LIFE’S MULTIPLE TWISTS AND TURNS

"Life is full of ups and downs. The trick is to enjoy the ups and have courage during the downs."  Unknown

Nature is curative!

D is for accepting the DESTINED:


LIFE IS SUPER SUPREME. It is oceanic in its aspects. It is very unpredictable. It examines us all the time. Its rewards we tend to forget soon but its pains take time to go.  At least that is what is observable. My post below is based on these beliefs.    

As they say, troubles don’t come alone. They come in multiples. They test your inner strengths. In the process, leave you completely drained. The pendulum of time weighs you down with fears and doubts. You imagine the worst. You face more downs than ups. Only positivity evolved painstakingly keeps you listlessly going.

After enjoyable holidaying in Kerala, we had that carefree tempo even at home for a few days. However, one can’t disregard life’s stark realities for long.  Before our trip, we had decided that hubby would go for much postponed nasal surgery for the removal of polyps. These were the cause of enough misery in so many ways. The surgery was made out to be something simple and common. However, the reality was different. The jury was out to test me as a caregiver.

Just imagine you prepare yourself for one surgery and you end up going through two within a month. Poor hubby suffered so much misery and sometimes near about unbearable discomfort because of deficiencies in the system.

Nasal surgery was performed in a posh hospital under general anesthesia. Yet due to whose negligence weather of the preparatory team or of the specialist, catheter was not inserted for the passage of urine before the operation. Later we came to know that catheter insertion was mandatory in the case of older patients. 

After he was shifted to the room with his nose all bandaged up and sort of soaked red with blood, he soon felt restless with distension in his bladder. Even in that drowsy state, he kept going to the bathroom with some help as the urge to urinate was over bearing. Yet he could not pass urine. After many failed attempts, I called the nurse, who got a hot towel placed on his stomach but to no effect. Meantime he felt agonizing pain. The night duty doctor was called. Disgusting that even he did not know that in elderly patients’ catheter was necessary. So much for specialization! Finally, a baby catheter was inserted as he could not manage to insert one, of the right size. Anyways hubby was heavenly relieved.

As the effect of anesthesia slowly wore down, he started feeling painful throbs in the nasal cavities. He was feeling utterly miserable because he had to breathe through the mouth and his throat had become painfully inflamed. K swallowed a painkiller with great difficulty but the discomfort did not lessen. He asked for coffee and a little stimulation helped. Soon he was groaning with pain in the nasal passage, which was aggravated by the unexpected anxiety of the urine emergency. The spirited man of the morning changed into a helpless one by the evening. All along, I was trying to bolster my energies to support and comfort K as much as I could. There I realized a caregiver needs to be strong, fully prepared for any exigency.

We were discharged the next day. Another visit to the hospital after four days for removal of bandages, which were replaced with some other inserts, equally painful. For a week, eating was a battle because simultaneously eating and breathing from the mouth had to be learnt. Even some salt in the soup or stew was stinging the swollen throat.  Many medicines had to be taken. Except for the antibiotics, which were taken with water, I made him swallow other medicines along with well-cooked and watery oats or liquefied wheat porridge.  This way the tablets went down with less hurt. After the second inserts were removed a cumbersome cleaning procedure of the nasal cavities was performed every day. Subsequent visit after a fortnight showed healing process going on smoothly. The doctor was satisfied with the progress.

In between, we consulted a urologist at Patiala who inserted a proper catheter and advised many tests. The tests showed an enlarged prostrate, which had been in a dormant state. We researched and came to know that general anesthesia can traumatize the working of the system and can result in a sudden upsurge in inactive health issues. It’s so in his case.

After close to a month the second operation was performed in a hospital at Patiala. Enlarged prostate tissue was removed with the procedure named TURP. More antibiotics and an upset stomach. The recovery period had many tense moments with several visits to the hospital. When the bleeding from the wounds stopped, the catheter was removed

Oh, what a relief it was! K started moving around the house. With proper care, good diet and his strong willpower he is on his feet again. I pray to God that he stays so.

In the middle of June, we shifted to the hills as we used to do previously. His resistance to disease has weakened, though. He gets unwell quickly. Hope that after a couple of months of convalescence, he’d be his old self again.

For me, these three months had been scary. My spirits too have taken a beat.  I’m trying to resume my creative pursuits though.  Surely, it is an uphill task. I trust I’ll overcome procrastination and be a part of the world which gives meaning to my life.

Accepting the destined takes courage and resilience.

Friends welcome here as always!


Linking to:
ABC Wednesday
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Nature Notes