I was admitted to the JR last Friday for Bilateral Laparoscopic surgery to remove both my ovaries, which each have a 5-6cm cyst. I had to be there, clutching a urine sample & my paperwork, starved & showered at 7.30am. My daughter took me & stayed till it became obvious it was going to be quite a long wait. It was a school day, so she was teaching - Waiting would be pointless.
I can say with complete truth that I wasn't at all nervous. Modern anaesthetics are really good - it's the aftermath of surgery you have to be concerned about - Especially at my age & with a heart condition.
The whole pre surgery thing is like a dance with different partners. All giving slightly different information, but asking similar questions. 1st welcoming area -> 2nd waiting area -> 3rd private waiting area - Staff Nurse - questionnaire & wrist bands, am I really me? / Later same area but with Anaesthetist / Later still same area but with Surgeon, (signing consent form). That all took from about 7.10 - 11ish. I was finally left in my little blue curtained world to wait to be called.
I was third on the list, but it was a long wait. You do wonder what is happening - have they forgotten you, is there a problem / emergency - will the surgery go ahead? The medical staff are continuously busy - no one seems to walk slowly. The last time I noticed before I was called was about 12.15.
Then the walk to the operating theatre.
I had a hilarious conversation with my anaesthetist & surgeon about which books we were reading / had read. (I asked them to do me a list of authors when they had a spare moment!) They inserted a cannula & that was the last thing I remember until I was on the ward & it was all over.
I was offered cups of tea - nectar of the Gods, & an eggy sandwich - couldn't eat it, my mouth was so dry & it was like trying to eat cardboard. Throat dry & sore. Everyone says it, but it's true, the staff are wonderful, (with an odd exception, but everyone is allowed an off day).
My daughter & grandsons visited & that was very entertaining. The boys wolfed down my food - they had come from sports day. They were very interested in my drip & cannula, (T noticed that it had blood in, so the nurse took it out when the drip bag was empty). Also in my oxygen feed & my electric Flowtron Boots on my legs - These are in addition to the tasteful compression stockings you wear. Both hopefully stop an embolism. It would be a shame to die when the surgery had been successful, such a waste of time & skill.
I asked to go to the loo at about 7pm, but the nurse brought a commode the first time. (I
seemed to have no real urge to pee, despite the cups of tea & glasses of
water, & it was quite difficult & uncomfortable. No bleeding though). Peeing after surgery is one of the boxes you have to tick. They actually measure your pee output!
Overall I felt OK. Moving was difficult & painful, but that's what I expected. Not permanently gripped with pain, so the drugs were working & presumably the anaesthesia too. The beds are infitintely adjustable & very comfy - I would really like one at home, but wouldn't know how to go about it. Normally I'm woken by pain hourly or less. Being more upright or having my knees raised would help a lot. The bed is about the only thing the patient has control over
There is absolutely constant activity on the ward. It all seems very purposeful & organised. A lot of form filling & reading & screen checking / inputting data. Medics all seem to walk fast, somewhere to go / someone to see - No one ambles. Nurses make regular checks on patients - BP, temp, oxygen, wounds.
The mix of nationalities on the ward is interesting in the light of Brexit - British, Asian, Eastern European & Black. Overwhelmingly women except for doctors & cleaners.
Eventually everyone else in the ward was discharged about 8pm so a private room for Friday night, but right next to the nurses station. How convenient is that - I expect they had worked it out.
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