Apparently the operation took about 3 hours and I was returned to intensive care unit at 11.30am still fast asleep. I remember waking up after 12 midday, could have been slightly later. My recollection was trying to take a mask of my face and being asked to put it back on. All very nice, a feeling of airiness but no pain, just dreamy. Gradually as I came around I started to notice the business inside the Intensive Care Unit. Saw a sheet next to my bed which said I was a Critical Care Level 2. They have level 1, 2 and 3. The nurse, Amy, kept asking if I was in pain but I couldn’t say I was really.
After a while the oxygen mask was taken away and replaced with a tube thing that attaches to your nose and sends the oxygen up your nose. I then started to notice all the stuff attached to me, oxygen, tube draining blood from my stomach, catheter coming out of penis, tube into arm putting fluid and pain killer in, epidural into back, ECG leads attached to my chest.. Wow, it puts things into perspective what’s just happened and why this hospital is so good at what it does.
Even more impressive and something that helped me was the ability for me to have my smartphone in ITU so I could listen to calming music and also send texts and talk to friends via messaging . I was also able to liaise with my family. When my wife and daughter arrived later in the day I was so chilled out she took a photo for me .. on the blog here - my niece who works in ITU in London reckons I look too healthy..
 |
| I look a lot cheery in this picture |
The great thing about being able to use the technology in ITU was my ability to tell all my friends I was OK. It gave me a real lift.
You don’t really notice things but gradually during the day you become accustomed to everything and everyone. I must make a special mention here to the team in the Priory ITU, to Amy, the nurse who suffered me coming around, Emma who fused after me on both days I was in there, to Elaine who ensured I was given the post op medication including the clotting agent also Elaine had to re-adjust my position when we found that the epidural which was giving me a block from above wound down to thighs only worked on one side, to Niera who looked after me day 2 and took me to my ward, but the massive thank you goes to the overnight team and Jaira who monitored me all night, topping up medications when required ; being naturally nosey, but wanting to understand what was happening she was able to explain things which for me put me at so much ease. It also helped as I really couldn’t sleep. With machines on the go and monitors taking readings every hour I just didn’t sleep .. Until that is 06.05 .. I know that as I didn’t hear or feel the heart rate squeezing my arm, Jaira also changed my IV paracetamol at that time and she told me later I was nicely asleep .. Until just before 7 am, so I got some sleep!
You don’t really notice things but gradually during the day you become accustomed to everything and everyone. I must make a special mention here to the team in the Priory ITU, to Amy, the nurse who suffered me coming around, Emma who fused after me on both days I was in there, to Elaine who ensured I was given the post op medication including the clotting agent also Elaine had to re-adjust my position when we found that the epidural which was giving me a block from above wound down to thighs only worked on one side, to Niera who looked after me day 2 and took me to my ward, but the massive thank you goes to the overnight team and Jaira who monitored me all night, topping up medications when required ; being naturally nosey, but wanting to understand what was happening she was able to explain things which for me put me at so much ease. It also helped as I really couldn’t sleep. With machines on the go and monitors taking readings every hour I just didn’t sleep .. Until that is 06.05 .. I know that as I didn’t hear or feel the heart rate squeezing my arm, Jaira also changed my IV paracetamol at that time and she told me later I was nicely asleep .. Until just before 7 am, so I got some sleep!
 |
| Lying in ITU being monitored |
 |
| Didnt realize I looked this crap |
When I woke up I had my first humbling experience - the bed bath. Having never been ill or having to go into hospital before in my whole life this was a new to me and as a man was quite humbling. But the staff who did this were so proffessional and considerate it was all over in no time and any embarrasment I may have had was gone.
Just before 8 am I was joined in ITU by Mr Doherty; he confirmed what he had said to my wife that the operation had gone well. He did say there had been a slight problem with heavy bleeding ( notes said I had lost 1.2 litres ), but they would check my levels to see if I needed a transfusion or whether I would be slightly anaemic . Surgical margins were fine but we wouldn’t know for definite until the results come back from pathology and of course the PSA testing (as normal post op follow-up). Felt really great after his visit. Our priorities had been cure, continence, ED .. so well on the way to Number 1, and I know I can do Number 2 as I have been practising my Kegels before the Op.
Just before 8 am I was joined in ITU by Mr Doherty; he confirmed what he had said to my wife that the operation had gone well. He did say there had been a slight problem with heavy bleeding ( notes said I had lost 1.2 litres ), but they would check my levels to see if I needed a transfusion or whether I would be slightly anaemic . Surgical margins were fine but we wouldn’t know for definite until the results come back from pathology and of course the PSA testing (as normal post op follow-up). Felt really great after his visit. Our priorities had been cure, continence, ED .. so well on the way to Number 1, and I know I can do Number 2 as I have been practising my Kegels before the Op.
Ah, well , so Op now over .. Neira took blood samples – the results would be ready in 30 mins, this was to check levels , especially as a result of that heavy blood loss -turns out am ok anyway. Lunchtime I was fit and well enough to move out of ITU and go to a ward room. Really do need to sleep .. am so glad that bits over .. now lets see how fast I can recover. If I can climb mountains , surely I can get up and about ….
No comments:
Post a Comment