Op prep

A miserable wet day today, with either light or heavy rain from early morning to late afternoon. Clare drove me to UHW Heath Hospital late morning for my pre-op assessment. The unit has moved from a collection of temporary buildings out in the grounds into the south wing of the first floor of the main hospital, where there's an assortment of other outpatient clinics. The area previously occupied is now a large building site, occupying half the original open green space on the 1960 architectural plan. Spare capacity is much needed as this is one of Wales' main teaching hospitals.

The hospital corridors were busy with staff and support workers moving around but less crowded than it was before the pandemic. Normal services are resuming, but more slowly, as patients must be managed mindful of the need to ensure safe distancing, a more measured workflow without queues, and very few people occupying waiting areas. Everyone is scrupulous about hand hygiene and mask wearing. I guess staff are relieved to be able to resume their normal duties and not have their clinics cancelled and be obliged to cover emergencies with pandemic victims. Covid-19 infected patients are met and managed in a separate zone. A great deal has been learned and put into practice these past six months.

After my examination, and discussion with the consultant anaesthetist I received a provisional go-ahead for the operation. My chest is still noisy with phlegm in the wake of the cold, but there are no signs of bronchitis. I'll need my GP to listen to my chest Monday next, to confirm that I am well on the way to full recovery, to stay on the surgery list for the 20th. There's still another two weeks in which to improve after that, two weeks in which Clare and I must self quarantine. I'll get a covid-19 test three days before to confirm that I am safe to work on in the routine manner. Let's just hope there'll be no more infection set backs in the coming twenty days.

The assessment took nearly two hours. It was still raining when I left the hospital, so I gave up the idea of walking home and took a taxi, just after Clare texted me to say that lunch would be on the table for me as soon as I got back as she'd just finished cooking. Later in the afternoon we went for a walk in the rain, and as we walked the rain got heavier and heavier. I decided to turn back, but Clare under her brolly marched on. I sheltered under a tree before setting off, then the rain slackened to a drizzle, so I resumed walking, and we both got home within minutes of each other from different directions three quarters of an hour later. By sunset, the sky was a clear inky blue, and the almost full Harvest moon was mid horizon. There'll be a second 'blue' moon, as it's called in the coming month. Let's hope it won't be an overcast night.