13) Nurse Practitioner

 I am back in the waiting room of the GP’s surgery, I have an appointment to see the nurse practitioner who is going to remove the staples from my wound. I took an Imodium tablet this morning, this is an over the counter anti diarrhoea medicine and I try not to worry that the effects may wear off before I can reach a toilet. So far so good, I hope I don’t have to wait to long.
  They are very good at my GP’s surgery and generally keep to time so before long I’m called in and lay down on the couch and expose my now bald abdomen. The post operative swelling which had made me look about eight months pregnant, is slowly returning  to normal and now only has me still in the first trimester. Pulling off the dressing smarts a little, a bit like waxing the new shoots of hair trying to regrow but the staples being taken out is much worse. I loose count at around twenty, I think I deserve a “You’ve been a brave boy” sticker. Everything is looking good, there is no sign of infection and a new dressing is applied. She is also able to prescribe me more Imodium and anti sickness tablets so I’m hopeful that tonight there will not be a repeat of last night's toilet terrors.
  When we get back home, I am again ready to go back to sleep. The little outing has taken more resources than I anticipated, but sleep is the great healer, the chance to repair and renew. Also the Imodium is still exercising it’s magic effect, but I’m still not taking any chances and make sure there is still an Incontinence sheet strategically placed on the bed before I lie down.
  I return to the surgery four days later,  I think it is better to finally remove the dressing here rather than at home. If there is a problem with the wound then I’m in the right place for any necessary treatment.  Just to the side of the main scar, which seems to be healing really well,  a small incision where a drain had been inserted has a dissolvable stitch which is not dissolving but beginning to pull quite tight.  Expert hands deftly use a stitch cutter to cut the knot and remove the offending material. When I return home on this occasion the trip has not worn me out anything like as much as my previous visit, I don’t need to return to bed for a restorative nap until later that afternoon. Progress indeed.