Monday 19th July am
It doesn't take much to confuse me, so I admit it: I'm confused.
I woke up this morning fully expecting yet another operation on the disobedient flap, and the ward staff were duly preparing me, by providing the fetching theatre attire, sticking needles into me, and generally making life uncomfortable.
Then about midday, I received a visit from plastic surgeon par excellence, to tell me to stand down; there will be no surgery today. WTF?
I'm assured that this is not because I'm a hopeless case and beyond saving, but that they have decided instead to accelerate commencement of radiotherapy, which will reduce the size of the rippling flap, and enable a much simpler procedure in due course, to facilitate a permanent fixture of flap to surrounding palate tissue. Apparently this will be much less risky to long-term recovery, and allows us to crack on with the much-needed radiotherapy that much sooner. So why can't I help thinking that they're making this up as they go along?
The venerable Miss Patel responded to my numerous written questions with reassuring and convincing answers, and I'm left feeling - what? - relieved, concerned, hopeful, confused.
My main immediate worry was that the bulk of the flap has been causing me to have retching fits - I had another one yesterday evening - and very unpleasant they are too. On probing Miss Patel about this, she kind of acknowledged that I'm going to have to learn to live with it, she also prescribed more drugs to hold the sickness at bay.
So now it would seem that my main priority while I'm in hospital is to wean myself off the tracheostomy; then we should be good(?) to go. So at least it gives me a goal.
Here are ten songs about confusion:-
1 Ball of confusion - The Temptations
2 I can't tell the bottom from the top - The Hollies
3 Mr Ambivalent - Loudon Wainwright III
4 I can't explain - The Who
5 Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - Ella Fitzgerald
6 Puzzlin' evidence - Talking Heads
7 God only knows - The Beach Boys
8 It's a big old goofy world - John Prine
9 Dazed and confused - Led Zeppelin
10 Mysterioso - Thelonius Monk
Onwards and upwards!
RP
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Sounds like everything is under control...?
ReplyDeleteKeep positive, keep smiling in the face of adversity and in return we'll keep thinking of you. Actually, that doesn't seem like much of a deal for you, now I've put it in writing! However you are another day closer to coming home. We're all rooting for you.
Barney
Confused you may be but that sounds like a potential escape plan in the making. Good to hear that it has given you a new goal to focus on.
ReplyDeleteStick with it and as Barney says, we ARE all rooting for you, and that pesky, chesty, flappy thing.
Polly
As the great R. Crumb said - "Keep on Truckin' "
ReplyDeleteOne thing's for sure - you haven't got your "funky/ soul head" on when it comes to the Daily Top Ten. My rubbish suggestions are:
ReplyDelete1. Pick up the pieces - Average White Band
2. Show you the way to go - The Jacksons
3. Going Loco in Acapulco/Barts - The Four Tops
4. Last night a DJ saved my life - Olimax and DJ Shapps (who???????)
5. Treat me good - Yazz
6. Baby don't change your mind - Gladys Knight and her pips.
7. Don't leave me this way - Harold Melvin
8. Oops upside your head - Gap Band
9. Hang on in there baby - Johnny Bristol
10. Blame it on the Boogie - The Jacksons.
Not that I'm stuck in a time-warp at all!!
Hang on in there Rick and stop probing Miss Patel.
Susie and John.
Probing Miss Patel eh! Cheeks gave you that pointy stick an I told you it'd work!
ReplyDeleteConfused, well why change the habit of a lifetime, isn't that why you said 'I do' and persist in the infathomable phrase 'come on Everton'??????
At lest has the excuse of a good plonk (no pun intended)
Anyway; nice to know the doctors decided to try some long winded fancy op on you (maybe they just fancied some nipple tweaking humour) before they revert to the simple and straightforward op they reall shoul've started with. Oh well at least we're getting somewhere now (I'd keep whatever you can crossed lest they tugg that too! - actres/bishop...)
Bring on the rediowaves an you'll be a superhero before you can say "Not the other bloody nipple too!"
Don't worry about the retching it's just early warning signs of your grat werewolf like super transformation into FLAPPY MAN!!!
In the mean time try'n scare her by clutching your wedding ring in outstretched fingers and retching the word 'Gollum' ha ha ha ha ha, your turn to wind them up!
Glad you've got a goal - your footie team are unlikely to help out there for a season or 2 yet :-)
Hey I love ya really
I'll be up soon, gotta be my turn to poke a nurse or 2 ;-)
Please note my spelling is good, my typing is terrible - dad's laughing at me.
ReplyDeleteWhen Adam picked us up at the airport we obviously asked what you were up to. We were very disappointed to hear you were still in hospital. Having now caught up with the blog your frustration is understandable. This is unusual for me because I prefer to be a bit light and taking the ‘P’. Just this once I will avoid this and tell you how good it was in Gibraltar !!!! Perhaps not - the main thing being litre. Lambs Navy £4.95 I’ll say no more.
ReplyDeleteI do empathise with you as after five days I couldn’t wait to get out so they let me out on the sixth day. When I was admitted for the second time two weeks later I wasn’t given time to think about it and if I hadn’t realised it was essential I may not have turned up. On reflection they were right, as usual I was wrong and I probably wouldn’t be here today if I ignored the medics’ instruction. Something to watch out for is that it took me a few days to reactivate the everyday muscles I took for granted. That made me feel worse than I really was.
Hi Rick,
ReplyDeletehave been thinking about you lots,hoping that the op goes well - and now it turns out you don't need one!
I am sure that the worse is behind you - and glad that you may be going home soon!
John has been round and has told us about the visit. Hope that there won't be many more visits - since you'll be at home!
Hope to hear your voice soon!
Love Era, Ale and Vic
hi rick I hope your recovery is moving along. After coming back from London to see you, dad told me that all the wishes and support you can get will help - so here I am! I am always thinking the best for you and have my fingers crossed every day that the next blog you post will be at home, getting ready for your next big cooking session! I think you should go on Masterchef and practice on me before you go! :):) lots of love, victor :)
ReplyDelete