Early this year, I saved my back from possible harm when I bent at the knees to pick up a 48kg box, and popped a hernia instead. In due course, I had a phone consultation with my GP, followed a week later by an in-person visit. He duly got me put on the West Herts NHS waiting list for surgery. I was aware of the huge backlog of folk needing all sorts of surgery, so I bought a hernia support belt and resigned myself to a long wait.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I was called to see a surgical consultant at the local hospital on 22nd September, the day before my 70th birthday. I accepted it gratefully as a gift! He told me that he would be able to arrange for me to have the operation before Christmas. Soon after arriving back home, I got a phone call offering me an appointment at the Pre-op Assessment unit. Over the next few days, I was given a date for a Covid swab test and for surgery four days later.
The swab test was last Friday, 8th October, after which I had to isolate until I went in for the operation on the Monday. I was there at 2:30pm and out by 8:00. Job done! Now it's a matter of rest and healing and building up gradually to full mobility - it's all a bit sore at the moment! I'm told that in eight weeks' time I will be able to get on with life as it was pre-box-lift.
And that means...!
I'm feeling very blessed. We'll be seeing her once more this year, to do a few small jobs to ready her for next year, and to winterise her. Then we'll be making plans!
