On the Right Side

In the words of Genie from Aladdin:

"I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm FREE!"

I'm out of hospital, I'm free!  I am delighted to be eating my mum's cooking and sleeping in my own bed!  I can't tell you how much of a relief that is.

Don't get me wrong, I am full of gratitude for all the surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, physiotherapists and every other medical professional that brought me to this side of the surgery.  It's just that hospital is not home.  Stating the obvious, I know, but hospitals are places where we go to be mended, the real healing begins when you get back to your family and familiar surroundings.

This operation, unlike any others I have had, involved a rather unpleasant reaction to the anaesthetic and I spent Monday night shaking, vomiting and generally feeling very horrible. (Apologies again to the Husband and friend who were on the receiving end of that!) I have had a fair few general anaesthetics in my time and that was the first to cause that kind of experience, certainly not fun but over by the following morning and, given my condition, probably significantly worse for my loved ones than for me. The next challenge was the removal of the epidural.  Sadly, with an epidural the real benefit is only realised on removal, when the pain it has been masking becomes quite real!  It took a while to settle on a method of pain relief that was both effective and that didn't cause me to fall asleep at the end of each sentence... Once that was dealt with, however, I started to feel more like me again and I just wanted to go home.

As anyone who has stayed in hospital knows, the food is a hot topic of conversation!  As the daughter of an ex-dining room manager of a hospital, I know that the food on the wards often gets unfair press.  I was very impressed by the way the staff worked hard to ensure there was always a gluten free option available for me, even though some days I couldn't even look at food.  I was most excited by gluten free sandwiches some days!

Egg and cheese (gluten free) sandwiches!

I honestly believe that the hospital food issue is a no-win area.  After all, most of the people eating the food are quite ill (and even Michelin starred food would turn their stomachs) and there will always be limits to what hospital staff can produce under the time and money pressures that they already face.  I am grateful for the efforts made by all to accommodate my dietary requirements and I'm hugely appreciative for all that the NHS has given me.

For now, I am quite sore, tired, and the various incisions are beginning to itch, but I don't care!  I am home.

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