I think the heat got the better of me yesterday, as I just felt completely knackered all day. Consequently I spent the day listening to the radio and podcasts.
Mr Mundil came to see how things were going, and was pleased to hear that the most pain I’d had in the target area was 3 or 4 minor twinges. He had been unable to get the Abbott technician, but felt it was worth proceeding with fitting the permanent device today as planned. All being well I would still be discharged on Friday afternoon. He will then see me in clinic in 6-8 weeks to see how I’ve got on with the pre-programmed setting (2 or 3 options) and any issues I’ve encountered with any of them, as this can all be fed into a potential reprogramming a few weeks further down the line.
We discussed pain relief when I’m discharged. For now I will carry on with the same meds until we are sure the device is stable. He will also prescribe me some anaesthetic patches that will help with the pain from the wounds.
I realised in the evening that I’d not had any oramorph or other top-up pain relief all day. However, another visit to the commode once again exacerbated the neck pain to the point I couldn’t see me getting much sleep, so I took some late in the evening.
My lead nurse yesterday was particularly amazing in getting everything planned out to optimise my nil-by-mouth, needing an early blood test for coagulation, and ensuring I could drink enough water before 6am to avoid being dehydrated again when they try to put cannulas in.
Surgery stage 2
Sleep was a bit odd last night, and when I was woken at 4.30 for bloods, I neither felt like I’d slept nearly enough, nor did I feel like I wanted to go back to sleep. I put some background music back on and read a bit.
Mr Mundil came at about 7.15 and confirmed the Abbott technician was on his way, and they were expecting to take me down to theatre about 8.30-9am. I think I must’ve dozed a bit after that, but I had a chat with the anaesthetist, and explained the weird scenario I’d had coming round on Friday. He said he would look at my chart to see if there was anything in particular that might’ve caused it. I also had a visit from the technician who checked over the settings of the temporary device, concluded they were the best to stick with, and got them loaded up ready to use to configure the permanent device.
I went down to theatre just after 9 in the end. The anaesthetist confirmed that one of the pain reliefs I was given during Friday’s surgery was most likely the cause of my strange feelings. I wouldn’t need that again a) because the surgery is very different, and b) because I was only expected to be unconscious for about 45 minutes, rather than the 4+ hours of last week. Sure enough, when I came round it was much more like waking up from a deep sleep.
I got back to the ward around 1pm. I was back on frequent obs, and the transition from the air-conditioned recovery to the side room with just a fan really hit me. I was left on oxygen for a couple of hours, but after that my days were just about holding up, albeit with the assistance of some deep breaths as they took the readings. My blood pressure has been a bit variable, from my usual borderline high to really quite good. My heart rate has been up in the 115-122 range most of the day, but does seem to be gradually coming down with readings of 110 and 100 for my last two respectively.
The afternoon turned out to be quite busy (as lying in a hospital bed goes at least). Visits from a couple of colleagues passed quite a bit of it, and a nice long video call with my youngest daughter and 1 day old grandson 🥰 was wonderful.
So what about the new device? Well it is quite remarkable. It is in the right side of my back but is hardly noticeable. A single dressing covers the incision, and to touch it just feels like something literally under the skin, not pushing the skin out to make an obvious lump.
Tomorrow’s plan, as far as I know, is to try to mobilise me and see if I am fit for discharge. The lead nurse from the day shift popped in on her way home (long after day shift had finished) to say she would see me on Monday before discharge as she is on leave tomorrow. Now we’re not sure if that is because the plan has changed, or whether she presumed I wouldn’t be discharged tomorrow as I hadn’t mobilised yet. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.