Days 92 - 96
Blog dictated by David from his hospital bed on 6 August. Ev and I arrived at the hospital at 2.30pm and went for a cup of coffee before going up to be admitted. I was admitted to the cardiac ward as there was no bed in the ward I was supposed to be going to. Promptly at midnight my drinking water was confiscated and it was nil by mouth from then. The surgery was due to start at 8am.
On the morning it soon became apparent that the surgery would not take place on time. I saw the anesthetist first at 7.45am and then Mr Byrne (the surgeon) at 8.15am. Mr Byrne told me that there was no High Dependency bed available and the op could not start until a bed became available. I eventually went to theatre at 10.45am. I was given a pre med jab and had the epidural fitted followed by the general anaesthetic though I knew nothing about the latter.
I woke up in the recovery room at 9pm and was transferred to HDU (high dependency unit). Subsequently I was told by the Sister that the delay in getting me to the unit was as a result of a "cleaning issue". It is good to see a hospital taking cleaning so seriously.
On Thursday I noticed a lead weight feeling in my left leg. Then my wheezing chest caused some anxiety. I also had low blood pressure caused by the epidural.
Everything in the unit was very high tec. Everything and everyone was efficient. All of the staff were very good at what they did and very pleasant. The ratio was 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 and they worked 12 hour shifts.

Day 97

It was so busy at the hospital today they David did not have time to dictate his blog so this is Ev's interpretation of the days events.
As David had been having problems with his breathing I rang the hospital to see how he was and was told that he was fine and that he would be moved to the general ward today. When I got to the hospital he was very bright and breezy and said there was lots of news. He had had weetabix for breakfast and soup and ice cream for lunch, progress indeed. He said never had hospital tomato soup tasted so good.
His wheezy chest was much better and the surgeon had been around and said that all of the tubes and lines etc could be removed and he could probably be discharged on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Amazing.
By 4pm he had been completed freed from the equipment and was moved to an observation ward which was the stepping stone to the general ward. He was still having to take in some oxygen and use the nebuliser and he was also being weaned off the morphine. He is very keen now to get on his feet and get moving. I did remind him that he needs to walk before he can run!!! Having said that he has been truly amazing throughout this whole nasty episode and I am extremely proud of him. He is made of stern stuff.