The grandchildren have had an epic summer. They will talk about this one in their dotage. Perhaps a song ‘the summer of 26’

Thursday the boys were at Go Ape the high wire climbing whatsit.

Meanwhile after countless emails phone calls and the intervention of Bedford MaxFax to Luton MaxFax. I found myself in Luton and Dunstable hospital yesterday.

Operation scheduled to remove the offending jaw plates.

No food and drink as directed.

I had repeatedly said I don’t think this will happen because I haven’t seen the anaesthetic team. With the asthma stuff and mouth surgery the tubes have to to go nasal and that’s where the lungs might protest. So pre-assessment / anaesthetic people need to know. Actually weirdly I do have some experience of this!

The new modern ‘planned surgery’ ward is great. Each patient in a ‘pod’. Which whilst a strange term means privacy peace and quiet as compared to noisy waiting areas of yore.

Once checked in surgeon arrived. He said I was second in the list. But. Big but he was surprised I was in this list. It being a catch up list Not his normal team. This he said meant he didn’t know who the anaesthetist was. Hopefully all his previous reports would pass muster.

Anaesthetic team – consultant and registrar. Arrived. Asked a million questions. Registrar was fascinated with all the allergies and anaphylactic stuff. Consultant was anxiously writing it all down. She asked if I had falls, Alzheimer’s or dementia. Just to test that she asked me my age. Three times.

Registrar asked if I could walk. Well yes I replied. And I swim and boxercise etc.

He was amazed – how often? Well in the 850m lake two or three times a week. In winter the pool 40 laps

I think he thought I was joking.

That was then 13:00.

14:00 passed

15:00.so much for top of the list

16:00 no one else in the pods.

17:00 a nurse arrived. Walked me to the theatres. Last on the infamous ‘list’.

Registrar tried to get a cannula in. Failed a few times and consultant irritably took over.

I could see Mr MaxFax surgeon. Pacing the floor.

Sometime later…

I was woken up by various people in blues and reds yelling my name.

Long story short I stayed in recovery a few hours because…

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— what an absolute shambles. The operation was abandoned, my oxygen levels weren’t behaving, and it’s been one thing after another. They wheeled a massive x ray machine into recovery. Checked the lungs ok. Lots of anaesthetists in red pyjamas gathered around. They finally found me a bed, so I was in recovery for ages, but off the ironing board trolly, and finally to a ward later that night. . You couldn’t make it up.

I should be home Friday, and then they’ll reschedule everything properly with the surgeons’ actual team.

What could I have done to avoid this. ? One anaesthetist said I should be first not last on the ‘list’. That it was too late to let me go home.

Maxfax surgeon told me he’d sort everything and get his own anaesthetic team next time. Blah blah. Like was I meant to know how to do all that?

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No pillow. No food. Home soon !

Go ape !

Morning.

Pillow arrived this morning.

Toast – but somehow so rubbery I think I’ll break my jaw on it.

Mr Max Fax arrived. ‘ The fittest patient in the hospital’ not funny. Lots of apologies reschedule blah blah couldn’t understand why I was on that ‘list’ need to be on correct ‘list’ like somehow I should know.

Later.

Mattress audit. So no-one can lie down !