Wednesday 10 June.
The receptionist phoned yesterday afternoon as we were getting home to tell me that although the Medical Aid covered most of the operation and hospital bill there would still be R5600 to pay. That was about £280, so I agreed - still cheap at the price. Later the Medical Aid sent the authorisation number and confirmation of the R5600 that was payable to the hospital and to arrive at 8 am.
The last bit about the time was overdoing it somewhat as I didn't get wheeled into the theatre until late in the afternoon. I was up at about 7 am after reading the newspaper in bed unfortunately without a cup of tea this morning, no eating or drinking until after my op. I showered and dressed and then we set off. At the hospital we were told to sit in a queue until I was called up to register. Luckily they had most of my details on the computer from a previous op and it was just the telephone number to update. She then told us that the bed was being prepared and to take a seat again. I don't know bow long it takes to make a bed but we were sat on hard benches for another 2 hours. I read for a while then worked on today's crossword but I had to get up and walk about a number of times when my bottom got sore on the hard seat.
When at last it was into the ward where they weighed me and measured my height. Then there was lots of forms to complete about allergies and previous operations before I was allowed into the bed and could stretch out. Then there was the machine that was attached to my chest arms and legs by cables and suckers. This was followed by blood pressure, temperature, blood and urine tests.
I now had about another 4 hours to wait until the op. In that time Moira went out to the Spar to do some shopping and get her lunch - curry and a beer- lucky her. I just had to lie on the bed, read and doze off now and again. Dr Viljoen came round mid-afternoon and apologised for the delay and that she had one more patient to do before me. The anaesthetist paid a visit and he sound worse than Moira with his coughing. He asked the same question as I had answered earlier for the form filling and sounded me out with his stethoscope. He left happy enough but I don't know what he was be likely to find that the complicated machine I was subjected to earlier couldn't? A nurse then give me two pre-op pills to take then went for some water to wash them down. I thought I was going to get a decent drink at last but she came back with a thimble full.
At last they came and wheeled me through to the theatre. They transferred me onto the operating table then the last thing I remember was somebody putting the mask on my mouth. Next when I came to they said they were taking me back to the ward. Moira was there sitting beside the bed, she said I had been away for an hour and a half. Most of the time was probably in recovery form the anaesthetic before they took me back to the ward. It was now after 6 pm and getting dark outside and Moira was wanting to get home. She left shortly afterwards as I was still not quite with it yet anyway. She said she had filled in a form for my breakfast and ticked all the boxes but there was no sign of anything to eat now and I was starving. They did at least give me a drink of water.
I had a drip with the tubes attached to back of my hand by a needle. The nurse said that one was a pain killer and the other a fluid to re-hydrate me. The pain killer must have been working as I didn't feel any pain in my ear at all. Every couple of hours I had my blood pressure and temperature checked then somebody remembered that I hadn't eaten. I got a chicken curry sort of thing with potatoes. It was all right but I was so hungry I would have eaten anything. By this time I was feeling much recovered and sat up and read for a about an hour or so before getting the nurse to lower the bed and put out the light. I didn't need to bother about having to get up to the loo, they supplied a bottle to use and anyway I had hardly drunk anything all day!
I don't know whether there is a great deal of difference between here and the NHS once you are actually admitted to the hospital. But I was in and seen to within a week not the six month target set for the NHS !
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