I’m home.

Bounce, bounce, bounce, I’m back!

I’m home; I’m being royally waited on by Richard – whose cooking skills have never been in doubt but who has excelled this week – and, of course, by Jo.

First of all can I thank everyone for their prayers, thoughts and good wishes while I was in hospital. I was pleased Jo was kind enough – despite being so busy – to post up-dates for you all but I had not anticipated the generosity of your comments. They have been appreciated by me and also by Jo who has had the task of working, attending hospital visiting, shopping for grapes and the like.

The level of care at Broadgreen was beyond words. The Surgical Admissions ward for the night before the op. was reassuring and every opportunity was given to patients to ask – and later to re-ask – for any information they may have felt they needed. Not only the nursing staff provided this but we also had a couple of visits from the anesthetists and the consultant and his team.

Thje operation itself went well.  There had been doubts about whether all three valves could be done but the surgeon managed it OK.

I understand the Post-op Critical Care Unit could not have been more caring – both of my needs and of Jo’s. There were some initial problems after the initial operation but she saw the consultant every time she went in and he could not have been more considerate in keeping both her and me informed.

The first couple of days did not quite go according to plan so Jo had the added burden of worrying. I spent most of that period away with the fairies (in Scouse that’s pronounced ‘furries’) so I didn’t have quite such a problem! Jo was constantly being told I was unstable! Apparently at one stage she commented, “I know that – I’ve been married to him for years – it’s his physical condition I’m worried about!”

The majority of my time was spent on the recovery ward – Ward G. I am a fairly cynical old bugger and can usually see the poor side of a service just as much as the good side. I could not fault Ward G for a single instance. The staff are exceptionally caring, dedicated, enthusiastic and hard working – a fourteen and sixteen hour day not being unusual. They forever kept their humour, even when tried to the limit by some of the patients. (Why are ‘patients’ so called? Some of them are anything but patient!!!)    But most of all, in terms of the nursing care, it was their skill in allowing the patients to keep their dignity in what are, at times, about as undignified a circumstance as possible.

Once I was on Ward G it was apparent my recovery was on its way. Whether it was being taken off drips and drains, fewer monitors, having less pain, and so on, each day was an improvement.

I shall do a posting about things I learned while in hospital but for now I should just like to say a huge

thank you 

for everything. It’s times like this that one learns how kind and caring people can be.