Wow, its been a month since I last published a post. I’ve had quite a few just sitting there already written, just haven’t been on a the computer much to posted them. There have been a few reasons for that but before I explain them it’s only right I should get you up to date, even though that means going all the way back to the end of October.
Monday 28th October
I had a reasonably long chat with the Orthopaedic Doctor first thing and she was brilliant. I was still low and tearful and she was worried that because my situation wasn’t going to change anytime soon we needed to do something to get me out of the rut. People kept talking about me being so far from home etc. but I kept telling them that wasn’t the major thing, there was no one major thing, it was a culmination of loads of things. We had spoken about antidepressants on the Friday and she asked (given the medication I was taking at the time) the Psychiatric team what would be best. I agreed to start taking the antidepressant, which could take a week or two to kick in, as soon as pharmacy could get it dispensed. Because I still had no appetite and was eating very little they put me on a food chart that is filled in every day to say what I was eating and drinking. They were hoping to get the Dietitian involved who could give me some help and advice. She would also see if there was someone who could come and talk to me about some of the issues I was having.
The Princess of Wales, Ely, where I was supposed to be being transferred to were still banging on about the IV (intravenous) antibiotic issue. It was decided that the IV Team would come round and teach me how to self administer the antibiotics, from drawing it all up to putting it through my PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter). I had some knowledge and set up drips etc. when I briefly worked in Theatres, first as a Theatre Orderly then training as an ODP (Operating Department Practitioner). This way whether I ended up at Ely or went straight home I’d be able to do this for myself. If I went home it would reduce the need for the Community Nurse from daily to weekly.
One of the Nurses was a friend of an amputee who had been on the Ward and went through all this himself. Not the same surgery and circumstances but would have a better understanding of what I was going through. He came in and the Nurse introduced us to one another. Roy asked what had happened to me and he told me what had happened to him. Where my experience has been going on for about 22 years he had one massive experience in one go. It was really good to talk to him, it wasn’t so much about the amputation because I’m fine with that, it was more the psychological and other physical aspects he went through. When I can’t concentrate, have no motivation, can’t sleep at night then can’t get up in the morning, have things to do but can’t be bothered to do them, find the blog/drawing a chore rather than something I enjoy, I feel like (and think other people think the same) I’m just being lazy. What made me feel better was he was saying that he went through the same things listed above (without me mentioning any of that to him), it took him a year before he could watch a film all the way through, he would listen to music for a bit then get bored with that, start watching TV for a while and then get bored with that too. It was refreshing to hear someone saying they have been in exactly the same place I’m in, it’s not just me being lazy.
The Orthopaedic Doctor had asked if there was someone who would be able to come across and talk to me about how I was feeling etc. A Prosthetic Services Counsellor, Ziggy, came over to introduce herself, she was very nice and easy to talk to. She was happy to work with me in there but was worried that I would open up to her then move to Ely or go home and there was no further support. We decided that it would be useful to talk anyway so she said she would be back the next day for a proper session.
Early afternoon the Orthopaedic SHO (Senior House Officer) came round and told me I couldn’t bend the knee but if it would help my situation I could fully weight bear for transfer only and not for using crutches. This made a small change to the game plan and now a couple of things that would have been difficult at home may become easier. They were going in for their weekly meeting and wanted to raise the point to completely re-review my case including the OT (Occupational Therapist) & Physio side of things. Because I’d been thinking about my situation and how I’d been feeling it didn’t matter if I stayed in Oxford, got shipped to Ely or even went back to Hinchingbrooke it was still all the same environment. I was thinking much more about home and the issues that were there. With the weight bearing transfer and identified problem areas I could be more specific about the equipment I would ask for. My plan now was to head straight for home, could we pull this off?
