Success???

I bloomin' well hope so!!

Ref this post earlier in the year, finally had the op last week (Tuesday) at St. Richard's in Chichester. Can I just say, NHS, superb - the staff were excellent throughout my stay there, even the food was good quality and tasty!

The embolization itself was an odd experience as it is carried out in the X-Ray unit and you are conscious throughout - you have a local anaesthetic, where they insert the catheter into your femoral artery and you get some sedation, but for the main you are right there watching the consultants 'doing their thing', which at times was a little unnerving and odd. I came round part way through a joke about ET and then again when they were talking about my artery constricting (which turned out to be perfectly normal), just wished I hadn't missed the rest of the joke :o(

Two hours in x-ray. then off to recovery for an hour and a half to teach you how to self administer your pain relief via your own personal, morphine on wheels contraption. I am amazed that I never managed to do myself some real harm by knocking the bloody intravenous line out of my hand; I'm so forgetful and clumsy (probably why it is still tender now!).

All seemed to go well, new experience for the hospital, I was the first case of this kind to be treated by embolization at St. Richard's - so bit of landmark and learning curve for them too in terms of recovery etc. On Thursday I got 'released' with strict instructions to rest up for two weeks.

Have been staying with David and Jay ever since; who have been absolutely wonderful making sure I am ok and everything. Bless 'em.

Back off home tonight - after a spot of lunch at Mango's in Arundel (surely that counts as taking it easy???)

Big love and thanks to all the messages, visits, cards, gifts etc that I received xx