Surgery Day! Ahhhhh! Part one

Well. 13th November finally arrived. I had been very stressed in the week and last few days leading up to the surgery. Goodbyes and good lucks had been said. I felt like Frodo going to Mordor with the ring with the wrath of Sauron waiting off him there! That's not to say that I'm likening NHS hospitals to the Dark Tower run by the dark lord but I guess it expresses the trepidation.

I had been told no food after midnight....much like the Gremlins in the 80s film.....then bed. I don't think I got a huge amount of sleep that night. Wasn't looking forward to the surgery and after effects. Being in silence for 5 weeks for one! I had to keep telling myself, and my wife kept saying too that this was worth it, it is the only option apart from carrying on as I was which was not really an option.

We drive to the hospital at kings cross and miraculously find a car park space round the corner. Because I had been told to come in at 7.30, this meant that I would be discharged the same day. So thankful for that as I've never stayed overnight in hospital and I don't want this to be the first!

We arrived early so put in a waiting room. Other candidates arrive. No one says much. No one really smiles. Bit of a relief when we are all called and follow the staff to C Ward. Never did find out what C stood for. Catastrophe. Calamitous. Cataclysmic. Or just the letter after B....

On arrival we are assigned to beds and the first thing I notice about the ward is the heat. Very warm.
Very trendy (not) gown given to me to change into and then I think it'll be ages before the surgery but no....I'm given some forms to sign..... Side effects of the operation are.....vertigo, sickness, possible bruising of the facial nerve.....as if I'm not stressed out enough already. The wife steadies my nerve....it is worth it! Now sign your life away on the dotted line....haha! Now you belong to us...... Ok so that's a bit melodramatic but this is a life changing procedure!

The surgeon comes to see me. Confirms my choice of advanced bionics and tells me he will be performing the procedure. He seems nice and jolly and confident so I think I'm in good hands! Blood pressure and temperature are taken by the nurse. Then it seems only a few minutes before someone arrives to take me away!

I look at my wife who squeezes my hand reassuringly. I hand over and ceremoniously wave to my hearing aid. I'll never be wearing it again. This is irreversible....SO IT HAD BETTER WORK!!!!!
I'm plunged into complete silence. All lip reading from now on. Hug the wife goodbye. She promises to be there when I wake. Just beginning to walk out with the assistant surgeon when the nurse stops me and asks me to complete a form saying what I want for lunch and dinner! Like I can concentrate on that right now! About to go for life changing surgery and you're asking me what I want for lunch! Has the world gone completely crazy? That done I make my way into the lift.....

We stop on a floor and step out. The anaesthetist is waiting with his concoction of drugs so I lie on the bed and wait for the injection. There's no counting to ten or anything stereotypical like that. He just says he's gonna give me lots of drugs to give me a great sleep! The needle goes in and I'm a gonna!

And that's where I'll leave this one. Part two next!