Introducing mmMekitty

mmMekitty
Valued Contributor

I am mmMekitty, named for my cat, (my avatar), who lived 7 years. It has been five or so years since, but I still miss her. Mekitty an I had a simpler relationship than any I have had with people.

The photo is the one I to retrieved after my hard drive crashed. She had wandered off, was away for six days, when she turned up again in the middle of the night. I cried with relief. This was the photo I used for her Lost Cat poster I put up around the neighbourhood at the time.

As for me, I cannot see the detail of the photo nearly as well as I did then, and then my sight was poor. I am now using text-to-speech software, zooming on my pc, voice over. Since I find this stuff difficult, I get really frustrated.

I used to keep all my emotions in check, so much so, I thought and said I did not have any feelings or reactions to anything. That changed and I could not deny the existence of my emotions. It was a terrifying time. What was happening to me? I was falling apart and all this unidentifiable stuff was pouring out.

I have had to learn so much since I began seeing the Psychiatrist I saw back then (1993 - 95). From learning I had to put words to the experiences, name, own, accept them. Still uncomfortable. I beat up on myself too much, I know.

I used to do things I can no longer do to my own satisfaction. I still sing, but not like I used to. I cannot paint like I did. I cannot use pen and paper to write, so have managed to adapt to keyboard. That is something. I have been working on being more sociable, less isolated, but last year, when COVID-19 retrictions required face masks be worn, I found I could not - which is what brings me here.

I have had to curtail so much of what I had been doing. I am feeling the isolation now. How ironic! I resisted even thinking I needed anybody, then I try to have some friends, join a writers' group, get help with things like housework and shopping, going to places for fun and entertainment, only to have to withdraw again because I cannot wear a mask. It bites, like a scorpion.

I will make a thread, now I found the place to click to create one! I think my problem was with how I have my desktop appearance. It looks like any ordinary link, hiding below another, for creating a feed link. Now I know.

I suppose I will get around to talking more about myself. I will need to be careful about how involved I become, so please, don't expect me to pop up everywhere. I would burn out if I did that.

(Purring) mmMekitty

798 Replies 798

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi mmMekitty,

Just wanted to leave a message of best wishes and I hope the operation has gone well and that you are OK and being well looked after.

Let us know how you are when you are up to it. Meanwhile we are thinking of you.

Very best wishes!!! πŸ™‚πŸ•πŸ’πŸŒΊπŸ’πŸ΅οΈπŸ₯€πŸŒΈπŸŒΌπŸŒΉπŸŒ»πŸŒ»πŸŒ»πŸ€πŸ’žπŸ˜Ί

Mum Chris
Community Member

Hi mmMekitty

I’m sure you are in recovery and hopefully resting comfortably. Best wishes for when you are able to check forum. I saved some hearts for you. ❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️❀️ And cherries πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ—πŸ₯“πŸ€πŸ₯ŸπŸΏπŸ₯žπŸ§πŸ° and some yummy food

MC

Hi everyone,

I'm back home now. There's much I may well be posting about here, but for the moment I would like to thank you for your messages & wonderful support.

Love the food & flowers! The frogs I snuck in thought they were all delicious, & left evidence of their feasting all over the floor around my bed.

I am reassured everything went well, & barring infection or any other post-surgery problems which may arise, I ought to be fine. For now I'm feeling rather knocked about & sore even to my left shoulder blade, both shoulders, all around my front up nearly to the base of my neck & down to half way down my ribcage. Bruising,tenderness & swelling. which to my gentle touch, feels very odd to have touched applied. Rather like it's numb.

I haven't found out one thing I would like to know. If anyone knows, can you tell me a way to remove the sticky residue from the taping they had removed. I had thought they'd leave that layer of padded bandaging on longer, even let me home with it, but no. When they took it off it was (I think) 10 times more painful than waxing. (Not that I would go in for any of that.) I like my fur too much!

I've missed a lot during the last few days. I've heard no news, not listened to radio or nothing. I had so much trouble making my phone do anything. Then I wan't on aWIFI network -& still don't understand how to do that.

I couldn't even make my phone send a reply to a txt message!

Also, the earphones aren't made specifically for my iPhone, so I couldn't adjust the volume, & sometimes the voice over was issuing from the speaker on the phone, not the earphone.

& unfortunately, they needed all private rooms so I couldnot have one because others nees were greater. No privacy. I could not even get a room just for an hour to talk to my PDr when I did want to. So, I am talking to him tomorrow

My helper will be in often, & wI ll have someone in to take care of th e drainage & any other wound care which may be necessary. & my home helper offered to bring me her version of home made chicken soup!

My helper & I were going over the exercises the physiotherapist recommended, & there is some parts which don't quite make sense. So, I think I'll need to check in with my GP & arrange an appointment with a physiotherapist to help sort out. which exercises I'm supposed to do when.

I'll have to leave this here for now, so, I'll see you all later. 😺 "...if only in my dreams." (Happy belated Xmas to anyone I missed!)

mmMekitty

Ggrand
Community Champion

Hi Kitty,

It’s Wonderful to hear that your back home and things went well for you....Now it’s time sweet lady to care for yourself and give that homemade chicken soup a try...As far back as I can remember, chicken soup fixes everything and makes you feel better....

Not sure about the sticky residue left on from the tape...Maybe for a few days best to leave it alone...could be tender around that area...and it could hurt you taking it off then to leave it be....

Rest now dear Kitty, I don’t doubt that you’ll be sore and tired for a few days, possibly weeks...If you need to talk at anytime we are here for you...in spirit with our care, love and support.....πŸ’šπŸ•ŠπŸ§Έ...

A very gentle, soft, warm caring hug..Dear Kitty..β˜οΈπŸ€—πŸ§Έ.

Grandy..

mmMekitty
Valued Contributor

Hi Grandy,

Thanks again. I've just caught up with a little of the latest news,& I wonder if people out in the community have not had a harder time than I have had in the hospital for the last two days. I just about feel I've returned to some sort of parallel world, wondering what' going on with the leaders of this country. I can barely credit what I've already heard.

I still need more rest, that's true enough. I've just had a little rest, & didn't even hear two episodes of 'Alone' which I left to listen to , thanks to audio description, on my tele out in my lounge, so it wasn't exactly quiet. I heard the end of 'Monty Python's Flying Circus', but then nothing until I heard halfway into 'Jeopardy!' I -do rather like 'Jeopardy!', especially when I can answer some questions.

More later.

mmMekitty

Croix
Community Champion

Dear mmMekitty~

I'm delighted

Croix

mmMekitty
Valued Contributor

Hi Croix, πŸ™€I'm still tired... It wasn't all so smooth sailing asI had hoped. Physically I'll be fine. There is some other crap I'm now going to need to deal with. For now, I am too tired. I want to talk to my PDr, (I would have like that by dinner time Tuesday actually then more following that. I rather wish I didn't have to wait until tomorrow, feeling as I do tonight. But I'll be right.I'll put my music on again, like I did last night. I'm sure that will help.

mmMekitty

mmMekitty
Valued Contributor

Busy day, & I am tired again!

Put the some washing in the machine, had some brekkie,then made a call to my sis, I have spoken with my PDr, which was good, thenm my helper came with some shopping I had asked her to get, & actually managed pretty well. After that, she helped me to shower, & then cut my hair. 😼She did a rather ragged job of it, but it is easier to manage while I am healing. Then I was tired. But my helper left before the washing was finished drying. So I debated about eating more, sleeping, or waiting for the Nurse to come tend my drainage tubes & fix it all up, as when showering, a part of the tubing came unstuck from my body. I thought the tape was supposed to be completely waterproof. Guess not. I asked how much fluid had drained, because when it only drains a little for a few days, the drains can come out. That will be so good. I'm thinking removing this wide adhesive over my chest is going to hurt like heck. That IS staying stuck! It's tight & uncomfortable. I feel I can't stretch, leaning back, or even tilting my head back without feeling the plastic adhesive pulling on my skin.

The drainage seemed more complicated to do than I thought. I wonder how the folk at the hospital imagined it might be possible for me to manage that on my own. I'm glad I quickly realised that I couldn't tell themhow much fluid was draining each day, & then, to write it in a booklet...of course I wasn't going to manage that.

Then I got a message telling me to call & confirm the follow-up post-op appointment a via the phone appointment. Really? No, not really - I should not have been sent that message, I heard a little while later, when someone else phoned to confirm the face to face appointment, which makes more sense because, in part. they need to examine the wound, maybe) remove the drainage?) Getting me to show them via my phone just may be a bit of a stretch, too! I don't even have a camera on my PC.

I managed to remove my dry washing - tiny bit too high really, but I was as careful as I could.

Then I did eat a little, because I could barely keep my eyes open & wanted to sleep more comfortably.

Listened to more music while dozing. That was very useful. I had been feeling irritable, flustered, jumpy as well, so definitely needed to calm myself.

That was so evident at the hospital. I was not calm for dang near the entire time - until I put the music on & sleepily drifted off. I need so much of that.

mmMekitty

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi mmMekitty,

It's good to hear from you! I can imagine you'll be rather uncomfortable and tired for a little while after such a big op. You sound like you're managing incredibly well!

Your body has been through quite an assault, so get all the rest you can and eat and drink well and give your body time to recover.

Time to pamper yourself and take things very easy.

Your helper sounds excellent I'm glad you have her. Did the nurse come today? The bandaging sounds a bit uncomfortable so I hope she can help you with that a bit.

You've been through quite an ordeal and it's good to see you back here!

πŸ™‚πŸ‘πŸΆπŸŒ»πŸŒΌπŸŒΉπŸ’

mmMekitty
Valued Contributor

Hi Hanna & everyone,

Yeah, the Nurse came today, but she didn't touch the large plastic-like stuff stuck over my entire chest area. It's not just the edges that have adhesive either. Every square milimetre of the entire thing is stuck firmly in place.

I also spoke to the BCN & remembered to ask about some very odd tingly sensations around my armpits & she assured me this would be because some nerve damage does occure, & it ought to get better. I'm thinking, slowly.

There was that problem with one of the drugs used in the anaesthesia, which seems to have caused some problems with my thinking & mood, which might be what is responsible for my old memories, feelings, thoughts, &such arising spontaneously to mind when I was coming round, & were still effecting me all through Tuesday night to Wednesday night. With my poor sleep before going into hospital, & not sleeping muc at all over night, didn't help, or may even have contributed to how I was reacting to every sound I heard. It certainly could be true that not sleeping well & the effect of that drug could have also caused my feelings of disorientation & fuzzy head - like my brain was on holiday, & forgetting 95% of everything I was told, heard, wanted to remember to ask, when things were supposed to happen, pretty much across the board.

Wednesday night/Thursday morning was better in that the ward was quieter. It was still evident to me that the problem was persisting. I did get more sleep, though, after deciding to put my music on.

Last night, I was getting upset, thinking, I just didn't want to come back to my flat, downstairs from that aggressive neighbour. I'm feeling his aggressive manner is really getting to me, & I'm not sure how much I can cope with his behaviour.

My days ahead I will be having one, two or three people visit. Whether I want to or not, I gotta b up & dressed.

It's going to make it difficult for me to come to BB as much as I'd like, mostly because I am still getting so tired.

Thanks for all the lovely flowers, there sweet perfume fills my flat just right. 😺& the wrapping on the bouquet was delicious. I'm planting the Sunflower, so hopefully some bees will be around soon, & we'll get Sunflower Seeds out of it!

mmMekitty