"Dave" wrote in message
...
nightjar cpb@ wrote:

Thank you all. Having spoken to a couple of people who have had the same
operation, I'm fairly relaxed about the whole thing. In any case, my
partner is doing enough worrying for both of us. She keeps giving me
regular reports on how Betty Boothroyd is doing, which seems to be
encouraging her.

I know my problem is dwarfed by yours, but parts of what I have gone
through might ring a bell with you.

Until recently, the only opperation I have had where I have had a full,
was when I was seven years old. I can't remember it.

When I were a lad, my dentist used to use general anaesthetic for almost
everything short of a minor filling. I have also been under a general for a
gall bladder removal, about 8 years ago. Rohipnol seems to have been the
drug of choice for most procdures since. It is weird to discover you have
had a long telephone conversation with someone and not be able to recall
even phoning.

All subsequent ones have been done under a local. However, last October I
was wheeled down for an op under a local to have a detached retina sorted.
They hooked me up to monitoring devices and ten minutes later I was
wheeled back up to the ward after being told I would have to have a full
before they could opperate. By this time, my blood pressure had leaped
from very high to above cloud level with worry about losing the sight in
my left eye and undergoing a full. On top of this was my worry about not
coming round from going under. I even threatened the anethasist that I
would come back and haunt him if I died.

I think eye problems worry me a lot more than the heart operation. I won't
know if I die, but I would know if I went blind. I waited three months for
an eye clinic appointment and, when the consultant saw me, he said, come in
tomorrow at 9am. I'm operating on you then. When the NHS works that fast it
is worrying.. Fortunately, my retina was only torn and had not detached, so
it was a quick and simple repair job and I was out of hospital by 11am.

In the end, I wondered what I had worried about. Modern medicine has moved
on so much, it is nothing like it was 10 years ago.

This is what I'm gambling on with the valve choice.


Manchester's Royal eye hospital retinal unit is a centre of absolute
excelence in my mind, after spending Fri. Sat. Sunday there.

I won't wish you good luck, but I will say that I am looking forward to
new posts from you. I am that confident you will be back amongst us soon.

So am I., but I'm having a will drawn up, just in case.

Colin Bignell