Sunday 10 March 2013

A wee update


It wasn’t easy writing my last post, I didn’t want to shock or upset anyone but I want all the help I can get and your words come from the heart and I can feel the strength you’ve all sent me with all the best wishes, good vibes, prayers and love.  Thank you all for your support here and on facebook it will make all the difference to my recovery knowing you all hold me in your hearts.

 Oh dearie me, (this is the closest thing you’ll hear to a whinge) I didn’t expect to feel so sore, the entry site for the feeding tube is tender and to be expected but I think my tummy muscles have a bad case of DOMS, they’ve been stretched beyond their normal, (if it was my legs I’d be fine), I’m trying to do a little cat (yoga) but the movement is microscopic at the minute.  I’m sure I’ll loosen off soon, and I had a great sleep in my own bed last night.

Don’t panic I won’t give a blow by blow account of having a general anaesthetic, teeth out and a feeding tube inserted but it was a lot sorer than I anticipated.  The dentist recommended three teeth to come out but the surgeon had other ideas, he took out six.  The wisdom one next to the duff one at the bottom, ok fair enough, and another couple on the other side, one did have big fillings but the one opposite was fine, I feel a bit robbed there, nae wisdom teeth left, I’ll be thick as mince but according to the piratical one my ranking in the Scottish Matriarchal system has soared. .

Coming round from the anaesthetic I was scared to move, the last time I was wired up to a light and sound show but I was ok, just a very numb mouth and tightness in my tummy.   The surgeon came to see me and examined his handwork on my tummy.  Wow! Last time it was this hard and round I was seven months pregnant!   (Mind you I did have a neat bump and I wasn’t the size of a house) Ok, I’ll be fartin’ like a horse later was what I thought.  But it was not to be; the air wasn’t in my gut but around my gut and would only dissipate in its own time. 

At tea time I managed to suck on half an egg sandwich, the lady that brought it said the bread was lovely and soft; well it was when I started it, just a bit stale when I finished it. I felt ok until about 10.15pm, then the trapped wind got quite sharp, I tried to breathe it away, normally when I take a deep breathe I feel it going down passed my belly button but I couldn’t breathe deeper than the bottom of my sternum, then I thought hang on, I’m in hospital with drugs, I don’t have to tough it out and pressed the buzzer.  Some painkillers and peppermint water and it eased, not enough for me to sleep but enough for me to relax a bit.  I’m a great believer in using thoughts and images, and I knew a lot of my friends and family would’ve read my blog by now, so I cocooned myself in all your prayers, best wishes and healing vibes being sent to me. 

In the morning the surgeon suggested I should stay another night after being so uncomfortable, just for his peace of mind. Gee thanks, so I resigned myself for another night as an inmate and Pauline and Pete brought me in some more jammies and stuff. I was put in a different ward, it was busy, stuffily hot and a vent/fan above my head rumble all night like an old lorry sat with its engine running, still no sleep but my tummy had eased a bit, in the morning I made sure I was bright and breezy for doctors rounds, I wasn't staying another night.  Thankfully they agreed and I was home in time for the rugby.  

Thank you Sue for popping round with some homemade Millionaire Shortbread on her mission of FUF (Fatten up Fiona) I’m going to lose weight so it would be helpfully if I could gain as much as possible before surgery. The rugby result wasn’t what I was looking for but it gave me fuel for thought.  Like I said earlier I like to use thoughts and mental images in my arsenal.  
On the outside I’m a five foot two, eight stone, fifty year old wifie. On the inside I’m as strong and as strapping as this Scottish Warrior, Richie Gray, six foot ten and twenty stone but I’ve picked Sebastien Chabal for my war face.  Cancer hasnae a chance!

13 comments:

Santababy said...

indeed you are. much love to you xx

Anonymous said...

glad you are home and stay on the mission of fattening up you will need all your reserves. take care.
Alyson

Unknown said...

I'm craughing Fiona - crying and laughing at the same time. You really are amazing, a giant. Love Debbiex

KarenR said...

Well done on getting out of hospital with your sense of humour attached! Stay strong and fatten up x

Anonymous said...

Sadly, Richie Gray is crocked too. I guess he wasn't in the bed next to you @ hospital or you might not have been quite so keen to get discharged back home...... ;-)

And, SIX teeth out, that's pretty heavy duty for the tooth fairy.

Hang in there; lots of us willing you back to full strength.

MtM xxx

Julie said...

Suspect you've always been the second-ranked lady in that piratical matriarchal hierarchy. Richie Gray and Chabal? Wee mimsy little boys compared to you! Strong thoughts x

Subversive Runner said...

Fi, you've always been at the very top of the Scottish matriarchal heirarchy, with or without teeth. Lots of love.xxx

Unknown said...

Fiona, Wishing you all the best with your recovery. I look forward to seeing you back out on the track. Rachel (Wee grumpies- mairi's cousin)

edie osborne said...

You are a star miss all your chums down here are rooting for you...all the best gorgeous lady

William said...

Very much in our thoughts, Love William & Elizabeth

Unknown said...

Much love and every good wish and prayer. Aaron x

John Kynaston said...

Hi Fiona

I've only jut caught up with your news. Sorry to hear but great to read your positive attitude to it all. Your fitness will make a massive difference.

We are praying for you.

John & Katrina

Robert Osfield said...

My heart goes out to you in this time, your honesty and positive attitude are humbling and inspiring.

While doing some background research into the use of Ketogenic diet for endurance athletes I came across a couple of articles that discuss use of Ketogenic diets to help with recovery from cancer.

I believe the idea is that cancer cells metabolize glucose but can't metabolize fats so a low carbohydrate diet staves the cancer cells. Also one of the crappy side to some of the cancer treatments is sickness so keeping food consumption up can be a problem, here being keto-adapted will help with keeping energy levels up.

It's still early days so it might be that not many doctors will be comfortable with it, but as it might also benefit your ultra running perhaps it's something to look into.

From William Sichel blog it looks like he's successful gone over to a Ketogenic diet so he might be a good person to track down and chat about what the diet entials.

Best of luck.