T-66 - Mixed emotions
Aug. 11th, 2007 09:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
suzyscottdotcomAround 0200, my sister comes through to our room, and mentions something about her head hurting. She had a wet towel around part of her forehead. I forget exactly what I said, but some hugs were involved.
Next thing I know, it's around half an hour later, and there is an ambulance outside the block of flats. Ruth didn't actually tell us she'd rang for one, so the first Caroline knew about it was when the ambulance crew was knocking on her door! How did... never mind, turns out they are going to take her to Lister Hospital, Stevenage.
Naturally, I couldn't sleep properly after this.
She's back around 0700, when I drifted off. Covered in plasters and EGC test sticky pads, she goes back to bed, setting her alarm for 1330.
Meantime, the street postwoman is off on holiday, so I keep looking out for piles of mail dumped on the stairs from whoever is covering. I have a weird feeling about this.
So, eventually, my sister wakes up, and tells us what happened. Keep in mind she is the only one of us last night that didn't have any booze (we are not heavy drinkers, but the odd glass of wine, or mixed with water or lemonade gets consumed here). She had a severe migrane, and went blind in one eye briefly. She then managed to find one of Caroline's letters in the study, and was able to give the ambulance despatcher the location from that. After a few hours at Lister, they gave her an EGC, took blood, did tests and stuff, but suggested she saw her own doctor back home next week, and sent her off with some codydramol. Except she called a cab (she couldn't turn her phone on to call me, she said), and the cab driver charged £35 to get back to Royston! Ouch! Mind you, I was rather impressed that she was able to direct the cab driver back - after telling the driver to make it to the station.
At this point, I checked the stairs - and yes, the post has finally turned up! In-between the mail was a 'Dear John' from the interview I had on Thursday, but as every door closes, another one opens. The letter confirming my surgery date was the next item of post in the pile! To confirm, I am to arrive on Monday 15th October around 12 noon. Surgery will be performed the next day at 1630, and discharge date will be Tuesday 23rd October at 1000. Some of the next bits sounded familiar, some are new, but the requests/demands are that you stop taking hormones six weeks before surgery (you are allowed one Zoladex injection five weeks before surgery). You should not have any laser, electro or use any hair removing treatments for four weeks prior to surgery. Smoking and aspirin are not recommended, and my own favourite of the letter is 'Try not to wear any tight fitting underwear for three weeks prior to surgery'. I think that means corsets are out, but I don't wear anything like that anyway. Blood tests need to be done by my gp, and Liz is to contact me before admission for a pre-assesement.
Ruth was still very drained after getting up, and she is heading for a friend at Rayners Lane, north-west London. Rather than having her change from train-to-tube, I suggested we drive her down to Oakwood (the other end of the Piccadilly line) so I could see her off on one train (provided it didn't get turned short at Acton Town). Caroline suggested we'd do one better, and drive her to Rayners Lane in person.
So, we did, with my sister falling asleep in the back of the landcrusier. We went via the A505, A1(M), M25, M40/A40 to the Target Roundabout, then via the 140 route to Northolt Park, then the 398 route to Rayners Lane Station. After a brief stop for food & drinks at a nearby KFC, I took her over to where her friend was leaving work at 1700, and left her in their capable hands.
Our work for the day was done, so we returned by reverse of outward route back to Royston, and snuggled for a bit on the sofa.
Next thing I know, it's around half an hour later, and there is an ambulance outside the block of flats. Ruth didn't actually tell us she'd rang for one, so the first Caroline knew about it was when the ambulance crew was knocking on her door! How did... never mind, turns out they are going to take her to Lister Hospital, Stevenage.
Naturally, I couldn't sleep properly after this.
She's back around 0700, when I drifted off. Covered in plasters and EGC test sticky pads, she goes back to bed, setting her alarm for 1330.
Meantime, the street postwoman is off on holiday, so I keep looking out for piles of mail dumped on the stairs from whoever is covering. I have a weird feeling about this.
So, eventually, my sister wakes up, and tells us what happened. Keep in mind she is the only one of us last night that didn't have any booze (we are not heavy drinkers, but the odd glass of wine, or mixed with water or lemonade gets consumed here). She had a severe migrane, and went blind in one eye briefly. She then managed to find one of Caroline's letters in the study, and was able to give the ambulance despatcher the location from that. After a few hours at Lister, they gave her an EGC, took blood, did tests and stuff, but suggested she saw her own doctor back home next week, and sent her off with some codydramol. Except she called a cab (she couldn't turn her phone on to call me, she said), and the cab driver charged £35 to get back to Royston! Ouch! Mind you, I was rather impressed that she was able to direct the cab driver back - after telling the driver to make it to the station.
At this point, I checked the stairs - and yes, the post has finally turned up! In-between the mail was a 'Dear John' from the interview I had on Thursday, but as every door closes, another one opens. The letter confirming my surgery date was the next item of post in the pile! To confirm, I am to arrive on Monday 15th October around 12 noon. Surgery will be performed the next day at 1630, and discharge date will be Tuesday 23rd October at 1000. Some of the next bits sounded familiar, some are new, but the requests/demands are that you stop taking hormones six weeks before surgery (you are allowed one Zoladex injection five weeks before surgery). You should not have any laser, electro or use any hair removing treatments for four weeks prior to surgery. Smoking and aspirin are not recommended, and my own favourite of the letter is 'Try not to wear any tight fitting underwear for three weeks prior to surgery'. I think that means corsets are out, but I don't wear anything like that anyway. Blood tests need to be done by my gp, and Liz is to contact me before admission for a pre-assesement.
Ruth was still very drained after getting up, and she is heading for a friend at Rayners Lane, north-west London. Rather than having her change from train-to-tube, I suggested we drive her down to Oakwood (the other end of the Piccadilly line) so I could see her off on one train (provided it didn't get turned short at Acton Town). Caroline suggested we'd do one better, and drive her to Rayners Lane in person.
So, we did, with my sister falling asleep in the back of the landcrusier. We went via the A505, A1(M), M25, M40/A40 to the Target Roundabout, then via the 140 route to Northolt Park, then the 398 route to Rayners Lane Station. After a brief stop for food & drinks at a nearby KFC, I took her over to where her friend was leaving work at 1700, and left her in their capable hands.
Our work for the day was done, so we returned by reverse of outward route back to Royston, and snuggled for a bit on the sofa.
