were removed today, nice to not have any drains, now it’s just two to go.

Dougie arrived down on Saturday. I had said there was no use as he wouldn’t be able to get in but he wanted to just come down and wave from the window. He also brought me down my phone and some stuff from the house. Dad had gone to meet mum in Carlisle as she is staying at home at the moment. We were only allowed two visitors in so she is going to come down to visit when she can come in.

Dougie arrived and we tried to have a wee chat through the window, my lunch had arrived and being on steroids means it doesn’t stay around for long. Anyway the nurse asked if my mum was going to be visiting and when we said no she said Dougie could come in. This made Julie cry and although I never touched Doug’s or kissed him as he was unsure if his throat felt funny he was able to sit with me. Couldn’t hide the catheter but he seemed ok, surprised at how well I looked.

Julie and him went for some lunch and then they came back to see me. All doctors that have been coming in have been really happy with me so far.

Day four Sunday

Epidural still in and everything seems good, Julie was up again at 10am and washed me followed by dad later on. I needed an abdominal x-ray to check there were no blockages but they said I would have to go downstairs. Julie wasn’t happy about this as I am meant to be in isolation as my immune system is so low. She did air her concerns and I’m glad she did. I did go down to x-ray but it was empty and I was quickly in and out.

The final two chest drains came out and bandages placed on top, then my epidural started to buzz to say it was finishing. They got another doc who wasn’t my pain doc to put a new one in but he didn’t add the diamorphine, my sister asked if he was going to prescribe anything else to make sure I wasn’t in pain but he said I would be fine. Later another doc came along and lowered my epidural drip so I wasn’t getting as much. I was still feeling ok though so didn’t worry much.

I still haven’t poo’d properly so they gave me this drink they tasted like sambuca –utterly gross. I had to have two jugs worth and still nothing to write home about on the loo front.

At night when they did the epidural numb test I was able to feel the ice a lot more than usual but I wasn’t too concerned. I didn’t sleep well at all, restless, full, bloated and then I awoke to real pain. The nurse Tracey came in and I asked her if I was on any other pain meds but she just gave me paracetomal and to see how that was. I didn’t want to complain so I just told myself to shut p and deal with it, if this was what I had to go through to experience new lungs it was a very small price to pay. However an hour later and I was really suffering, when Tracey came in again she asked how I was and I began to cry which hurt even more.

She got in touch with the pain doc (my one) and she came along and gave me tramadol, liquid morphine and another one, they took a while to work but then it eased. Julie had arrived and the pain doc said that she wouldn’t have taken me off diamorphine last night without adding summit else. But I learnt from that lesson, it’s much harder for them to control my pain if I leave it.

We then later took out the epidural and then the catheter which was brilliant, no longer a tube coming from the fanjita!

The physio came along and I went for my first walk, it was then that I realised how much things have changed. I was able to walk at an ok pace and talk and talk and talk!! It was brilliant, so amazing to talk and not feel breathless in comparison to how I was in Brighton having to stop every 50yards to try and get some breath and energy.

Julie and dad spent the evening with me as usual and we ate a box of maltersers. Even though I can’t poo I’m still eating loads. I have 4 bacon buns in my tummy that need to be taken out!!