I was up at 5.30 am on St Valentine's Day with my bag packed ready to go. Jen took me to the hosptital for 6.45am and went off to have a nice breakfast while I was left to the paper signing and prepping. I had a shower with the lovely Hibiscrub stuff (bleugh) and donned the theatre gown. I had a string of visitors in the form of nurses, doctors and anaesthetists. My surgeon was rather yummy, 40ish dark and with a Polish/Czeck/Hungarian name I could not repeat. Seemd very nice. Explained the procedure he'd be going through. Then it was the mad Dr Mahood, the singing Egyptian anaesthetist. He was short with a huge grin and singing some weird Arabic wail the whole time he wasn't speaking. He was lovely! He prepped me ready for the spinal injection, which was not too pleasant an experience as he had to probe a bit to find the gap between spinal bones. It took effect very quickly and it was weird to see my feet, and mentally send messages to wiggle my toes, but no response. Dead from the waist down. I watched them swing my leg up and out while some poor nurse tried to get a catheter up me. Took her a few minutes but made it in the end - I think it was a good job I couldn't feel it! I then remember Mr Mahood saying here comes a mild sedative .... I then woke up 1hr 50 mins later in recovery! As soon as they knew I was round and all was well, I was wheeled through to my room to sleep it off. They brought me a sandwich and a yogurt for lunch then left me in peace.
I had frequent observations at first, every half hour, then hourly later as I was more awake. BP and temp every time, catheter check, and blood sugars at regular intervals *sigh* - the term 'peace' is a relative term!
We had to buzz for the nurse any time we needed anything and with 6 of us having new knees or hips that day the flipping alarms were going off at regular intervals all day ... and all night. They kept bringing tablets round too and making sure we drank enough fluids. Once the catheter was out, I had to make it out of bed to the loo and of course had to have a nurse or 2 to help.
I was shown how to move with crutches and how to get on and off the loo. The loo had a frame over it with handles and a raised seat, but even on its lowest setting it was way too high for me. Have you ever tried going to the toilet sitting down with your legs dangling in the air since you were about 8 yrs old? LOL It seems very strange and the bowels don't want to function normally. One of the pain killers was codeine too, which tends to 'bind' you up, so 'going' was a big effort. At least the handles made standing up easier. The next few days were a just a blur of tablets, BP checks, meals, physio sessions, visits from various doctors, doing exercises, and trying to catch some sleep at night.
I had the op Thursday morning, and Sunday I was given my marching orders, along with a bag of drugs and notes about exercises, appointments to make to get wound checked and clips (bit like staples) taken out, and first physio appointment next week.
Coming home was weird. The house was empty without Honey. At least it was warm, as I asked my lovely son, Craig, to put it on before I came home. He collected me from the hospital in his car and that was fun getting in and out of the car.
Since I've been home, I've kept up the regular pain killers, and been exercising and walking around with increasing freedom.
Nights are a problem as I hate sleeping on my back but can't yet lie on my side. I have arranged pillows for comfort to support my leg but it puts pressure on my bum so I wake up around 5ish needing the loo and feeling stiff, with a numb bum. It takes a while for the first pain killers to kick in so mornings are not good at the mo. Once I am up, washed and dressed, the movement loosens up and I move with less pain so can face coming downstairs, but today was bad! I slept in until 8.20 and woke feeling stiff and achey all over. I was in tears by the time I got to the loo, but my lovely Jenny came to the rescue getting me pills and a coffee :).
Using the crutches has made me use muscles I didn't know I had. My arms ache, my chest aches, and my shoulder, as well as the leg pains :( but every action and movement helps re-build muscles and will help healing in the long term.
It is all looking and feeling good right now, apart from the tenderness from the bruising.
I am wearing those fabulously glamourous thick white surgical compression socks, and will need to for a while yet. Super!
I am not ill, just a bit slow to move around. The pain killers help make movement less painful so the healing process can go on. I'll soon be moving more freely and without all the pain I've endured for years. I can certainly feel the pain in my left knee now and I hope it won't be too long before I get that one done too.
Thank you to all the staff at The Derwent at Bournemouth Hospital, for the high level of treatment and care.
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