Posted by DarrenG
on January 24, 2010
Friday morning I had my op and the frame is now history. After a bit of faffing about I was wheeled into theatre at 9am and so keen were they to get it off that my consultant had begun unbolting the frame whilst I was still in the anaesthetic room being prepped!
I was lying there with an anaesthetist popping a cannula into my left hand, one theatre technician applying the heart monitor patches and another theatre technician spraying my leg with a liberal coating of disinfectant.
And whist this was going on, my consultant breezed in, shook my hand, said ‘now we’ll find out if it has well and truly set’ and then proceeded to wield the spanner.
Not the most encouraging of comments!! I can remember thinking, “I wish this bloody anaesthetic would hurry up’ and that was that.
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Posted by DarrenG
on January 19, 2010
Today I saw my consultant. X-Rays were taken and having having looked at them he declared the fracture well and truly healed and that it was time for the frame to come off.
Off he popped to check theatre availability. A few minutes later he returned and asked if I was available tomorrow afternoon! I couldn’t say yes quick enough.
Then followed the pre-op assessment, consent forms, urine test, MRSA swabs etc and then we drove home delighted and a little shell shocked at the news. We’d been home only a few minutes when my mobile rang. It was the hospital explaining that the Op could not take place tomorrow.
I have a latex allergy which causes issues with theatres. If anyone has been in before me they will have used latex gloves and this causes a very slight risk that latex dust may be on the surfaces or in the air. I’m only allergic if I get latex in my mouth, no balloon blowing for me, but once you declare an allergy they cannot take any chances.
And so, as I was mid list tomorrow they have re-scheduled so I am instead first on the table on Friday instead in a theatre that has been cleaned and is as latex free as possible. The whole removal procedure will take less than an hour and is effectively a day case so I can return home as soon as I have come around from the general anaesthetic.
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Posted by DarrenG
on August 28, 2009
My op last Friday went ahead as planned and 6 days later (yesterday) I was released home. I now sport a rather gruesome looking femoral ilizarov fixator frame worth a cool £6k!
It’s taking some major adjustments of course and it still very early days but I’m doing my very best to remain positive. I had the Op 9am Friday morning which took 6hrs and arrived on the ward at 4.30pm. Saturday was spent in bed but Sunday I was walking to the shower using a frame which is amazing progress given the operation.
The frame itself has 4 rings and stretches from high on my hip to my knee. Mid-way is the adjustment section with 4 long threaded bolts that will be used for the lengthening procedure which begins next Tuesday. This is simple, each adjuster is turned a set number of times every day to achieve 1mm distraction per day. As I have 25mm of bone to grow it should take a month if the bone grows at the expected 1mm/day. We get shown what to do on Tuesday and then it is down to us to do at home each day!
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Posted by DarrenG
on August 19, 2009
As you can see from the countdown clock on the right, there are now less than two days remaining before my day on the operating table.
Up until now I’ve been excited that it was finally happening and desperate to get the Op over with and begin the lengthening and then healing process. i didn’t think I’d have any worries or fears until perhaps the day before at most. I was wrong!
As this week has progressed I’m ever more conscious of how big a step this is, it isn’t like getting your tonsils remove, this is serious stuff and whereas with most procedures, where you awake and start getting better, I’m going to awake feeling a whole lot worse and it’s going to be 3-4 mths of pain at least before it starts getting better.
I’m sure all these doubts and worries will dissappear once I’ve had the frame fitted and know what it is I have to deal with but right now there seems so much to consider and I can prepare for none of it because I don’t know how big the scaffolding is!
So I’ve bought a pair of svelte runners shorts that I’m hoping I can stretch to get on and at least provide me with some modesty in the first few days as well as some very chic baggy pyjama pants and tracksuit bottoms. I’m gonna be target numero uno for the fashion police!
