A Big Week - day 3

Woke after a short sleep at 6.10. Immi was sleeping but moving around, so I know she wasn't sleeping well. I woke her at 6.50am to take her meds as she is not allowed liquids after 7am.

We needed to be back on the ward by 8am so showers and dressing next and then off to the ward. On the way we briefly saw a Mum that we met last time we were in and have kept in touch with. As she flew by she gave me a hug and asked if we were ok. I was till then!!! To be honest though it was lovely to see her, they too have been through such a lot as a family that I knew it was a hug of empathy and later she messaged to say that she is never normally out of the hospital at that time and she felt that our meeting was no coincidence.

By this time Immi was a little punch drunk and giggly, so she kept us all entertained on the ward.  I think my favourite moment was when Murray pointed out a giant helium unicorn balloon.  Immi simply said "that's Mavis." Cracked us all up!

The air conditioning in theatre had stopped working and had to be rebooted so there was a delay on the surgery but the hour's delay went very quickly with changing into her gown and putting on DVT stockings (apparently you use the plastic bag they come in by slipping it over the foot so they slip on easier - quick tip!) meeting the anaesthetist, then Mr Walsh again (neurosurgeon) and finally the neuro team that put 5 extra electrodes onto the outside of her head for monitoring.

Finally it was time to head down. We started in the CT scanning room where they put her to sleep with gas and air (she was given the choice of gas and air or injection). She was so good; smiled, told us she loved us and close her eyes.

And now we are waiting and writing. Five hours of wanting to distract yourself but also wanting to stay with her in the moment. A surreal feeling of walking around with some weird hidden secret where all the strangers around know nothing. Feeling slightly nauseous and unable to settle on anything. Looking at stuff but my brain far away not taking it in. Thankful that in a sea of unknown people we are known.

So at 3.45pm after 5 hours we were called to recovery. I have to admit seeing her was a shock. It shouldnt have been. But it was. They said that the op had gone well and there had just been a bit of weeping. She has briefly woken but was asleep again and so we wheeled her back to the ward where they have done regular obs.

After about 45mins the neurophysiology team were back to connect her and her "troll-like" get up (as in the film Trolls) came into its own. They spend over an hour connecting her and have just gone to do the final set up in the collating room. Test readings look like they are reafing clearly and taking good recordings which is what we need. Immi has pretty much slept and grumpily watched the odd bit of TV since returning to ward. She pulled off the heart rate monitor from her finger and isnt happy about the canula in her hand. She hasnt drunk anything yet and hasn't yet spoken - which is our main concern othwr than the epilepsy of course.  But its early days.