Camino Via de la Plata - Recovery and time in Windsor

It was now Thursday afternoon and at about 4:00 pm after I had watched everyone else eat lunch without getting any, an orderly came and said he was taking down for the operation. First I was told to leave everything except my clothes with the family member who was with me. Since I had no one they summonsed the security guard who took phone, ring, iPad, and even my glasses, filled out a list which he, a nurse and I signed and took them for safe keeping.

I was wheeled on my bed up one elevator and down another and finally arrived on a corridor lined with other people also on their beds. I waited a few minutes while a women with a trolley of bucket, mop etc. finished cleaning a room which turned out to be the operating room. My doctor came out and I was wheeled in, slid onto a steel table and told to sit with my legs hanging over the side. Then they gave me the spinal block which only felt like a few pin pricks, not painful at all and I was told to lay down. Soon the lower half of my body, from the waist down became numb and I could watch as they lined up instruments and adjusted overhead lights to where my foot was. A curtain was hung in front of me so I could not see what was happening but I heard them talking and what sounded like a drill and other noises.

I have no idea how long it all lasted but when they tore down the paper screen I could see that they given me a caste and heavy bandages on my leg with my toes sticking out. The doctor told me what he had done, 8 screws plus 1 that tied the 2 leg bones together which would need to be removed at some point in the future. I should arrange for follow up as soon as possible when I got home and any orthopedic surgeon would know the follow up procedure for this type of treatment. Also that he would give me a copy of the medical report before I was dismissed. Then I was slid back onto my bed and wheeled to a recovery room.

When I got there I saw that it was now almost 7:00 pm so the operation must have taken longer than I thought. There were about 20 patients in there already. Vital signs checked frequently and told I must stay until anasthetic had worn off and pain was controlled. I received IV pain medicine. I was fit to leave after about 1 1/2 hrs and taken back to my room. Supper was just finishing, but I was not allowed anything, not even a glass of water until 1:00 am - 6 hours after the end of the operation. I went to sleep and when I woke up at 2:00 am I was allowed a cup of water (finally) but no more.

Visiting hours are always for one hour around mealtimes. So, at 7:30 am the crowds poured in as breakfast arrived around 8:00. It was either a muffin or or a large roll with butter and peach jam plus tea or coffee. I chose the roll which was fresh and good, with café con leche (Camino reminders). At 8:30 the visitors all poured out again.

Throughout my stay the nurses, orderlies and everyone were incredibly nice, professional and supportive. Of course language was a challenge since none of them spoke English but if there happened to be a doctor around or even passing through, since our room was a kind of link between other areas with a door at each end, the doctor would be asked to help communicate with me since they could all speak excellent English.

I was well treated and cared for and felt they were on top of things, they kept track of medicines etc., all of which were administered through an IV. No pills ever. There were antibiotics, pain medicine, anti-nausea medicine and others I don't know what they were. Usually I had 2 bags hanging above my head.

Since the main hospital beds were all taken and I needed to be treated right away when I arrived I was put in an "Observation ward". I'm not sure what was different because I never saw the regular beds area so I can't compare. I was in a large area with about two dozen beds in smaller groups of 4-6 beds, men and women. My section had 4 beds, 2 men and 2 women, generally open but with screens to roll around a bed as needed. Most if the time we could see each other. I was there for 2 days and the only time I left the bed was to be slid onto the operating table. For X-rays I would be taken on my bed to the X-Ray room and pictures taken while I was still on the bed. The only problem I had was that the bed was too short and I had to have my feet propped up on a rail at the foot end resting on a pillow.

I was told I would be discharged late that Friday evening when I had 24 hours following the operation on antibiotics with no sign of infection. I passed the test and the doctor came and gave me a copy of his report. I was provided with a set of crutches which were adjusted for my height and for which I had to pay €22 ($30) and later wheeled down in my bed with my backpack and other things, transferred to a wheelchair and put in a taxi to take me to the hotel Christa had booked for me.

The taxi ride only took about 10 minutes since both the hospital and the hotel were near the city center. We got held up because a procession was just coming along a street next to the hotel and roads were blocked, but the taxi driver told the policeman I was coming from the hospital and couldn't walk so we were let through to the hotel. A wheelchair appeared from the hotel, I was wheeled in and up to reception. I had to wait a few minutes but was given a very welcome glass of cava while I waited. Checked in and wheeled up to and into my room and after declining further help left alone in my wheelchair with my crutches on my lap.

Now I had to try and move around on the crutches. It was difficult and I was unsteady but did not have any falls. I had been upgraded to a suite which was a mixed blessing. I had more space, but more doors and furniture to navigate around.

I had some immediate challenges. There were fancy electronic touch switches everywhere to turn lights on and off, but most of them would turn lights on but not off. I played with them for a while but finally gave up and went bed with all the lights on! I woke a couple of times in the night but soon was asleep again.

The next morning I got up and tried to make a cup of coffee in a coffee machine. I am generally able to figure these things out but there were no instructions and after wasting 3 of the 4 capsules I called down and asked for help with the lights and the coffee machine. A man right away and showed me where to put in water and how to operate it, but his demo failed too and he decided the machine was broken. He soon came back with a new machine and voila coffee!

Now he started on the light problem. He took a picture off the wall and behind it were breakers and relays for all the lights etc. he reached into his toolbox, took out a hammer and with a few well aimed strokes had all the light switches working again. Basic rule of maintenance I suppose - if you don't know what the problem is, use a hammer.

All was well and he left. I now was faced with getting the cup of coffee from the coffee machine to the sofa without using my hands (crutches). I finally figured it out but realized now that my life would be very different for the next few weeks.

I went down to breakfast which was a buffet. The staff were great and told me what was on the buffet and brought me whatever I wanted, also making suggestions. It was actually fun since they were so nice. I also found myself sitting next to couple from Nurnberg, Germany, in Seville for a convention, but spoke very little English and we had an interesting talk in German.

I had been given a list of medicines I needed when I left the hospital and the receptionist offered to have them got for me at a nearby pharmacy. I collected them at the front desk and headed back to my room. I had no plans for the day except to rest. I had been told there was a deck area on the roof on the 7th floor so I made my way up there with a newspaper. As I got out of the elevator I was faced with a long corridor. I was still unsteady on the crutches and it took an effort to get to the end of it.

When I turned the corner there was another long corridor. Finally I got to the spa area and called for someone. A person came but spoke no English as I enquired about the deck. Finally she understood and showed me the way up two steps to the door out. These were my first steps and I was already tired from the long corridors. I made it up them and found a very nice area with a shady corner were I set myself. It was quiet and peaceful.

There was a view of part of the city and I read the New York Times from front to back.

If I had been able to negotiate a staircase up to the jacuzzi deck I would have had a view of the cathedral but I couldn't risk that, especially coming down. I wasn't even sure yet how I would manage the 2 steps down to get back into the hotel.

I had laid out my regime for the 4 different medicines. Two of them once per day and the other two one each every 8 hours but not at the same time.

I had had a good breakfast but at about 3:00 I decided to look for some tapas which would serve for enough food for the rest of the day. The reception told me one of their restaurants had tables out on the sidewalk and that there were some available in the shade. They took me down in an elevator and found me a nice table where I could watch the people. This is in the city center with narrow streets so not much traffic.

I ordered a shrimp salad with some bread and a glass of Seville wine. Both were excellent and they also brought me a small dish of olives (yum). There was plenty to watch going on around me. I was about halfway through my meal when who should show up but the German couple I had talked to at breakfast and they were pleased when I invited them to join me.

They ordered and we chatted. It was nice to have company.

After a while we settled our bills and I went back to my room to start packing. I only had what I had brought in my backpack but I tried to organize more for my visit with Jane. It took a while because I had spread things around the 2 rooms and the bathroom. I found the best way around was in the wheelchair rather than the crutches since I could then carry things with me. I had to rearrange the furniture for this, pushing everything to the side. The door to the bathroom was too narrow for the wheelchair.

Finally I was done with my clothes for tomorrow laid out and other things packed. In between I had to remember to take my medicine. Every 4 hours one or the other was due. I also got on the Internet with my iPad and found a flight for next week from London to Washington. I wanted business class for this long flight so I could keep my leg elevated. The best deal was through Delta on a Virgin Atlantic flight so I booked it. Christa will meet me with the car in Washington and I won't have to change planes. Here is my backpack in its Dollar Store bag ready to go.

Went to bed and slept well, just waking up once. Opportunity to take my medicine. Next morning down to breakfast. Same very helpful server and had a good breakfast to last me to dinner with Jane tonight. While I was eating, who should come along to the next table but the German couple! We chatted and then I went back to the room until it was time to leave for the airport. Bellman came and took me and my luggage down to check-out and into a taxi to take me to the airport. It was Sunday morning, traffic was light and we were soon there.

The driver told me to wait in the taxi while he went in and found a wheelchair person. They loaded me and my luggage, I was checked in quickly and taken through security to the gate and parked by myself. I was early and just when we should have boarded they announced a gate change. The other waiting passengers stampeded out and I thought I would be stranded, but a kind person who had been sitting next to me offered to push me to the new gate and off we went. She got me set at the very front of the line to board. Then my wheelchair attendant arrived since he had been looking for me. I was first to go on board but it was a long way on crutches down the narrow aisle to my seat in row 20! I made it and we took off about 30 mins late to Madrid where I had to change planes. That went well but at the gate I asked if I could be moved from row 21 to nearer the front and they put me in row 8 - much better.

Flight to London was fine but Iberia wanted to be paid for everything, even a glass of water. I told them that was ridiculous and they went to the first class section and found me one. That was a bit extreme on a 2 hour flight from one country to another, and we think things are bad with air travel in the US.

Arrived London on time, immigration and luggage were quick and the wheelchair person took me out to find Jane who was waiting for me. He also took us to her car in the car park and soon we were at her house in Windsor which is where we grew up as children. It had been a tiring day for me. It was so nice to be able to talk and share even though it had only been about 2 weeks since she returned from visiting us. She had a light supper ready along with a very tasty bottle of English Ale which was greatly appreciated. It was the perfect welcome.

I slept quite well in the familiar surroundings and in the morning (Monday) I was ready for an outing. Jane had organized a very old wheelchair and we set off into the town first to get an adapter so I could charge my phone and iPad and next to change some money. She took me up the hill near the castle and left me in front of a café while she went to the bank to change the money for me and when she came back we had a coffee. It wasn't long before the band came past after the changing of the guard at the castle. This used to be one of my favorite moments when I was a little boy and tried to go and watch it as often as possible since we lived very close. Again it made me choke up. The guards were the horse guards (on foot) with uniforms including helmets and spurs and the brass band always makes me choke up and brings tears to my eyes even all these years later. It was wonderful, but over too soon. As a boy I would run along side all the way to the barracks but not with crutches.

Just writing this makes me teary eyed again.

It was a lovely warm summer day.

Back to her house bumping over the cobbles in places for a salad and pork pie lunch and a quiet afternoon including a nap in her favorite recliner.

In the evening Jane went to a church bible study. I would have gone too but she said it was in an upstairs room with a flight of stairs. I would not have made it with my crutches.

On Tuesday Kate, one of my other sisters and her husband Dave drove up from Christchurch to visit. We had a wonderful time talking about my adventures and updating on their lives. Dave is President of their local Rotary club this year and they had to leave quite early because tonight was an important meeting with a speaker which he had to chair. It was so nice to spend time with them.

In the evening Jane and I went out to a pub for supper, steak and ale pie and a pint of bitter. Very nice. Jane has lived in Windsor all her life and seems to know most of the people we ran into, especially in the local pub! She is very active in the church and until recently was on the board of governors of the elementary school so has got to know many classes of children and their parents as they passed through.

Later I had a long telephone call with my third sister Tricia who lives in Scotland which was also great.

Next day travel back to Richmond.

 

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