MY OPERATION
This report is a dedication to the doctors and staff of the Bangkok General Hospital in recognition of their professionalism and dedication during my spinal operation February 1st 2003. My thanks go out to them and to my Thai home staff the constant attention of whom has enabled me to recover so quickly.
Awaiting to be operated on February 1st 2003.
It all started with back pains and walking pains that I had felt during Xmas in DK and had received medicine from the orthopaedic doctor before leaving for Denmark after he had diagnosed a problem related to a vertebrae possibly protruding on the nerves of the adjacent spinal cord when I walked and moved around. As the treatment seemed to have no effect quite the opposite, I decided to seek a second opinion.
On Wednesday January 15th I held an appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon at the Bangkok General Hospital. After new x-rays of hips and lower body, he confirmed that there appeared to be an inflamed area near my lower disk of the vertebrae.
We agreed on a MRI Scan that took place immediately at 1000. Those that have experienced such scanning will be well aware of the awful feeling of being buried alive. Twenty minutes of such enclosure maintaining the same strapped down position. With loud banging sounds for five minutes at a time needs special concentration.
At 1100 I was back to the orthopaedic surgeon to review the scan pictures.
The scan showed quite clearly two areas of the lower vertebrae where the spinal cord was being influenced by protruding adjacent lower vertebrae disks.
He was certain that an operation would be required but needed to consult the spinal neurological surgeon on the extent of such an operation.
Wednesday January 29th I held an appointment with the neurological surgeon. He was of the opinion that the situation was not so bad and only a need to relieve the pressure caused by one of the lower back vertebrae. Not a difficult operation that normally would only take two hours and I should be out of the hospital within a week I asked him how many such operations that he had performed.� He laughed and answered more than 100 at least as it was no great deal. So I agreed to have the operation without delay and it was agreed that I should come in on Friday 31st January 2003.
Friday January 31s��2003���������������������������������������
Haircut before leaving for the hospital
After a normal day at home with a final diner with red wine at 1800 I left for the hospital at 1845. By 2000 I had signed the necessary non-liability forms and was installed in a nice room on the 16th floor with a balcony overlooking Royal Avenue and able to enjoy a view of the illuminated Bangkok at night. After a check of my blood pressure 120/70 and temperature 36.5 the nurse gave me half of a sleeping pill and I fell asleep.
In hospital bed by 2100 hours
Saturday February 1st 2003.
0745 after a new check of temperature 36.5 and blood pressure 130/80 they transfer me to the operating theatre. In no time at all they put an anaesthetic mask over my nose and I cannot remember more until I woke up in the recovery room at 1400 hours with a blood transfusion tube in my right arm and a tube inserted in my penis to take my urine, and another tube connected to the incision to drain blood and fluid into a special bottle.
Transferred to my room where the bed is not long enough for my two metres and the width of only one metre restricts movement. I can raise the head area by pressing a remote control and also the feet area.
No real pain just discomfort from the pressure on the wound in my back. Connected to a saline dripper into my right arm after completion of blood transfusion, but I am unaware of the tube collecting blood from my wound or that I am passing urine via the tube in my penis.
Later the Orthopaedic Surgeon DR. Pornchep came and tells me that the operation took five hours and they were really tired by the time it was finished. They had made an incision of five inches and discovered that I had stronger bones than they had expected in a person of 78 years. Also the size of the bone to be cut was larger than the pliers available so they had to file the bone down in order to use the pliers. So instead of an operation taking two hours they were faced with an operation that took five hours.
The wound after the operation
The nurses came every two hours to take my temperature and blood pressure and to inject anti biotic fluid via the saline connector. No real pain only discomfort and a feeling of helpless ness, lying in the small bed with raised side guards on each side.�
����������� The nurses look after me
�
����������������������� Note that I fill the whole bed with feet overhanging the end
Sunday February 2nd 2003.
Wake up 0730 by nurses that come to wash me and change my clothes. Very painful when they move me as it gives a real jab of pain in my back and wound. Very thorough clean-up but the good looking nurse seemed to spend more time than necessary cleaning my private parts?
Not hungry so did not eat any breakfast.
Tthe nurses come to check my temperature and blood pressure.
every three or four hours.
No sleeping pill but many other kind of pills so not much sleep. Anyway the night nurse came every few hours to take my temperature 36/5 and blood pressure 130/80,and later to inject anti biotic fluid in to the saline drip tube.
Monday February 3rd 2003.
The nurses came to change the sheet and pillow-cases and once again this was a painful exercise. The same procedure as before with regular temperature an blood pressure checks and injection of anti biotic fluid
The neurological surgeon pays a visit and I complain of my headache and the bump on my forehead. He checks the bump and explains that it must have come during the operation where I was lying on my stomach for all five hours.
He checks the wound and advises that he will send a neurologist to check my head ache.
In the afternoon the Physical Therapist Doctor arrives. He is a pupil of our Doctor landlord. Good fun. Loves to talk and hear my various life experiences.
�Visit by the physical therapist doctor���
Note the glass of beer on my table�������������������������
Nurses come to wash me and change clothes before I try to eat some dinner but not hungry.
No sleeping pill so spend a restless night with regular temperature and blood pressure checks and injection of antibiotic fluid.
Tuesday February 4th 2003.
The neurologist comes to check my head ache.� When hear learns that I was five hours under anaesthetic during the operation he says that is the problem. Such a period corresponds to drinking a whole bottle of vodka.� He says that� I am suffering from a case of severe hangover.�� Orders pills to get over the hangover, as I also complain of a� sleeping problem� he also orders a sleeping pill.
Doctor removes the tube from my penis so now have to call when I need to urinate.� Nurses continue regular check of blood pressure and temperature and inject anti biotic fluid. Saline drop continues all the time
Wednesday February 5th 2003.
The doctor comes and removes the blood drain from my wound and replaces the plaster and cover.
Check of temp and Blood presure
�Physical therapist comes to start exercises.
However he finds that the bed is too short for the exercises and has the nurses bring a longer bed. I am transferred to this bed with an extension of half a metre.
Now he has me perform leg exercises to strengthen the muscles.
Also an apparatus that I have to suck ten times to bring three balls in a three tubes to the top of the tube. This is to improve the strength of the lungs.
�� Have to do this 10 times each hour.
�Lung exercises. You have to suck in and keep the three� balls in the top of the three tubes.
Thursday February 6th 2003.
Fairly good sleep with several interruptions for peeing. Nurses still come during the night for check of temperature and blood pressure. I wonder why as they find the temperature and blood pressure is the same every time they check?
Same clean up procedure in the morning. The physical therapist comes at 0930 and after exercises gets me out of bed to walk with a supporter.� One walk down the corridor and back.
Now feel so good that I have a lunch with gammel dansk and beer brought from home
Walking with supporter
The therapist comes again in the afternoon, and after exercises takes me for a longer walk with the supporter.
Friday February 7th 2003.
Every time I raise my head to a higher position I slip down in the bed and have to pull myself back again when lying flat on my side. Not easy being so big in a small bed.
Same procedure as Thursday except that now after exercise the therapist has me walk with my support stick in the left hand and his support on the right side. Take one trip around the corridor.
Two of the doctors check on me and very satisfied.
In the afternoon the therapist has me walk two time around the corridor with the stick and his support.� Meet the nuero surgeon and he is impressed at seeing me.
On the balcony 16th floor say goodbye.
The Nuero Surgeon sees me walking
Saturday February 8th 2003.
Nurses come to wash and clean me and change clothes.
Physical therapist comes for exercises and longer walk using my support stick and him as supporter.�
�Doctor says they can remove the saline drip but I must take anti biotic pills three times a day before meals. Nurses still come to take my temperature and blood pressure every four or five hours. I believe this just an excuse to visit me?
The Nuero surgeon arrives and says that I can leave today and come on Wednesday to have the stitches remove.
Sunday February 9th 2003.
During all these days Tuen has not left me. She has slept on the floor next to the bed.
Now she orders transport to take me home.� Packs up everything and I get cleaned up and change to home clothes, Lovely.
Leave at 1130 on a wheel chair.
Home by 1200 and able to walk with my support stick and Tuen holding on to me.
Wonderful to be back home. I hope this account will be useful for others needing such an operation and where they can get it without delay and  by real experts.
Return to index
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1