Surgery Day Part Two

So when I last wrote you left me asleep under the influence of non recreational purely medicinal drugs! This part is to say what happened after I woke up.

The first thing I remember is fighting with this thing over my mouth that left an unpleasant taste. It was the mask they put on. It of course didn't seem like a couple of hours that I had been asleep. I believe it had been 9.00 when I went into surgery and it was about 11.00 when I woke up.

I remember one of the staff saying, "hi. All done." Although of course that was lip reading as I was now living in a world of complete silence. They wheel me out into the lift still on the bed. When I get back to the ward I catch a brief glimpse of my wife Christina who smiles and says hi. I lift my hand to say hi. They move me onto my ward bed. I'm still massively groggy and drift off to sleep again.

This on and off sleeping continues for a while. Christina stays by my bed. I am aware of the nurses taking my blood pressure every now and then. About 20 times throughout the afternoon.

Eventually I have the strength to sit up but am then aware of two things:
1) I am still really groggy and tired.
2) The room won't keep still.
It's the second one that concerns me most. I try staring straight ahead but the vertigo is really unpleasant. I'm asked if I want anything to eat. I refuse as I can't even see straight. I accept some water and have a short signed conversation with Christina. By the way signing has been our main form of conversation for over a year now. Must write a post about that part of the journey too. In the end I tell her that I need to lie down again so I do.

After a while of dozing off again I am aware of the surgeon coming round to see me. He asks how I'm doing then reaches over to adjust my head bandage. He can see I'm having vertigo but isn't phased by it as it's a common after effect of surgery. He says I might have it for two or three more days but that I can go home today as arranged. It is after this that I say I'll try some food. Lasagne...or at least a dry square form of it is brought on a tray with a vacuum packed apple crumble. It looks a little like a low budget version of aeroplane food! I have been told by my wife that they won't let me leave until I've eaten something. And it's about 5.00 now.

I cut off one bit and bring it to my mouth. Vertigo still there. But I back out. Queazy feeling. Don't want to chuck up here so I get up to go out to the toilet. Christina follows and so does the nurse who is trying to do up my gown thing as I go! I make it there in time to experience that horrible nauseous feeling. You don't want to know what happens next. Chuck. Chuck. Honk. Ewww!

Feeling a bit better I go back to the bed. And lie down. The nurses aren't happy about letting me go but I don't want food so we compromise on a cup of tea. I get up to drink it. But the vertigo won't go away. But I'm not staying here. Anyone will tell you that when you get vertigo you get hot and nauseous. And what you need after that is water...ok I've got that, and fresh air....there is no air in this stifling ward. No wonder I still feel like this. No way am I staying the night here.

I force myself to get up. But the nurses are starting to tell my wife that I need to stay the night. Christina tells me this and I look at her desperately. " don't leave me here!". She goes back and expresses my wishes. They resist saying I haven't eaten, I've vomited and still feel dizzy. I can see that she is having a battle on my behalf as I'm too weak to fight. I start to get changed then feel nauseous again. This time I've got one of those cardboard hat shaped sick containers to throw in next to my bed. Yes I make use of it! This adds to their evidence that I need to stay.

It comes to a head when a male nurse shouts at Christina: "if you walk out of here with your husband and he dies it will be your fault. Why is he being sick and dizzy?" This is in front of the whole ward.

Christina is an amazing woman and keeps calm but explains that it is my wish to leave, the surgeon and anaesthetist both said I could go and that dizziness is an expected after effect which can bring on the vomiting. He continues to remonstrate until I raise my hand and say " I am discharging myself then!". He grumpily walks off saying he's getting the ward doctor.

On our way out the doctor tries to get me to stay but I've made my mind up. One of the mist ridiculous things I'm asked is "can you hear me?". Of course I can't hear you. I'm on a ward which is
for people who have had cochlear implant surgery! The nurses know I won't change my mind so they go through the medication I need for the next week. Antibiotics and painkillers then get me to sign a
discharge note. With Christina supporting me heavily and still somewhat groggy we make it out, down the lift and out into the fresh air. Oh bliss...air.....not laced with sedatives!

In the car going home I doze off again and by the time we make it home I'm loads better. Next morning after a long sleep I'm fragile but all vertigo has gone.......

Now I'm at that in between stage. One chapter of my life finished. The next to begin in a few weeks. These next few weeks are the bit in between. Hey I might even get a chance to write a blog........