Hey guys

As some of you know, I've got a duff elbow and it's been playing me up quite a lot recently, so I've spent the last 9 months back and forth from the doctors and the hospital. Well turns out the bone is deformed from an accident I had as a child (which also caused the pain and arthritis) plus has a rough socket instead of being smooth. So tomorrow I'm going in for the first (and hopefully only) operation on it.

Tomorrow it's only keyhole surgery, though I still need a general anaesthetic. Basically they're going in with a camera and are going to shave away some of the bone to smooth out the joint. Fingers crossed that it alleviates the pain and gives me more movement because if not, I'll have to go back for a more major surgery. So anyway, I will definately be away for a couple of days, due to probably being in pain plus the fact my parents are coming down to look after me. However depending on if I have to go back for a clinic or not, I may be going back with them to Yorkshire for the week, so probably won't be on here for a while.

I'll keep you updated when I can!

Ill keep my fingers crossed that its quick and painless.

Pev, I hope everything goes smoothly and that you'll be rid of (at least part of) the pain!! General anaesthetic is never fun. Hope you'll be allright.

Good luck. I'm sure everything will go well. Make sure they give you loads of good pain killers.

Pev, I hope everything goes well with little pain. I will put you in my thoughts and hopes that it is fixed with only one time under the knife.

Best of rest and pain killers for you hun.

Well, I spoke to her parents today as they're staying here at the moment. GRRR.

[vents about their weird obsession with shutting doors!]

Anyway - Pev went in to hospital at 7:15am (As appointed by the hospital it's self!). By 2pm, she was still waiting to be seen properly. By about 3pm, she was in the operating theatre as far as I know.

That's the last I've heard, I don't know if it went well or what, but it's now 10.30pm and not so much as a sniff has come my way about what's going on.

Here's hoping it all went well

While rooting around in her arm they found a gold brick and an ancient Mayan coin. They have since called Indiana Jones who is investigating for additional information. Lara Croft was seen hiding in the air conditioning system.

LOL.

She got home today, but she's gone up to her 'rents for the week so they can look after her. She's all good, but a bit of swelling in the arm and some pain.

Understandable. Wish her the best of luck from us.

Hey thanks for updating everyone Mole *hugs*

This might end up being a long post but hey, shush. Mole has been having to put up with my random 'woot I can do x' texts so now you'll all get it

Basically as Mole says, I had kinda a long day on Monday. 7.15am I get to the hospital (well more like 7am actually, we were early). Waited until 7.30am when I saw the nurse who did the usual blood pressure/SATs/ask if you're allergic to things type check up. 8am the doctors started so just after that I saw my anaethetist who just asked if I'd had an anaesthetic before and how I'd coped with it. Then just after 9am I saw my doctor (well his right hand man) who had a last quick look at my arm and explained the procedure.

Basically I was to have a camera into the right elbow to have a good look at the joint, shave some of the bone off on the radial head where my arthritis is (and where it is rough instead of smooth, reducing a lot of movement) and then potentially remove a bit of bone from the head as well if necessary. They would have to go in on the underside of the elbow as they can't reopen my large scar on the top, where they would usually go in.

The nurse then tells me I'm 4th in line. The first to go in (who actually was having a similar procedure to me but on her shoulder) went in at 8.45am. The next person went in at 9.45am and the third guy... well not sure when he went in but they got me into my gown about 11am and said he was in theatre then. By 12.30pm we saw him up and about, so Dad went to ask what was going on. I hadn't eaten or drunk since 8pm the night before so was weak and shakey and they were clearly putting people into the list ahead of me. Fine, if they're emergencies, but it was someone off the ward, so clearly not.

Finally about 2.30pm they picked me up for surgery. It was probably just after 3pm I actually got into surgery, after 15 minutes last quick check up, and sticking all the little pads on me to monitor me while I was out. The anaethetist messed up a little too; they put a little tube into the back of your hand to put the anaesthetic into but apparently my veins kept jumping up and down from the surface of my skin, so of course it was hard for him to do. First one missed (and those things hurt! Particularly when I don't like needles anyway) so he left it in and put the second one in right by it before taking it out. Painful! After that I was out of it within no time at all, he didn't even warn me he'd be putting the anaesthetic in but I was lying back anyway as needles make me feel faint.

I was apparently in surgery for 50 minutes and didn't have to have any bone removed, just shaved. They also apparently got full movement whilst I was on the operating table so I'm really, really hoping I can do that myself! I've been unable to fully straighten, bend or twist my arm for 15 years but the main point of this op is pain relief more than increased movement. Fingers crossed though!

I think I went back to sleep for maybe half an hour after I came round, but by 5pm I was wide awake and eating a cheese sandwich and crisps. By 6pm I was up and about and waiting for my parents to turn up. We had to wait for the physio though, who turned up about 7.30pm. He was quite worried however.

Despite having a general anaesthetic, they'd also put a local into my arm to help with pain relief after. Seems they put tons in though as I was very numb in my arm and couldn't move my hand at all, well aside from slightly twitching my first two fingers all of a few millimetres. So the physio insisted I come back in the morning. While we're on that subject, he was chatting away and turns out his son makes computer games. He has made B-Boy with his own company (hardly anything to shout home about ) but just sold his company to activision and is now working on guitar hero and dj hero

So I got home just after 8pm, didn't see Mole all day as he was at work, so had to catch up with him in the morning. Luckily by morning a lot of anaesthetic had worn off and I had almost full use of my hand back, so when I popped back to the hospital they were quite pleased and gave me exercises to do (which make my arm sore but oh well). I have to go back next Wednesday (1 April!) for physio and then after that for more physio and to see my consultant but that will come through the post.

So I'm in Yorkshire until then, after that I'll stay at my flat (hopefully without my Mum, not only will she bug Mole she'll bug me). It's kinda weird to see how easily pleased I am though, this morning I was excited because I managed to put my own socks on and brush my hair. Yesterday I got excited over being able to do my own jeans up. Surprisingly it doesn't hurt that much, no more than it ever did with the arthritis anyway. Gonna try to shower and wash my hair later then take the huge bandage off which is restricting my movements so I only have gauze over the entry wounds. I wanna see them!

So there you go, that pretty much covers most of it. I'll keep you updated, may not get on again before my Physio, depends when I can steal Dad's laptop, but thought I'd keep you updated, particularly as I promised Ox I would... couldn't put all this in a text! I'm typing away as fast as ever right now btw, something else that pleases me Plus I've been playing DS which I honestly feel has greatly helped me to exercise my arm.

Hope to see you all on here soon!

Lol, well I guess that qualifies as a small update All great to hear Pev, well except the waiting for ages in the hospital part I'm hoping with you that you'll really have the full movement in your arm again that they said you'd have!!

And keep playing DS while you're at it and train that arm, whoever said that gaming wasn't good for you eh?

Stay strong!

heh...thanks for the information. Glad you're doing well and I'm sure you'll have a full recovery.

BTW, did you ever mention what caused the problem in the first place? If you did, it's my memory.

Iirc she fell off a horse when she was young and it was never fully corrected...but we better wait for Pev with the definite explanation.

Horses are dangerous. They should all be shot and eaten.

Horses are more delicious than they are dangerous. You eaten one yet? taste a bit like kangaroo flesh.