Delphine Brady - Discectomy

How it Started, the first thing I noticed was that my tummy button seemed to have moved, instead of being in the centre it was about 1 inch to the right.

The next day I rang for an appointment with my doctor, Dr Nicholas. I saw Dr Nicholas on the Monday morning and he thought that I had displaced my disc, I was told to go home and lie flat, this I did putting a duvet on the floor in the lounge. There I stayed - very uncomfortable.

After 1 week of lying there, no improvement, I again went back to see Dr Nicholas and he said he would refer me to a specialist.

Dr Nicholas was then on holiday from 2 weeks. During the time he was on holiday I did not improve, in fact I got alot worse, at this time my disc had trapped the nerve and I was getting very acute pain down my right leg.

When Dr Nicholas arrived back from his holidays I had an appointment to see him. He noticed the difference in my condition and said he would contact the hospital to arrang an urgent appointment with the specialist.

This was on a Wednesday 13th March, with Mr Krishna. My husband drove me to the hospital for my appointment. I used one of the wheel chairs to get to the clinic area as I was not very mobile.

Appointments were running late, After time I was shown into a cubicle and then waited to see Mr Krishna.

I remember waking up that first morning and thinking the pain has gone, that constant ache and the fear of moving wrong and I can't remember how long the examination took, but I can remember that it was painful. During the weeks up to seeing him, I had become very mis-shapen, I was leaning over to the left side and bending forward.

Mr Krishna was so positive which gave me confidence in him, saying he would be able to help me, he then said he was going to bring me into hospital straight away. He then went to make arrangements with the ward and I was admitted into hospital about 6pm the same day. I then went home to collect the things I thought I needed for my stay in hospital.

On arrival at ward 33 I was checked in and shown my bed etc. The staff nurse introduced me to the people in the ward and gave me information I needed, I arrived at a meal time and they gave me something to eat.

The next day started early, sleeping with a trapped nerve is quite painful and I don't think I slept very much. On waking I was allowed to have a shower and dress.

Breakfast is delivered about 8am and with my each meal the ward hostess brought the drinks trolley round, tea and coffee.

On the first day in hospital I was taken down to the X-ray department for X-rays. The second day I was waiting for an appointment to go for a scan. Each day Mr Krishna came to see his patients. My appointment for the MRI Scan was arranged for the Monday, as I was walking wounded I was taken in a wheel chair, by porter to the ambulance, along with another lady who also had back problems, we were taken over Darlington for the scan.

The total scan was 19 minutes, this is broken down into small sessions 1 minute, 2 minutes, the longest being 8 minutes. This was a problem as to lie perfectly still on your back for this length of time is very difficult with a trapped nerve. After the scan we were taken back to the waiting area, to remove the problem disc and release the trapped nerve.

I was told that I would be added to the operation list for the following day, this was the Wednesday, I was also told that if they had any emergencies my operation would not take place.

Unfortunately for me an emergency occurred and my operation was postponed. The operation was then due to take place on the following Monday morning.

However on the Friday just after breakfast, Mr. Krishna came to see me and said that it might be possible if there were no emergencies to do the operation later in the day. Unfortunately again there was an emergency.

Monday dawned very early for me, I was showered and ready for my operation at 6am (because I did not sleep very well) the porter came to take me to the operation room just after 8am, the anaesthetist put a needle into the back of my right hand and then I didn't know a thing until I came too, back in my own bed on the ward, with my husband and a friend sitting waiting for me to come round.

It was a wonderful feeling as from the moment I awoke I did not have the terrible pain. I was a little dosey and I think I kept going back to sleep. Later in the evening I was allowed to go to the loo and I think I slept through the night - this was a first for many week.

The day after my operation, Mr Krishna arrived and gave me a little momento of the operation, the part of my disc he removed, I have kept this and had it framed as a reminder of the terrible problems that it caused me.

Also I has visit from the physiotherapist, she gave me a leaflet and showed me how to do the exercises that I needed to do. The exercises are done at regular times throughout the day. I was told that after seeing the physio therapist the following day, I would be allowed home.

How things work on a hospital ward:

Food, each day during the morning each patient receives 3 menus to choose their meals for the evening, breakfast and lunch the following day. Each meal time the ward hostess brought the drinks trolley with tea and coffee. Last thing at night the nursing staff brought round the milky drinks if you wanted one.

Medicines, the nurses each day have a drug round, they come to you 3 times a day with the drugs you have been prescribed by the doctor.

Generally, each day the nurses check your temperature and blood pressure and your general health.

Clothes, in my case I was not bed bound and I dressed each day in casual clothes and was allowed to walk around the ward, within the barrier of my pain. My husband and sister brought each day clean clothes and took away any dirty ones.

They also brought into hospital anything else that I needed, such as books, writing pad, fruit and juice etc. Also in the hospital there is a shop trolley and library that come to the wards.