Pain

Here’s a cheery subject for a Saturday morning 😀

Writing down my thoughts as a reminder so as I look back next week I can reflect on progress – what’s it like to recover from major surgery one week on?

So I am settling into 4 cycles of pain relief. Paracetamol and codeine 4 times a day. Will aim to wind down the codeine (not great for constipation). Then there is oramorph for breaking pain relief

The hardest to manage is the longer night time cycle. Last night from 21:00 to 06:30. At about 03:30 you can use the oramorph to get an extra hour or two of relief. From 05:30 to wake up it is trying find that position in bed that minimises the pain. From 06:30 it is a cup of tea and the tablets and wait for the impact. By about now (09:00) things are stable

Three areas of pain through the night and especially first thing. The coccyx- shaved as part of the operation – never moves away from a dull ache. By morning that is like a large, constant kick on the back of the arse. 😩

Next to that is the heaviness in the wound. During the day this largely switches off but at night there is a pull that is hard to ignore.

Finally the stoma has its say – a heaviness and an occasional grumble😜

By morning this moves the body into recovery mode. Movement is challenging. Not the actual pain but the expected pain. The brain warning to stay still. The tiredness, the desire to shut down

The challenge is to keep some movement and then let the tablets kick in. As the core 3 layers of pain subside, so the rest of the body relaxes. Deep breathing, limited stretches and fresh air help. Finding a place to lie and relax and allow the body to get back to to pain free mode.

A cup of tea , some kind words, accepting offers of help, the wag of the dogs tail, something to eat to re-energise, water, feeling a little bit of love ❤️

And now I am back to day time mode. Ready to get washed and freshen up. More rest, a slightly less grumpy response to others and ready to smile again.

Standing in the garden, the sound of the pond, lovely flowers and a feeling of calm.

Bring on the day ……. 😀