I do not have much of a recollection of the first few days after my hernia operation. I was in bed and was asleep most of the time. My memory was quite fuzzy, as I was on Tramadol, Codeine Phosphate, plus Paracetamol and Voltarol. However, the text message exchanges with work colleagues and my surgeon were quite useful. They were also a painful reminder of my experience in those first few days.
I have included these text messages in this post (see below) after having deleted any personally identifiable information. I have also removed any irrelevant information. I have annotated some of the text messages with information and facts that are relevant to my legal case.
Saturday 24th March 2012 at 17:52, I text messaged one of my work colleagues whom I will be referring to as Work Colleague A.
He was the only work colleague who kept a regular check on me during the first six months after my first hernia operation. I shall ever be grateful for his valuable advice, care, and kindness during those tough and challenging months.
At 10:30 AM on Monday the 26th of March 2012, I text messaged my surgeon.
Tuesday 27th of March – Telephoned my GP.
At 21:03 on Tuesday the 27th of March, I received a text message from another work colleague (who was also our consultant on-call rota coordinator) asking me to ring her husband (a pain management consultant), and she provided me with his phone number. She asked me to arrange an appointment with him at his hospital. I never asked for this help (a significant fact to keep in mind and recall in my future posts). I shall be referring to her as Work Colleague B.
I called her husband, and he arranged to see me on Thursday the 29th of March.
At 13:57 on Wednesday the 28th of March, I sent my second text message to my surgeon.
Thursday the 29th of March – I asked the pain management consultant to postpone my clinic appointment with him.
4th of April – I text messaged a third work colleague whom I shall be referring to as Work Colleague C.
I saw my occupational health consultant for the first time on the 16th of April. He reported that the complication from my hernia operation limited my ability to sit for any significant duration and limited my ability to walk and stand. He concluded that I was not fit for work, and he requested that I see him again on the 14th of May 2012.
I would like to take this moment to thank my occupational health consultant for his gentle, kind, professional, and overall wonderful attitude. His listening skills were exemplary.
My experience with the pain management consultant was totally the opposite! More about this in my next blog.
Very painful to relive those painful and stressful days. Seeing my beloved husband in agony when I was helpless is heartbreaking.
Reading through the blog now makes me very emotional.