BASKETTCASE

Last night I had the best night's sleep and today I have had the best day since my op.  I haven't really blogged my symptoms because even I have been bored by them, but having had frequency and painful weeing since I was in hospital and being treated with antibiotics fo five of the eight weeks without improvement, yesterday I went to the day procedure unit at N&N and had a stent removed from my left ureter.

I remember the surgeon mentioning the presence of this tube inside my ureter the day after my op, but not being fully in my right mind I didn't understand why it was there, what would happen to it and what its side-effects might be.  The truth is, I don't think he told me most of that!  The GP has been treating my presumed infection without confirmation of the bug, as all the urine cultures showed a mixed infection, u sually a sign of contamination from the skin.  A couple of weeks ago I got an appointment to attend for removal of the stent, and hoped this would allow the infection to resolve, so I have been looking forward to it.  I can't start my chemo until there is no infection, so it was quite crucial.

The African doctor was quite willing to give me all the information I asked for, although volunteering little and clearly not registering that I was medical.  He explained that the stent had been inserted by the urologist before my abdomen was opened, to enable dye to be inserted and the ureter to be identified during surgery and therefore not damaged.  He said I would be given an antibiotic injection after removal to deal with any infection introduced during the procedure, but when I remarked that I had had an infection for nearly 8 weeks he said it probably wasn't that at all, but irritation from the end of the stent which is left protruding into the bladder for ease of removal!  I wish someone had told me that 8 weeks ago!  I asked to see the stent which had been whisked away by the nurse, and was surprised to see that it was 8 or 9 inches long, and curled on itself at both ends.  If the lower end was like that in my bladder I am not surprised that I have been uncomfortable all the time except when horizontal.

Anyway, I felt the improvement straight away, and today has been great.  I had both boys all morning; we made muesli cookies, then they each made a 'palm-leaf book' from Joe's library book which we call the 'how to make a book book'. (Joe thinks the duplication of the word book is hilarious.)  The palm-leaf book is separate strips of card strung together with plenty of cord so they can be opened out, and they each did a simple recipe for Mary-Ann.  With scrap-booking card outer covers and beads to stop the string coming out, they looked lovely.  The boys concentrated well, with a short break for squash and a cookie, and only had time for a few minutes television before lunch.

Joe starts school tomorrow, and JAmes will be at nursery as he is every Wednesday.  It will seem very strange without them.  I had better get to bed now, as we will be off at 8.30 to walk to school.  Dot is coming with me tomorrow, but if I am as well as I have been today I don't foresee any problem.