Background to Operation
I have always been an active person. However, about 2 years ago whilst out in the mountains going climbing I realised that I was getting a terrible pain in my left leg calf muscle (And my “sympathetic” friends didn’t believe me – they thought I was just being lazy!). The pain gradually got worse over the couple of years, getting to the point whereby I couldn’t even walk along the flat on the pavement without having to stop due to the pain (and any hills were out of the question!). I also started to get sore toes when sitting around. AND I gained a Disabled Badge for the car in June 2003 (complete extreme after my active lifestyle!). Originally my leg problem was diagnosed as a trapped nerve and I even went to see an Orthopaedic surgeon whose first words were “It’s not me you need to see, it’s Vascular”. So, 2 MRI scans, an Angiogram, and many ultrasounds later I was diagnosed as having a trapped leg artery. Apparently this was least expected in someone of my age – I am 23 (just!) – usually this problem is found in people over 65. Normally it is due to Arterial Disease, however mine is due to the muscle behind my left knee not attaching itself properly and blocking my artery (Entrapment Syndrome). My understanding is that only about 100 people in the UK have this condition, so as can be imagined it was hard to find out the success rates of me having this bypass operation for it. I was told the ins and outs of a Femoro-Popliteal bypass and thankfully I only had to wait just over a month for the operation itself.
Now here is the journal I kept of my stay in hospital…
Sunday 20th July
Didn’t have that great a night really! In the morning I got up by 9am (figured I might as well make the most of being allowed to leave my bed!). I packed my stuff for going into Ninewells – taking 4 books is, in my case, still a little over ambitious I think! One thing that made me laugh was on my “Stuff to pack” list I had written “Chocolates” twice – quite surprising it was my priority considering I’m not its biggest fan – but that’s stress for you! I then wrote a couple of letters to people in an attempt to chill out and take my mind off my impending operation!
I left the flat, after sad bye-byes (!), at about 1.15pm. I had to leave at this time because I was travelling in my old VW Beetle (Amy!) This is the biggest thing I've done so far in my life myself...
I got a nice friendly welcome to Ward 11 (“Legs 11”!) – Vascular – and was shown to my single room (I was given my own room because I’m “only 23” and the youngest of the other patients is about 50!). The Staff Nurse looking after me is “A”. I have to say she seems quite young to be a Staff Nurse! (I had been getting Charge Nurses and Staff Nurses muddled up as I later found out – not that I’m now saying she was therefore old!!). We went through all the various questions she had to ask She also took my Blood Pressure (BP), and checked my oxygen levels by placing a little clip on the end of my finger. I then had my Blood/Sugar level checked – I was intrigued as to how this was tested – it was just a little jab in the end of my finger with this weird looking tube thing.
It was then explained to me that there are 2 teams – The Red Team and The Blue Team. The Reds are the healthy lot and The Blues are the infected lot! (This was a prime moment for a jokey comment but sadly I just couldn’t think of one quick enough!). I’m pleased to say I’m in the healthy red team! (Infact jokes were made that I shouldn’t even be here because I’m too healthy and young compared to the other patients!).
My sister's CD player doesn’t work which is a real bummer (!), and I don’t have a TV in my room today (not that I actually watch it much anyway!) because one’s broken and they’re on rotation! I was also too tired to concentrate on reading my book! Instead I got stuck into tea and biscuits brought to me – not bad so far, and I even quite enjoyed the food I had earlier – an it was lasagne (my favourite!) which was even better!
One completely annoying aspect to having much older people in the ward – particularly noticeable when trying to go to sleep! – is the fact that those with TVs have the volume really loud. E.g. I can hear one through the wall and even in my room it sounds too loud! Maybe tomorrow night I’ll take revenge – only my excuse will be different!
Monday 21st July (D-DAY!)
I was woken up at 6am, though I was actually already awake – people kept coming in my room last night… firstly at midnight to take away my water because Fasting had begun! Then someone came in to bring me towels and a sexy hospital nightie! I was sent off for a shower whilst a couple of others made my bed. The nurse who showed me where the shower was (it was clearly made with midgets in mind!) explained what my left leg will be like after the op. The only thing I’ll be able to feel is like a burning sensation with the blood going down my leg. There will either be dissolvable stitches or little clips in my leg. (I was now feeling really worried by it!). I asked if it would be bandaged and she shocked me by saying there’d only be a bit of tape over the wounds. There might also be a couple of tubes in my leg to drain the blood. The nurse was saying the reason I’m up so early is because I might now be going first at about 8am, although the final list hasn’t been decided yet. I think, actually, I’d rather have it first than having to be waiting until lunchtime.
I went down to the Vascular Lab from 8.45am to about 9.30am. “B” marked my legs and my right arm. So far it seems that my right leg has the longest best vein with some parts of it 4mm! (The surgeons like to have 4mm +. However last time my legs were scanned they were only 3mm so I was told that arm vein would be used. Leg vein is better than arm vein though because the vein walls are thicker and so the graft should last longer – it’s just weighing this up with the diameters available). (My arm vein looks good too though!).
Left leg (top-bottom) = 3.6 / 3.4 / 3 / 2.8
Right leg (top-bottom) = 3.9 / 4 / 4 / 3.6 / 3
Right arm (top-bottom) = 4 / 3.8 / 4.2
I kept joking with “B” when we decided that the numbers on my arms were like tattoos! “Surgeon” came to the vascular lab and he also marked which leg has the blocked artery (after all it would be awful if they bypassed the wrong one!).
Taken to Theatre (wheeled in bed, unlike chair to Vascular lab!) at 9.50am (I said goodbye to my nice unscarred legs!). It didn’t take all that long to get to the Theatre Reception Suite (It was along the main corridor on the same level as you leave Ward 11 – infact you could see the double doors from my single room!). In there I met 2 anaesthetist nurses. The staff nurse of the two barely looked much older than me! They put a name band on me and then asked me various questions including could I confirm it was my signature on the consent form! (There was also a bit saying that I accepted the “loss of limb risk”. I’ve never actually accepted it but I had to be positive and say that I was okay. They then explained how the anaesthetic would be given, and pointed to the Recovery room which I’d wake up in. (Oh yes, and I was still really worried about the general anaesthetic – I even asked them how they’d know they’d given me enough! My example was of being given a local anaesthetic – they think they’ve given you enough but then you still end up feeling whatever it is they’re doing!). I was then wheeled to the next area, the Anaesthetic room (still within the same area). This room was scary as I knew this was where they “put you down” so to speak! Once in there they lifted me over onto an operating table which was a lot narrower and had oxygen and pain killer tanks underneath it. The staff anaesthetist nurse stood by me and explained everything that was being done to me as it happened. First of all they put 2 sticky pads on my chest and two on my side, and connected various wires to them – this was an ECG – checking my heart, and would be on me throughout the operation! At this point it was reading 96 beats a minute, which was high seeing as it’s only meant to be 72! A drip was then put into my left hand. The Consultant Anaesthetist also put stuff into numb both my legs (nerve blocks). The staff nurse then put an oxygen mask on me. This must’ve been what knocked me out because I remember her putting it on me but I don’t remember anything after that! I went into the theatre at about 10am. The next thing I remember is waking up in the recovery room. There were about 2 old men in with me but they were both sitting up on their own.
When I came round I was in severe pain, though really struggled to tell them this because I couldn’t speak due to (a) Having had a tube down my throat, and (b) Currently having an oxygen mask on. I was also physically shaking and was feeling freezing. The pain and shaking were unbearable. I just managed to ask for another blanket which they gave me. The Consultant Anaesthetist was standing on my LHS in his suit and tie. He told me and the other 5 or so nurses that I’d had my full dose of morphine and that he was concerned I was in so much pain still and shaking as I was. They then ordered me some more morphine, and drew the curtains around my bed as they tried to sort me out. I asked what time it was and was shocked to learn it was 4pm! The op had taken them 6 hours and “Surgeon” (surgeon) was there and I remember him saying it was a long op but had gone well and I remember thanking him. I left the Recovery Room and headed back to the ward at about 5pm. As I left they all said bye to me. I don’t entirely remember going back down the corridor or back into my room – I must have gone to sleep again.
At about 11pm a nurse came in and was a very cheery! They came in with a wheelchair thing that was actually a loo (Commode). (Utterly embarrassing...!). It was then a major operation to get from by bed onto the commode. My right leg felt okay (I have a cut from the top of my right knee to the very top of that leg where they took the vein out to use as the bypass – you apparently don’t need this vein as it only takes 10% of the blood and the other veins can manage without it) and I tried to put my weight on it but my knee just gave way! I then got fairly frustrated when I realised I was just going to collapse by myself. I eventually got on to it! The nurses then went away to get me new bedclothes because they were covered in blood! I then had to buzz them back again because sitting up was making me feel very sick. Again we had major problems getting me back onto my bed, and at this point I couldn’t focus and felt very dizzy and sick.
I then buzzed again at 3am because I had a really sore stomach and a nurse gave me an injection to thin my blood (Fragmin).
Tuesday 22nd July
I was very tired today, more so than yesterday. In the morning I was visited by the woman doctor and about 4 other people (all at the same time!). The nurse removed the bandages on both legs and I was surprised that my right leg cut (where they took the vein from) is actually longer than my left leg cut. My right leg cut looked pretty awful.
I was put on my last drip bag – they want me to actually drink more water. (Initially I couldn’t drink water by myself so I had to have it off these swab things). I just slept today – I was more tired than yesterday. Also at about 2.15pm I had to go through the whole loo thing again but they were much better this time (2 different people to last night) because they actually lifted me on to it.
Had been on nasal oxygen (2 litres of it) for a while when back in room.
3.45pm – “Surgeon” came to see me. Everything seems okay just now. The graft goes centrally behind my knee deep down (they pushed it over to the centre via the cuts in the side of my leg). They had to cut some tendon out at the top of my muscle or otherwise this tendon risked trapping the graft. My leg is at it’s riskiest when my knee is straight. The graft doesn’t follow the ordinary route of a vessel – it runs straight down the middle – going to the side was going to make it too kinky. My Griffiths thinks I may have problems with my knee due to the tendon being cut out a bit. They went straight for my right leg vein, based on the measurements mapped out. They were happy with this vein so didn’t bother looking at my left leg vein, hence the cut on my left leg not being so long as originally told. “Surgeon” was pleased with how the op went but admitted it took them a rather long time! I thanked him for it being such a good job (and he added “so far”!). He said my leg will be under close observation particularly once my leg moves again and when it’s straight.
5pm – The woman doctor came in again. I had a nerve block in my right leg aswell which is why it’s still numb (they hadn’t realised this!). She was saying my condition’s very rare and that it was a major op I’d had. The reason my leg’s most at risk when it’s straight is because this is when things are getting stretched.
She also told me most people feel, like I do, more tired the day after the op. My blood tests were all okay.
At about 11pm the nurses became concerned by how low my BP had become – it was 98 instead of 108. They called the doctor and I explained there was a slight tightness in my left calf muscle. She said it might be a complication of Vascular Surgery – Compartment Syndrome – whereby the blood is all built up inside my leg and they might have to make a small cut to reduce the pressure. I then went to sleep okay. I woke up at 3am feeling as though I couldn’t breathe and feeling as if I was having a heart attack. The nurses quickly checked my BP and oxygen levels – they were all okay. They then called the doctor out and she took a heart tracing. It was okay. She also took an Arterial blood sample. Again at this time I’d heard whispers of there being a possible problem but no-one would tell me anything. In the morning I asked if my leg was okay and again everyone just avoided the subject with me. The worst part was hearing snippets including “Sarah” and “blood clot” – though I really didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Mum and Dad rang the ward and they told me they knew at midnight last night about a possible problem but that they had all decided not to tell me. “Surgeon” and the doctors came round in the morning. They no longer think I have a blood clot but are sending me for a scan just to be certain
Wednesday 23rd July
The woman doctors (3 of them) and “Surgeon” came to see me during the morning rounds. They don’t now think I’ve a blood clot but want me to go down to the Vascular Lab to confirm the bypass is working okay, via an ultrasound. I was also sent along to the opposite end of Ninewells (in my rickety bed!) for them to take pictures of my lungs with air and then my lungs with blood.
These tests took all morning. The doctors then saw me at lunchtime and told me everything seems okay! When I got back to my room Trevor was there! We chatted for about an hour and I felt shattered at the end! He brought me peaches and nectarines. “A” then came in to take the tubes out my leg, whilst Trevor was still there! (It was a mega operation in the morning having shower on seat and having to carry 2 blood bottles around with me!).
Keith and Aileen came to visit. Then I watched TV and crashed out.
Thursday 24th July
Only woke up once last night – at about 4am – because my legs were killing me. “C” brought me a painkiller. I felt better in the morning having had a better night’s sleep- my body clock feels a little more in synch now. (I actually didn’t want to get up when they woke me up at 7.45am!).
The doctors came to see me. They know that my leg is still numb (Thought I managed to hobble my own way to the shower this morning, which was a definite improvement!). The woman doc reminded me, however, that I’m only on my 3rd morning after the op so they might expect the numbness and swelling to go down in a few days. The numbness is due to small nerves having been cut. The doc said she hopes to get me started on physio today everyone thinks I’m doing amazingly well considering I’ve had a major op. (Oh! And I now have a TV! Still got a sore throat from the tube though). The nurse gave me my blood-thinning injection in my arm and it truly killed as it went in – I’ve had so many I my arm that it’s now very sensitive!). My BP was weird today because this morning it was only 97 over 63 (about the lowest it’s been), but a few hours later it was 122 over 74 (the highest it’s been!). They don’t understand me!
Anne Colhoughn came to visit me in the morning. She brought me some body lotion. She came at about 10am and stayed until about 10.40am.
I had my lunch, etc, and felt very tired. Then at 2pm, when I was least expecting it (!), my former army Adjutant came to visit! It was really good to see her! She brought me a couple of magazines, a huge bar of Dairy Milk and also some strawberries. She also got most excited that my blood group is A Negative – she’s never met someone who is this group – no wonder…I’ve been told only 11% of people in Scotland are this blood group! She left at about 2.55pm (just after her mobile had rung and she’d got a serious row for using it!). I showed her the window with the 2 circles (which is the main corridor) and explained you could wave from there. I told her to look out for my cards and she made me laugh by putting my balloon over as a marker! (Such an army thing to do!).
Sheila (aunt who I never see or hear from!) then came 5 mins after Adj left and stayed until 4.20pm. I was then truly knackered! Lucy (sister!) sent me a card (I now have 15 cards!) and she had put “Legs 11” as the address – the nurse then told me that their pub quiz team name is “No Legs 11”!!
My blood pressure was taken at 8.30pm. I don’t know what the bottom figure means – it seems to be the top number that matters the most. This morning when I woke up it was 97. At 11am it was 122 and at 8.30pm it was 126 (It was only 108 before my op). They’ve also been feeling my left calf muscle a lot – it being warm doesn’t seem to be that good, although it feels okay just now.
By 9pm my legs are looking pretty bruised. Looking at it is a bit gross and actually makes me feel a bit sick.
This is the view from my window:
(to follow!)
Oh yes I’ve realised I’m BECOMING a granny because:
1. I need to use the handles to go to the loo!
2. I keep forgetting what I was about to say during conversation!
3. I need to have the TV loud because I can’t hear mine for all the other loud TVs around!
4. If I drop something (which is a sign in itself!) I can’t bend down to pick it up!
5. I’m finding Gardening programmes and “Richard and Judy” good watching!
Friday 25th July
It wasn’t the usual woman doctor who came round this morning – it was “Surgeon”. He said that both my legs are looking good. He felt for a pulse in my left foot and said “Good!” He then hyper-extended my leg (made it straight) and again the pulse was good! I explained to him that I can’t put the whole of my left foot on the ground due to the pain and he said it’s very important that I keep working on this. He is going to get someone to give me a bandage to put on my foot so that I can do stretches in bed to improve it I told him how I still can’t feel the front of my leg. He said that this is because some nerves are so small they don’t realise they’re cutting through them and other nerves they need to cut through – unfortunately that’s part of the type of surgery I had. He said that if the feeling doesn’t start to return in a few weeks, and if it hasn’t completely returned by two months then unfortunately it will never return.
I’ve also been told that I can go home on Monday (Although “Surgeon” won’t let me go if there’s not been a big improvement with my left foot).
I was speaking to the nurse later on in the morning. She said that they will give me a sick line for the time I’ve been in hospital. She said I will need to go and see my GP on discharge and he will sign me off for the rest of the time. The nurse said “I’ll be lucky” if I’m ready to go back in 2 months, she thinks it’ll be nearer 3. She said I have to remember that I’ve had major surgery. She said usually because it’s older people they take forever to get better, I’ve done very well post-op but I feel better than I am because I’m still in hospital, I’m not doing much, and there’s a nurse on the end of a buzzer. She said when I leave I’ll be surprised at how tired I’ll be, even just walking around. She kept going on about it being major surgery and that I need to give myself time to recover.
Late morning a woman from Physio came to see me (finally!). She doesn’t want to get me up walking around until I’ve had my tests at the Vascular Lab. However she is going to also be bringing me some crutches later on today. She asked if I’d used crutches before and, when I said I hadn’t, we had a laugh when she said she’d give me lessons this afternoon! It’s good getting to do stuff rather than just wasting away in bed!
At about 1pm Mr Black (a surgeon?) came to my room with “Surgeon”. Mr Black said he’s going to be looking after me over the weekend. He said he was very interested in my operation and had “popped in for a visit” (!) during the op and everything was going well. He asked if I minded if he felt my foot, and when he did he said “Wonderful pulse”!!
After lunch I was wheelchaired down to the Vascular Lab (I’m getting better with my fear of lifts now!). They took pressure measurements of my ankles and wrists. Everything is now equal pressure-wise which they’re really pleased with – before my op there was apparently quite a difference. They also ultrasounded the bottom half lf my left leg and also the bypass. It is free of clots! They were quite interested by my bypass – normally they are straight but, in my case, it’s on a curve. It looks like:
(to follow!)
(I will next be at the Vascular Lab in 6 weeks time for the start of my check-up programme).(“B” was saying that when she next sees me she expects me to come running down – I said “I tried to come running down this time but I wasn’t allowed! But I’m here in the chair this time and that’s an improvement from the bed last time!!”). When I returned to my room at Ward 11 I was met by 2 Physios. They had brought me some crutches – I’m quite excited my crutches – I reckon it could be quite a lot of fun! I put my trainers on and they taught me how to sit down and get up again using crutches. They then made me walk past the nursing station and then to the stairs for some more practice! If there is a handrail at the stairs you an leave one crutch behind and use this for support. If not then you have to be brave to go for it with 2 crutches (the drop looks quite scary when going down!). I only went down and then up one flight of stairs twice and then back to the ward, and I can honestly say I was knackered after that! (this reminds me I have had major surgery – the fact I got so tired!). They offered me a zimmer frame (half jokingly!) and I said “No – I need to still have some sort of street cred!”!!
Tackling stairs (“Good goes to heaven, bad goes to hell” – Good leg first going up, bad leg first going down)
1. Going down
a. Put crutches down a step.
b. Then put down bad leg
c. Then put down good leg
d. Repeat!
2. Going up
a. Keep crutches as they are
b. Put good leg up
c. Put bad leg up
d. Bring crutches up
e. Repeat!
3. Walking
a. Crutches forward
b. Good leg forward
c. Bad leg forward
d. Repeat!
There was an old man on the flight of stairs above also practicing and he said to me “Race You!”… I was ashamed… HE WON!!!
They were also saying they are going to arrange for me to get Physio at Crieff Cottage Hospital. Other exercises I’ve to do to help my leg are:
1. Put bandage round foot, hold onto ends of bandage and pull foot upwards therefore stretching my leg out.
2. Put towel rolled up under foot, make leg straight, then tense quad muscles for about 5 secs, and repeat this process.
3. Standing with hands on firm surface push heels (in-turn) down onto floor. Then put rolled towel under ball of foot and push heels down.
I have to say that I really was completely knackered after that little go with the crutches! (Another tell-tale sign that I am officially becoming a granny!).
I have a different nurse looking after me today. Apparently she already knew I have a place at Sandhurst because they’d all been discussing me at the Nurses Station!
Today I was finding it very difficult to take my 2 paracetamol tablets. Early afternoon I had struggled to take the first one – as in swallowing it. The second one I couldn’t swallow at all (even with it broken up) and I ended up putting it in the bin. I then felt physically sick in the afternoon from the paracetamol. (I haven’t – stupidly – told the nurses any of this yet but I’ll tell them before my second dose!).
Just after the 2 physios left Anne Keen (from Perth!) came to visit and she stayed until about 4pm. She brought me a puzzle book (which did it’s round of the ward!) and also The Beano! Again I was completely knackered – infact I could really do with a sleep but I’m forcing myself to stay awake so that I can try and get my bodyclock back into synch! (Although having said that, last night I got very little sleep because (a) They checked my Obs (BP, Temp and O2 levels – this is what they check each time they do BP) at 11.30pm. (b) They’d given me tablets at 11.20pm (c) Someone came in to give me fresh water at 11.45pm (d) I had to get more painkillers at 1.10pm and (e) “C” checked my BP etc at 6.30am (I’d asked her if it was “get up time” and she’d said “No, check up time”!), (f) and I got up at 7.40am! Phew!!).
Mum and Dad came to visit at 5.30pm. Liz from the shop appeared at 6.20pm which was nice. She brought me a “Happy Leg Day” postcard (which later made the nurses laugh!) and a book on “The Hindu Kush” which was nice. Then, from 7.05pm – 8.20pm Iain and Carolann came too. It was really good to see them too. When they all left they waved to me from the infamous “Circles window” (they felt they’d been chucked out at 8.20pm!).
Oh… painkiller problem is now solved because they’re now giving me it in the dissolvable form!
At 8.30pm it was really funny because all the nurses came into my room to watch the Big Brother 3 final! They even told me to use my buzzer to call them when someone was getting evicted! (And most of us were pleased when Cameron won!).
Hoping to sleep better, especially now I’ve shunt out my hand (it kept, previously, getting caught in the bed covers!). Oh and an annoying aspect of the hospital – it’s so warm – even with just one blanket it’s roasting, and even with the fan it’s suffocating! I’m surprised they have it so warm because you’d think that the heat would spread infections.
Saturday 26th July
The night-shift team who were on in the early hours were a completely new set of people, none of whom I’ve seen before.
Someone came into my room at 12.20am and, because of their state of urgency I actually thought that the hospital was on fire or something and we were all having to evacuate! (They had woken me up after all!). They then said “Sarah – we’re moving you to the ward”. I was still confused, but quickly realised that they meant that minute! So, I was wheeled through to the bay with the grannies (and every single one of them – all 5 – are missing atleast one leg so it’s rather depressing). Apparently I had to move because a man was coming from A&E and they thought he should have a single room (whether I’d have been moved had it been the team who know me is another question). I so couldn’t get to sleep (about 1.15am) because of all the oxygen tanks and the grannies all making stupid noises! It was also boiling in the bay.
The grannies all got up at 6.20am only to then go to sleep in their chairs which was mega annoying – I have no intention of going to sleep in my chair!
I can see, when someone comes, and wave to Room 3 from the window with the circles and realise I’m not in there anymore they’re going to think I’m dead or something! (Later heard that the reason Alice had phoned Mum so often on the day of my op was because she’d dreamt that I’d died, and she wanted to be sure I was ok!).
At 10am Mr Black (Vascular Surgeon on call) came round to view my bypass. I explained it’s very sore today and he said it will be. I also said how I’ve been feeling very sick today (and last night) and he said this was due to the General Anaesthetic. (He explained I’d had a large amount of it!). I stupidly forgot to ask when I can go home!
Mark Sherwood came to visit at about 11am – though had to disappear briefly when they came to change my dressings! He brought me lots of “Global Adventure” magazines!
I then spoke to Laura – granny on my RHS – she’s 60 years older than me! (She also has no legs). The next youngest person in my bay is 78! The oldest is 85!
The nurse (“D”) gave me an injection for my sickness – the downside of this very sore jab is that it then made me feel very tired and a bit dizzy.
The nurse then gave me a couple of paracetamol before tea. When tea came I forgot it makes me laugh – they always include your bit of menu you filled in so that you know what you’re eating! (One night I had had Cottage Pie, the next Pasta Bolognaise, and I can honestly say that appearance and taste wise there didn’t seem to be much difference between the two!).
My rabbit slippers have been the talk of the ward, everyone thinks they’re very cute!
Sunday 27th July
We had to get up at 7.30am today which was annoying because I’d slept well. (Whereas yesterday I hadn’t and we didn’t get up until 9am!). Mr Black was on the doctor rounds this morning. He laughed at my rabbit slippers! He then made us all laugh by going away and coming back with another patient’s toy – a large golden lab on a lead – and sat it opposite my rabbits and told it to “go get them!”!! (“D” apparently has a real pet rabbit which is exactly like my slipper!). I was asking when I can go home and Mr Black said that “Surgeon” will want to see me and he’s not in until Tuesday. Mr Black told me my legs are looking good now and that I should aim for Tuesday for getting home (A little disappointing as I had been told it’d probably be tomorrow – just very bored now!!).
One of the other nurses (“E”) then came to give me an injection. I’ve had so many injections now (I get Fragmin – the blood-thinner – each day by injection plus the sickness ones and my arms are getting sore now!). She offered it in my bum (!) but I said my arm would do! I also told her how my left-hand has been shaking. Turns out that the doctor thinks it’s my combination of pain-killers which are making me sick.
Got a trip today in the wheelchair, down the corridor, and outside to the front door. I was surprised how tired this made me, despite me not actually doing anything! Olivia and Eva then came which was a nice surprise! They stayed until just before 8pm (at which time it was peak visiting time in the bay – everyone had a visitor!). I then watched a bit of TV in the dayroom and secretly texted Sarah and others!
Monday 28th July
Laura (83year old next to me) angled her wheelchair round towards me… I knew what this meant… she then completely bored me with her whole life history for over 3 hours!!!
“A” then brought us all our afternoon cups of tea! I then spoke to “C”rgaret (the woman opposite me who is also 83). She has been trying to knit a jumper but hasn’t had any success as she thinks the instructions are wrong!
I later listened to more of Laura’s life history. Mum and Dad came to visit and, with the aid of my crutches, I walked all the way to outside the front door and back (quite tiring and sore on my leg muscles!). When I got back I was told not to overdo it, and only to walk as far as the lift on my ward – seeing as it was only a week ago that I had major surgery.
Feeling fairly bored I got a nice surprise when I was told that I was being move back into the single room – they felt I could do with a break from the grannies! “C”rgaret and already gone home and Laura joked “Snob!” as I was moved!
Once in my own room I had a bit of a crazy moment, and decided to take one of my crutches apart and have fun with it! So, here is what I came up with:
TOP FIVE ALTERNATIVE USES OF CRUTCHES (Middle section only!)
1. Pea-shooter
2. Rifle-training
3. Recorder
4. Golf putter
5. Grass Sprinkler
I also began to wish that I had my climbing rope because I could see some good abseiling to be had from out my window!!! (joke!).
I also now have a couple of hospital related jokes:
1. Don’t leave the aspirins lying around, because the Parrots Eat Em All!
2. Who are the friendliest people in the hospital? The ultra-sound guys!
Just after tea (about 6.40pm) I was really pleased when Sarah (friend and flatmate) and Gaz came to visit. They brought me some pencils and a really nice pot of pink Begonias. Sadly, due to infection control, the flowers had to go to the Flowers room (I later found out it’s only vascular who have this rule – because of the risk of infection to wounds from the soil and from cut flowers). I had a right laugh with them! I told them about the window with the circles. I saw them at the infamous window and I was waving frantically! They then spotted me and waved. Sarah then made her and I really laugh by lifting her top up!! (I wasn’t sure how to return the gesture!).
My leg is being weird tonight… I still can’t feel the front of it but I can feel it pulsating which is weird. I also sometimes feel my toes are weird, but I think this is due to the numb area. Also blood pressure down to 97 again.
It seems all the nurses get a report on each of the patients as they come on their shift. I went to bed at about 11.30pm and slept much better being in my own space again.
Tuesday 29th July
One of the nurses came into my room at 3.30am to take my Purple folder away (contains all my medical info). I woke right up, she asked if I was okay, I grumbled yes, and went straight back to sleep! Most odd… I think I must have been half-asleep!
At 7.55am “A” (my named nurse – not sure what this is though!) woke me up. She asked if I wanted my paracetamol but I said I was okay. She then came back in to give me my fragmin injection. She said “You’re going home today!” I said “Cool” (though I’m getting on so well with everyone now I don’t know that I want to go!). She realised then that I didn’t know this for sure!
“Surgeon” came round on the doctors round at 8.45am. He asked if I was going home and I said it apparently depended on what he said! He was saying that, as he said, the numbness might never go away. He said I shouldn’t worry about this because if something will stop me doing the army it’s much more likely to be having a bypass than having a patch of numbness on my leg. He said he has a collegue who is in the marines with a broken collar bone (he hasn’t told them) and is getting on fine.
“Surgeon” said (again!) how they’ll have cut through small nerves they couldn’t see which is why my leg’s numb. He said they did preserve the bigger nerves and that by doing this “it caused some difficult moments during the operation”. I thanked him and also thanked him for what seems to have been a successful bypass. He left by saying that as long as the physios are happy then he is happy for me to go home! (The purple bit on my foot is apparently a bruise though he’s not entirely sure why it’s bruised, but said it’s nothing to worry about).
I was then speaking to one of the younger nurses (the one who reminds me of Karen Lang). She said she’s quite bored because they’ve only 22 patients, despite 30 beds, and in her area there are more nurses than patients to look after! I asked her what “Named nurse” was. She said this is the nurse who admitted you, who does all your paperwork, and who sorts out your discharge and is your point-of-contact.
Oh yeah… and “A” told me the metal frame thing that’s been sitting on my room floor is one of those cage things for putting over your legs so that the bed clothes stay clear.
“C” then came into my room for a chat and a laugh! She’s been good to put up with all my questions about what all the numbers on the BP machine mean, what is “normal” etc! She had commented at one point that she’s the one who is meant to be learning not me!! Anyway, she’s going to try and get me some notes on BP etc to satisfy my curious mind! We had such a laugh!
“C” (and the nurse like Karen Lang) were really nice and brought me a Teaching Booklet on Blood Pressure. It’s really interesting – maybe I’ll be a nurse if I don’t get through Sandhurst! (No I don’t think I’d have the patience – I’d be causing havoc… having the patients abseiling out the windows etc!).
“A” came in about 11.30am to say she’s trying to get hold of the Physios so I can get more stairs practice! “A” laughed at my long diary I’ve been keeping whilst I’ve been in the hospital, and laughed at all the questions I had written down about my discharge from the hospital!
The physios then came ten minutes later. They answered the rest of my questions and gave me more practice on the stairs – the trouble I have is remembering which order crutches and legs go when going up and down the stairs! I just need to remember the rule!
Spoke to “A” again. They don’t think I’ll have to go on Aspirin despite “Surgeon” thinking I might be. They’ve just said to call doc if anything weird happens to leg. Blood clots (DVT) are most likely to occur after first couple of days after surgery so I should be okay (Phew!).
1pm – “A” has spoken to “Surgeon” – he does want me sent home on Aspirin! Most confusing! (Their shifts (nurses) are 7am – 3pm, 3pm – 10pm, and 10pm – 7am). Everyone has said they’ll miss my rabbits!! Swab-test do-da was done – checks for MSRA (?) – some disease that could potentially be fatal with having wounds.
I then went round to the Bay to speak to all the grannies. They were really chatty today! I actually quite like speaking to them – they can really make you laugh! I also took them some books I thought they might like.
Jimmy heard about our disastrous family – Dad with Flesh-eating bug and me with my BypassES!! (I’m back to Ninewells Oct/Nov time to ENT. I also have a blocked tear duct and they are going to be bypassing it using tissue from my nose to create a new tear channel (takes 2 ops!) – only done on 3 others in the UK so far as it’s such a new experimental procedure (if it goes wrong they’ll just stick a tube in as a channel). This op’s a bit of a joke really after my big leg bypass!). Atleast I’m unique with 2 bypasses!!
“B”, from Vascular lab, came by. She was pleased to hear I’m getting home today, and wants to see me running down to them for my check-up in 6 weeks time!
I was then given my medication and various paperwork. I have paracetamol and another strong painkiller which I can’t remember the name, of to take a couple of. I then have to take one aspirin each day, which will be an on-going thing. Aspirin is to make my blood less sticky for it going through the bypass. Explaining the need to celebrate the relief of being post-op I asked what the deal is with Alcohol! (Not that I actually drink that much – usually one glass of something and I’m asleep!). Alcohol is okay with the aspirin but not with the others.
I then left the hospital about about 4.30pm. I thanked those who were around (though would have preferred to have thanked more of the others personally than just leave messages!). Gave the nurses a big tub of “Heroes” – I ‘ll send them a card and a copy of this diary later!
