In April 2021, Adrian drove me over to Brighton Hospital for my surgery. He wasn’t able to come in so he dropped me off early in the morning with my bag.
After being put in a hospital gown and given various pre-op tests, I walked down to theatre which was good as I didn’t feel like a sick person!
It was the anaesthetist that I saw and he explained what was going to happen. I think you always plan to take note of when you drop off to sleep but of course it happens before you know it.
The next thing you know is when you gradually regain consciousness. The first thing is your hearing. I heard the nurse and the surgeon discussing that all had gone well and that I was coming round. I was also aware that my legs were shaking quite violently, an effect of the anaesthetic! I wanted to thank the surgeon but by the time I could speak, he had gone. The nurse reassured me and my bed was moved to a different area of the recovery ward.
There were no beds clear on the main wards and so I stayed there until the evening but gratefully received a tuna sandwich, a cup of tea, and a biscuit! I also noticed that I was on oxygen which made breathing very easy! Eventually I was taken up to a normal ward for the night.
The next morning I started taking Levothyroxine as of course I was no longer able to generate my own.
Each morning a consultant and rather large entourage would come round and check on us patients. I was feeling very breathless and was making the stridor noise even on small efforts like getting out of bed to use the commode! I was reluctant to give up the oxygen but the consultant explained that it was better for my lungs to do some work, so I complied.
I noted to the consultant that my voice sounded different (even more different than it had pre-surgery). He said that my voice was very serviceable. I said “yes, it is serviceable, but it’s not mine!” He said that we should focus on what we all want which is for me to be able to get back home and recover. I couldn’t disagree with that.
I was pretty tired for a couple of days. I had to stay an extra night as the drain hadn’t cleared.
I tried to be active on the ward by finding a small space to march on the spot and do some stretches and lunges.
Before I knew it, I was able to leave and Adrian came to collect me.
Note to self, if I ever have surgery again, I will take prunes and all-bran. Take that how you like!
After a quiet week at home, I started to feel myself again.
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