Preparing for the Unknown

Yet again things are moving at a pace. Last week, I went to see the Pain Specialist, sadly it appears that she is moving on, and I will have to start again with someone different. She didn’t tell us herself, although she dropped hints, we were told by her Secretary after the appointment. However, she believed that my hip operation is a foregone conclusion, and then issued an application for me to have another nerve block injection in my right knee, she told me to visit her on my way back from the appointment with the Hip Replacement Clinic two days later, and she would apply for a nerve block in my hip, to tide me over until the surgery. Surprisingly, I received the authorisation for the nerve block, the following day.

Two days later, I went for my appointment at Clinica El Rosario in Medellin, to be told that I would be having the hip replacement surgery, hopefully by the end of February at the latest, subject to Authorisation by SURA, my Health Care Provider. I filled in all the surgery forms, and they will be held ready, to avoid any holdups. That was great news, although it does mean that reality has set in. I certainly have no regrets at going for the prosthetic hip, it’s the only way I am going to be able to have a near normal life, there will always be limitations, but I can live with that. The Surgeon, said not to have the nerve block in the hip, as there had to be three months between the injection and surgery, she hopes to have it done by then, the injection would mean delaying the process.

On the way home, we called to see the Pain Specialist, she was in surgery, so Marcela spoke to her on the phone, informed her that the Specialist said not to have the hip nerve block, which she concurred, instead giving me a prescription for stronger pain killers, and an appointement to see one of her Underlings in January, at which time he might give me the Opoids to take before and after surgery. I was also given an appointment for the knee nerve block, yesterday. Having left the Medical Center, we decided to make another call, I had bought a new set of Tyres online for our Prado, they had been sent to a Tyre Fitters in Rionegro, for free fitting, unfortunately they seemed to be on a go slow, so two and a half hours later, we left, and made quickly for home, arriving in time to give the dogs their tea.

Yesterday, I went to Rionegro for the nerve block, I was called in almost immediately, put in the Operating gown, and along with others abandoned on beds, waiting to be moved through for the procedure, it was two hours before I was moved to the forward waiting position, it was so cold, I almost felt ill, I understand why they keep the temperature low to avoid spreading bugs, but they should ensure the patients, are either not called through so early, or kept individually warm. Anyway I had my nerve block in the knee, and was kicked out, by which time it was nearly mid day, and I was starving, as I had not been allowed to eat beforehand, so we had lunch in the Clinic Canteen, the food was surprisingly good, although a little more, would have been nice!

Today, it was up early again, and off for my Blood Pressure revision, fortunately everything was OK, and I had lost 2Kg, which was surprising, since I have been tottering around on the zimmer for the last three months!

Now, it’s time to get the house ready for the family coming for Christmas, today I power washed all around the outside of the house, by which time my hip was killing, so I think that was my contribution for today. Tomorrow we are up and out early again, as I have to be at Migracion Colombia for 9.15am to collect my new Cedula (National ID Card).

How anyone has time to go to work I have no idea, since retiring, I seem to have been busier than ever, a lot of that has something to do with my body deciding it’s going to fall apart!