Becoming a 'Bionic Man'

Friday morning 1 April, my youngest took me (on April Fool’s Day) to Concord Hospital.  We arrived at 8.30 am.  By 9.10 am I had been readied for surgery with a catheter inserted in my right arm, a visit from the doctor to explain what was going to occur and the risks and nurses explaining other matters.

I only had to remove my shirt and put on a hospital patient gown.  I walked into the operating theatre, got up on the operating table and nurses and radiologists started putting stuff on me including ECG and blood pressure monitoring, sanitising the upper chest area where the incision was to be made and placing cloth around it so that it also covered my face (I was glad I would not see what was happening), giving me oxygen, positioning the CT scan, feeding in the sedative, especially the local anaesthetic.  The doctor checked my innards in my upper chest with the CT scanner and marked my upper chest ready for the operation.

When he started operating he asked me to talk – so I talked about our European holiday.  The talking helps the patient remain alert, relaxes the body and makes it easier and more accurate for inserting the port-o-cath.  After a while he asked me to be quiet and continued the operation.

One short piece of information on the internet describes the port-o-cath describes it as ‘a device that is used to make administration of chemotherapy easier. It can also reduce the risk of certain chemotherapy related complications. This device is placed under the skin, in upper part of the chest. It has a small reservoir that is connected to a major vein inside the chest. This device facilitates administration of chemotherapy into the venous system.’

After the operation I was wheeled on a bed to be X-rayed.  (I did offer to walk as I felt good.  They declined the offer.)  The X-ray was done so that the doctor could check that the operation had been successful.

I was then wheeled back to the general area, where I consumed three plain cheese sandwiches and three cups of tea.  Will sent an SMS to his siblings to let them know things had gone well.  The lead nurse checked that I was OK.  I was allowed off my bed and sat with my son and showed him how to do cryptic crosswords using the simple one in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.  Once the doctor gave the ‘all clear’, we walked to the car park and headed off.  We visited Barbara at the Op Shop on the way home to show her I was OK.  Once home, I had two glasses of orange juice and some leftover Thai food on rice followed by a cup of tea.  And now I am finishing this entry and about ready to launch my blog.

So, thank you all for your loving support, prayers and positive thoughts.