Day 31 – Good news

Friday 9th October 2009

My blood pressure was slowly getting back to normal. Compared to other patients it was low, but that was ‘normal’ for me.

My dressing was still dry so I was keeping my fingers crossed it would remain that way. I was so looking forward to going home. It seemed like a life time since I had been home.

Doctor Richard called into see how I was. He was really pleased the wound was dry.

Kermit arrived a little later. I wasn’t getting my hopes up but he said that if my wound remained dry for 24/48 hours I could go home on Monday !!!! Kermit asked if I had a history of DVT. I replied no, so I would no longer need to have the horrible stomach injections. Another bit of good news.

Had a chat with Sister Charlton as I was concerned about a couple of things. I had received an appointment in November to see the ‘Man Himself’s’ side kick about my knee. As Kermit was now my orthopaedic consultant, would he be looking after my knee. She wasn’t sure so said she would have a chat with him as each consultant specialised in different areas – Kermit was hips and ‘the Man Himself’ was knees.

Sister Charlton asked how I got on with the social worker. I explained that I didn’t think they could do anything for me. She didn’t seem surprised…

I then asked her about what Kermit had said about me going home on Monday. As the occupational therapist had said I could only be released on a weekday, they wouldn’t know I was leaving until Monday. That would mean I would have to spend another day in hospital. She told me not to worry and that she would have a word with Gemma.

For the first time since I had been in hospital I felt good about myself. Natalie had washed my hair (the first time in over eight days. Yuck !!!), I was able to put on a skirt as my wound wasn’t leaking and I was going home on Monday.

I heard Sister Charlton tell the afternoon shift nurses at 12.30pm that provided my wound remained dry, I was going home on Monday. I wouldn’t say I had been in hospital a long time but Sister Charlton was now referring to me as ‘Our Marie’.

I was trying not to get too excited but it was brilliant news. I kept checking my dressing every five minutes to see if it was leaking.

Having been in two different orthopaedic wards during my stay in hospital, they were both different in many ways. With the exception of Kay, ward 43 had the worst nightshift nurses; the dayshift nurses on ward 44 were just slightly more friendlier than ward 43; ward 43 was the cleanest out of two wards, yet ward 44 had the friendliest domestics.

The ward manager sister, Deb, on 43 was more friendlier than her counterpart on ward 44, Sister Clarke. She ran 44 with a rod of iron and didn’t have much in the way of patient involvement, where as Deb was very much hands on with the patients. The other sister on ward 43 was friendly but I didn’t see her very much, whereas Sister Charlton on 44 was always there ready to help in anyway she could. You normally heard her first as she was very loud, bubbly and sang a lot.

True to her word, Sister Charlton came back and said she had spoken with Gemma. If I were to go home on Monday the commode would be delivered on the afternoon. Sister Charlton also had a chat with the social worker and confirmed that as there wasn’t anything they could do for me, they were closing my case.

Gemma popped into see me later that morning with a set of wheels – my wheelchair. She reiterated what Sister Charlton had said about the commode so advised me to go to the loo before I left the hospital as I wouldn’t be able to have a wee until the commode arrived. I made a mental note not to drink very much that morning…

Went for another walk with Alicia and Lisa using the crutches. On Monday they would like to try me walking up and down the stairs before I go home. I was happy with that as I wanted to get rid of the commode as soon as possible.

Mary who was in side room 1 had gone to a convalescent home on Wednesday so her room now had an elderly lady, called Doris, from a nursing home. Doris had just come back from the plaster room when she collapsed. The porter called for help and the first nurse to get there yelled for someone to call the Crash Team for side room 1.

The Crash Team arrived within 20 seconds which was pretty good going. My mam had just arrived for afternoon visiting and she looked rather pale.
“Are you ok”, I asked.
“I am now”, she replied.
She had just entered the ward when she heard someone shout for the Crash Team for side room 1. She thought it was for my room.

The Crash Team stayed on the ward for hours but I’m pleased to say that Doris was fine.