Sat 15 Mar: Rugby in HDU!

As the days go, this wasn't too eventful!  I had an ok night and was still connected to lots of monitors. However, they started to disconnect me as the day went on, which then meant I could get out of bed and sit in a chair more easily!

The main monitor was an arterial blood pressure monitor in my arm.  I don't know much but I do know that arteries are under a lot higher pressure than veins, and to protect them they are deeper from the surface.  It's something to do with flow and return in plumbing terms!  And if any proof was needed, when the arterial needle was removed, despite prolonged pressure, we had a fairly dramatic bleed!  Legs up, head down, feeling faint.  Rather sudden and a bit embarrassing.  I was pretty dizzy but the nursing staff didn't panic, and took it all in their stride as a dark red patch spread through layer after layer of dressings!!  After 15 minutes I was feeling much better and the leak had been plugged!

That might have been the most dramatic part of the day!  As I said I was able to get out of bed, and sit in a chair.  They found me a portable TV, on wheels, and I was parked in front of it.  I spent the rest of the day watching rugby (can't remember the match but I remember England and Wales both scoring a lot of points!), reading, and eating.  I got to know the healthcare assistant who was in charge of meals and he looked after me giving me first choice each meal!

Delicious! ...actually it really was!

It was pretty busy in HDU, with constant observations, and my 3 companions in the neighbouring cubicles each needed lots of attention!  I think I was a pleasant relief to them as I was no bother (apart from a rather bloody mess earlier on), and was only there because there was no ward bed for me to be moved to!  

Pam came to visit me a couple of times, as the kids were away in Sweden at a concert.  We chatted about the last 24 hours in HDU and generally passed a couple of hours.  We had hoped I'd be moved to a ward before bedtime, but that never happened and eventually they came and put me back to bed, still connected to a monitor and with my cathater still fitted!  Very convenient, might need to get one to save me getting up to pee during the night!!  At 10pm it was time to go to sleep, which is when the chap opposite decided to finally wake up!  Brilliant...