Operational thoughts

Its over 3 weeks since the operation and its about time I wrote a little about the experience

I was certainly dreading this op.  The risks were higher due to various potential issues
There was talk of occluding (Removing) the veritable artery to the brain. Removal of a section of the Dura which is part of the protective lining surrounded the brain plus various other issues and problems that could occur during surgery

They called me in a day earlier I believe so that they could secure me a bed as if they got filled up with patients overnight the op would have been cancelled
I had to wait around 5 hrs in the neurosurgery ward A3 waiting room before a bed became available. I was on my own at first but then another bed was taken by someone who was quite confused and wanted the loo every 10 minutes but could not find it even though it was in the same room a few feet away. He kept shouting for the nurse. That kept me awake. Then just as I began to doze off around 2am they brought in someone else. There was a lot of noise getting him settled.  The loo guy kept telling them to be quiet as he was trying to sleep!.  After they settled this new guy he spent the night texting and his phone kept pinging all night
About 4 or 5 am I got hold of a sleep pack some ear plugs and a mask. By the time I eventually fell asleep it was nearly time to wake up

I was on a no food after midnight with only sips of water regime
At about 7.45 they had me ready to take up to the neurosurgery theatres. I saw one of the surgeons and signed the operation consent forms. The anaesthetist went thorough what he was going to do.  He seemed to think I would be in theatre for around 3 hrs which was odd as my surgeon said he had booked me as the only operation that day as he thought it would take a long time
They took me up to the to the neurosurgery theatre and I recall the clock on the wall outside the theatre was dead on 8am when I got there. I am in the pre op/recovery area directly alongside the theatre
About 8.15 they wheeled me into the anaesthetists room and put me to sleep. The assistant to the anaesthetist had terrible breath. I was out cold in a few minutes so I would no longer notice or care

I wake up in recovery area and try an fix in my head the time - 6pm
I can wiggle my toes and move my hands and don't appear to have any pipes or tubes in me
I chat to the recovery nurse and I recall she lives in the same village as me.  I asked her if she has been to the new village coffee shop and she had not as did not know it was there.  I said if I saw her there I would not recognise her with her clothes on (she was wearing scrubs)
Clearly the drugs they had given me were strong !
I have no recollection of going back to the ward. It was ward A5
Apparently I was awake and Julie was there waiting for me although I cannot specifically recall
I had my favourite position. The window view in a 4 bed room behind the nurses station

That was my surgery day