Shirley - Bulletin

• 7.30pm Sunday - just returned from a nice sunny Sunday with Shirley's sister Wendy and her partner Tony who live in a quaint hamlet just outside Salisbury in the lovely County of Wiltshire.
  
  Doctors orders says Shirley can't have any more alcohol before her operation tomorrow - boo-hoo! Also she can't eat anything after 2.30am but I guess that shouldn't be a problem as she's not really into 'midnight-feasting'! But I think she can have a tea with no milk/sugar when she wakes but it's 'nil by mouth' from 6.30am.
  
  We're up at 5.30am tomorrow to get ready to take her into the Royal Berkshire Hospital for 7am.
  
  
• 9am Monday - just arrived back from the Royal Berks where they've admitted Shirley for surgery later this morning; she's scheduled to go to theatre at 11am. She's fine, in good spirits on the surface but more than a little anxious inside at the prospect of what's to come!
  
  I'm going to phone the Ward around 1pm to see how things are and hope to be able to visit this afternoon, all being well.
  
  
• 7pm Monday - having heard nothing and phones a few time, I decided to head up to the hospital at 2pm. When I arrived the Ward Sister said that Shirley was still in theatre so after just sitting by her empty bed, I wandered off for a walk and change of scenery.
  
  When I got back at almost 4.30pm the Sister said that Shirley was on her way back to the Ward so I hung around until I saw her being wheeled along the corridor waving to me!! She looked more than a little 'woosey' and the nurses settled her into bed. We were actually the first to check-in this morning at around 6.45am but it was not until after 2pm that Shirley got taken down to theatre - some wait with nothing to eat or drink!
  
  Anyway she seems 'ok' - drowsy of course and a little sore but she's had some morphine in addition to the drugs they gave her for the surgery. She had a little to drink and eat before I came away at about 6.30pm although she said she was feeling 'weird', not sicky, just weird. She has a bandage, not a plaster which she has to keep on, undisturbed, for a couple of weeks when the surgeon will have a look at it again.
  
  She's going to call me tomorrow morning after the Doctors have been around but we're hoping that they'll discharge her by the afternoon.
  
  Watch this space!
  
  
• 8am Tuesday - Shirley phoned to say she's seen the Doctor and she's ok to come home later, once she's seen the physio and got her drugs from the Pharmacy. She says she had a restless night but her foot seems ok although they seem to have done something different than what she thought they were going to do! Oh well, I guess that's doctors for you!
  
  So all being well, I'll go and collect her later - she'll be on crutches of course but she has recent experience of using them so that shouldn't be a problem!!
  
  
• 4pm Tuesday - she's home! Slightly out-of-it after the drugs etc. but she's ok and hobbling around on crutches again, just like 'old times' really!! Clare popped in to see her on her way home from work which was nice. I cooked dinner and cleared up and now she's gone to bed (7pm) to rest up and recover and hopefully get a good nights sleep.
  
  It's great to have her back!! 'Normal service' will hopefully be resumed soon!