20 August 2020
Today Joyce said she expects to go to surgery for her sponge replacement this afternoon. So she hasn't had anything to eat since yesterday. Which, considering her dislike of the food, might be considered a relief.
Flipping pages is more exercise than flipping channels.
When I asked her about her pain level, she said that she doesn't have much pain lying in bed or walking but she feels a sharp pain when she stresses the wound area by, for example, turning over.
The nursing staff is constantly monitoring her pain level and examining the dressing. But it seems more of a teaching moment for them. They look at the wound area and are astonished by its size.
She said she has a little trouble with her balance when she gets up. But she's not vomiting any more. They've cut her big pills in half to make them easier to swallow.
And now, instead of watching television, she is reading The Remains of the Day that Dr. Cook brought her. Flipping pages is more exercise than flipping channels.
I let her get back to her book while she waits for surgery by we're-not-sure-who-today if Dr. Tong is out. At least, though, the suspense is not killing her.