Daily postings are very unlikely now as I am in to recovery Phase II, with progressively more exercise over the next 5 weeks, starting from very low levels. One day is pretty much like another with small changes taking on greater meaning than they probably should. For example in week 1 I should be walking 5 minutes a day with my breathing at "Borg level 2-4" (Borg is a scale of measuring breathing from no impact being one, to extremely severe at ten). But this is too easy and I walk for 10 minutes at 6kph on the flat twice a day, still only reaching Borg 2. Clearly most people were pretty unfit before they became ill and are still unfit now. It occurs to me however that the instructions to use the Borg scale may mean that I overdo things in other areas. Should I be monitoring my blood pressure and pulse?
On Thursday I have an area of hot red swelling on the front of my left leg. I am concerned that it might be a thrombosis, but decided this was a normal side effect of the operation. By Sunday I decide there is clearly something wrong but the GP is now closed. I call the hospital and speak with a nurse. He in turn calls the surgeon and an hour later calls me back. The surgeon says it is probably an infection and I should go to my GP and get some antibiotics. I decided however that if I am to start antibiotics then I should do so as soon as possible, so rather than wait until I get an appointment with the GP some time on Monday I get a taxi to the local A&E.
A&E is busy. I wait two hours and, along with the other clients, were entertained by a man on probation with a curfew ankle-strap. He is drunk and has taken too many paracetamol and wants attention before his curfew time of 20:00 hrs. Despite being noisy and using extremely ugly language he is polite to staff and eventually gets a letter that will prevent home from going back to jail for breach of parole conditions, but leaves without treatment anyway!
Eventually I see a doctor who gives me the antibiotics and I go home around 21:00 hrs. The Doctor suggests next time I make an appointment with the out-of-hours GP service, also located in the A&E department. That will have saved time, but the GP will only provide a prescription so you still have to find a pharmacy to dispense the drugs, which is not easy on a Sunday evening, especially if you are not mobile!
this blog are going to become the exercise programme is going great guns. My only worry is that I am doing significantly more exercise
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