I was away from my bed for 5 hours but that included travelling time and time spent in recovery afterwards.

First I had obs done and a cannula fitted. Then I had the nerve block injection in my shoulder which was a bit painful and uncomfortable. I still have a tube in my shoulder which is slowly administering some drugs from a small ball device which I will be carrying around in a little bag for two and a half days. It’s all taped to my shoulder and up my neck so that and the sling means I’m not very comfortable.

I was given extra steroids because I have Addison’s disease, then wheeled into theatre where there was a bit of shuffling onto another bed before the surgeon did final checks and put on what looked like a space helmet or bee keeper type thing. They then rigged high screen and taped it tightly around my shoulder.  I was given a mild sedative put my iPod on, and off we went.

I can honestly say I felt no pain but it sounded like some serious carpentry was going on behind the screen. I heard a drill and what sounded like a saw and felt a bit of vibration when the hammer came out but felt no connection to my body at all, it was almost as though they were hammering on a table next to me.  Throughout the operation the anaesthetist and nurses kept a close eye on me, checking that I was comfortable and doing obs.

Someone on the other side of the screen was holding my hand up the whole time and when they finished my arm was put in a sling across my body but weirdly I could still feel my hand I the air and felt no connection to my arm at all.

I then went into the recovery room where I was given a lovely warming inflatable blanket to raise my temperature before taking more obs and returning me to the ward in time for visiting.

The anaesthetist said she was really pleased at how well it went as not many patients manage a total joint replacement without a general anaesthetic. She said my positive attitude helped and I couldn’t help but feel quite pleased with myself 🙂