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well, in plaster for 4 - 6 weeks, slightly grumpy and no snow.
12.55 wednesday - arrive at Hinchingbrooke A&E
2.30pm seen and referred to Addenbrookes A&E
3.20pm arrive, register at A&E, have to wait for a plastic surgeon to attend
7.40pm even in a quiet A&E (lots of twisted ankles for some reason) I had to wait 4 hours....
8pm Grumpy plastic surgeon arrives, does a quick reveiw (by this time, I stink of BO), does a crap job of bandaging it all up. 'Come back 7.30am Friday, we cant do anything thursday'.
Friday, 7.20am book in to L5 ward, wait in waiting room.
1.30pm eventually given a bed in M5 ward (ear, nose & throat ward next door).
3pm Told to get into 'gay gown' & 'gay stockings' - surgeon pops by to write an arrow on my wrist.
11pm told 'oh sorry, theartres closed now, no operation today' - I havent eaten/ drunk anything since 4pm thursday. No hot meal available, get given tuna sandwich and a cup of tea...
Slightly angry, a surgeon calls by to explain badly that I'm on the emergency list but only a certain amount of time is available each day.
12.30am very angry, if they'd explained this to me earlier, wouldnt be so upset. eventually fall asleep.
5.30am saturday - wake up - not allowed food, drink etc.
10.30am anaesthetist arrives to fill in a form, nice lady, explains 'it will be the best pint of beer you'll ever have'.
11am surgeon pops by - 'may be done early afternoon' - I'm back in t-shirt/boxxers so dont hold my breath.
6pm resigned to the idea that I'll be here until Monday. I overhear that they are short of beds with emergencies coming in. Girlfriend does her nut and vents her spleen.
by this time I've had less than 1/2 litre of liquid and a tuna sandwich since Thursday.
8pm nurse from plastics ward comes by to talk and explain that 'I'm a priority but everytime someone comes in with a leg hanging off, I get bumped back (which is fair enough).
10.30 allowed food - ordered curry - canteen demands I pay for it - nurse tells canteen to **** off - I get a prwan sandwich and a cup of tea...
11pm two plastic surgeons come in to explain why/ how etc and see if my hand can be done under a local instead of general - no chance, hand too damaged. They are very nice ladies and apologise, its a busy week for anglegrinder wounds, I feel better for the chat.
12am fall asleep - dont wake up till about 8.30
Sunday 8.30am feeling lazy so read book in bed - no breakky, canteen lady looks sorry for me...
10.20 getting fed up again when nurse pops round 'get your (gay) gown on! They're ready!'
Say good bye to Morris, nice elderly chap who kept me company and lent me his Daily Mail.
10.30 wheeled the 1/4 mile down hot/ freezing corridors to the op theatres. Nice anaesthetist lady says hello, pops in needle and says 'heres your pint sir' The beeps from the heart moniter show that I'm nervous... Can feel the effects of the anaesthetic as.....zzzzzzzzzzz
2pm wake up in recovery room - to my credit, I know exactly how/ why/ where/ when. The poor 16 year old girl with Crohn's disease wakes up next to me crying and puking (a common reaction). I feel very sorry for her as I just feel drowsy and lazy. Drink water (best taste ever!).
FOOD!!!!! Ok its only tea, biscuit and a bit of cake but bloody hell....
Start to worry that I'm not going to be allowed home till monday...
4.30 Nurse comes in with letter for my GP and says 'guess what! You can go!) Never dressed so quick despite 1/2 kilo of plaster on my left wrist.
Tea lady looks disapointed so she gives me a cheesecake to take home
Arrive home eat a huge sunday roast - dont get to sleep until 5am cos of the day before.... :roll: .
So, the staff were fine, the op was perfect (I can wiggle my thumb as normal inside the cast) just that the hospital is too big for its own good.
thats the last of it. just right handed tinkering for about 6 weeks - doubt the hand will be strong enough for my usual mechanical antics...
home again, happy, foolish (even though its a very common accident)
pics of scars later...
12.55 wednesday - arrive at Hinchingbrooke A&E
2.30pm seen and referred to Addenbrookes A&E
3.20pm arrive, register at A&E, have to wait for a plastic surgeon to attend
7.40pm even in a quiet A&E (lots of twisted ankles for some reason) I had to wait 4 hours....
8pm Grumpy plastic surgeon arrives, does a quick reveiw (by this time, I stink of BO), does a crap job of bandaging it all up. 'Come back 7.30am Friday, we cant do anything thursday'.
Friday, 7.20am book in to L5 ward, wait in waiting room.
1.30pm eventually given a bed in M5 ward (ear, nose & throat ward next door).
3pm Told to get into 'gay gown' & 'gay stockings' - surgeon pops by to write an arrow on my wrist.
11pm told 'oh sorry, theartres closed now, no operation today' - I havent eaten/ drunk anything since 4pm thursday. No hot meal available, get given tuna sandwich and a cup of tea...
Slightly angry, a surgeon calls by to explain badly that I'm on the emergency list but only a certain amount of time is available each day.
12.30am very angry, if they'd explained this to me earlier, wouldnt be so upset. eventually fall asleep.
5.30am saturday - wake up - not allowed food, drink etc.
10.30am anaesthetist arrives to fill in a form, nice lady, explains 'it will be the best pint of beer you'll ever have'.
11am surgeon pops by - 'may be done early afternoon' - I'm back in t-shirt/boxxers so dont hold my breath.
6pm resigned to the idea that I'll be here until Monday. I overhear that they are short of beds with emergencies coming in. Girlfriend does her nut and vents her spleen.
by this time I've had less than 1/2 litre of liquid and a tuna sandwich since Thursday.
8pm nurse from plastics ward comes by to talk and explain that 'I'm a priority but everytime someone comes in with a leg hanging off, I get bumped back (which is fair enough).
10.30 allowed food - ordered curry - canteen demands I pay for it - nurse tells canteen to **** off - I get a prwan sandwich and a cup of tea...
11pm two plastic surgeons come in to explain why/ how etc and see if my hand can be done under a local instead of general - no chance, hand too damaged. They are very nice ladies and apologise, its a busy week for anglegrinder wounds, I feel better for the chat.
12am fall asleep - dont wake up till about 8.30
Sunday 8.30am feeling lazy so read book in bed - no breakky, canteen lady looks sorry for me...
10.20 getting fed up again when nurse pops round 'get your (gay) gown on! They're ready!'
Say good bye to Morris, nice elderly chap who kept me company and lent me his Daily Mail.
10.30 wheeled the 1/4 mile down hot/ freezing corridors to the op theatres. Nice anaesthetist lady says hello, pops in needle and says 'heres your pint sir' The beeps from the heart moniter show that I'm nervous... Can feel the effects of the anaesthetic as.....zzzzzzzzzzz
2pm wake up in recovery room - to my credit, I know exactly how/ why/ where/ when. The poor 16 year old girl with Crohn's disease wakes up next to me crying and puking (a common reaction). I feel very sorry for her as I just feel drowsy and lazy. Drink water (best taste ever!).
FOOD!!!!! Ok its only tea, biscuit and a bit of cake but bloody hell....
Start to worry that I'm not going to be allowed home till monday...
4.30 Nurse comes in with letter for my GP and says 'guess what! You can go!) Never dressed so quick despite 1/2 kilo of plaster on my left wrist.
Tea lady looks disapointed so she gives me a cheesecake to take home
Arrive home eat a huge sunday roast - dont get to sleep until 5am cos of the day before.... :roll:
.So, the staff were fine, the op was perfect (I can wiggle my thumb as normal inside the cast) just that the hospital is too big for its own good.
thats the last of it. just right handed tinkering for about 6 weeks - doubt the hand will be strong enough for my usual mechanical antics...
home again, happy, foolish (even though its a very common accident)
pics of scars later...
