Some Things Change

Entry 28
December 18


Harry is doing well (dare I say, really well). Some things have changed since his return home from the hospital:

• The pup seems to sense that she has to be calm around him.
• Harry is bored. Walk-read-walk-read-eat-walk-read
• His weight has dropped a few pounds. 
• His ablutions take considerably longer.  He still hasn't been in the shower because of the bandage covering the pelvic drain. When the home care nurse comes, she will be replacing that with a water resistant bandage.
• He has increased strength. Now he can wring the washcloth dry. Even though he was asked not to feed the fire when I went out, he added wood because he was enjoying the fire so much. Lifting is a no-no.
• Sleep has become satisfying for him. Getting up from a prone position has become a lot easier.  He doesn't sleep during the day.
• Harry's walks around the house jostle the catheter which then rubs the bladder causing minor irritation, so threads of blood have appeared in the bag. Initially we were worried about it, mainly because it was something new. We contacted our doctor and read a couple of forums on the topic all of which alleviated our concern. Harry says there's a technique to working with the catheter otherwise it can be uncomfortable and inhibits the freedom of movement.  As Wayne J put it to Harry, "You're like a deer with one antler and it has velvet on it - sensitive."  [ Blood in urine forum thread ]
• Other than drinking less coffee and eating more prunes, Harry's diet is becoming quite normal. He craves fruit and vegetables. I didn't tell him there are mixed nuts in the cupboard. He wouldn't be able to resist those. [ What coffee does to your brain ]
• Harry is confused about the pain that came along with this operation and recovery. He had a hard time defining it right from the day of the prostatectomy. There was an adjustment at the hospital when they removed the epidural and IV and then again when he got home with his Tylenol 3s. He experiences only the slightest pain if he presses on his abdomen or leans forward. He hasn't taken any pain killers today.
• The dining room has turned into a dispensary for the home care nurse. A box of 100 pairs of gloves and some abdominal dressing pads arrived via courier yesterday. They've been added to the pile of twenty or more different products. The pile is not shrinking one bit. We've only had the one home care visit in the five days since Harry's been at home.  [Update: The home care nurse visited for the second time in the late afternoon on Saturday. She said Harry is a "stellar patient." ]