Nothing to see here … and a big ‘Thank You’!

Well, firstly a big THANK YOU to both the staff at University Hospital, Lewisham for the excellence of their treatment and their second-to-none care and to all my regular blog readers who sent me best wishes. The latter was greatly appreciated and I have tried to personally acknowledge all the messages I have received.

So, what happened?

After a very disturbed night’s sleep (I was genuinely worried about what they might find), I awoke at 5.00am (!) on Friday 17th July and by 6.00am I had showered, taken my daily meds, and got dressed … and was waiting for my pre-booked mini-cab to arrive. It arrived bang on time, and by 6.15am we had travelled down Shooters Hill Road (the old Roman Watling Street), across Blackheath, through the centre of Lewisham, and towards Catford. The hospital is located in Ladywell, which is about halfway between Lewisham and Catford.

The entrance to the building where the day surgery takes place was closed, and a notice stated that the doors would be unlocked at 6.30am ... but they weren't until 7.00an, by which time people who had come via the main hospital building entrance were seated in the reception area. So, although I had arrived first, I was towards the back of the queue to be booked in. Luckily, the receptionist booked everyone in before anyone was allowed through to the treatment area/Day Ward waiting room. There we were called forward in the order in which our procedures were going to take place and not in the order we were booked in.

I was called through and shown into a cubicle in the Day Ward, where I was interviewed by the anaesthetist and then the surgeon before signing the consent form. This was followed by the usual tests – blood pressure, body temperature, body weight, height, urine, oxygen blood level, and heart rate – and then I was given a gown and a pair of disposable paper underpants. I changed ... and then waited … and waited … and waited.

Just after 11.30am, the anaesthetist escorted me to the theatre and a local anaesthetic was administered into my spinal area. This took effect very quickly, and by just before midday the procedure – a rigid cystoscopy – began.

The surgeon kindly arranged for me to watch everything on a monitor, and I was struck by the fact that as the cystoscope moved in and out of my body, the pictures of my urethrae, prostate, and  bladder entrance resembled images of planets, particularly Mars!

By 12.20pm my procedure was over and I had been removed to the Recovery Ward, where I underwent yet another set of tests – blood pressure, body temperature, oxygen blood level, and heart rate. Their only concern was my slow heart rate (it was around 60) but they decided that it was not something that needed further investigation. They regularly used a cold spray on the anaesthetised area to check if and when feeling began to return, and once that began, they moved me back to my cubicle in the Day Ward.

Once there, I was given a much-needed cup of tea and an egg mayo sandwich (the first food and drink I'd had since the previous night!) and waited until the feeling fully returned to my midriff and legs. Once it had, I managed to walk to the toilet and have a rather painful pee ... but as this was the last barrier I needed to pass before I could be allowed home, it was very welcome.

The hospital phoned Sue to tell her to come to collected me. She immediately ordered a taxi, and by 5.15am I had thanked all the staff in the Day Ward and walked to the hospital's main vehicle entrance to await the arrival of the taxi. I only had to wait a few minutes, and by 6.00pm I was sitting in my armchair having something cool to drink.

I now have to take things reasonably easy for a few days and to keep well hydrated. I know that having a pee is going to be painful, especially when I have to pass the inevitable blood clots ... but it is a small price to pay to be given an all-clear.

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I wrote this blog post on Friday evening, fully intending to upload it on Saturday, but when I awoke late on Saturday morning I was feeling extremely fatigued and decided to leave it for a day or two whilst I recovered, hence the delay.