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.....