Well the deed has been done and I'm back home once more. My back is pretty sore, not much worse than a serious graze with bruising but there is that worry that any movement which causes pain might result in everything bursting open. So I'm moving around very cautiously.
Being a private hospital you automatically get an en suite room of your own. (In the NHS you're usually in a 6 bed room). The room was clean and tidy, a few knocks on the woodwork, but the real difference is in the amount of time the staff spend with you. None of those flying visits by random nurses that is more often the case in the NHS. Also the choice of food is good and it was tasty and well presented. Last night I had a smoked salmon salad sandwich on wholemeal bread. The salad was served next to the sandwich so it was easy to pick at slowly whilst lying down. I chose a healthy breakfast; coffee (fresh of course), wheetabix and a fresh fruit plate of orange, grapes, kiwi fruit and pineapple. (Notice I write about the food first.)
The TV had all the Freeview stations so I kept it tuned to Radio 4/ The World Service which was the perfect thing to listen to as I lightly dozed through the night. They kept taking my blood pressure because it got low and the foot pumps, while it is quite nice to have your feet massaged every few seconds, are noisy.
Hanging on the wall opposite the bed was this big photo of St Ives. (I haven't yet worked out how to turn off the flash on my baby Nikon.) It brought back comforting childhood memories as the photographer would have been standing on the beach that was my daily playground when I was a toddler.
I'm not going to bore anyone with gruesome operation details, indeed I was asleep at the time. The last time I had a general anaesthetic I was disappointed not to have been asked to count down from 10, like they do in all the films, so this time I counted anyway as the second injection went in. And I got down to zero (by counting fast) and even remember the anesthetist commenting on the fact. Next thing I knew I was in the recovery room and I remembered the advice I had been given at the pre-op appointment to ask for pain relief there as they have stronger stuff than down on the ward. The low blood pressure kept me woozy all night but I slumbered away listening to the radio and sticking my arm out when the nurse came in to do her obs.
After some x-rays in the morning and advice from the physio there was not much to do but sit and wait for Peter to collect me. It was a 2 hour drive home on the scenic Old Road which runs through the river valley all the way up to Barnstaple. There are some very pretty parts especially when you drive through the forest. It's a deceptive forest because it runs up the side of one hill and then turns into farmland but you would never know as you pass under mature trees shading the road. Now I have 7 weeks of R&R to look forward to and I shall take it extra easy for the first 2 weeks though the ban on sitting up in bed has scuppered some of my plans.
Being a private hospital you automatically get an en suite room of your own. (In the NHS you're usually in a 6 bed room). The room was clean and tidy, a few knocks on the woodwork, but the real difference is in the amount of time the staff spend with you. None of those flying visits by random nurses that is more often the case in the NHS. Also the choice of food is good and it was tasty and well presented. Last night I had a smoked salmon salad sandwich on wholemeal bread. The salad was served next to the sandwich so it was easy to pick at slowly whilst lying down. I chose a healthy breakfast; coffee (fresh of course), wheetabix and a fresh fruit plate of orange, grapes, kiwi fruit and pineapple. (Notice I write about the food first.)
The TV had all the Freeview stations so I kept it tuned to Radio 4/ The World Service which was the perfect thing to listen to as I lightly dozed through the night. They kept taking my blood pressure because it got low and the foot pumps, while it is quite nice to have your feet massaged every few seconds, are noisy.
Hanging on the wall opposite the bed was this big photo of St Ives. (I haven't yet worked out how to turn off the flash on my baby Nikon.) It brought back comforting childhood memories as the photographer would have been standing on the beach that was my daily playground when I was a toddler.I'm not going to bore anyone with gruesome operation details, indeed I was asleep at the time. The last time I had a general anaesthetic I was disappointed not to have been asked to count down from 10, like they do in all the films, so this time I counted anyway as the second injection went in. And I got down to zero (by counting fast) and even remember the anesthetist commenting on the fact. Next thing I knew I was in the recovery room and I remembered the advice I had been given at the pre-op appointment to ask for pain relief there as they have stronger stuff than down on the ward. The low blood pressure kept me woozy all night but I slumbered away listening to the radio and sticking my arm out when the nurse came in to do her obs.
After some x-rays in the morning and advice from the physio there was not much to do but sit and wait for Peter to collect me. It was a 2 hour drive home on the scenic Old Road which runs through the river valley all the way up to Barnstaple. There are some very pretty parts especially when you drive through the forest. It's a deceptive forest because it runs up the side of one hill and then turns into farmland but you would never know as you pass under mature trees shading the road. Now I have 7 weeks of R&R to look forward to and I shall take it extra easy for the first 2 weeks though the ban on sitting up in bed has scuppered some of my plans.
PS for those who live with a different health system.
Here in the UK we have a National Health Service. If you work money is deducted from your pay along with all the other random taxes. If you don't work you don't pay BUT everyone in this country gets free health service. It's not always the best and often you have to wait, like me with my back though years ago I had a D&C within a few weeks. Some people pay insurance for private health care but that is the exception. I had my op done in the private hospital by my NHS consultant because the NHS had more than doubled the statutory wait of 18 weeks at the NHS hospital and they are trying to clear up the back log. Prescription, not hospital, medicines cost about £7.50 each though if you need more than 2 it is worth having a yearly ticket which works out to £9 a month for unlimited medicines. National Health dental care is limited and often not so good so many people do pay for private dentists. I'm stuck with the NHS dentist, a check up is £15, minor treatment like fillings are £45 and for root canals and dentures it is £250. These prices are what I remember anyway. Eye tests are free for children, students, claimants and pensioners with some free or subsidised glasses everyone else pays. All visits to your GP (family doctor) and any treatments at their surgery or health centre are also free. As long as we can stop the greedy Tories from privatising/outsourcing our health service we will have a system where nobody has to fear being unable to pay for treatment.
2 comments:
Am so happy your country is able to provide health care to all her citizens ... and also happy you're doing so well you can pop on the computer and tell us all about it so quickly!
Glad to hear from you Ruta. Your explanation of NHC was good and appreciated. I am wishing you an easy and quick healing time.
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