Wednesday September 16, Confusion Abounds - Part I

<--My Room.

So I wake up Wednesday morning and it's still dark out. My head is still pretty fuzzy and I have the most wicked heart-burn I have ever felt! Not only that, but the inside of my mouth feels like someone let me chew razor blades, then jammed my cheeks full of cashmere! Bleeh! So. as I'm pulling huge gobs of torn skin out of my mouth, I realize two things.....first, I'm still in my old room, (not on the 7th floor as previously thought) and second, Marc is fussing with the connections on my compression stockings. I knew it took me a few seconds to get my bearings right, so I'm wondering to myself if I dreamt about the room change or what! This is where I thought I have to start making notes because I can't remember a frickin thing when I'm fully awake let alone gooned out on pain medicine! I tried recording notes on the voice recorder, but as I listen to them now, I can't comprehend anything I am saying! My saving grace?? My sister in law took pictures when she and my mom visited!


The liquid diet! As you can see, it consists of 2 containers of acidic apple juice, 1 serving of acidic cranberry juice, some hot water for tea, some soup broth, a portion of rice pudding and a can of fizzy ginger ale! Lots of water and ice chips too. Now, since my catheter is out, they have to keep track of what I drink as apposed to what I 'expel'. The liquid diet was Monday to Thursday afternoon, I think they gave me a tuna-fish sandwich Thursday night though. Friday was Raisin Bran for breakfast, liquids for lunch and supper Friday night was a hot slice of turkey meat with way too many vegetables. Saturdays menu wasn't too different. The blue hose thing on the right of the table is my spirometer. It's a tool one uses to practice breathing exercises.

This is Marc, a very unassuming fella, with a heart of gold and a genuine care for his patients. Always there, always helpful and a huge part of my recovery. When I did actually get moved to the 7th floor before they discharged me, I never got to say thanks to Marc for all his help. So with that being said, I have a few follow-up appointments at Toronto General so you can bet I'll look for him....if for no other reason to say thanks.


This is by far one of my most favorite photos. Not only does it showcase my bloody, steri-strip covered scar, but it also shows the assortment of IV lines that are sewn into my neck and back of my hand! Yes, it even shows me decked out in the sexy white compression stockings and some fine looking open robes! The compression stockings are these really tight, open at the bottom stockings that one would wear to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs while laying down for extended periods of time. Once you have them on, they slip these 'air-cuffs' around your legs which are then hooked up to air lines. Air is then forced into the 'air-cuffs' where the cuff compresses to squeeze the blood from ones legs. Whew! These cuffs are loud, they compress all the time so sleeping is kind of difficult and they are warm as all shit! To be honest, at first I wasn't a big fan of the white compression stockings. Not a comfortable piece of clothing for a guy to wear...unless that guy is appearing in a 'Free-Credit-Report.com' commercial. Needless to say, I did become use to them and I ended up wearing them the entire time in the hospital. Nurses laughed at me, children pointed and heckled me, but damn them all!! I love them and wear them proudly to this day. As a matter of fact, there will be more photos of my beloved stockings to come. They really are warm too!