Hello,
I had my DBS operation on Monday of last week.
I arrived at Southmead hospital for my appointment at 10.30am. I was questioned, gowned, and given white socks to wear that help prevent deep vein thrombosis. I had to wait until late afternoon before being operated upon because the previous operation over-ran a bit.
I woke at about 11.00pm, very whizzy. I was attached to a drip, and was disconcerted to discover someone had stolen my underpants and plumbed me into a catheter bag. I later found my underpants in a plastic bag among my belongings. I felt helpless, there was a tightness across the left side of my chest where the Medtronic gadget was installed. There were lumps on my scalp with stitching. I was very pleased that all the holes were at the back of my head under my hair. Bits of my scalp felt like Astroturf where the stitch ends stuck out slightly. There were to small wounds to my eyebrows where the frame was clamped to my head. The skin around my right eye later developed into a spectacular bruise.
To give you some idea of how whizzy I felt, this is the wording of a text I sent a friend:
"Hi, I am Flipper the wonderdog. Please insert floppy disk number one."
And:
"Someone has stolen my knickers while I was asleep. Nothing is sacred. Am attached to catheter bag named Gerald. Gerald says Hi."
When I woke up I was starving. I ate three packets of sandwiches and drank lots of coffee. I did not sleep much that night.
The following day, the drip was removed and I was helped to wash myself and get dressed in my own pyjamas. I felt much better.
The rooms in Southmead hospital are fabulous. Each has an en-suite toilet and wet-room. My only gripe about the wet-room is there are no shelves on which to put your bits and pieces. For example, I had to put my wash bag on top of the bin next to the wash-basin. There was no where to put my spectacles. Similarly, there was no shelf near the shower on which I could put a bottle of shampoo or my razor.
One tip: if you have to spend time in Southmead hospital, take a bottle of showergel that has a hook.
I spent three nights in hospital and was collected on Thursday. Very tired. I needed the paracetmol and codeine that was provided.
The stitches in my head were removed last Monday, seven days after the operation. The dressing on my chest is due to be removed on Thursday - ten days after the operation.
I have an appointment to have my DBS gadget switched on in late April.
Peter.