So i headed back upstairs to throw some clothes and stuff into my backpack.
Then it was off to the hospital.
I picked up my file around 11am, and headed up to see the ortho guy i normally see. After about 30min wait, i was seen, and was told that the paperwork i supposedly needed to fill in, had been filled in the previous visit, just as i had suspected!
The nurse who helps with the admin said that they had not heard back from the wards yet, and that there may be a bed available.
I was told to wait, and took a seat, not knowing whether i would be heading home again, or booking in for the night?
At 3.30pm i got my answer --- "grab your bag, we've got a bed for you"!
I was over the moon. I called my mum and told her that she could now head home, and i followed the nurse into the orthopaedic ward.
I was shown to a room with 2 beds, and no one in it, so i ended up the first evening, having a room to myself, which was pretty sweet.
Thursday morning one of the ortho surgeons came in, as i came to realise they did every morning, and checked out my file at the foot of my bed and asked me why i was there?!
I told him i was in for a knee arthroscopy. He asked to see my knee, asked me a bunch of questions, and then told me that he thought that i needed a better assessment, and took me off the operating list, and sent me for a bunch more xrays!
He said that the head ortho guy, dr Cappaert, would see me the following morning to evaluate the latest xrays and decide what course of action needed to be taken.
So off i went for the xrays, and then returned to bed to while away the rest of the day, wondering whether i would be sent home now, and have to go to the back of the queue again!
Friday morning dr Cappaert arrived around 9am and spoke with me. After checking the xrays out, he said that the femur was healing really well and showing signs of new bone formation around the break site.
The tibia he was not so sure about, as it was difficult to ascertain from the xrays.
He said that, as he stated in December when he booked me in for the op, he thought that a diagnostic arthroscopy would be the best way to go. This way he could be sure what was happening inside the knee and take things from there.
I agreed with him, and he said that he would try and get the op done on the following monday or tuesday now, as they always had busy weekends, and sundays were reserved for emergency cases only.
So i settled in for a weekend in the hospital.
I was very impressed with the professionalism of the staff, the food was not bad at all, and the wards were spotlessly clean. A very good advert for the government run flagship hospital in SA, where they are trying to install a NHS type system.
On saturday night i was told that i should not eat anything after 10pm, as they were pushing to get me done on the sunday, as they had a busy day monday, and then Cappaert was not working, so a different doctor would have to operate on me on tuesday.
On sunday morning around 11am, a nurse arrived to prep me for surgery, and did some tests, gave me my hospital gown to wear, and i had to remove all jewellery and bracelets.
About half an hour later i was lying on my bed and being wheeled down to the operating theatre.
I waited about an hour in the waiting area outside the theatre as they finished up someone before me.
Then it was my turn.
First thing i noticed upon entering the theatre was the 40" LCD screen on the wall, which i commented on, and was told that that was where they watch movies when the op becomes a bit boring!
Haha! A surgeon with a sense of humour. Always a good thing.
I joked with the anaethetist and the surgeon while they put a drip in me and prepared to send me under.
I got the mask over my mouth and nose, and was told it was just pure oxygen, so took a couple of deep breaths, knowing how good it tasted from my scuba diving experiences with it.
The room spun slowly around and then i was gone...
I woke up in the recovery room outside the theatre, and the doc said that the op had gone well, and that he would see me the following morning to discuss the results with me.
I was taken back upstairs, and, feeling rather nauseous, i refused lunch when it was offered.
I was given a shot of morphine by the nurse, and was back to sleep for a couple of hours.
When i woke up, my parents were there for visiting hours.
After that i was starving and happpily ate the feta and mushroom quiche my mom had brought me for supper!
Then it was back to sleep again, dreaming of good news in the morning...
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