the affects of 12 hours

When I came out the operation eight weeks ago or so I couldn't eat or speak given the affects of the operation and the location of the tumour, I had be on fluids only by means of drip until I got the strength back in the muscles in my mouth to enable the food go the correct route down my throat.

The duration of the operation was 12 hours, the affect of surgery on surrounding tissue and the swelling had caused both issues. To help the recovery I was given steroids and kepra by drip, the steroids to bring down the swelling and the kepra being the drug the keep my seizures under control.

It was hard not being to have food initially butt I got through it funnily enough not being bothered by it, the overriding thing was the cumbersomeness and the uncomfortable feeling of having a venflon in my hand, a drip attached and a catheter to boot. Plus the bed was uncomfortable, I had bad nights of barely no sleep, they said that the steroid I was on was casing this but I think the bed played it's part.

I recall that I had to steroids after my initial operation when I was four which had the effect of making me bloat, I remember that the buttons on my shirts kept popping off - which was kind of funny, imagining I was turning into the hulk. But no such thing happened to me this time, actually I had lost a stone when eventually came out of hospital.

I eventually started to mange to speak the odd word and the muscles in my throat became strong enough to guide food down the right way. The first thing I wanted was toast and marmalade which was bit too much for my mouth to handle, the toast was too rough in texture and the toast kept getting stuck in right hand side of mouth.

Persistence and determination yet again set in to get back to the normality of eating at least, while I was determined to improve my speech of course proper food was high on the list for me after being on fluids only. Of course this helped the muscles in my mouth with action of eating.

Getting my speech back came gradually easier after, but at the same time hard work. From leaving hospital 9 weeks ago to present I have improved to the point where I can have conversations but still stumble on some sentences and words when try to say them, slow and steady does work which I am still getting used to as opposed to normal pace of speaking.