HO HO HO ...

Yesterday was a day mixed full of turbulent emotions. I set my alarm for 5.50a.m, we'd had a heavy fall of snow the night before so I was worried about the conditions of the roads, would rather get there early than late. I was awake at 4! Couldn't sleep, my leg was bothering me, but I thought this was the day I'd been waiting for so long, my pain would get sorted later on. I had suffered for some 8 months with this bloody condition although I'd had them for the past twenty years, I wanted to get rid of but on the other hand they were apart of me, I was saying goodbye to them.. if you can understand where I'm coming from with this one. I got to the hospital at 6.50, got registered and sat in the waiting room. My palms were sweaty, I was shaking .. mainly due to having not eaten since the evening before, I wasn't even allowed water or gum. In case the spinal injection didn't work, they would put me out totally. I have to admit I wasn't looking forward to any of the needles especially the one in my spine. I was seen by a nurse who checked my date of birth, etc on more than one occasion. Then I came face to face with the man who was going to rebuild my left leg, the man himself...god! He used to thick black felt tip pen and circled the offending veins and other problem areas, my leg resembled an ordinance survey map afterwards. I also found out that yes they would burn my vein from the inside BUT that they intended making incisions to remove the dead veins.. I hadn't figured this part out. I was seen by the anaesthetist, he was a very nice young man. And later I found out he had a sense of humour too. At 8.15a.m myself and six other patients walked down to the ward where we would be sorted into categories for surgery, I just thought we all had knackered veins...apparently not.
I sat in the waiting room for a few minutes. The new hospital took six years to build, it is a magnificent place, but it is hard to get round, I was given a map when I first arrived. The nurses and doctors must have sat nav! Eventually it was my turn. Another room, time to strip off and wear one of those fashionable gowns that every body's talking about.... the kind that never fits and shows your 'butt' off to everyone you don't know! I had taken a CD to listen to whilst they tripped and burned my leg. Time to reflect the what happened next. Another waiting room, another doctor , another nurse, all very nice people, well they have to be, they're in the people business. I watched some cartoon on the tv whilst I waited to go theatre. Michelle who was in charge of my anaesthetics checked my details again. I told her I'd brought a CD to listen too, she asked my which one, her face lit up when I said it was 'Led Zeppelin' she listens to LZ all the time on her ipod. But I have to admit I can't remember anything due to saying yes and having every type of sedative going. I have two puncture marks on my left hand where the very nice young man with the sense of humour tried.. get this ' in vein' to find a vein to insert the needle. my veins in my hands are so thin they had great difficulty to insert the needle. My face was contorted in pain...I told the doctor that I wasn't going to look at the needles as I don't like needles, he replied he wasn't going to look either, worrying as he was the man administrating them... Lol! I smiled at him, he laughed, we all laughed, my nerves slightly eased. He then tried my right hand... success!! Next came the spinal one, the one I'd been dreading... I held Michelle's hand.. it wasn't too bad... eventually. After about three seconds I started to lose the feeling in my legs, my god he was good. All I can remember is seeing my leg in the air covered in iodine, the time flew by, but not really, I was as high as a kite, it took more like 45 minutes. I have no idea what he's done. I didn't find out until three hours later that it hurt all over. The feeling started to return. I had an intravenous drip in my right hand, apparently to stop me dehydrating. I haven't been stitched, but a I have butterfly stitches, which is worrying, so I have to make sure and hope I don't pull the skin when walking otherwise the wound will pull apart. A huge bandage from groin to big toe. I can't walk.. I have to shuffle up and down stairs on my arse!! Most lady like! I was eventually let out of hospital at 7p.m last night. Wheel chair to the car park, my dad collected me. I was so glad to be home. I have a wooden stick to aid me with my wobbling! I can't describe it as walking because it isn't. It's amazing, it's fully automatic, fully loaded, easy to use, has many different uses.. especially for hitting idiots who get in my way. I'm on strong pain killers. I have every intention of mixing these drugs with a large amount of alcohol later. I am off to my Friends for Christmas dinner, I am going to be waited on hand and foot. I am glad it's all over, I have to admit I didn't think I'd be so sore, I certainly didn't think I'd be in hospital ALL day. I met a lot of nice people, made some friends, had a laugh with the nurses and doctors, they work so god damn hard 365 days of the years 24/7, they are our angels, I met my god. I'd like to wish all of them a very 'HAPPY CHRISTMAS.' I get the bandage off in a week, the dressing changed.