A needle in my tummy!

I have had another appointment with the surgeon. He showed a great amount of sympathy for me regarding the swelling and discomfort I have been having. He was concerned that I had been so unwell while taking the last dose of antibiotics. He had me up on the examination table in no time and was filling my tummy with local anesthetic. He then used a huge needle and syringe to take out the mucky fluid under my skin. He took out just over a cup full and sent a sample to Pathology. I did feel some relief, but I think I was also benefiting from the local anesthetic as today I again have the same swelling and discomfort.

I am waiting on the Pathology results which should be in this afternoon. The surgeon is waiting to see what infection is present, so he can prescribe the right antibiotics.

I was looking through some of the information I had printed off the Internet regarding this type of surgery and found a bit about this excess fluid and that it is a normal complication in the healing process. So while I know I am not dying.......... I can try to stay positive that it will be fixed and I will feel normal again! I just wish it would hurry up and I would lose the swelling!

My return to work has been delayed another couple of weeks also. I'm not so concerned about this as I know I could not manage a day at work just yet. My boss is being super supportive and is happy to change things around for me at work so that I can come back part time until I am ready for full time again.

I wish I could be writing the ideal recovery post, that all is well and on track and I am doing super! But unfortunately, this is taking a lot longer that anticipated. But then I have had 12 kg of skin and whatever else taken from my body, so the body is going to need a good length of time to adjust!

I do have a good part of my suture line healing perfectly and not giving me any grief. So I am grateful for that. I am also managing to do a 20 minute walk every day. Some days it is a very painful walk, but I am happy to be out using my legs!! My body has been tuned to exercise daily, and my psychy is having trouble understanding that I can't do what I was doing!! I try not to push myself too hard, but I can't sit in a chair all day! I also have to be able to make the bed, do the washing, make the meals and do the dishes. Andrew is still recovering and very slowly regaining use of his broken arm/shoulder. He starts physio next week which should help. My sister is helping out as much as she can, but she has her own little family to look after and is also in the midst of packing up their lives to move to New Zealand for next year!! I don't like to burden her too much.

Well, it has to be positive thinking from now on........................