Day 19 – A Sense of Freedom

Yesterday I was unhooked from my machine at 2pm, I had a pretty steady stream of visitors coming to see me so it was lovely to have the opportunity to move freely. Everyone is shocked as to how well I look considering all I have been through, so if anyone is still worried about me they need to see me to be convinced that I am making a quick recovery from the surgery – with the fistula being the only thing keeping me in hospital. If I could eat then I would be well on the way back to normal.

The healing of the fistula is dependant upon the hole that the digestive products were escaping from to heal up and then the fistula – the consultant likened it to a leak in the plumbing, you know when you have a burst pipe in a roof, the stain on the ceiling below can be coming down the wall not quite below as the water has found a channel. So a fistula is the body finding a new way of getting rid of things it does not want and it finds the weakness and exits there. This is what is happening and it is at the very top of the scar just where an underwire bra sits. I can foresee this being a problem for me. The way it gets better is by the body closing the small gap up and the flesh going together to close the fistula. So my diet is being fed through my IV and it is taylor made for me, to the last 0.00005 g of manganese (I have no idea if this is right but you get the idea); it is all dependant upon my blood results and made to be the optimum nutrition for healing. The other great thing that happened is that I have been weighed and I have lost a stone – I swear it was the other night when I went to the loo on the hour every hour!

So what did I do with my new freedom, I jumped out of bed the other side from my drip!! Changed clothes and walked unencumbered with the drip stand. I had only been given a short notice so have no outside clothing. If anyone is able to collect some clothes from Inholmes and bring them into hospital I would be grateful, today.

It is so very lovely to see my extremely lovely friends who are turning up despite the weather and I do so appreciate your company. I do reiterate I lack for nothing so pease do not feel you have to bring me something – it is your friendship and company I want. Not to say I am not grateful for the lovely smellies, and magazines and things.

Today I hope to be a little bolder.