You are here: Home > 2007 - June 25th - Monday   Go Back

2007 - June 25th - Monday

POSTOPERATIVE DAY SIX

JH’S DISCHARGE FROM HOSPITAL AND JOURNEY HOME TO PLYMOUTH

At 8.00am-ish Grace was in ‘terrible pain’ and requested some paracetamol.  JH’s notes about her last morning as an inpatient in the Royal RLH were a bit brief and discontinuous, so no record was made of when the paracetamol was received.  A Ghanaian lady Phlebotomist came to blood suck, she also dared to call JH ‘Mrs’ whereupon JH launched into her ‘I Hate Men’ diatribe: there ensued – what JH has called in her brief notes – a good humoured risqué conversation during which Ms Ghana was highly entertaining in expressing her assumption that JH was gay (which JH would have been quite happy to concede to in the old fashioned sense but perhaps not 6 days after a major op); JH disabused her of her interpretation – explaining that she was in fact a miserable old spinster who valued her personal solitude out of choice.  JH could hardly take offence, as she had started the conversation in the first place, and had been hoisted on her own petard!


 


 More change was obtained from Lilian so that JH could phone Mary to tell her that - although JH had been told some days ago by one of the Nurses that she or JH could phone from the Ward to request a taxi - by now the Staff had been told that they, and/or the patients, were no longer permitted to call commercial taxi firms from the Ward extension, and that Mary should use the Freephone for public use in the main entrance concourse: JH did not know the number of a Taxi Firm to phone and, in any case, did not feel inclined to feed more change into the Solitaire phone.  
 
 
 


 

Amelie took JH’s temperature which was recorded as being 37.5° in the left ear, so Amelie took it again in JH’s right ear:- 37.3°; Amelie’s supervising Staff Nurse requested that JH’s temperature be taken again in an hour’s time – after which interval the temperature was normal.  Amelie – together with Staff Nurse – went through the usual routine of checking with the patient that she knew all about collecting TTAs, and a copy of the discharge letter to her GP, and dressings, or whatever (and including a vomit bowl which JH took off her bed table).  JH’s dressing was removed, and the steristrips removed from immediately over the wound - so carefully by Amelie – and then the wound was just covered with a protective adhesive thin pad.  Midmorning tea arrived, and JH was given custard creams without asking.

JH notes are non-existent hereafter: but the events of this Monday are engraved on her memory.  After dressing -  without haste – in her outdoor clothes, JH contrived to pack all her ‘goods and chattels’ (everything but the kitchen sink) into her wheelie; however she had no room for the remaining packets of marshmallows, so she gave them to Lilian for the latter’s grandchildren.  JH had something reasonably appetizing for lunch but, having been given two halves of baked potato (instead of the usual half only (perhaps the dinner lady was feeling generous as the halves were perhaps smaller than usual) she offered one half to Grace, but Grace told JH that she had had sufficient to eat at this mealtime: perhaps she had been given two halves as well! 

Mary told JH that she would arrive at the RLH at 1.00pm; shortly after this time a porter arrived on the Ward with a wheelchair in which to push JH down to the entrance: however, there was no sign of Mary for over half-an-hour, the porter was getting restive, but remained courteous.  JH was, of course, also getting restive, and so spoke to Sister who kindly offered JH the assistance of the Student Nurse who would wheel JH’s wheelie along, as neither the porter nor JH could manage to do this; JH received all her TTAs and documentation.  Everyone was very relieved to met Mary getting out of the lift by the Ward: Mary was full of apologies – having been on a bus which got stuck in a traffic jam (or perhaps Mary should have set out earlier from Frances’s home, JH uncharitably but realistically thought).  JH cannot remember as to whether Mary had phoned for a taxi when she arrived - or phoned when JH’s porter, JH, and Mary, arrived in the entrance together - but JH received the information that the taxi-man at the end of the Freephone had told Mary that a vehicle would be along in about 20 minutes.  JH sat on the bench, and Mary hovered – at the door, and in the concourse - and we both waited and waited for about 40 minutes. 

Eventually, Mary told JH that she had just accosted another taxi driver who had dropped off his fare and was about to leave the taxi bay (if it can be called a ‘bay’ because it was simply a one-lane drive-through): JH got into the taxi of the accosted taxi driver, but just then Mary called out to say that the taxi behind was ours; JH got out listening to the grumbles of the accosted one ‘. . . so I have wasted my time waiting about!’  Mary said this was nonsense, he had only been there ½ a mo!  JH was passed replying, explaining, expostulating – or saying pathetically that she was only 6 days post a large operation – so got out and got in the taxi behind (which was actually a car-hire vehicle).  This driver was so pleasant in his manner, unhurried, and precise with his driving, that JH sat back and uttered not a word about her anxiety about reaching Paddington in time: however . . . we all chatted about his English heritage (although obviously of previous immigrant stock), and he expressed friendly interest in learning JH’s reason for her admission to the RLH as ‘. . . most people don’t want to talk about their operations.’  But JH did: perhaps this was because JH was not distraught by learning that she had some dreadful disease from which she had been given the legacy of ongoing, worsening ill-health; perhaps – even - she was boasting, but she likes to think that this was not so, but that she was so amazed that she had done it.  We arrived at Paddington with just 5 minutes to spare: JH walked round to the Station Manager’s Office (which she knew was just round the corner from the taxi rank) and managed to explain her appearance to the gentleman at the desk - with apologies for arriving in the nick of time; the SM rallied his buggy-driver, whom JH had already spotted outside the office with his buggy.  There was no time for JH to visit the ‘proper’ accessible toilet in the office.  Mary, having paid the taxi driver, arrived with JH’s wheelie which was loaded onto the buggy; Mary loaded herself on - and off we went to the platform.  This driver stopped by exactly the correct door of the waiting train, and persons and property were loaded into the first-class carriage.  There was even about a 2-minute respite before the train moved! 

JH sat in the first-class seat and did wonder if it would have been better to have sat in a narrower second-class seat as there would have been less space down beside JH’s flanks: JH tended to sway to and fro with the motion of the train - however various items of clothing were used as pillows, or put on, as JH felt cold.  JH just sat; perhaps Mary read her Guardian and did a bit of crossword; in any event, JH did of course look out of the window when the train thundered through Maidenhead Station.  However, the train experienced a few ‘go slow’ periods, and JH did note that there was a delay drawing in to the station at Castle Cary and, consequently, small delays ‘here and there’ due to the train now being behind schedule - so overall the train finally ran some 40 minutes late.  JH borrowed Mary’s mobile to phone her newsagents to ask them to restart delivering her Herald, as JH was on her way home earlier than expected, ie, after 8 days instead of the fortnight for which she had cancelled her papers.  Our tickets were checked by the train manager.  JH observed a smattering of other passengers in the carriage, one of which was a studious business man examining a pile of documents, who did not seem to be disturbed by these two ladies talking to each other rather a lot.  Some time later, a solicitous barman came and asked if we would like drinks: JH asked for a non-alcoholic larger which was not in stock, so she had something with alcohol in it, but the bubbles were the primary source of discomfort, as she had to adjourn to the toilet – which she had already discovered was right at the other end of the carriage -  to have several loud burps.  The walk did her good as well. 

There was a further delay at Exeter and, thereafter, the train manager announced that, as no catering staff had boarded the train at Exeter, that he was only able to give out certain drinks, and packets of nuts – or the like -  free to the passengers, as he was unable to take cash for refreshments; furthermore, he would have to attend to unlocking the carriage doors, in between times, at stations where the train stopped.  When Mary asked JH if she required anything, JH realised that Mary had not brought any sandwiches with her – for which omission the explanation was that Mary could not find any bread in Frances’s house (and which explanation made JH uncharitably think, again, about her stalwart friend’s failure to set out from Frances’s in adequate time and in an organised fashion).

At the refreshment bar were a number of people to whom the barman reiterated a list of what was available: JH heard, but then asked for some sort of bottled orange drink which she spied on the shelf, so the barman reiterated his list again, rather irritably.  JH apologised for being somewhat ‘inattentive’ as she was not feeling 100% and added that she would stick to drinking the barley water which she had diluted in her water bottle; both of us had some packets of nuts and dried fruit.

On arrival at Plymouth JH spotted a lady with a wheelchair walk past the carriage window; there was an exchange of words between Mary and the lady - to the effect that JH was able to get out of the train carriage herself; JH was pushed along the platform (in the wheelchair!) by the Member of Staff, whilst Mary coped with JH’s wheelie, and her own bag and rucksack.  A taxi was standing-by at the taxi rank (presumably this driver had been asked by the Staff to not go off with another fare); patient, escort, and baggage were loaded in, and off we went.  Firstly we went to the Staccioli’s from were Mary collected her own large suitcase; Diana gave JH a friendly wave.  This taxi driver was also most courteous, and JH did briefly explain the reason for her present incapacity; however there was less time to have a prolonged conversation, and JH just sat back and silently basked in her relief at being back home.  We reached Hippo Haven at just coming up to 8.00pm which was not much later than JH had anticipated.

JH seems to recollect that Alistair’s dad and step mum just happened to be in the front garden of No 62, and so JH explained that she was fine (again, that bland word) and thanked the Clapp’s senior for looking after JH’s property, and watering, or whatever.  As ‘promised’ Mary produced a slice of scrambled egg on toast for JH’s tea – which she ate very slowly and enjoyed, as this meal is one of her favourites.   JH did manage to remove all her philatelic paraphernalia1 off the bed in her small bedroom – she had already explained that, although Mary would have to sleep on the bottom bunk bed with the top bunk bed above her head (on which lots of hippos resided), JH did – in all practicality – realise that she herself would not be able to squeeze into the bunk bed after having had a nephrectomy: so JH would sleep in the bed with ceiling-height head space.   In a steadily progressive fashion, JH unpacked her wheelie, and dumped all the clothes to be washed in a pile in the large bedroom - these were thrown in the washing machine next day by JH, but Mary hung them up to dry on JH’s airer.  Mary did once get tangled with JH’s outdoor whirligig line, when she wished to hang out her washed trousers, on which she had got raspberry juice when picking JH’s raspberries: JH did have a great struggle to raise the umbrella, but realised that Mary’s problem with her vision was the greater part of her problem.  Big sister phoned up with a welcome home.  JH checked her CM but there were no telephone messages: JH has sensible friends!  She had about 30 emails about two thirds of which were SPAM – most of the latter having been blocked.  JH went to bed at about 10.45pm.  

1JH had been . . . almost . . . a lifelong philatelist since receiving a packet of stamps, a packet of stamp hinges, and a Pioneer Stamp Album in her Christmas Stocking when she was 8 - in 1949; late in 2006, JH offered to sort stamps donated to the Oxfam Book and Music Shop in which Mary Andrews was the voluntary Manager at that time; in April 2009, JH joined the Plymouth Philatelic Society.
 


POSTOPERATIVE WEEKS AFTER DISCHARGE:
Précis of each Postoperative Week - Monday to Sunday Inclusive, excluding Monday 25th, see above!

SECOND POSTOPERATIVE WEEK’S PROGRESS AFTER ARRIVAL HOME
JH was, without doubt, looked after superbly by Mary: Mary resided at Hippo Haven from Monday, 25 June 2007, until the morning of Wednesday, 4 July 2007.  JH was still unable to relish her food, in spite of each meal being so appetisingly cooked and presented.  In fact JH occasionally had dreadful burps which developed into retching, with the occasional loss of much needed calories and fluid!  Mary and JH were of the opinion that JH should, in due course, discuss her reflux problems with her GP - after the irritation just under the left diaphragm has died down!  JH continued to ‘adjust’ her own regime of bowel management: Mary suggested that, in her experience senakot (with which JH had been provided by the RLH) was pretty vicious - and so JH accepted Mary’s advice, and the latter purchased some lactulose for JH; but JH continued to use suppositories as and when required!  JH’s pain management required attention during the week – in spite of her continuing to use the month’s supply of fentanyl patches! 

Mary carried out all the domestic chores – until JH rallied a little at the end of the week.  The Symons Team turned up on Tuesday to do the gardening; Colin and Andy had been unable to come whilst JH was away because of the constant rain.  As advised by her Home Nurse, (EMA!) JH usually had a rest in the afternoon and/or at some point in the day just lay and relaxed to watch a DVD, Wimbledon, or some such.  When JH felt ‘with it’ enough, she did a bit of emailing and uncomplicated correspondence.


External Websites:

www.oxfam.org.uk

From life-saving emergency responses to life-changing development projects and campaigning, our amazing supporters help make all this possible. There's more vital work to be done.

 
www.abps.org.uk

The Association of British Philatelic Societies (ABPS) is the National Organisation catering for the needs of collectors through the Federations and local societies and those interested in philately.

Membership of the Association falls into various categories being Federations, Specialist, National and Local Societies and Overseas Societies. A special category of Patrons and Friends has been created for those interested in the work of the Association and are valuable in assisting the Association to achieve its aims.


 
 
Print Print