results, so have decided to try not to sweat it too much.
This morning at 9am, I had an appt with the Diabetes Education Nurse. She absolutely loved my website print outs of my averages and details pages. I also interviewed her for an article I'm working on. I did something highly unusual for me - I went and
While standing in line waiting to put my fortnightly form in, I rang the RDNS callcentre to leave a message for my nurse so she would know that I was away this morning and would be home in the afternoon. I even gave my mobile number so she could reach me while I was out. Well that was a waste of time. First they told me I wasn't rostered on to see anyone today. NO, THE AGREEMENT WITH FLINDERS WAS THAT I WAS TO BE SEEN SATURDAY BY HOSPITAL@HOME, AND TUESDAY BY RDNS. The thing is, my dressings are supposed to be changed every 48 hours, and this weekend we compromised and made it a bit longer to accomodate the RDNS nurses as they didn't have anyone on the weekend skilled at doing VAC dressings. Well, the lady on the phone just sent someone to my house instead of taking in that I was OUT, and I came home to find a note that more or less said 'We were here, you weren't, ring us if you have a problem, we'll see you tomorrow.' So I rang and again they sent someone out without 1) finding out if she could do a VAC dressing and 2) taking in that I need to have Boris clamped and off for 30 minutes before they start. The nurse that came was quite nice, but had never done a VAC and so I said straight out that she wasn't going to change my dressing. She arranged for another woman to come - fortunately someone I'd met earlier who came to help my first RDNS day when the person that was to be my regular nurse had just crossed me off the list without telling anyone and didn't bother seeing me -- I'm pretty sure that nurse got her butt fired for that action, or should I say in-action. Anyway, it was Maria, and she's a card. I quite like her, and she did know what she was doing, and brought another nurse who will be doing me for the next two weeks, and trained her in how to do the change. It was a bit like having a pajama party in my bedroom. But Boris was happy with the change and only freaked Maria out a little as he has a nasty habit of looking like his battery is empty when you first turn him on - really he should be exchanged I suppose, but now I know his quirks, I'd hate to get used to another Boris.
So my next hurdle is Thursday when I see the plastics team. I'm only seeing them because they were the ones that did the original surgery. But it will Thursday when the decision is made on whether they'll open my back up further. One thing - Maria had seen my back when I was still having the ribbon packing, and she was really impressed with how well it looked. So that's good. I just wish it didn't hurt so much as it does lately.
OH, apparently they found an extra bit of foam that the previous nurse had put in, and that was pressing right up against the underside of my skin against the vacuum seal, so that's where the pain is from. Still hurts though. Little things like moving, bending, etc really is nasty.
Yesterday, not realising it was going to cause me agony, we went for a long ride in the hills - in the car. We checked out the dams and reservoirs - and seeing the damage from a fire they had at Mt Bold. But the car ride -- man, every little bump I could feel in my wound, and I did my best not to let on that it hurt, a lot. I really wanted and needed to be out a bit and I knew Rod did too. I will have to remember to get a pillow to put behind me, so the wound isn't right against the seat. I'm sure that will help a bit. I lean forward if we go over a speed hump, but a lot of bumps, you just don't see coming (hey that describes this whole 'infection/abscess episode, doesn't it? - It was a bump I sure as heck didn't see coming). We stopped at a clients tea house and had a chat, then went to the local pub and had a beer. They weren't serving dinner until 6 and it was only 5:15 so I talked Rod into taking me to the Emu which is another pub closer to home. We had a nice counter meal there - Rod had fish and I had a great ravioli dish. And we were home in time to watch Neighbours. Neighbours is an Aussie TV soapie I like to watch - it teaches me more about Australian culture than a lot of other shows, and I find it often quite amusing.
Tomorrow I'm doing some laundry, maybe some housework - but not if my side is still hurting a lot, and enjoying a day of not having to be anywhere.
I'm not posting any BGL results today because there's nothing new I'm experimenting with today since I was out all morning.
More news as it comes to hand.
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