Spent day in hospital

Wow what a mad couple of weeks it has been, as you may have read I have been waiting for my MRI results, well I finally got them at the end of May. It turns out that I am not quite ready for the surgery just yet, and as a result my Consultant wanted to try the conservative routine to start with, to try and reduce my pain. It was agreed that I would undergo a sacral epidural in the theatre. After some discussion I left the clinic and came home to wait for the admission letter. I thought oh well at least this gives me time as I will have to wait a while no doubt. How wrong was I, I saw him on the Friday evening and I got a call on the Monday to say there has been a cancellation, and could I get to the hospital on Wednesday and be on the Trauma Ward for 7.30am.
Well 7.30 came and I made my way to James Cook Hospital, it felt odd getting there at that time of the morning, or was it the middle of the night lol. I arrived on the ward and waited in the reception, only to be told ½ hour later we don’t have a bed for you, and they where going to have to find one on the opposite ward, great not!!! I thought I’m in for a long day. The sister finally came and admitted me and then it seemed chaos from then, we had to complete loads of paperwork and then go straight down to the theatre which I did in my powerchair. It felt like playing monopoly pass go and collect £200 pounds.
I finally reached the ward with the nurse and was aloud to get out of my chair and get onto the bed, the room had the air conditioning on and it was really cold I have to say, I don’t cope well with cold, anyway I was wheeled into the aesthetic room while the theatre was getting prepared, it was like the red carpet was getting rolled out.
Into the theatre I went, it was an odd feeling because I have always been asleep when I get into the theatre and this time I was wide awake, WOW they big rooms aren’t they, I see them all the time on the TV but didn’t think it was going to be like that.
I have to say I found the sacral epidural very painful even though I was given a local first and my consultant bless him was as gentle as he could be and the staff where amazing with me, I think I had panicked them somewhat including myself for that matter because I had gone into spasm, and I have not had one for 5 years now. Although it felt a lifetime, the procedure only took 30 mins and I was wheeled to the recovery room with my head lowered, that was so that the drugs could take effect.
After a while I was taken from the recovery and wheeled to the surgical day unit, where I stayed for 4 hours, to give me time to pull round and the staff again was great and looked after me with tea and toast.
I was allowed home late afternoon and boy was I glad to be back it had been a long day and I got in my comfy chair and slept for a few hours. I have been off work for just over week now because I am still finding it painful to sit for long periods and still have periods of pins and needles. I am hoping that this will settle really soon, in fact yesterday (14th June) I managed to walk a little bit which is something that I have not really done since last October, so it shows that the drugs might be starting to work!!!!