So, for 2 years of declining physical mobility and exponentially increasing pain, trying to get clear answers from the hospital had been very difficult. Appointments were few and far between despite the seriousness of my condition.
I was told I could present at emergency and go under the knife at any point, though had been warned that there really was only man who I should allow to do such a procedure. I was told it would take 2-4 years or a huge amount of cash to get this surgeon.
I won’t go into details here – but due to the actions of some close friends and God pulling some strings, the date was close and I received a phone call.
It was the anaesthetist from the hospital going over the details for the next day. She asked what medication I was on and what my pain levels had been. She ended off the conversation abruptly saying she would need to check what they would use to put me under but it might be difficult.
All good, I was long overdue & it needed to be done.
Then the phone rang again…
This same lady was more serious this time. Her voice sounded less than friendly and not very re-assuring. She was saying that due to my severe pain and high doses of pain relief, that I needed to be aware that when I awoke, the pain was going to be intense. In fact, she said, we’re not sure what we can use – but “we will do our best…”
Great! No, really I didn’t think much of it. I have been in pain for 20 years, but this last 2 years had continually shown me that there are many, many levels of pain. I had learnt that saying ‘it can’t get any worse’ was just plain ignorant. I already couldn’t handle it, so ‘how much worse could it be?’ 🙄😅
Then the phone rang again…
This time, this lady wanted me to know that ‘although they would do everything possible, it really wasn’t going to be pleasant’. I need to be aware, the pain was going to be intense…
Wow – three phone calls in a day from the public system! The last call was 6 months ago from the Pain Clinic. All they said was: “you’re doing everything right – there is nothing else we can help you with – hang in there as long as you can”.
Follow up:
The 4 hour operation ended up taking closer to 9 hours. They used Ketamine (a horse tranquilliser!) to get me sedated…I’ve considered myself a donkey but never a horse 🤣.
And the anaesthetist was right…the pain was severe when I awoke. But I was alive and my darling wife was there (despite her car blowing up the day before). 
Once most of my tubes were out a few days later, she even climbed into the hospital bed with me…
Within four days I was able to get myself out of the bed and into the chair. I could sit up!
After unplugging the non-essentials, I could even go for a walk…
The next few weeks would prove to be very difficult, but I have survived!
And the biggest thing: we were able to share about Jesus with a variety of nurses, doctors, surgeons and other patients. One lady in particular who had been told she only had weeks to live: Amazing!
#thankYouJesus