Ear op

A week ago I had an operation to repair my perforated eardrum. It's called a myringoplasty. I just googled the word to check the spelling and a video came up of the op being done to someone's ear. It's gross, I couldn't watch more than a few seconds! I'd rather not know what they do to me while I'm asleep!

I was very lucky to get referred to the Hampshire Clinic in Basingstoke 3 months ago by my GP. They were able to fit me in for the initial appointment much sooner than the local hospital here could and I just wanted to get it sorted as soon as possible because at the time I still had an ear infection which the GP couldn't get cleared up himself and I really had problems hearing.

The waiting area at the clinic this morning with
an unlimited supply of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Usually you would wait quite a while to have an op done or even just to see a specialist on NHS. NHS meaning you're not paying for the treatment. Not anything at all! Still can't believe that, being used to paying for private medical insurance in SA and Switzerland and then still having to pay the doctors and for the hospital stay and everything else. It's like a huge Christmas present getting this op done for free. Sure, that's part of why we pay taxes, but we paid tax everywhere else too.

Once the infection was all cleared up the doctor was able to book me in pretty much right away for the op. 

Waiting in my room before the op.

Andre dropped me off really early. The clinic was hardly open, the security guard had to unlock the door for us! Andre had to get to work for the early shift so he could pick me up again that afternoon. I was taken to my room and was very impressed that I got a private en-suite room for the day. I could watch TV, but there wasn't much on so I sat reading most of the time until they came to take me to the operating theater at 10am.

Before the op in my lovely hospital gown.

I had to walk to the operating room and was told about this beforehand so could bring my own slippers and dressing gown. The operating room was tiny and nothing like a previous one I've been in with big lights glaring down on you. This room was even smaller than the room I had there for the day. 

There were quite a few people in the room though, two or three nurses, the anesthetist and someone I think who was like an assistant to him or something. They put the needle in my hand but I didn't notice them actually giving me anything through it yet. I soon did start to feel a little weird, like before you are going to faint. Also like before they put you to sleep but it was lasting too long and I wasn't going to sleep. I asked whether they gave me something or whether it was just me being nervous and starting to feel faint. Turns out they gave me something. They asked me a couple more questions and after that I can't tell you what happened!

After the operation, back in my room.

I woke up at 12 noon in the recovery room and a very kind nurse stayed with me and calmed me down. I always wake up crying and shaking after anesthetics or after fainting and I warned them about that! It was no different this time. After about half an hour there I was taken back to my room where I stayed the rest of the day. 

Chicken sandwich for lunch which I actually enjoyed, I was
so hungry and thirsty after not having eaten that day.

Andre came to keep me company after work and we got to go home at about 6.30 that evening.

I've taken it nice and easy at home, staying in bed all day until Andre gets back from work in the evenings, when I'd move from the bed to the sofa in front of the tv for a bit before moving back upstairs again.

Liquid vitamins!

I had to go for a check-up this morning and apparently it's healing well. I now have antibiotic drops for my ear for the next 10 days and then another check-up in two weeks time. I'm hoping it will have worked and that my ear will be ready for snorkeling on our next holiday!