Lost in space

Returned to hospital ward D 11 as instructed and obviously surprised everyone. My bed was there but there was someone in it so they quickly moved me to ward D 8 where I surprised them also, particularly as it is a spinal injury ward. One of my doctor's found me the next morning but to the rest of the team I was "lost" until one phoned home to speak to me. Lynne was less than impressed and told him I was in his hospital and which ward. He found me quickly and arrangements are now in hand for an operation Thursday 10th October.

Deja-vue

By lunchtime today we had achieved; a change of painkillers for my dodgy leg. ;  a review of my "carer" relationship.   ; a review of my pain measurement criteria. Lynne and I always work on a pain table of 1to10.  1 being hardly noticeable and 10 being pretty bad. As a general rule I have tended to underplay the seriousness, not because I have a low pain threshold or anything, but I appreciate now this strategy does me no favours in my quest for pain relief so I in future I"ll top-load my assessments and compare the results.It certainly worked this morning, resulting in a doubling of my previous pain killer dose. 

Otherwise it is another day waiting for action. I'm scheduled to be back in hospital this afternoon when hopefully I will know what the immediate future holds. Strangely I am fairly convinced they have made a major foo-par by jumping the gun and now having to find an excuse to get out of it with minimum embarrassment. Thus my money is on no action and further monitoring, which is the lesser of two evils I suppose.

If I get that verdict and a cure for my leg I'll be a very happy old man.

Geriatric day out

By way of a change for me,  ( leg wound/tumour), my sister (bad back) and brother -in-law ( 2 bad hips) our "carer" Lynne decided on a day-trip for us all to Ashridge estate in Hertfordshire, which was a great success, lifting the doom and gloom that had pervaded us all over the past week or two. I suffered 4 fits today which we traced to the pain-killer I am taking for my leg, so we will attempt to change them tomorrow? I am like a walking Boots the chemist.

Talking of injuries, Sadie our wandering cat returned with a very sore and swollen front paw .Pheobie  suffered injured pride once her sister returned. In her absence she had attained top cat status on the boat and in the house, only to return to "normal" now. So much for sisterly love.

Released-but tagged

Lots of surgeon activity yesterday, but related to the MRI department, not me unfortunately. Following 3 days and 3 nights of wasted time ( and bed) I finally had a scan at 1800 hrs last night, although the engineer complained he had been waiting over an hour for me, where had I been?  I told him in no uncertain terms but realised afterwards I had probably shot the messenger. I then had the choice of staying in hospital for the weekend and a Tuesday morning operation slot, or going home and returning Monday. Guess which option I took?  I was therefore released on condition I kept my hospital wristband on which apparently ensures my bed cannot be re-allocated and the Tuesday op-slot maintained. I somehow doubt their hospital computer tracking system can be that good, considering it lost me for 3 days whilst still on the premises and in the same bed. Of course their still is a chance no surgery will be required if this second scan merely confirms the first one was faulty. In some ways I will be pleased but equally it will merely add fuel to the  frustration fire already built for lighting. The week has been a terrible strain on me, my family, relatives and especially Lynne, who outwardly copes well but internally gets tremendously stressed, understandably. I am helpless to do anything about it, which again only adds to frustration levels. My leg wound is causing grief, resulting in another hospital visit to the urgent care unit, more painkillers and anti-biotics. This time I'll have enough to complete the course whilst in hospital next week, as they are only willing to dish out drugs related to their own treatment.

Hospital almanac.

Believe it or not, I'm still esconced in hospital awaiting my scan, late Thursday evening. I am more bored than the Dulux dog. "They" hope to get it done sometime tonight or early Friday morning with half a chance I can be released for the weekend ( which weekend ?). My threat of walking out failed to motivate them this afternoon. I reckon bed placements and MRI Scans are arranged by a large committee of old biddies who meet monthly in the KFC on Wandsworth High Street whilst Status Quo tracks blare out on the in-house stereo. How else can you reasonably explain such chaos? At least it is non-cruising weather, which makes my imprisonment marginally easier to accept.

Hospital diary, cat's return

I am able to blog today as absolutely nothing has happened on the medical front, although I have been an in-patient for over 20 hrs. The hospital phoned 1600 yesterday asking me to attend as an in-patient as soon as practical, although the only spare bed was on orphaepedics where I was signed-in and later moved to neurology, where I have remained, waiting for a further, but improved MRI scan ( remember the previous machine broke, which is typical of my luck with any electrical gadgets ) pending a decision on a biopsy to ascertain further treatment. The aim is to improve my quality of life for the maximum time possible, which suits me. 

The medical staff have been fantastic, it is such a shame the administration cannot match them.How difficult can it be to organise a scan, followed by a review and an operation without me taking up valuable bed space for a night and a day? Although a young yob was admitted from A & E having had his skull cracked in a street fight, shouting and swearing, accompanied by 2 police " minders". The nurse did a brilliant job in shutting him up whilst persuading him he would die if he chose to leave. I would have let him go, but I suppose that is unfair on the police?  

As we received the hospital call we also heard from a cat rescue centre in Coven, saying Sadie had been found and handed in, virtually a month since first disappearing, but in reasonable health. Lynne collected and returned her home during my first morning in hospital...... A good sign?

NHS incompetence-DHS efficiency

My phone call from Nottingham hospital last Friday promised I would be contacted yesterday confirming details of my admission and operation, but of course nothing happened , our phone calls late afternoon were unsuccessful. 40 minutes on the phone this morning equally drew a blank until Lynne spoke to the neurological surgery ward sister who confirmed my pre  - op would be later today and my operation tomorrow. Progress.It appears NHS incompetence is not only confined to London.

On a happier and more successful note DHS successfully completed the transfer of 8 gorilla's fromPort Lympne wild animal park to the Congo. The family are doing very well and have settled into their new wild home without problem.

With the knowledge my operation will take place and when,

life is a little more relaxed, although i'm not sure that is an accurate description.

Until the next blog, goodbye.