Time to tell the rest of the story........
After I finished writing on Tuesday last week I had a suprise visit from DD and DH which was lovely. Couldnt believe this would be my last night in this bed. Watched some TV in the day room and went to bed. Praying for no snow tomorrow so all can go ahead as planned.
Wednesday 22nd:
Looked out of my window at 5.30am to see it absolutely chucking it down with snow. There hadnt been much here. Until now of course. Text DH to make sure he could set off asap. He was due to leave at 7am to get here for 7.30am but mum got to our house earlier to be with DD so he could set off.
He arrives at 7am safe and sound. I have had an early shower, nil by mouth so just wait. H wishes me luck. We have exchanged mobile numbers to keep in touch. Midwife on duty wishes me luck and then 2 people in scrubs collect me and DH to go down to Labour Ward. All my stuff is pushed on a wheelchair to a bed where I will end up in HDU after theatre.
I have a real sense of going holiday - thats sounds wrong cos its clearly not a holiday but its that air of expectation and the waiting being over.
Its very quiet in Labour Ward, and me & DH are shown to a bed where we wait. We are told we are second into theatre. Then we wait and chat and feel excited that this day is here at long last. But then we wait and wait some more. The snow is terrible outside and they decide to only have one theatre open - staff are stuck everywhere en route.
A consultant comes at 11am at explained they are delaying me because although they have cross-matched blood for me, they dont have platelets and in case of extreme emergency they have to have them for me. They are being sent from John Radcliffe at Oxford but who knows how long with the traffic? And I feel more apprehensive.......how serious a patient am I that they need to have platelets as well as blood???? Why wasnt this sorted before? I feel tense. At 12.30pm they come to tell us that we may be cancelled that day. I am devastated and a little angry. So much mental preparation has gone into this day for me.
At 2pm another Doctor comes to say we are going ahead......in 10 mins. Thank God. The platelets have arrived. We walk to the theatre, DH is in scrubs but can't come in as its a GA. We kiss goodbye and the doors closes. Lump in my throat but I don't cry. I am helped up onto the table.
Now having told my Dad later what comes next I said I wouldnt write this in my blog but I feel I need to include it. Its important for me add it. The following 30 mins or so after entering theatre were pretty scary, some of the most apprehensive moments of my life. Theres about 12 staff in there - Consultants, Doctor, SHO, Anaesatist, midwife, obstetrician, paedatritions x2 plus others. They put 2 Ventflons in me - thats okay I am used to those. Then an arterial line in my left wrist (not sure why but it hurts). Then it fails and goes into spasm ( Thank God I have my eyes closed but I feel a warm gush onto my hands) They get one in my right wrist but it takes a while. I have my legs in stirrups and drips put in, then my belly is painted with yellow antiseptic. One lady is holding my hand and comforting me, but my head is elsewhere, I breathe deep and picture an Antiguan beach, the field at the back of my house. Anything but this. Then the worst part is that each member of the team stands around me in a circle and they introduce each other to the team, stating their name, job title and what risk they have with each aspect of my care. I think without humour that its like the icebreaker on a training course. Each risk factor is stuff I dont want to hear: Bleeding, platelets, group and save, tranfusion, baby resusitation, haemorraging etc etc. I start to cry, its horrible to hear and I wonder whether I might survive this. Sounds dramatic but that just the thought I had in my head.
The mask goes on my face and I pray for the anaesthetic to work quickly. I am told that in a moment I will feel it and like I have drunk a Gin and Tonic. Please make it a double and make it now. I feel woozy.................then I am gone.
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