 |
| Female kudus were resting in the shade. |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
 |
| Busy morning. |
Yesterday morning, we headed to Dr. Theo’s office for bandage changes and for him to check out the still painful open area on my left leg, which has been treated with the vacuum hose and VAC apparatus since I was in the hospital.
Getting down the steps to the car was tricky as I was walking from the closest parking spot at the doctor’s office to the treatment room inside. This was the most amount of walking I’d done in the week since we’d seen Dr. Theo last Friday.
 |
| A young male bushbuck and young male kudu. |
The vacuum tube and machine had done their job, and the gaping hole was closing. Theo determined there would be no added benefit to continue using the VAC system, and he disconnected it and re-bandages my legs with the special bacteria-fighting bandages.
Free of the tether, I felt liberated but foolhardy me, made the assumption I could walk a little more without the VAC attached. How wrong I was! After moving around too much in the afternoon, I’m now back on bedrest today with my feet up once again. There’s continuing pain that needs time to resolve. I must be patient.
Also, the added pain of wearing the tight compression stockings (six more weeks) atop the wounds woke me during the night at 3:30 am, and I never went back to sleep.
Doc Theo is confident I am on the mend, but it will become a reality when I can get around on my own two legs without the walker. At the time of the bypass surgery, I recall grumbling about the big scar on my chest up to my throat.
 |
| Warthogs don’t seem to mind hanging out with tiny duikers, although they don’t readily share pellets. |
With my local girlfriend’s love and support, we contemplated how I could hide the nasty scar with scarves, jewelry, and high-neck shirts and blouses. It wasn’t so much about having a scar as it was about being stared at or asked questions by glaring strangers.
But as time has passed and the scar has continued to heal, it’s become less noticeable, and above all, I’ve become less self-conscious about it. I won’t be wearing low-cut tops showing cleavage since I was never one to do this anyway, but I won’t be fussing over the scar showing on my neck. I’m alive, aren’t I? That’s what counts in the realm of things.
Then, as the infection ravaged my legs, I became aware that the scars would only be exacerbated by the infections. Over time, that awareness has wafted away as well.
After all, I’m 71 years old and wouldn’t be traipsing around in skimpy clothing anyway. I may be more inclined to wear long pants and jeans rather than Capri-length pants and shorts, other than around the house with just the two of us.
 |
| A young Big Daddy with growing left to do. |
Tom, of course, pays no attention whatsoever to the many changes of late with my health and well-being his only consideration. Isn’t that what love is, after all? That we pay little attention as to how our physical beings change as we age, surgery or not?
Next Thursday, we’ll return to Doc Theo to see how it’s going and again replace the bandages. Once the wounds are healed, I’ll be able to shower once again instead of “sponge baths.” The less-than-ideal water in Marloth Park has kept me out of the shower since the infections began many weeks ago.
No-load shedding this past week, although there were a few power outages for short periods. A few days ago, we were out of water for a few hours. We leave Marloth Park in 29 days, during which we hope to have continuous power.
May your day be gratifying and fulfilling.
Photo from one year ago today, April 12, 2018:
 |
| This was the first time we saw Scar Face, one year ago. He arrived with his friend, Mutton Chops, but after visiting for several months, we never saw them again. Hopefully, he’s healed nicely by now. For more photos, please click here. |