Yes, "I've got my own problems, I'm a recovering hippoholic!" has become my stock response to anyone asking me for something which I think is unreasonable.
[ yes, but 'hippoholic' isn't a real word now, is it, Colin - Ed]
My draft notes and pictures follow from my stay at Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, just so I don't forget it all happened. Oh dear! Still at least I came away after 6 days with a shiny new hip, which was a plus, to put it mildly, even though it will take time to "bed in".
Wednesday April 3rd 2024
Our elder daughter Alison, who drove over from Headley, Hampshire last night, drives Lois and me to the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, to get there by 7am, so we all have to get up at the crack of dawn - I even have to have a final shower before we leave. YIKES!!!!
I have my operation in the morning, and the rest of the day is a complete blur, although I do remember that I was pleased with the bed allocated to me in the hospital's prestigious 6-bed ward 16 for NHS patients: in pole position to win any mass scramble to get to the best and nearest toilet, located just outside the ward door, which is nice.
Thursday April 4th 2024
Each ward-resident gets a TV, but to watch after 12 noon each day you have to take out a subscription, so I just watch the morning news. Call me a cheapskate if you like! [Well I would if I thought it would do any good! - Ed]
My first visit takes place today, first day after my hip replacement op: Lois and Alison visit me in the afternoon, and they persuade me to pose for an iconic picture with stuffed toy Black-and-White-Cat, but I'd be surprised if the press pick it up even for the late editions. But we'll see!
The picture will please our other daughter Sarah's 10-year-old twins, Lily and Jessica.
Ward door (right), through which
best and nearest toilet door is visible
my photo-opportunity with Black-and-White-Cat
Lois having a "zen moment" during the visit
Our dear elder daughter Alison (49)
Friday April 5th 2024
I was hoping to be discharged today, but the hospital are carrying out "further investigations" of symptoms that after a couple of days turn out to by-product of the pre-operation catheterization process. Would you like to know the details?
[No thank you very much! - Ed]
Saturday April 6th 2024
Hurrah - my second visit, this time by Lois and our dear younger daughter Sarah and her 10-year-old twins Lily and Jessica.
Lois with Jessica
Sarah (47) with Lily
Awwww!!! Bless them!!!
Sunday April 7th 2024
Still no discharge on the cards, and no visit from family possible today. And to make things worse all the other 5 ward residents get their marching orders today.
Tonight I'll be the only patient on the ward - yikes, let's hope it isn't haunted by the hospital's "failures" etc !!!!
Lois cheers me up by sending me a text showing the cartoon in "The Week" magazine for this week.
I'm the only patient that nurse will have to look
after tonight - poor nurse !!!!
Monday April 8th 2024
Five more residents move in from 7am, and soon the ward is buzzing again - today's intake includes 2 younger men - sportsmen - which makes a change from all us old codgers.
Luckily Sarah visits me after work this evening. Still no word about my discharge. I've been here 5 days now. I have definitely been starting to lose my sense of "me-ness", so Sarah's visit is a life-saver, bless her!
With no warning I wake up to the surprise good news, "You can get dressed this morning, Colin, you're going home!". Where did that come from? I didn't get any inkling last night.
I ring Sarah, who says she can pick me up about 12 noon.
Discharged at last, and it's goodbye from me to the other residents, including
to Matt, the young guy in the kind of afro haircut that I thought
went out of style in about 1971, when I took Lois
to see a live performance of the musical "Hair" in a London theatre
flashback to 1971: the musical "Hair" at
London's Shaftesbury Theatre, which Lois and I saw
And also it's - no more "doctor's rounds "
in the early morning with doctors summing up each patient's "case"
more or less publicly, accompanied by clipboard-armed staff!
Yes - I'm finally going home!
My suitcase packed and ready to go...
By the afternoon, I'm back home again, and sitting in my iconic trademark "Bingsta"-style Ikea armchair, back in my "nosy neighbour" position at the window - hurrah!
Me with my iconic "Call me Colin" hospital name-tag
still round my left wrist.
The doctors and nursing staff were all wonderful. I have nothing but praise.
I was surprised to see how many of them have come from our former colonies and dominions. I talked to staff born in various Caribbean Islands, plus Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Fiji, not to mention Ireland and Gibraltar. Somehow they all ended up in a little place like Redditch, a town most English people have never heard of.
flashback to Victorian times: the British Empire in 1886
What a madness our empire was, when you stop and think about it!
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