Bad news first - this week, I began stretching out as instructed by my plastic surgeon. I hung from my hands for 2x10 seconds which seemed to be OK, if a little tight on the right side. The day after, I had some mild discomfort under my right arm. I assumed that this was a little delayed onset muscle stiffness - my arm hasn't been stretched properly for quite a while - over 4 months. I also spotted a small red patch of skin on the side of my chest - which I put down to possible minor sub-cutaneous bleeding/bruising caused by the stretching. However, it didn't ease off and after a few days I asked my GP to have a look - just in case. He took one look and told me that I had yet another infection. Arse.
Things seemed to happen very quickly after that. He prescribed anti-bs, but within an hour - my arm/shoulder felt really really painful and I started to feel that I was being alternately shoved into a freezer and then an oven. I went to bed and swung between shaking with cold and sweating as if in a sauna. At least I could see my consultant the next day. I was supposed to be attending a charity ball that night, and travelling up to Gravesend for work at the end of the weekend. Hm.
Now the good news - my wife took the kids into school and I got up slowly - feeling somewhat like I had been hit by a truck. We then drove up to the Nuffield Hospital. The last time I did that journey - it had been under rather more stressful circumstances (see below). This time, I wasn't really sure what to expect - what was he going to do? Would he photograph any moles that I had? I was pretty sure that he would feel my lymph glands for any unusual lumps. No matter what the circumstances, I suspect that these formal reviews will always make me feel a bit nervous.
We arrived and I went into my recap of the last few months. My consultant had a quick look at my side and confirmed it was an infection and put me back on to the medicinal Domestos pills. He reviewed my back scar and had a look at my moles. Interestingly his review of the moles was surprisingly cursory - I don't have that many, but he took about 30 seconds. I suppose that's a good thing. He then had a root around in my left armpit and my upper groin for the lymph glands before declaring himself happy. Nothing to feel. Its probably relief - but the appointment has left me feeling more optimistic notwithstanding the infection in my right side. 1 appointment down, 15 to go.
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