Preparing

Only a few days left now until I go in. We have made all kinds of preparations.

Anticipating a long recovery with quite a bit of sitting around, I’ve laid in a supply of books and DVDs.
Expecting to need to sleep on my back (which I never do) propped up (the way people used to sleep in bygone centuries) I’ve purchased a kind of mini-deckchair propping-up device, and a V-shaped pillow.
Had the shower fixed.
Paid attention to my spiritual life.
Renewed wills – not being pessimistic, this is always a good thing to do no matter how simple your affairs are.
Sorted out phone numbers and told people what’s going on – trying to avoid Jen being besieged with calls.
Collected all the stuff listed on the ‘Come to Hospital – it’s Fun’ booklet – slippers, towels, money for papers and the like. Got pajamas that do up at the front as pulling overhead may be tricky.
Perhaps because of all the displacement activity, I feel quite calm now.

Nothing left but to get it done!

Meeting

Yesterday was the day to meet the surgeon, get the ‘final answer’ diagnosis and begin preparing for the big day. All of this happened at Broadgreen in under three hours. I’ve heard Broadgreen (Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, LHCH) praised for its ‘patient centred’ approach. If ‘patient centred’ means little waiting, friendly staff who explain why they do things, and nice surroundings then I’m all for it.

After a brisk round of tests (bp, bmi, blood, swabs, breath, x-ray all done in under 30 minutes and some urine handed over in an Innocent Smoothy bottle with a bit of label saying ‘visit us at Fruit Towers’ still sticking to it) we were seeing the lady who will be doing the work. This obviously was a big scary meeting but I’m 100% confident in the surgeon. Staying as I am isn’t an option unless I want to live in fear of a heart attack and not be able to run up a staircase, so I (gulp) signed the consent form.

After that, flagging now, we saw a nurse who did more tests to prep me for being admitted. The good thing about this is, it means there’s no need to come back until the op itself. Plenty of literature was handed over: there’s no lack of information. It was an emotionally draining morning and it was great having Mrs B there.

That will be at the end of the month. Even I won’t be blogging during an operation, and probably not in the early drugged-up daze, but hopefully I’ll be at the keyboard again soon after Easter.