30 June 2012

This morning started early.

Probably coz yesterday finished quite tired. Went to sleep not long after Ken & Maison brought round the spare bed from FarFar Away. Well the mattress anyway. This will give me a day bed to use. As it is a different style it might also help with back issues. Set it up in the spare room.

Actually quite difficult to type this out on the small keyboard on the phone. Spend almost as much time using the delete key as typing.

The sun is actually shining at the moment and it would probably be a good sailing day.

The wind in the afternoon is a bit gusty so might be an interesting sail if people have gone out.

I have started to notice the bubble level is already visible in the top of my vision in the right eye. Don't remember it being like this, this early last time. Could it be leaking faster than in the left eye? Will monitor over the next few days. Might it need a top up?

Looking at weather station data the wind speeds are gradually increasing from this morning. Currently gusting at about 26knots.

Listening to lots of podcasts at the moment. Plenty of science programs. Have noticed some cross-over between them. Might drop one of them to get space/time for something else. Radio4 documentaries aren't bad either.

Armed forces day today and Plymouth was chosen as one of the big centres of commemerating it. Sounds like jets flying over The Sound just as the sun has gone in and the rain had started.

The eye feels a little less scratchy this afternoon. Must have finally got all the crap from under the lids. Maybe the stitches are getting worn down as well.

Got an email from the PC on the Vespucci telling me he was going to send me my kit bag. Nothing desperate in it but some small items which would be nice to get back. The company are not prepared to take responsibility for personal kit. Nice to know that somebody from the vessel is prepared to help out.

Will have a small red wine with tea tonight. No instructions not to indulge so small amount should be okay.

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Recovery day3

Just looking at the garden this morning at The Swamp and saw a single pole of bamboo. Obviously missed a bit when the diggers were in. Bugger.

Starting to have back issues again. Will have to start sitting up and stretch during my 10 min breaks. Trying a pillow under belly as well to see if it'll help.

Also need to make sure I don't get cocky this time just because the last one went so well. Should stick to the routines as much as possible.

Starting to get annoyed already as I know how long this is all going to take.

Once the postering is over I won't be able to drive until I get the cataracts sorted. Bit of a major bugger that. Still it'll mean more on the bike with trailer.

Seem to be waiting for the builder to get back to me. Ken thinks it is because the weather has delayed his other work and using slow comms as a delaying tactic. Better hadn't leave it too long though. Could be I get a little impatient and go with somebody else.

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Operation day 27th June 2012

Last night tried to call the family up North. Mum and Tracey-Anne weren't in.

They both called later on. Unfortunately I wasn't exactly awake when Mum called. Completely wasted.

Woke up about 0800 this morning but didn't have to be at the REI until 1230hrs. Actually just stayed put in bed reading some old books. Nearly didn't get out of bed in time I was so relaxed.

Got a taxi at 1130hrs. Yet again they went to the end of the cul-de-sac. How large do the numbers on my bins have to be?

Got to the REI in plenty of time. Was probably more nervous this time than last time. Very chatty to the nurses. Plenty of banter. Had to put on those compression stockings for some reason. Not sure if I remember them from last time? They did let me put my boots on again. Was a bit chilly in the theatre area. Didn't want to get cold feet half way through the op.

Went over the paperwork again with the surgeon. Confirmed the statistics of failures etc. 20% chance it won't work. However this compares with 100% blindness if nothing is done, so not much mathematics to figure out there then!

Confirmed verbally which eye was being operated on with the nurses, even though the surgeon had already put a bloody great big arrow above it earlier.

Anethetist was only there to put in the block around my eye, signed the papers then left. Not long after that they wheeled me in. I did try and get the pulse monitor to slow down but don't think I succeded.

Again they covered my face with a blue covering which was sticky around the eye. After that I could only see shadows for most of the time.

During the initial part of the operation one of the machines, which sounded like a laser device, wouldn't work. Thankfully they managed to trace the problem quite quickly to a bad cable.

The team were comfortable with each other judging by the way they were talking about stuff. Good to hear that.

Towards the end of the op I was starting to feel cramped from having to stay still for so long. Especially so in the left side which was squeezed into the trolley side.

Once they'd finished I got off the gurney and walked a few steps to a chair. I didn't feel dizzy but still had to take it easy coz the feet didn't do exactly what I told em. The eye was covered by gauze and plastic shield.

Was put into a recovery room where the promised tea and biscuits were brought in. The nurse took out the needle from my left hand and remeasured my blood pressure. Not surprisingly maybe, it was actually lower than before the op.

I was informed of the postering regime. Bit different from last time. Maybe the area affected this time is bigger because this time I have to alternate 45° from left to right instead of straight down. Also told to present myself at the REI in the morning at 0800 for surgeons checkup. The nurses wanted me in a bit earlier though.

Got a taxi home.

Once at home the headache on the right hand side really became noticable. My gods it felt like I'd been hit with a baseball bat. It was even affecting my teeth.

Don't normally take painkillers but I took two paracetemol straight away and went upstairs to suffer in bed.

Some time later Ken & Anne brought round some microwaveable meals for the next few days. Good mates. We had a shared curry which was good.

Ken agreed to drop me off at the REI in the morning. They left and I went to bed for fitfull nights sleep.

The paracetemol didn't get rid of the headache. Only took the edge off.

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26th June cont....

This afternoon was a bit tense. Jane picked me up from the station. Was a little surprised to see her on the platform as they generally have a barrier in place. Then again this was Jane we're talking about. Rather nicely she'd bought me a pasty and a drink. She dropped me off at the REI in plenty of time for the 1400 appointment.

Nurses got a bit upset with me plugging in my mobile phone. Some nonsense about not be checked. Would like to see some evidence of this supposed interference as well. Is it just the noise they don't like with mobile phones or do they really mess with electronics? Is modern kit really that badly made.

Was eventually taken upstairs and so thought I would get an operation later on. Took a little while to get seen. Philapino called Edwin took blood pressure cholesterol etc while I sat with the other patients. Eventually was seen by one doctor who did initial assessment before being seen by the surgeon.

The surgeon's assessment didn't start until 1630hrs which I did think was a bit late for operation. This was borne out by him saying he'd do the operation tomorrow after midday. Sent home with instructions to lie flat on my back as much as possible to reduce the effects of gravity making things worse.

Jane had said she'd pick me up so I gave her a ring. Unluckily she had already got home and had to come and get me through the evening traffic. We decided to head round the back way and it didn't take too long really.

Once we got to the swamp jane struggled with my bags past the landrover and greenery. Thanks.

Went straight to my bed on my back. After about an hour Anne popped round with some bread and milk so I could at least have tea, cereal and sandwiches or toast.

After she left I made a couple of sandwiches and went back to bed. Feeling very tired.

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Yuck!

A picture from this morning. Not a pretty one eh!

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Homeward bound

The flight wasn't too bad in most respects. The seat did indeed go flat and I could lie on my left as instructed. The food was okay. There could've been plenty of wine if I wanted it. Not that I was particularly interested in the entertainment on this flight but the aircraft was still using looped tapes rather than touch screen media servers, even in business class.
Once I got off the plane I had to negotiate T5. Not the best thought out terminal I thought. The shuttle trains were quick but they only had two escalators to deal wih all the passengers. Major log jam at the bottom. One girl got jostled or something and just wouldn't let it lie. She was still going on about it to her boyfriend when I got to the e-passport booths. Thought about turning around and just telling her to get a life rather than going on and on and on.
Took bloody ages (in electronic terms) to get through the booths. I don't think they're automatic at all in the UK. I think the camera is just to give the operator a picture. It went up and down a few times. No facial reconigiton software as they seemed to have in Portugal. You never see more than one green light at a time with it.
Once through passport it was off to the baggage carousels. Again I wasn't too impressed here either. There were at least 12 large belt systems all in a line, not in a cirlce or square as I would've expected. You enter the hall at one end and you might have to walk all the way to the other end for ya bag. Only saw one display with flight numbers on it and I headed over to the one for the Dubai flight.
On the belt were three large cardboard tubes one of which got jammed in an opening and caused the bags behind to pile up and fall on the floor. A passing worker hit the emergency button and cleared it up. I did think they'd cause more trouble if they weren't removed.
I was waiting and waiting as bags went round but no sign of my bags. Suddenly no bags at all were going past and when I looked round there was another log jam caused by another bloody tube. More than one passenger was just staring at it getting worse. Duh! I hit the button.
It took a little while for the guys from behind the scenes to come front of house and clear it up. They didn't do a very good job though cause thirty seconds after a restart I was pushing the button again. The bags they'd lifted on to the belt were catching the ones still on the floor. Duh!
After this third restart I still couldn't see anything of my bags. I checked the bag tags and found I was at the wrong carousel. I was at the BA flight from Dubai whereas I should've been at the BA flight from Abu Dhabi. Oops! Seems a bit confusing to me. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are not that far apart. Anyhoo my excuse is that it was early morning and I had other things on my mind.
After collecting my bags I then thought of ways not to carry them any great distance as this was banned apparently. Haven't quite understood the connection between lifting stuff and me eyes but there you go. Messages and calls with Kn anr Anne came up with a number of possibilities. Even enquired at the left luggage to see how much shipping them would cost. £80 was quoted for my kit bag and roller. Decided to use trollies as much as possible even if it meant leaving pound coins scattered all over the place. Thankfully the Heathrow Express goes direct from T5 to Paddington without having to change at Heathrow Central.
Ken had given me sound information and I caught the 0906 pasty express direct to Plymouth.
Bummer that the seats on the train even in first class don't lie flat. Still it is First Great Western and the free refreshments are most welcome, especially from the trolley.
Managed to blag an appointment for this afternoon at 1400hrs instead of 0930hrs tomorrow. Hopefully this'll mean the operation will be one day earlier as well. Jane has agreed to spend some of her lunch break picking my bags up so I don't have to carry them around. She will meet me on the platform and will probably be very strict about it.
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Bugger

Bugger. The right eye has detached retina now. Got looked at by one doc who seemed quite shocked that I had actually made it to the hospital. She took some ultra sound scans and sent me to a retina specialist in a different hospital. Left the scans along with visa in the bloody taxi. The hospitals in Abu Dhabi seem to be in multi storey blocks. Opthamology in one was on the seventh floor and the other on the fourth. The second quack had come in specially after already finishing his 9hour shift. He took lots of colour photos of both eyes and was impressed by the repair done in the left eye. He did say the eye would need repairing straight away but I didn't fancy staying in Abu Dhabi for three weeks or so for the bubble to disappear. He said there would be a slight increase in risk if I flew home tonight. The risk might be reduced if I can get a flat bed/seat. The cost of the op in Abu Dhabi would be Dh15000 but didn't manage to get any sense out of the insurance company. Bloody useless. Might actually think about sorting out something else. Got to the airport but Etihad didn't have any option for upgrade. Ken had found that BA have flat seats amd they would be cheaper than Etihad. Bought the last business class seat with BA for £2500. If it helps get me home to sort out my right eye then cheap.

Right eye buggered now

Just as I thought I was getting over the paranoia from having the detatchment in the left eye, the right eye has now started to give me problems. A few days ago I noticed a small greyish shadow in the bottom right of the vision. Didn't think it was anything but tiredness until last night. As I lay in bed looking into a dark corner I saw the occassional flash of light in a curve as though somebody was moving a powerful small torch in an arc. This morning I could see what looked like a loose contact lens in my vision but on the inside. Didn't put any washing into the hotel laundary as I thought I'd be heading home today. Got to the training centre to pick up my stuff and also talk to the administrator to arrange flight home. Unfortunately she wasn't in today due to illness. Bugger. The training manager took me to see the on site medical nurse who arranged an appointment with a local opthamologist in Abu Dhabi. 1800hrs. I will take a car from the training centre. Got back to the course and helped out on the gun deck for a bit. Lead instructor came and said a flight had been arranged for two-thirtyish and I should go back to hotel and pack. I wouldn't be going to local quack then. I was nearly at the taxi rank by the front gate when I got a call from training manager to say there'd been a break down in communication and the flight wasn't until 0235 tomorrow morning. Bugger. Walked back to training building. Decided to walk to main accomodation building for leisurely lunch and wait for the car to the hospital. Will pack bags later after seeing local quack. Have rung REI in Plymouth to arrange an appoint for Wednesday morning. Sent email to personnel in US warning them as well so they don't try and get me on a boat. All a bit of a shit really. Cataract forming in the left eye and now this in the right.