I was admitted to Wessex Neurological Centre yesterday morning at 7.15 and during pre-surgery questions/test etc it was confirmed I was first on the list. Having spoken to the anaesthetist who was dealing with me, Mat C – the anaesthetist I have worked with on the critical care system – popped by to say hi.
I walked down to recovery around 8.25 ready to go to theatre from there. It was nice to see recovery before surgery as it was then familiar when I came back. Mat C came to see me again to wish me well. I was taken into theatre around 9 am. The next thing I knew was coming round in recovery at 3.30. The first thing I did was wiggle my toes. As much as I had tried to prepare myself for the prospect of being paralysed, it was a mighty relief to know I still had movement. Mr S came to say the surgery had gone as well as he could hope, and to apologise for the holes in my forehead where he had pinned me down to ensure I didn’t move my head during surgery. Mat C again popped by to see how I was doing.
I was taken to F4 Spinal ward about 5pm and made comfortable. Having to lay fairly flat – no more than 20 degree elevation – as my BP was high, 175/102 (I think). Sats were low (85%) and pulse high and I had a temperature of 37.9C.
Cat spent the evening with me which really boosted my spirit and she fed me a nice chicken pie meal followed by apple and rhubarb crumble. Not sure how I would’ve managed to eat that lying down on my own.
I had quite a phlegm build up and feeling a bit nauseous so was given an antiemetic over night. Struggled to sleep and only really started dozing at 5am and was fully awake again by 6.30. Eating cereal flat on my back was a challenge but I was so hungry by that time I was determined to get through it.
My BP is better today, presumably helped by having taken ramipril today, which I wasn’t able to yesterday prior to surgery. Sats are still only in the low 90s and my pulse and temperature are still high.
The registrar came and gave me a quick once-over. The hypersensitivity seems to have gone, and the electric shock type sensation I was getting in my right foot now just feels like it is going to start but never actually develops into anything. I am being booked for an MRI today or tomorrow to check the CSF flow is ok, as the dura has been left open this time to try to build up some fluid around the swollen spinal cord.
It was nice to have a half-decent wash this morning. With the op, sweating quite a lot and having the holes in my head had weeped quite a lot and was matted in my hair. I feel more human now.