So with my new skin under the wraps of a white bandage, The reviews were weekly. I was inquisitive about how it looked, but I guess I still wasn’t that sure about seeing it. 😬 Although I knew the vac foam was placed on the cuticel gauze, I was still slightly concerned about how they would pry the foam off. It was the usual, to begin with, the stretcher transfer, ambulance ride, and then getting wheeled down the casualty, for the shot, and then to Dr Shahid’s OP.

Remember Rajettan my 2nd home nurse, who had left me with an offer to come over if I needed assistance in going for reviews? Well, He also accompanied me. The guy rode about 30 km from his home over to my place !! He arrived early in the morning! Talk about dedication! So we got in the ambulance and we were off to the hospital

The ambulance pulled up at the casualty and the ED staff wheeled me inside. I met Shajahan, this time he administered the shot, and then I went into my sluggish sedative mode.

Vac Man Anoop met us in front of Dr. Shahid’s OP. Since the exudate in the Canister was close to nil, they were going to remove the Vac therapy this time. I patted the Vac Machine and said goodbye, telling Anoop that by now I and the Vac Machine had developed a close bond, and I am going to miss it!😊

By now almost everyone in the OP was a familiar face. Junais, Shameem the Doctors. We had to coordinate between Anoop’s availability and Dr Harin’s availability. Dr Harin’s OP was on the 1st floor, He would come down to Dr Shahid’s OP. So once I was inside, they unwrapped the special gift wrappings, now why do I call it special coz after the skin grafting surgery they had wrapped the bandage up to my toes. With Dr Shahid holding my thighs and Junais supporting the fixators, Shameem and Dr Askar helped, Anoop to remove the Vac foam. I didn’t feel a thing when they removed the foam. My concern about my new skin coming off was put to rest. 😊

Dr Harin walked in and had a go over his artwork of skin grafting. I call it artwork coz initially when the foam was removed, there was very definite wow excitement from the docs coz, it was looking good! The new skin seemed to have caught on pretty well. I kept passing out in between, so some conversations at still blank to me. The new skin would still have to be under wrappings, and this time I would go home without the Vac machine. I remember wishing good luck to Junais as he was to resign from the hospital and try for better prospects in the middle east.

With things looking so far so good, they gift-wrapped my leg back. This time it was with the usual wrappings up to the ankle. Then I got wheeled out, I said bye to Anoop and the Vac machine once more.

My sluggish appointment with the psychiatrist

I was having difficulty sleeping, I consulted Dr Musthfa when I was admitted to the hospital last time. This time I had an appointment with him to talk about my not-so-likeable growing attitude change, my impatience, and of course my sleeping issues. So after Dr Shahid’s OP, my next stop was at Dr Musthafa’s OP. The elevator door opened and I got wheeled out to the 1st floor, and I got parked in front of his OP. They gave preference to bedridden cases like mine, so I only had to wait a short while, I was still in and out of sedation. I remember the staff at the OP, struggling with the bed to move me into the doctor’s room. Both the young girls looked like trainee staff. I sat up and started to talk about my concerns and sleep situation. but honestly couldn’t convey what I wanted to say, I remember telling him that he looked like the CEO of my former studio 😬 and as soon as I mentioned that, reality kicked in and I kept wondering why, why on earth would I mention that to him!!. Yes, it was shot speaking. 😁 I could see his face frown a bit, but in amusement, he seemed to have guessed I was under some sort of medication hangover. Then I told him where I was coming from and the shot I had taken. He smiled and said ” Ah so that explains why your voice is so sluggish!! ” Imagine going to a psychiatrist and talking utterly insane !! when you are normal otherwise!! ( ok I take that back … seriously no one is normal in this world, all of us have some sort of abnormality somewhere embedded in us !! 😁 ) Anyways, I am glad he saw through the sedative tone and understood, He prescribed meds for me to sleep better and asked me to come when the pain has subsided and obviously when I am not in sedation. When he passed the prescription to my partner, who had just been called in, I suddenly remembered that I wanted to ask him about something and requested 5 more minutes. As soon as my partner went out I started blank, yes! blank! I couldn’t remember what I wanted to tell him, He was patient enough to wait but I just couldn’t remember! He smiled and told me to write it down as soon as I remember and would discuss it when I come in next time. I nodded with confusion still on my face and wondering what kinda I hot mess I was in. I got wheeled out of there ( to my relief ) and took the elevator to the ground floor.

Meeting Mushtaq Ali

In the elevator, While I was recapping on back on all that happened in Dr Musthafa’s OP. I noticed a person inside the elevator staring at me. He was very neatly dressed, with this shirt tucked in and all. Now I am used to the stares ( you know with the external fixators and vac machine and all ) and my new thing is if people stare for more than 30 secs or so, I give them a nod. Usually, they break the stare and look away, some nod back and then look away. But this dude wasn’t staring at my leg, he was staring right at me, my face. I did the nod thing and he nodded back., and to my surprise, he said ” You know, we have met before ” I replied ” I am sorry I don’t remember ” I was trying to remember where would I have seen him, Pre OT Perhaps ?? He asked me if I was on the OT table a few days back. I nodded yes, ” We’ve had a lot of conversations between us, while you were on the OT table!! ” he said, to which I replied ” I am sorry I don’t remember I was in sedation, and now also I have taken a shot and am still in sedation!! “( the guy must have thought I am high on sedation always!!) He just smiled. I asked his name and he replied: “Mushtaq Ali ” With that the elevator door opened and I got wheeled out.

Then it dawned on me I did speak to a guy in the green gown, asking if he was Anoop, during my skin grafting surgery. but before I could ask him anything further he was out of sight. I even asked Rajettan to go after him to see if I could get his number for some info about me being on the OT table. But it was like the guy had vanished into thin air. If it wasn’t for Rajettan and my partner confirming that I did talk to a guy in the elevator, I would have thought I was hallucinating again coz of the shot I had taken that day!😂

Heading back home

Rajettan and my partner followed me as I got wheeled out to the entrance where my chariot 😁 ( ambulance ) was waiting. It was a relief to come home without the tubing of the Vac Machine but honestly, I can’t thank that mode of therapy enough. It helped us save time, by making the healing process sooner. Rajettan was a real help again, for having come out so far to help me with the hospital review. He was very hesitant to take any remuneration for his day’s service, however, I insisted. He had lunch at our place and by afternoon he headed back.