recovery time

After the surreal experience of my first hospital visit, I am now in the recovery zone. The first day was fine - I expect that there was so much medication in my system that my body didnt know what was going on. The hospital experience was not unpleasant - while I was worried about it at the time, looking back on it now it wasn't bad. Everyone was so caring and positive, and it all happened so quickly that I did not have much time to think about what was happening.. The weirdest part was of course the operating theatre. Seeing a room from the position on the bed I didnt have a chance to look around. All I saw were people moving around me as they put on monitors for various functions and the odd piece of equipment moving past me. The smell and cold sense of antiseptic liquid was pervasive but then as quickly as I arrived in the theatre, I felt my hand start to tingle. I mentioned this to the doctor who said it was quite normal and that yes, this was it as I drifted off..... and then awake again in the recovery ward.

I awoke in a rather comfy bed with a big pillow under my head. The oxygen had a slight smell of chocolate and then I drifted off again. I moved in and out of wakefulness for about half an hour - who knows really? Was given some painkillers and drifted out again. Eventually I came around and was given some tea and a few sandwiches. I didnt think I would feel hungry but once the anaesthetic started to recede I was famished after not having eaten for about 12 hours. The last thing I had eaten was a homemade minestrone that the lovely boy had carefully prepared (complete with homemade vegetable stock) - wonderfully nourishing! As I sat down to a cheese sandwich, my boy appeared in front of me and I was so happy to see him.. I think I was a bit delirious as I started telling him all about the events and all the people who were involved. I felt suprisingly chipper considering everything. Amazing people anaesthetists!

After a day of sitting around, my arm is starting to hurt where the iv went in and I am quite sore and cramped. I am putting aside the knitting to let my arm rest and think I will have some soup and watch another film now. Time to get foetal again.