This time last year we were in Devon (above) – can’t wait much longer to get away again.

Saturday 12^th October 2019

Having a shower is hard at the moment. Nigel tried putting clingfilm around my wound so the water doesn’t make it sting – it helps enough to make the shower lovely.

My mouth still tastes horrible. I can only take my tablets crushed and mixed in custard but at least I’m drinking water better so some progress.

Now I just have to rest.

I have been trying all day to get something nourishing down my throat – the most I have managed is a couple of tablespoons of chicken noodle soup (less the noodles). I think if I had left it at that I may have been OK but I tried some flavoured yoghurt as well and by the time I went to bed I felt so sick I wanted to give up.

I phoned my brother Brian just to let him know I’m doing OK but he didn’t know what to say to me – I think I just needed reassuring everything will work out. Nigel tells me all the time but that’s because he loves me. I love him and I want to believe him.

Sunday 13^th October 2019

I woke feeling stronger today. I do still have pain in my neck and it is still a big open wound but I keep hoping it is getting smaller – but I’m not sure it is.

I’m feeling better in myself but I’m still spending much of the day sleeping.

Monday 14^th October 2019

I had a horrible sticky mouth through the night and felt really thirsty. Drinking wasn’t hard but I couldn’t shift the thick sticky saliva. Carol had given me some mouthwash tablets for this some time ago so I gave it a go. Unfortunately it just made me feel sick and even worse everything I drank for quite a time afterwards tasted even more salty than it had before – I won’t be doing that again.

I tried to eat more during the day – I had some ReadyBrek for lunch (only 2 tablespoons as a start) – shame it tasted like wood but at least I did swallow it.

I asked Nigel to get a couple of apples to stew down for my tea – worth a try. He did a good job of the stewing but I didn’t like the taste of them either.

Even though I’m sleeping pretty well during the night I’m still doing a lot of sleeping during the day as well – might be the morphine I guess.

Tuesday 15^th October 2019

My sense of smell is returning a bit – for the first time I could smell my tablets as I crushed them up this morning – they were still hard to take in custard (making me retch) but I did get them down.

After another restful day yesterday it’s a busy one today – first its Slimming World where I found I had only lost 5½lbs (I would have killed for that a couple of months ago). This shows that I’ve been drinking a lot better and eating at least a little.

It was good to have a chat with old friends and meet a visiting consultant who it turned out was the daughter of the shopkeepers I used to work for in the village way back in the mid 80’s. It was nice to meet her – I remembered her as a naughty little girl.

Hospital this afternoon – they were much happier with me this week still wanting me to get more nourishment but pleased with the way my wound is healing. They gave me some anti sickness stuff which hopefully will help. They were also concerned about constipation – a known side effect of all the pain killers I’m taking – I just figured not much in meant not much out. They gave me some laxative that I only needed to take 10ml of at a time – I’ll give it a try.

Very tired when we got home so I had a late siesta for a couple of hours.

Wednesday 16^th October 2019

I got up today feeling very positive after the hospital visit yesterday.

I took a dose of the anti-sickness jollop a bit before taking my custard tablets followed shortly afterward by  some ReadyBrek with almond milk – tasted much better and went down well.

I’m going to have to start planning menu’s again.

Lunch today was more chicken noodle soup (less bits) followed by 3 grapes (less skins) – I felt quite elated to have eat that much.

I had my siesta in Voyager as Sharon (my lady that does) whizzed around with Mr Dyson and a duster. I’m still not up to any housework just yet and am lucky to have Sharon’s help – think this part of my recovery will take longer than the rest.

Evening meal – well after such a big lunch I just wasn’t hungry so didn’t have any.

I went to bed without a bandage – we reckoned the wound is dry enough now.

Thursday 17^th October 2019

My wound wasn’t wet when I woke up so we made the right choice – it does look a lot like a scaly lizard though – but at least it’s getting better.

I had some milk (cows) and a couple of peeled grapes for breakfast – couldn’t persuade Nigel that peeling grapes was easy so I’m having to do them myself.

I did take some of the prescribed laxative which did its job – so one more thing not to worry about.

For lunch I had more soup and a pop up ice lolly which I did enjoy.

We went out in Voyager for a bit of fresh air and to top up the LPG in readiness for our next rally (Sharpness on 25^th) – good to give her a little run now and again.

When we got home I was sleepy so had a couple of hour’s kip. I think it must be the morphine that is giving me some very odd but lucid dreams. Today Nigel and I were cycling (?) around Lacock on pink bikes spraying pink water everywhere (Freud would have a field day I reckon).

More soup for tea with another push up lolly. I will get more adventurous soon – just happy to be getting something down at the moment.

Friday 18^th October 2019

OK so I maybe having morphine withdrawal – because I was fighting with this horrible person about having two ice pops and an ice lolly at 0400 this morning. I felt guilty for eating them and felt I needed my bottom smacked.

Awake properly at 0745 – I have taken most of my pills whole this morning just crushed the 2 biggest ones (progress). I had a small amount of morphine, still wearing the Fentanyl patch but that’s all – I’m in no pain, even drinking is so much better. I also think my taste buds are healing a bit as well.

I had ReadyBrek for breakfast today and all day I’ve been sucking on ice pops and lollies. They keep my mouth moist which I have to say I never thought I’d get back. I do still get thick sticky stuff in the back of my throat which can make me gag at times but it’s still good progress.

More soup for meals but I’ve not taken as much morphine and have felt much better overall. I even enjoyed a few sips of Pepsimax – something I haven’t done for a few weeks due to the taste as well as the fizz.

I’m getting there!