8th Clinic Visit and tackling the laundry

So that's a full week passed.  Back today for more of the same packing although once more it was quite painful for a good half hour afterward.

On a positive note, we collected our laundry!  All done to a reasonable standard. It's a thought if you're out here for a long time how to address the clothes washing issue.
Here at the hotel, it would have cost about £40 for 10 days washing.  Instead, we went to a  branch of "The Laundry Basket".  About 20 mins away by Uber.  Costs were around £3.50 for the same load, all done for us and pressed, folded and bagged!

Seventh Clinic Visit and some Antibiotics

More packing in wound today. Slight discomfort as before but otherwise ok.

 However, over the last five years or so I've had a low-level underlying infection in the fistula tract. Some days it would flare up and need antibiotics. Probably a dozen times in the last few years. 

It always gives me sweats and a great lack of energy. 

It seems the treatment has set that off again so to add to the other 5 pills I have twice a day I now have amoxicillin!

As before costs are low so approximately £2 at local pharmacy for the course. 

Transport

The traffic here is horrendous!  The sixth worst city in the world according to surveys

 I am not going to drive here but the popular way to get around is by Uber

or failing that Ola - a similar service.  The costs are minimal.  It's been around $1 per trip so far or less than £1!  The service is pretty good on the ground but!......

Make sure you have a card that works with them before you travel!  We have spent two weeks trying to add a credit card as one expired and it is simply not possible to add a UK card to an account with an Indian phone number.  To make matters worse Uber is almost impossible to contact.  There is no phone number and no email.  It can only be done through the app and the response is terrible.

Luckily I have another card in place but my wife has not so.... we have only one phone which can access the service.  More than a bit frustrating.

5/6th Clinic Visits

Lot of pain after visit 5. 24 hours of discomfort. Visit 6 dr saw some swelling and inflammation. Prescription for some pain killers
Divon + and tramet p.
Costs minimal.

Fourth Clinic Visit

This was a little less traumatic than the last one.  More discomfort than pain.
I woke up to pretty heavy bleeding which took a while to stop.
However, Dr Bhat assured me this is a normal part of the process and it calmed down through the day.

Perhaps worth mentioning another (small) hidden cost.  He took a culture today and there is a fee of 700 IRP (approx £7.50) to have it analyzed.

There may be more of these as time goes on.

Third clinic visit

Back at the clinic third day in a row and.... today the pain kicked in!
Whatever the open wound was treated with, burnt like mad for about 10-15 minutes.
Indeed I had to walk it off.  It also made sitting down a little challenging for the rest of the morning.
I guess this is the start of the real healing process!

I keep thinking "No Pain - No Gain"

It is worth pointing out that keeping this whole area totally clean is really important during the process. Considering what its used for, this is a challenge!
However many of the bathrooms in India - even public ones - are equipped with these, right beside the loo..  and with a drain below.  They give a fairly high-pressure jet of (cold!) water which does the job!
Locally referred to as "bum guns"!

Meds

Got meds prescription today. Lots of pills! Eventually found an Ayurvedic pharmacy too!

 

Ayurvedic  kendra 161 dhanalakshmi complex bangalore

These are not what you would call "traditional" medications but rather more akin to herbs or extracts you would get in a health food shop. They aid bowel and digestive issues, among other things.
The doses are quite high at 4 a day of each - 2 morning - 2 evening - for at least a month.

Wound was repacked too but otherwise little change from yesterday.