Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week dominated by hospital preparations, injections, storms, a major operation, unexpected grief and the kindness of friends, all wrapped in the familiar rhythm of chiringuito coffees, football and the quiet determination to get through it.
Friday, October 22nd
A stormy morning, a COVID test, and a good Arsenal win
I got up early, showered and injected myself in the stomach with the Clexane I’d been prescribed. With a pot of tea beside me, I updated my website while waiting for Jim to take me to Cartagena for my pre operation COVID test. The weather was dreadful, heavy rain and rivers of water flowing past my apartment, and I wasn’t sure Jim would make it through.
But he did, and once we left Los Alcázares the rain stopped completely. Cartagena looked untouched by the storm. After a short wait and a quick explanation about my paperwork, I had the COVID test. Not pleasant, but not painful, and over quickly. When I reached the hospital café, Jim was still finishing his coffee. We sat together watching the wildlife that seems to live around the café.
With time to spare before lunch, we went to Espacio Mediterráneo and wandered around doing some “ornithological studies”, our fancy term for people watching. Then we drove back to Los Alcázares for a Menu del Día at Venta Simonne. I had calamari, others had pork, fish or paella. All excellent, and only 10€.
In the evening I watched Arsenal beat Aston Villa 3-1. For once, Arsenal were excellent, if only they played at that pace every week.
Saturday, October 23rd
A final clean, exhaustion, and an afternoon on the sofa
I got up early again to inject myself, then put on a load of washing, filled the dishwasher, made tea and updated my website.
At 10:00 Lesley arrived for her last clean before returning to England for a new job. I’ll miss her, she’s been brilliant and trustworthy. I’ll need a new cleaner after the operation, especially since I’ve been told I won’t be able to do anything for four or five weeks.
While she cleaned, I went to Bar Espejo for coffee and tostada. After she left, exhaustion hit me. The constant hospital trips, doctor visits and stress of the upcoming operation had caught up with me. I put the TV on, lay on the sofa and slept until the football started.
Sunday, October 24th
A quiet day before the operation
I spent the whole day reading and relaxing, trying to stay calm before going into hospital tomorrow.
Monday, October 25th
Nil by mouth, the operation, and a strange awakening
I couldn’t eat all day, so I showered and got myself ready. Jim picked me up at 12:30 and took me to the hospital.
At around 16:00 I was taken down to the operating area, where patients waited either to go in or to return from theatre. In the operating room I was given something to knock me out and an epidural to paralyse me from the chest down.
When I began to wake up, all I felt was pins and needles in my toes as sensation slowly returned from the bottom up. No one had warned me about that, it was unsettling. I was taken back to my room to sleep and recover.
Tuesday, October 26th
Discharged early and heartbreaking news
I woke to be taken off the antibiotic drip, given painkillers and told I could go home. I was shocked, no doctor had checked on me and no one had even looked at the wound. But I was handed my follow up appointments and told to call a taxi.
Back home, I received devastating news, my good friend Paul Hooper had passed away suddenly. My thoughts went immediately to his family.
Wednesday, October 27th
Rearranging the flat and managing the pain
After a rough night, I arranged for friends to help move furniture. The adjustable bed in my spare room, like a hospital bed with head and foot lifts and even a massage function, needed to be moved into the lounge so I could rest properly while still seeing the TV and looking out the window.
Jim and Bob came round and moved it for me. The pain was bad, and I’d been told to take only three paracetamol a day, not much considering how I felt.
Thursday, October 28th
A painful morning and enforced bed rest
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