Monday 25 January 2010

Z is going home

The Sage has ever so politely explained that he has a couple of things on tomorrow, but that he should be with me around 11 o'clock. Oh well. I know my place. Today, I've demonstrated an ability to go up and down stairs and can get about independently. I've felt much better too and blood pressure has returned to normal.

Certainly, the best things I've brought have been my iPod and iPhone. I've listened to music (of my choice) when I didn't feel like watching television - I haven't actually wanted to watch tv at all and it hasn't helped that I haven't had my contact lens in so the screen would be blurred a bit. And I've had encouraging emails from friends and, er, played games. As well as making phone calls, of course.

Odds are that a hospital won't let you plug in an appliance so you have to give it to someone to take away and charge up or - our cunning ploy - get someone to bring in a laptop and charge it up from that. Too many phone conversations may be frowned on for disturbing other patients and in a ward you won't be allowed to receive calls unless the phone is on silent. Oh, and I was glad of my old phone when I'd run down the battery on the new one.

I'm going to have to think about fresh subjects to talk about now.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

If where you are is anything like the hospitals I've experienced recently, by the time the consultants have done their ward rounds, your discharge papers are prepared, you've packed and you've been given any medication the Sage should be on time.

Keep and think well.

Anonymous said...

Home! Hurrah!

Take care won't you?

luckyzmom said...

How's the weather. We've been getting lots of big fat wet snow flakes.

martina said...

The paperwork will take until 11 or later. Keep bugging the staff so they don't go on breaks and delay the work. The surgeon may have filled out all of the paperwork by 9am but it will take a couple of hours for the staff to get your discharge medications and complete paperwork. Have a good nap after you get home!
As they say over here..love ya!

Z said...

Ooh, Martina and Ad, what a pair of cynics. The medication is already in the safe here because the pharmacist popped in to tell me last night. The consultant has already okayed my leaving. I'll report back about the paperwork.

I'm looking forward to getting home, Caitlin, I've lost track of how long I've been here. And I want tea just how I like it.

Just above freezing here, I gather. Not very appealing weather but no snow.

lom said...

Take care Z, no running around because there's no one there to watch you.

Z said...

I look forward to walking properly first! Running is only a dream for now. I'll try to think of a way to misbehave though. Being this sensible is a sure way to old age and I ain't going there yet.

Dave said...

No jumping on the bed with the grandchildren, either.

I, Like The View said...

good to hear that your blood pressure has returned to normal - hope you have a safe journey home

(-:

Blue Witch said...

I always wonder how the private heathcare system can manage to do things so efficiently but the NHS makes such a drama/meal out of everything.

One of my Nice Ladies got bounced for her knee operation last week, along with everyone else due that day, because people could not get discharged as 'someone' had lost the key to a cupboard where some necessary stationery was kept and no-one had the initiative to think of ways round the problem.

The Sage is probably tying yellow ribbons round every tree, and that will take until nearly 11. And strewing your bed with rose petals. And pegging crepe paper hearts on the washing line.

Don't be tempted to try to do too much too soon when you get home, will you?

Z said...

Dave, I do not rule out jumping on the bed, with or without grandchildren.

Not much looking forward to the actual car journey ILTV, but it'll be lovely to be home.

BW, you are a lovely romantic, with a lovely romantic husband. The Sage has a business appointment. However, he will have lit a fire. His romance has a practical bent. And I'm looking forward to doing nothing except look after myself for a few days. I may never have such a good excuse again.

Roses said...

Yay!

Homeward Bound....

I'm now filled with Home quotes.

'There's no place like home.'

I'm going to go now before you banish me forever. But that is great news.

Rog said...

"His romance has a practical bent"!!!

Welcome home Z!

KAZ said...

Great - you should be on your way in a few minutes.
Is it an iPhone that I need so that I can blog and email in hospital?

Z said...

Home on the range? I'm not going near the Aga all week.

Thanks darling. As if I'd want to ban you!

Anonymous said...

Fireplace sounds good.
Why not stay there?

Z said...

More cauliflowers than bunches of flowers, Rog.

That's what I have, Kaz. I didn't compare it to other phones though to see if anything else would do the job as well. Of course, it has an iPod on it but I took my own separately to get more use of the battery. It does run down quite quickly when you're online and when using some apps. But if you can get round that and are willing to stump up, it is brilliant. I couldn't be more pleased with it.

Z said...

The pharmacist arrived at 10.55 to explain and hand overy pills. The Sage arrived at 11.10 and the nurse came in a minute later to give me my papers and tell me of follow-up arrangements. Just waiting a few minutes for a porter to take me downstairs.

All as smooth and efficient as can be. The NHS, which I think is wonderful in so many respects, could save time and money, and time and anxiety for its patients if it looked hard at simultaneously improving customer care and efficiency.

Blue Witch said...

"The NHS, which I think is wonderful in so many respects, could save time and money, and time and anxiety for its patients if it looked hard at simultaneously improving customer care and efficiency."

That is a huge contradiction in terms!!! Surely the NHS should/must be *all about* customer care and efficiency.

The problem with the NHS is that it is a dinosaur organisation. Dinosaurs slowly and painfully become extinct so that other things can evolve, but, sadly, it all takes a lot of time because there is a lot of history and bad historical practices/vested interests involved.

I had an interesting conversation with a senior nurse in a private hospital a few years ago. She said that she beleived that fewer than 20% of NHS staff would ever meet the high criteria for working in the private sector.

Z said...

I think their primary aim is medical care, surely? I meant, by improved customer care, being more considerate.

If I were seriously I'll, I'd still rely on the NHS and be grateful to do so. With the exception of Lowestoft hospital in 1970, we've been well looked after as a family.

sablonneuse said...

So pleawed it's all over and you are home again. Sorry I hadn't been to read all your posts but have just caught up. I'm sure you'll be sensible about your convalescence but all the same, I hope you'll soon feel like jumping on the bed - or anywhere else - with the grandchildren in the not too distant future.
Bisous

Ms Scarlet said...

Happy homecoming!
Spring is nearly here and the recession is over later on today, so plenty to write about.
Sx

Z said...

Yay end of recession! Is that another way of saying that inflation is back?

The birds certainly think it's spring. They sing their little socks off at 5.30 each morning.

How do we know said...

oh Congratulations Zoe.. sorry i havent been posting, tho have been reading, and meaning to call (even if that sounds incredible) .. and have been thinking of u ...

Am glad u r going home tomorrow..

Blue Witch said...

Ah, I take/took customer care to be 'complete care', physical and psychological. I am convinced that the very negative psychological effects of the NHS make many people much much iller/harder to 'cure' than they need to be.

Hope you found lots of yellow ribbons, hearts and rose petals. In whatever format was more practical!

Z said...

I've been leaving people out - I'm relaxing by my fireplace right now, Mago. I don't feel like going anywhere.

Thanks, Sandy. I hope things are all right with you and I will fire up the computer and visit soon.

I'm home today, HDWK. I'm having a little rest at the moment, feeling content. And I hear Squiffany just coming to visit...

Anonymous said...

Good.
Very good.