The start

Oh deary deary me,

How familiar the experience you describe the trauma of  catheter after biopsy op. and the and some of the hallucinations one has when under whatever it is is 'they' pump into you after a major operation.

I will admit that I had some shortcomings but not as bad as you have described and the staff on the ent ward I was on were, on the whole, pretty good, I did not need IC, but can remember the absolute pleasure after having various drains and tubes removed; I could turn and sleep on my side!! ( I still do and cannot settle on my back)

I have since learned that bowel problems are common with all these treatments but ENT stops at the upper chest so have no concern of extretia or breathing, this goes for RT aswell;                                                                        (there should be proper research on side effects of these accepted treatments on a more holistic level. Unfortunately the only part of the NHS that looks at the whole person is the General Practitioner; (if you can find one who has the time) 

I hope you are handling your phlegm control, everybody is different and I am only coming to nearly control after two years with a balance of HET's, nebulizing and bibs. It is a juggle and so much depending on personal environment and weather so hospital staff can't help much.

Your blog is interesting, I look forward to the next installment.

Happy New Year

E

Thanks. So someone is really reading my blog! It is not phlegm but mucus and I have been told to expect it for the coming months. Shall write more about it when I get to the RT and Chemo. My hands were also covered with canulas. I wonder if hospital staff read this site.

I have read your story too.

I am a HCA working at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

So yes people from the NHS are reading your story.

My mother Had her voice box removed and had a stoma.

She was one of the first people to Survive this operation and lived another 27year after.

I am now caring for my Farther who has terminal cancer.

I read your very detailed story?

You have good reason to complain about your treatment but there are also areas that I think was down to lack of communication on the hospitals part.

I think there should have been more than explanation?

I will go back and through your story and see if I can help?

Good luck and keep on posting!

Thanks I am pleased to know that at my age I still have another 27 years!  I was now at home and still had my teeth I could eat but not over eat otherwise I was sick. I received many tablets and medicines when I left hospital mainly against sickness but they didnt work too well and I have stopped taking them. I have to sleep even now almost sitting up otherwise the food goes to my nose. My mouth I can at least wash out but what does one do with ones nose? I have already said they ought to close it off since it doesnt seem to be doing anything. I have shown this to doctors on their diagrams where to do this but as usual the answer is no and it seems they also dont know why.  It would help me a very lot and I am sure others. I also have to sleep on my back and be careful  never to bend down. Now I had to take  my catheter out since I could manage without it. I went to the nurse who reluctantly put it in but she would not take it out only on a doctors orders. This makes no sense to me. They either want it in or they dont. Anyway I got it out in the end and have had no trouble since. My bowels also started working and I could discard the nappies, I still have to use suppositories  much too often and at Boots they cost a very lot. So I bought ten packets online at a very cheap price. I use a dilator to put them right in not like the doctors who use two.  Now I had to prepare for my RT and Chemo. This meant having all my teeth taken out. This was done in hospital in two sessions by a very good dentist and also the gums sewn and the stitches taken out. But they are not prepared to put them back in meaning dentures I will have to have them done myself I now had to have my face mask done. It is very tight and also how high my head has to be. They could make more holes in it like for the eyes. Without my teeth it was of course much harder to eat and still is, the best food seems to be plain boiled soft potatoes and they dont seem to come up. 

Hi Seeker,

LOL

your blog is wonderfully descriptive and an entertaining read of the honest tribulations a lot of us have/are going through. You are really giving me an uplift.

By the way   phlegm and mucus are the same thing when coming out of the trachea, its what you used to swallow or spit out after a good cough..

To clear your nose try the 'hidden yawn' technique using the mouth cavity as a suction device to draw air through your nose, you must have done this at some time when utterly board at a function but didn't want to show a yawn. That is the technique applied in a different way.

L

E