Surgery and my time in hospital!

On Fri 7th July I arrived, bright and early at the hospital, at 7.15am. Ready for an hour and a half of questioning about my health, some explanation of what was going to happen in the next few hours and some last minute tests (swabs & urine tests), before getting some numbing cream put on the backs of my hands (as I requested) and changing into my oh-so-flattering hospital gown.

I went into theatre at about 9am, where a few of my questions were checked over again before the anaesthetist got ready to put me under general anaesthetic - I think I got sedated first, as I was a little bit nervous about them putting it in the back of my hand. (I don't know what it is, just needles in the backs of my hands freak me out a bit - hence the numbing!) All I recall from before going under was babbling to the doctor who was sticking ECG recorders on me... Something along the lines of "I bet you get people saying some funny things to you when they're on this..." Then I proceeded to tell her about a video I'd seen on Facebook of people who were coming off anaesthetic... But I don't recall the whole thing, so I was no doubt one of those people... My bad!

My view when I woke up

I then woke up in the recovery room, which I don't remember much about, except for someone giving me tea through a straw, then my oxygen mask, then the tea again - oxygen mask - tea... You get the gist, he was just making sure my heart rate was good, and I just wanted tea... My priorities were in the right place! Then I got wheeled up to my ward (it was about 1.30pm?) where I sort of phased in and out of sleep for a couple hours, until I finally came around enough to ask where my bag of stuff was, so I could call Simon and let him know he could come back to the hospital to see me. I woke up with my foot already casted up, it was in a backslab that was just bandaged to me, so there was support where it was needed. I had a pump on my right leg, to help prevent blood clotting, and obviously a cannula in my hand.

Asides from that, Friday was a bit of a blur, I know that Simon visited, left and then came back later with his Mum and brother, and that I'd also spoke on the phone to my Mum and sister... I know I got given food and drinks, but I didn't eat very much as I felt really sick, and was sick a total of 4 times that day. So that meant I had the joy of being given everything through my drip, which was fine at first, but then for some reason I just couldn't keep my wrist in the right position for the drip to keep dripping, and my hand swelled a bit which was a bit uncomfortable. I was obviously also in quite a bit of pain, but not unbearably as they were keeping me thoroughly drugged up (thankfully!) I then also had to deal with using the toilet... We attempted a bed pan twice, which just wasn't happening, and then I got to try the commode, which thankfully was fine, as I was starting to worry. But then my body decided, "hey, you know it's really awkward for you to wee?? Ha! Well now I want to wee on an hourly basis throughout the night"... So my poor ward staff had to deal with me buzzing every hour for the next, like, 4 hours throughout the night so that I could use the commode/the bedpan (which I finally used and HATED - kind of feels like you're weeing yourself and I'm not down with that!)

And that was my first day/night in hospital, thrilling stuff, huh? Apologies that it's taken me nearly 2 months to write about it, I'm just pretty terrible at motivating myself, but I will be sure to continue telling you about my adventures since surgery!

Until then,
TTFN, ta ta for now!