Post Op Update

This will be a shortish update blog,  whilst many of you follow us on Twitter & FB, I want to make sure everyone who has shown us care and consideration isn't left wondering what has occurred.

Yesterday morning, (Thurs 19th march) I sneaked on the ward around 8.30 to see Julie, she was remarkably calm, Kate, one of the Snr Nurses was looking after Julie was doing her observations & charts also double checking everything for theatre, she was about to give her a powerful one dose antibiotic called Vancocin via an Intravenous drip, it has to be delivered slowly as it can cause pain in the veins, it would be delivered over three hours, a man with a trolley appeared "Julie? You're next up"

All prepped  Julie went down to theatre at 11.20. I walked with her, Kate and the porter as he pushed her bed, as we waited for the Operating Theatre lift to arrive I kissed my wife and hugged her, whilst I'm positive the surgery will go well you just never know and as I walked away the reality of what could be hit me and a grown man of 58 openly wept going down a very long corridor, it's going to be a long day.

With the benefit of the first operation I knew it would be unlikely that Julie would be back on the ward before 5 and I had been 'Royally Rollicked' by Mrs Shute for I'd arrived without getting breakfast for myself and I'd forgotten to do my own Asthma drugs, so I was under strict instructions to get my backside home. So boosting Mersey Travel's funds with another trip through the Mersey Tunnel I headed home and took my meds.

I filled my day sorting out the dustbins, a letter arrived that contained documents I had to sign on Oath so I called our Solicitors and arranged to do it with them, back home, write a letter to accompany the signed legal docs as it was going straight back in the post, a trip to the Post Office and back home for a brew.

I was slightly concerned the Stair lift company hadn't put in an appearance as by now its gone One p.m. and they have two stair lifts to install so a call to them, yes they are on schedule. thirty mins later and their guy is here and he gets stuck straight in to the job. Always best to leave professionals to it I find.

3.30 came and I knew I was pushing my luck but I called the ward, there was no news on Julie, so that's four hours gone by. Around 4.45 the engineer had fitted the two stair lifts and I followed him out of the door. I hit speed dial on my car kit and called the ward, I spoke with the Staff Nurse and Julie was in recovery, Kate had gone down to collect her, I was on my way.

Ten past and I'm within a couple of miles of the hospital and my phone rings, it's Kate to tell me Julie is back on the ward, she's fine and she's asking for me. within ten mins I'm on the ward and hugging and kissing my amazing wife. The feeling of relief is incredible. She's still connected up to drips, pumps, monitors but she says she feels good, there is no obvious sign this woman has gone through brain surgery. She told me she felt weakness in her leg and her arm to a lesser degree but it may be down to post op swelling, we shall see and well bluntly, we can both 'live with' this as an outcome. I stayed with her until around 10pm, the staff are all so kind, even got offered a cuppa. I was going to decline but Julie was looking forwards to a Huge hot chocolate and seemed disappointed when it was a small mug, the solution was "I'd love a hot chocolate too please!" so two small mugs equals one big mug! Result! Julie ate some toast too. I met the Anaesthetist who had listened intently to Julie's previous experiences and decided an anaesthetic cocktail called TIVA was going to be the best option for Julie, it certainly worked, I thanked her for looking after my lovely wife, she asked was I pleased? I answered "Yes but just slightly disappointed her vocal chords are still working!" Ha! I am sooo going to pay for that hahaha.

A night of sleep, I actually slept until my alarm clock went off, must have been with relief. Up, shower, next stop Sainsbury's, I had to take Julie's phone in, I brought it home whilst she was in surgery so I thought I'd get the staff some cakes, they must get bored of chocolates so I try to be different, it seems to help. At the time of her first op I arrived bearing four dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts, the Staff Nurse as I handed them to declared "They're all mine, right??" lol she was tiny but she was going to defend these donuts to the hilt. A Doctor was severely rebuked for even suggesting he 'might have one' hahaha. On a roasting hot day on another ward I delivered so many orange fruity iced lollies we had a constant stream of staff at Julie's bed thanking us. Today it was around 40 cream cakes, slices, donuts, choux buns. OK its blatant bribery lol but its gratefully received and it has the staff look favourably on me when I plead for oddball visiting hours. I'd say to any of you, be polite to staff, thank them as they come and go and if you can afford a little treat for them even if its just biscuits, it is appreciated.

More importantly Julie was looking well, she said she'd had a restless night mainly down to headache pain and the tightness of the skin on her scalp where they had stitched her up (free face lift hunny lol). After her first op the wound was left uncovered this time it has something similar to masking tape stuck over it, I sense this will need soaking off or it's 'gonna hurt'..  We discussed her left leg, it is weaker for sure but its early days, she's tired and so after fetching her that oh so crucial Costa Coffee latte I kiss my wife goodbye, there are no tears today....