So, October 18 was the big day. Before the op I had my HCC cancer tumour, growing on my liver, under my lung where it was impossible to get at. Hence the transplant. Today, the old liver plus cancer has gone - which, for me, is very good news indeed.
The hospital stay is now fading into memory.
The first couple of days were fine, basically out of my head on relief that it had gone well and oxy-codeine delivered intravenously on a pump for instant pain relief. Then for about ten days I felt dreadful, nausea, incredibly uncomfortable in bed, hating the smell of the hospital and the ward, drains, drips etc. Arms sore from injections and blood samples taken daily, sleep deprived, throwing up, dreading taking all the pills which I knew I had to take but they provoked a gag reaction. Constant worry that something would go wrong and I would be in longer than a fortnight.
But I wasn't.
Now, a month on, medication is decreasing. I walk for half an hour everyday in the woods and fields around where I live, using a stick in case I slip in the mud. I garden for half an hour in the fresh air. Today I celebrated by cleaning the garage and I did some weights, seated hammer curls - not using any core muscles - my stomach muscles were sliced open during the op (if I understand correctly, and I have a lot of internal stitching, so I have to be v careful).
So good to be lifting weights again, I've lost maybe a stone (7 kilo) of muscle. Now I can begin to rebuild my body.
I've also finished the rewrites that my editor wanted me to do to Book 3 of the new Charlie Hunter series, so I have been busy.
Lastly, last night, for the first time since the op, I managed to sleep for a bit on my left side after a month of sleeping flat on my back, which is something I have never done before.
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