I have to take my time turning over .... to get to meds ... as turning causes nausea.
The sleep apnea causes angina so they gave me an oxygen concentrator (oxygenator) with a mask. At some point during the night I took it off - the mask gets sweaty - and with the apnea having full rein, the angina builds. It affects my chest, shoulders and biceps and makes turning over painful.
One might think I'm complaining; certainly that's what it sounds like. But I'm not. I chose this route over the SUPPOSEDLY easier route of $1,000,000.00 open heart bypass surgery. Yes, MEDICARE would've paid 80%. Any fool can see that that leaves you with a debt of over $20,000.
A year and a half after coming to Albuquerque I still owe $4,000.00 on my Visa for repairs to Phoebe. I hope to pay it off by this October, but my commitment to that means that we do without many other things. (my monthly visit with an escort being of chief concern.)
Actually, I'm really grateful I haven't had to undergo the pain of having my sternum sawed open, my rib cage spread apart by a tool similar to the Jaws of Life, undergone urinary catheterization with a #16 catheter.
Lemme tell yuh 'bout my visit with a urologist about my urinary difficulties; she suggested catheterization. The deal involved a "training" (by a male tech 🤨) on how to insert the catheter. The tech brought a number 16 and showed how to lubricate it and insert it into the opening of my penis. I got it in about an eigth of an inch before the pain made me stop. It took several days to recover from that. My guess is I'd *never* recover from the full monty.
It's at LEAST 6 inches from the tip of my penis to my bladder. The catheter is bendy but all things being relative, it's like threading a worm on a hook. My guess is the leading tip doesn't stay lubed much beyond an inch. This means withdrawing it and re-lubing. Think about it.
Maybe you haven't been to the doctor lately, but I've not gotten the impression they're gonna take the time to withdraw re-lube, reinsert, withdraw, re-lube, reinsert.
The doctor said the number 16 was what they use -- standard issue. She allowed as how #14s exist (smaller) but they didn't have one.
I looked online and urinary catheters go down to a #8 for children.
Standard protocol disregards the pain induced and any post pain is completely ignored....never mentioned.
Five years after my trans-radial catheterization where they went in through my right wrist to try and stent my arteries the pain is STILL such that I cannot open a jar.
I've made it to the bathroom w/o pooping in my pants. As much as I don't enjoy running to the komode -- sometimes every 20 minutes -- I'm *still* happy with my decision. (I take anti-constipation to counter the side-effects of the fentanyl.)
This is a pretty good likeness. It's what happens when the only exercise is the hike to the bathroom or the refrigerator. I shave, though. My escorts have said they don't appreciate having a brillo pad between their legs.
