hellison: (offtopub)
hellison ([personal profile] hellison) wrote2009-09-25 03:52 pm
  • Add Memory
  • Share This Entry

update re AAAARRGGGHHH

So, turns out today was just the halo fitting part of the whole Neck Operations of DOOOM. The nurses explained that they didn't bring her in yesterday because there were no beds, but they have no idea why she didn't know ANYTHING about it. Tho I suspect it's because it went through the Other Hospital and they are useless at this sort of thing - this being the hospital that tried to call me in for the same operation TWICE...

ANYWAY. We were there for 8 as requested and spent pretty much all day in a cubicle in the fracture clinic (and ahh, what happy memories i have of that place!), while mountains of forms were filled in, bloods taken and the same questions asked at least 3 times by two different (very nice) nurses and a doctor. With lots of Waiting in between. We didn't even know for sure til about 12 that there would be a bed for her and that they'd definitely go ahead with it.

Finally they wheeled her off about 3ish and I have to ring back in about an hour or so now, at which point she should be fitted with one of these . Which... does not look like fun. Even less fun is the Big Op, probably in about 2 weeks to use metal rods to (and if you are squeamish, look away now!), fuse the top of her spine to the base of her skull and fix her head & neck upright in one position. I think the correct response to this is EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

So now. A cup of tea. Later, there will be MUCH CIDER.
Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[identity profile] tardington.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Ouch! Oh, um! I take that is okay then?

Good luck with the cider! I saw Katy on sale here, first time I've seen it!

[identity profile] hellison.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Just waiting to hear how it went!

[identity profile] thipe.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 04:59 pm (UTC)(link)
MOAR CIDER

[identity profile] lazy-hoor.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Bloody hell.

Hope it goes well for her.

I think you deserve a cider or two today!

[identity profile] jin-shei.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 06:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Eep? Let us know how it goes.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_unhurt_/ 2009-09-25 08:47 pm (UTC)(link)
EEEEEEEEEEEEE indeed. and, wow, that halo thing does not look fun. poor your mum. hope all goes well. and there are many many many apples.

also, i saw this and thought of you (and thesme) (but not together in a dirty way!)

Stonehenge Apocalypse

When a group of archaeologists dig up a human skeleton near the historical monument of STONEHENGE, an ancient piece of machinery hidden beneath the bedrock is discovered. Not knowing what it could be the workers accidentally trigger the mechanism and start a chain of events that may very well end the world as we know it.

i shall be seeing this film, i think.

[identity profile] hellison.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 08:59 pm (UTC)(link)
it looks even less fun in person. But the dr says people get used to them pretty quickly (i guess much like Smallsarah's legcage? maybe?)

OMG THEY HAVE STOLEN OUR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE!!

[identity profile] repton-infinity.livejournal.com 2009-09-25 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
So ... If all goes well, your mum will never be able to turn her head or nod again?

[identity profile] hellison.livejournal.com 2009-09-26 10:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Precisely! but as, currently, she can't lift her head at all due to arthritis attacking the muscles and vertebrae and can't look up, can't walk anywhere by herself, has trouble breathing and eating, this is actually an improvement.
That and the fact that her spine is now pushing into the base of her skull (again with the EEEEEEEEEEEEEE), and the terrible posture is making the pressure on ruptured lumbar discs much worse, means... in theory this is a Good Plan.

In practise, it is Somewhat Terrifying, but if it works, should be a Good Thing.

And that was probably a LOT more detail than you were expecting ;p In short, her head will be fixed in one position, but it's a better position than the one it's stuck in at the moment.


[identity profile] repton-infinity.livejournal.com 2009-09-26 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Um, yeah.

Well, I figured she must be in a bad way now - I know doctors get bad press in some places, but I can't actually see something like -- DOCTOR: "First some asshole cuts me off in traffic, and then my thermos leaks coffee all over my sandwiches. Eff it, next woman who walks through this door, I'm sticking rods in her neck and fusing her skull to her spine."

So, err, good luck :-)

[identity profile] hellison.livejournal.com 2009-09-26 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
sorry about that ;p The consultant has tried various things in the last few years to avoid having to do this op, but nothing has worked, it is pretty much the Last Option.

Tho his attempt at "hey, it takes up to 8 hours, this is really hard for me too!" did not meet with quite the level of sympathy he perhaps expected ;p

And thanks! We may need it. Tho it will all be FINE. FINE FINE FINE.
Flat | Top-Level Comments Only