Recovery #2

My last entry peripherally dealt with recovery from the buccal transplant urethroplasty.



@PKumar - the recovery process was interrupted by more hospitalisation for another and totally different medical problem but before I delve into that I'll go through my initial recovery and hope it helps.



The catheter was removed following a cathetergram on 19 February. I was given some prophylactic Cephalexin antibiotics but within a couple of days I knew I had a urinary tract infection [UTI] so I went to my GP got the necessary pathology request and based on previous history of UTIs a prescription for Norfloxacin.

Started on the new antibiotics immediately and within a couple of days knew they were working. Pathology reports confirmed this.



I returned to work [I work three days a week - 18.75 hours or 0.5 FTE - public service speak] after we got back home. Despite feeling very tired on the first day back, Tuesday, the adrenaline kept me going until home time. Over the next couple of days I physically improved and by Thursday of that week, my last working day, I was fine although still tired.



The after effects of the urethroplasty have been noticeable. Urination is a doddle now with a 'normal' flow rate. The thing that has been the hardest to accommodate is the ridge and furrow left in my mouth on the right cheek. In the intervening weeks the swelling had much reduced but it's still sufficiently 'big' for my tongue to insist on fiddling with it. There also seems to be a small reduction in the cheek's effectiveness when chewing - it is probably a combination of the scar tissue and a possible reduction in muscle efficiency - always assuming there are muscles in the cheek - I'm no anatomist ;-). The ridge on the cheek is also sometimes prone to being chewed accidentally which is painful. Food also has a bigger tendency to accumulate above between the cheek and the gums. Without asking the urological surgeon I assume this is due to the reduction in muscle/tissue mobility or even a reduction in the cheek's surface area.



I'll be going back to Newtown to see the surgeon in a fortnight's time - I'll ask the questions and report back.