Second Surgery

She went through the first op on Monday morning at 0900hrs. Had two toes removed. The third and fourth toe of the right foot. She was groggy and weak the whole of Monday but rose up better on Tuesday. She even attempted walking the short distance to the loo. She still complained of pain but she said the pain was more from the cut, something that she could tolerate. Nothing at all like the throbbing pain of a dying limb.

On Wednesday morning they said the wound was infected. So she was to go through another op to remove the second toe now. Her op was called 'emergency', so they would do her after all the scheduled ones. She was to fast.

And fast she did, from midnight to the next day's midnight. Still it wasnt her turn. It just so happened that there were many many emergency cases that was more urgent. A lot of ruptured stomachs and main arteries dontknowwhat.

And her pain was getting worse. She was in pain, and in great hunger and thirst too. The anxiety wasnt helping either.

At one point, she became disoriented. She woke up looking for her kitchen. Sometimes i saw her stirring empty air and when asked, she said she was making tea. She cried and hugged a Dr Waddah and asked for food. And i cried too. For the first time since she became sick, i cried. Kak Teh did say, let go, cry and be better. And i did feel better after that.

And so they let her eat one meal - not that she could eat a lot - and made her fast and wait again.

Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Same routine. Eat one meal, and this they would probably allow after midnight and there would not be a lot of options at that time of the day. So she would have to settle with cold meals or dry meals like biscuits and breads. And continue fasting.

By Saturday the pain was worse. She needed morphine again. And the infection was getting worse too. I saw them do dressing and i saw the unhealthy flesh. It wasnt red. It was very pale pink, almost white with slight yellow tinge. A dressed chicken would have healthier colour.

And she was feverish too. They couldnt give her paracetamol so we sponged and sponged her. And the surgeon said they would have to cut half her foot or attempt further up where there would be some bleeding. They wouldnt accept her signature of consent. Unlike the first op, they want this time a waris to sign. Her op would be riskier, because of all her cardiovascular problems.

"You cut half her foot because of the infection. But there is no guarantee that infection will not happen again. What if this new wound gets infected too?"
"We will have to cut again."
"Will the wound heals better once you've cut her at where the blood flow is better?"
"Better chance, yes. But perhaps slimmer than other people."

My sister signed the consent letter. But not without apologising profusely to Mak.

This Monday morning, at 4 am, they wheeled her - finally - into the OT. I wasnt at the hospital last night. My brother was there.

I am now at the office. It is 0830hrs and there is still no news. Her first op took 3 hours and recovery 2 hours. Maybe i will hear some news after 0900hrs.

I was actually planning to do all the alternative treatment after she was released. Maybe i should just take her out after this second op to try other options.

****************
1000 hrs.
My bro said surgery is over. Alhumdulillah!

Bad news:
~ they removed 40% of her foot.

Good news he has a load!
~ They removed only 40% of her foot. Could have been at the ankle or worse.
~ Mak is recovering in her room, not ICU.
~ There is FRESH BLOOD on the bandage! Not a lot but bandage is bloodied nevertheless. Yey!
~ Mak is resting well with help from morphine.