A bit Pear Shaped

The thing about being unwell is how wonderful it is when you feel better, which I finally am. It also makes me realise how lucky I am to have my health and to have the privilege to swim and gad about the way I do.
The title of this entry is not a description of my shape!!! It's actually a description of my encounter with a surgeon last Monday. Someone thought I said an encounter with a sturgeon and that I had been attacked by a fish, but no unfortunately this was not the case. I think caviar is so overrated. So here's what happened...
Diary of a middle aged patient
Monday 15th June
08.45am
Got to Day Surgery in Dumfries. My friend Jane and I were so tired as we left home at 6am. 'No anaesthetic required' I quipped. All good news, I was second on the list and I had visions of eating toast and heading home by lunch time. I know how this works.......
9am
Nervous looking registrar suggests that the surgery may be more complicated than they initially thought so I would be moved to the end of the morning list. 'Don't send me home!' I quipped
10.30am
Was given strong painkillers as a pre med. 'Is this a clue to how bad it could be?' I quipped
11am
Reassured by anaesthetist that they knew my heart was a bit weird and that my pulse and BP could be low. 'Try not to kill me' I quipped
1pm
Surgeon tells me they have had second thoughts about surgery today due to possible complications. I pleaded with dignity like this....'Please please please please please don't send me home Dr....you have no idea etc etc etc etc etc. ' Then comes a speech from me about how surgeons need to understand that people who come for day surgery have to set up all kinds of things to get there like care for dependants, time off work, friends to bring us....yeah you get the picture. He heard about the swim last. Anyway anyway anyway, we came to an agreement that they would proceed and if it turned out to be complicated they would call me back another day. Then he told me I had missed my place on the list and he would have to plead with theatre staff to fit me in. He went away to negotiate. I waited in my hospital gown and dressing gown and crocs feeling like I was waiting for the car salesman to return after negotiating the price of the car with the boss.
He came back shook my hand and said the deal had been sealed. Before I had time to work out that maybe fitting me in wasn't perhaps the best idea for the morale of the the staff who would be in charge of my unconscious body, I was on the anaesthetic table. Wait a minute....the shift has changed and it's a different anaesthetist....'You do know about my heart' I managed to gulp while the oxygen mask was heading my way. 'Thank you so ....much.....for ........fitting.....me...in zzzzzzz z z z '
3pm
In recovery sleepy...ouch ouch ouch...more painkillers...more more
5pm
BP 87 /40
PULSE 28
Feel TERRIBLE!
5.30pm
Intensive Cardiac Unit Dr leans over me....'Did you tell anyone about your heart and low BP and Pulse?'
Me 'I don't think I told that lady over there or the cleaner, but I told everyone else'
Result
Procedure was fine and was tricky but not as complicated as the surgeon feared so all was well
I was admitted and monitored overnight.
Got home Tuesday lunchtime
Tuesday pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
No idea.....wafted about like a ghost. Read a little, mostly brain dead
Saturday
Thought RIGHT this is enough...got up and dressed and went to Portpatrick for lunch with EB and gang
Saturday pm
wafted about like a ghost
Anyway anyway anyway I finally got back to work for a half day yesterday (Thursday) and today looked a little less like a ghost. No swimming.
PLAN
Ailsa Craig attempt 2 is on Sunday. I know I know I know but the boat has been booked for weeks so we're going. Harry has been keeping in touch and says he's not worried, and I musn't take risks. Hopefully I'll be in the water and then business as usual next week. We think that just to be at the Craig will give me a psychological boost, so we may just climb up it.
Did I tell you we did win a National Care Accolade at work?.....maybe I dreamt it in a drug induced haze.....

A moment's pause

Sunday 14th June

Harry and I had a great swim today on Loch Ryan. The weather has been gorgeous for 2 weeks if a bit windy at times. I like this shot which gives an idea of the scenery and the ferry in the background. I tow a buoy behind me when we practice for safety purposes and there's a picture further on to give you an idea of our set up when we take the Kayak.

Meanwhile here's a round up of my week.

Monday

Met Harry at Wig Bay Bill came down with his boat again. Swam for about an hour and a half. Bit chilly but OK. The water temp is good. Must get used to going out in the sea after work as I was a bit disorganised. I had no shoes apart from my work shoes and I forgot the Vaseline so I got chaffed under my arms...silly!

Tuesday

Long and arduous day at work

Wednesday

Swam at 6.30am and worked on stroke correction mainly with paddles. Did a couple of times 500's and keeping well under 9 minutes. Managed 8.40 and 8.47 but to be honest we forgot to stop the watch so it's a bit of a calculation. Fell strong and well and stroke has definitely improved. 3,800 meters

Managed 10 minutes of rowing when I got home

Thursday

Back in the pool at 6.30am and continued work with paddles. Also did 10 IM's which is good for the soul. Did about 4000 meters

Friday

Meant to go to the pool after work but didn't finish work till 7.30pm so gave up that idea!!! Went to the Blue Peter with mates and started to unwind.

Sat

Power walked to village to school event and then worked in the garden. 20 minutes rowing.

Now that's a tiring week eh?

Part of the reason that I was so manic this week is that I am in hospital tomorrow as a day case. I am having a general anaesthetic so I'll be laying low for a few days. This is now officially a rest week, so I'll be hanging up my goggles for a week. There will be a brief interlude, and I'll talk to you when I 'm back at it!!! Don't worry it's nothing serious but I hope that I will be cured this time............

CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS

Sunday June 7th 2009

The support boats are fading into the distance as they make their way into the sunset to make a living.....how selfish!!! Fish being the main word here. Most boat captains I have approached are now busy. This week I visited a very gorgeous large boat which can have 20 passengers. He has now been booked for the actual swim but can't get us over to Ailsa Craig for a practice until the end of July because he is fishing and is booked for trips and so on. So now I'm pursuing other options. Luckily today our lovely neighbour Bill came to the rescue and we went out into the Loch for a 3 ish mile swim with his wee boat. Euan joined us for safety and I managed without my aqua skin. We swam for about an hour and a half. Ian came too and it was great to see him after his triumph in Lanzarote....a real Ironman now! Here is a picture of me taking some water as I gulped loads of sea water today being as the water was quite choppy.

So, some frustrations and it seems like a mammoth task to coordinate everything. Many many doubts right now....many doubts.

Meanwhile I was away this week for three days with work. Very difficult to concentrate on swimming but even so I managed an early swim on Wednesday morning and then drove to Dumfries. That day I spoke to 100 or so Health Care professionals about how we cope living with memory loss. EB gave me permission to speak about her experiences and I think the talk went very well. I also got some sponsors which is brilliant. Writing about our life is a great way to focus the mind and heart on why I am bothering to do all this. The chief exec of Alzheimer Scotland was there and made a fantastic speech about the personalisation agenda and radical changes in the way we think about how we deliver care. I then worked in Glasgow and then Dundee where on Friday we won a really important National Award for the project I manage at work which is very exciting.

So I remain very tired and concerned, but the positive thought for today is to trust that we will make this swim happen and with your help smash the target of £10 000 for people who really really need our help.