Ten, Nine, Eight...

This week has been hard work. I had an appointment with the pre-operative assessment team on Monday at Yeovil hospital. I decided that as I was going to be poked and prodded, I'd send Kim into town and get on with things myself, as he'd only be hanging around in waiting rooms and corridors, and there's no point in that. Luckily, he's working from home this week, so could ferry me to and from the hospital, which meant that even if I had a trying time, I wouldn't have to worry about hauling myself back into the car and driving. Often, if I'm tired or aching badly, I have to lift the leg that operates the clutch pedal, as it's too painful to do it without a bit of help from above - it's not a good way to drive and not something I care to do for safety reasons.

So, there I was, bright and early on Monday morning, well before my appointment time, full of nerves and worries that they might find reasons to delay my operation or not do the surgery - it probably sounds silly, but after waiting so long, it became a big, scary thing. After Kim headed off, I was taken into one small room by a friendly nurse (least I think she was) and weighed, measured and given an ECG, as well as the usual samples one has to provide. Then it was in to another room to answer a raft of questions, have the enhanced recovery programme explained to me and let's not forget the horrible nasal swab! It's a great idea, as the hospital can screen elective patients to make sure they are not bringing MRSA into the ward, which is a 'clean' MRSA free area, and they keep the elective patients who have been screened separate from the emergency admissions where no screening has taken place. No wonder their MRSA levels are so much lower than Musgrove Park at Taunton.

After talking with the second nurse, I was sent off to have an Xray of my hips and bloods taken. Now, I have been a blood donor for many years, but I still don't like having a needle stuck in my arm, but I have to say that the Phebotomist was just superb; I barely felt a thing and she had taken all the vials of blood she needed before I could blink. The Xray department was madly busy, but there seemed to be some sort of organisation to the chaos, as I was in and out pretty quickly, and then it was back up to the assessment team and an unscheduled chat with the surgeon.

It seems I have deteriorated since my last Xray and basically, I'm an old wreck. I suspect that if I were a car, I would be taken to the breakers yard and not even get a few pence for spares! The surgeon was nice and after talking about risks and asking me if I wanted to ask questions (honestly, not the usual "I'm a surgeon, don't question me" attitude at all, which was a treat) I headed back to the entrance and my lift home. I had yomped up and down long corridors and by the time I got in the car, I was so sore that I didn't want to play any more.

I was back to the hospital again on Wednesday to meet with the Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists to learn how to deal with life post-operatively, so that I got the most out of the operation - and they were just a delight. Actually, there's something weird about Yeovil Hospital - each and every person I have encountered there has been not just polite, but cheery and upbeat, like they are really enjoying their work and being where they are. People were incredibly polite and thoughtful towards each other, not just me, and it seems to be a cultural thing with Yeovil. The really insane thing is that people who have heard that I transferred from Taunton to Yeovil have told me I'm mad, but they really don't know what they're talking about. The surgeon at Yeovil was the first to take time and do a really thorough examination and my whole experience has been so positive. I have yet to have the operation, but I feel so much more confident about it now. Sadly, I think that because the hospital was built in the 1970 and looks like a horrid, tall concrete bunker, people assume that the place isn't up to much. Me? I'm hugely relieved to be in their care.

In between all that, we had our super-duper local handyman around to lay a patio out the back. There was already a small one there, but it was uneven and there wasn't space to be able to put a seat outside and open the conservatory door or get out of the back door without jumping on the table. It was a bit messy, and a bit noisy as he cut through great thick stone slabs, but what a success. We now have a lovely area where we can put a little table and chairs and it will be perfect to wander out and have the first cup of tea sat looking over the little garden. Better still, because of how we arranged things, I hardly lost any flower bed, so it's an excellent result. Trouble, is, I've been quite worn out and not had time to spend on Whitewicca or here - never mind, I shall have plenty of leisure soon!