Into the hospital for Operation - TEETH EXTRACTION

Angela comes to pick me up about 09:45, having come from her own Ultrsound scan on her thyroid, having spent the previous few days with me she has got herself worried about a lump in her throat, typically been the same as me, left and left it!! but I am glad this has spurred her on to do something about it, and I am sure it will be fine...

Anyway, first stop is back to see Sabine  so she can clean and polish my teeth (including the one's that are being taken out - bless her!!). I spend an hour or so with her checking them all, telling me about the meeting they have had today where they were discussing my case, again it shows that the whole team is involved and I feel better to know this, so I leave with instructions to buy and electric toothbrush, she gives me (well charges me!!) a baby toothbrush as I will need to brush the gums gently to help the healing process and sends me on my way.

Angela and I then drive literally 100 metres to the hospital, where I check in and breeze through up the ward, AXA-PPP have done there job and sorted out all the medical costs, in South Africa it is very much like the US, payment for all medical treatment has to get done in advance generally, so you have to get letters of guarantee, etc sorted out, after a few exchanges this now all seems to be sorted out and as I say going through the hospital was quick and easy.

I get up to the "Neck and Head" ward and check-in, the nurses are lovely, we have a good old laugh and joke as they go through all the paperwork and get everything organised, they then take me to my room, its about 12:15. I am Dr. Boyes-Varley's last procedure for the day, so I have a few hours to wait.

It's great to have Angela with you on these occasions as she does like to talk, to which I find this very amusing and at this moment distracting and glad she is just chit-chatting about all kinds of crap!

I then get the call at around 14:15, change into my robe for theatre, rather embarrassingly Angela has to do this up for me, but we have a good old laugh about it, then off to theatre.

As I am wheeled in I am waiting in the designated area and then Dr. B-V, his colleague (whose name escapes me) and the anaesthetist (who doesn't look very happy - long day probably). They wheel me into the operating theatre, I switch beds and the anaesthetist does his stuff and out I go.

An hour and half later I come round, I must admit initially not feeling to good, but get back up to the ward where Angela is waiting for me, this is always the tricky part for me as anaesthetic always makes me very emotional, she gives me a hug and this makes me feel much better, the next instant is like something out of a comedy sketch, there is Angela having to lie on the floor, legs in the air as she is feeling all lightheaded, a nurse walks by and wonders what on earth is going on and I am in so much pain with laughter it's unbelievable, a really funny moment that makes me feel a whole lot better.

They have actually taken three teeth out on the right hand side of my lower jaw, have put the implants in ready for my new teeth once I am over the radiation treatment, so now I have to heal!

Dr. B-V comes up to see me about an hour or so later and explains why he needed to remove the third tooth due to the shape of the root that could cause some problems, sounds reasonable to me??

About 19:25 I discharge myself and go home feeling remarkably well, we get home and Angela puts the kettle on, always good to have a nice cuppa, feeling hungry which is good as I guess I haven't eaten all day so I have some noodles and chicken which is a challenge but get most of it eaten. I Skype Carol and talk through the events of the day and have a serious fit of laughter as I am explaining Angela laying on the floor all lightheaded!! Go off to bed after taken the necessary drugs at about mid-night and get a pretty good nights sleep