COVID-19, 30 Days Post Surgery & A Platinum Jubilee
When I uploaded my last post “Starting Life At 30” I mentioned how I felt a little under the weather, thinking I’d come back from the hospital with a cold, I had COVID-19.
After 2 & 1/2 years of shielding and dodging, I caught it just after my life-changing surgery. Almost sarcastically poetic hey? For me, it was hell. Thank god I had 4 vaccines by then.
Recovery
It’s been just over 30 days post-surgery and it has been a month of learning.
When Stitch 1.0 was formed, handling him was a breeze. His stitches dissolved quickly, and he shrunk to his size gradually. Also, it didn’t take too long to work out why I was having leaks. Even as we went into the pandemic, I had amazing support from my stoma nurses, although I didn’t need to contact them often. This time around has left me needing to call and email a lot more.
Stitch 2.0 has been a little bugger. I had an in-person appointment with my stoma nurses who thankfully took most of his stitches out. Managed to steer me in the right direction of which bag to use, and helped with cutting the right size for him.
Cutting the bag to the right size is something I’m still having a few blips with now and then. But Stitch 2.0 hasn’t shrunk to his size just yet and there are a few stitches left I’m waiting to dissolve.
Overall, my recovery is going well. I still feel dog tired, but after speaking to others, suspect that’s from having COVID-19. My surgical incisions are healing up well and I am now waiting to be signed off.
Platinum Jubilee
One thing I was very happy about, was being able to join in with the celebrations for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee… despite being a complete washout weather-wise.
With being so sick, I missed out on a lot. Family functions, friends’ parties, concerts…any celebration or event. I also missed hosting. Having two of my friends join our street party, I decided to put on a buffet lunch beforehand. I had the most wonderful time, catching up with friends and my neighbours. When those with chronic illnesses say it can leave you housebound, it does. Some of my neighbours, who live only 5 or 6 houses down, I hadn’t seen in years!
To top it all off, the work that went into the Trooping The Colour, The Concert, The Pageant… all of it, was amazing. To be a part of something, to not have any FOMO and create memories during something so historic. It’s early days, but I am living my life. It shows that with this surgery, I made the right decision.
As always, thanks for reading…