Home thoughts from a hospital

So here's the latest, straight from the horse's mouth, faithfully transcribed by the horse's wife.

As I said in yesterday's blog, the new flap in my mouth is healthy. That's the new flap, taken from my chest, and neatly displacing my right nipple, as opposed to the old - now sadly deceased - flap, which as you recall was taken from my left inner-arm. This has left a very impressive, but totally pointless piece of scar tissue on the arm, plus a very neat patch on the thigh, which was used to patch up the arm. This is getting to be a bit like a rendition of 'Dem Bones', isn't it?

The lingering problem is that the operation to re-attach a loose piece of flap was not totally successful, and so it remains there, wiggling, while the medical profession scratch their heads.

Yesterday (Saturday) I was told that the likelihood would be a further operation, but this morning (Sunday) one of the doctors has cast doubt on that, suggesting a period of healing may be more appropriate: "could be a week, could be a month". Apparently el supremo, Dr Dilkes, will decide tomorrow (Monday).

The frustrating thing, 3 weeks into a 2-week stay, is that I'm starting to feel better. The pain in my jaw has moved from indescribable to merely unbearable; I'm hop-skipping-and jumping (sort of) around the ward, and have even managed some nighttime sleep. The fact that I'm scribbling stuff for the blog is probably the best indicator that I'm coming around from the sense of isolation.

So this week's key target is to lose the tracheostomy, regain the power of speech, and drink that glass of water I've been promising myself. Did you know, it's 3 weeks since I spoke, ate or drank. Intravenously digested energy drinks are fine as far as they go, but can't compare with the irresistable aromas emanating from the hospital scoff trolley. It's also 3 weeks since I brushed my teeth, so the breath must smell great. This morning, I've been given permission to resume brushing those teeth which remain, but front teeth only.

Throughout all this, I've completely missed Wimbledon, and most of the World Cup, although I did look on in horror at England's thrashing by Germany. I also hope to see the final tonight. (He didn't - CP)

I think I did the '10 songs about home' in a previous blog, so here are ten about loneliness:-

1 I've been lonely for so long - Frederick Knight
2 I'm all alone in the wilderness - The Pogues
3 The night's too long - Lucinda Williams
4 Without you - O V Wright
5 Hey there, lonely girl - Eddie Hollman
6 I'm so lonesome I could cry - Hank Williams
7 I'd rather be lonely - Louden Wainwright III
9 Lonesome town - Rick Nelson
10 If you think you're lonely now - Bobby Womack

Flapping my broken wing/ winging my broken flap.
RP