St-Richards-Hospital 14th June 2022

St-Richards-Hospital Tuesday 14th June 2022. I’ve been in hospital for a week now with one more to go. Everything seems to be going well, and I’m doing fine. Well, at least they’ve not told me any different. My blood pressure was initially on the low side and took two days to come up. It’s still a bit low but nowhere what it was, and there’s nothing to worry about.

I’ve been lucky they put me back on the same ward I was on last year, which is the private part of the hospital. I’m not back in the same room, but the room they gave me this time is much better. It looks out over the main entrance to the hospital and the cathedral in the distance. So I have plenty to look at and pass the time of day away. That’s when I’m in the room. All the staff remember me, which I’m not too sure is a good thing or not!

My infection markers have come right down. From a high of 125 last week to 11 eleven this week. Which came as a bit of a surprise to my consultant. He expected them to go up and said they may still. Covering all basses there then.

I’m on four different types of antibiotics. Two that they used in the cement to fix my hip, and two they administer intravenously three times a day. I’ve also had a “mid line” fitted, so they don’t need to keep trying to find a vein for a cannular.

Physio has also gone well, and as far as they are concerned, they’ve signed me off. So in between having to have my antibiotics, I’m off out and about wandering around the hospital.

Fame At Last

Apparently, my surgeon said I’m famous in St Richards Hospital or was it infamous! And because of me, they’ve changed their procedure. After a total hip replacement, the old advice was that there were “no restrictions.” But now they say “no restrictions, apart from cycling and other sports!” All because I got back on my bike two weeks after my operation. But to me, if there were no restrictions, then cycling was okay. After all, it’s not as if it was something out of the ordinary for me. And I did wait two weeks until I felt well enough.

Now, whenever my consultant sees me with a new doctor or nurse, he always says this is the man! And before anybody asks, no, getting back, cycling had nothing to do with my infection. Mr Wakeling did say the hospital holds nothing against me for getting back on my bike. They were pretty impressed!

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