on day after graft... the story so far

[alison falshaw]

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know how things are following my graft on my right eye yesterday.

I went into theatre at 10am for a deep lamellar graft and was in recovery suite 2hrs later. WHilst in recovery I was in a bit of pain and struggled to open my eye, they give me more aneasthetic drops and it eased a little they also give me more anti scikness drugs as I was a little sick.

I was wheeled back to the ward at around 1pm ish and settled back into the ward, bp checked etc and then left to rest. After about 15 mins or so I heard foot steps and looked up to see my consultant at the end of the bed. He asked me how I was and thankfully advised that he was able to do a DALK and didnt have to change tac and do a full thickness graft....which was one of my concerns. I was obviously still groggy and slurring my words.He said he would return at tea time to hopefully discharge me. At this point I wasnt in a great deal of pain, sore but ok.

Since was my seventh procedure and admission on the ward you cany say that I know the staff and the drill fairly well. Normally I am very happy with my experience on the ward however I wasnt too happy with yesterdays experience, After they had settled me back on the ward they more or less left me ( except for my consultant calling by). My bed was at the end of the L shaped ward where there are two bays consisting of 4 beds each and a few side rooms. I was the only patient at this end of the ward,,,there wasnt many others at the top end of the ward either....where the nurses station is. I felt isolated and neglected and the pain was increasing, eye was stinging and burning. I pressed my buzzer 5 times but no one came. I heard feet walking by and shouted for help. I couldnt open my eye to see who it was and only realised when she spoke that it was the health care asssitant. I explained how i was,but she couldnt help me so i asked her to ask a nurse to come along and she also discovered that my buzzer wasnt working. I waited and waited and still no one came, so i called the buzzer again. A health care assistant came and again I asked for a nurse as I needed some pain relieve as the pain was worse. I couldnt open my eye it was so painful. Eventually the ward sister came and said that the doctor didnt want to give me any more pain relieve, I explained that they had given me drops in recovery and could I not have these again?? She went away and came back with HYLO FORTE GEL.....and i said that wasnt going to help much as I normally use that most days I needed something else. She went away and came back with diclofenac tablet. At this point she asked me what procedure had I undergone! I was a bit gobsmacked to say the least. ten mins later a different nurse came in and said that they had spoken to my consultant, who was in clinic and he advised them to give me more aneasthetic drops and that he would be along to see me in 15 mins. They relieve was immediate....the pain almost gone, I could open my eye and it wasnt watering as much.
My consultant came along, un hooked me from the machinery I was attached to...they use some kind off vasuclar leg massage system to prevent DVT....and asked a nurse to walk me to the consulting room. I explained that over hte past couple of hours the pain was really bad and I just wanted to rip the eye out. Told him the relieve was immediate once they had given me the drops. He said this was good as it showed that the pain was on the surface. he examined under the lamp and re assured me that there was nothing to worry about it looked perfectyly fine, all indications of a very good result.
He also asked the nurse to give me diclofenac drops and that he would be bac in a hour or so.

During that hour the whole pain and discomfort susbsided massively. Obviously still groggy and sore and the vision was cloudly and blurred. When the consultant came back he examined me again, all looked great and asked how I was. He assured me that everything was normal and gave me more dicolenfac drops as well as the sterioid and antibiotic drops to come home with. He only prescribed me wiht 5 doses of diclofenac drops as he said he didnt think i would need them and didnt want me to use any more as it slows the healing process down,he kind of give me them so I had some insurance if the pain did return overnight. As always I am delighted with my consultant but just feel i was a little neglected and isolated by the ward staff. The consultant also said to me that if I am concerned about anything just to come back upto the hosptial....he was in clinic today and there would be no problem seeing me.
So i cam home around 6.30, groggy and sore but not in a great deal of pain. I took more diclofenan, antibiotic and steroid drops before sleep time around 10pm...as advised by the consultant. I also wore an eye shield. Although i did sleep relatively pain free i tossed and turned all night trying to avoid sleeping on the right side.

Today its a little bit more comfortable, less pain, less sensitvity but cloudy and poor vision.....much to be expected i believe. Have continued with the steroid and antbiotic drops and only used the diclofenac this morning. I will probably use the diclofenac before going to sleep tonight.

So, so far so good. At my first check up on Monday...unless anything changes between now and then...hopefully he will be happy with my progress.

Guess tomorrow i will be less groggy and steadier on my feet.

Will say bye for now and update in a few days.

alison

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Alison,
Sorry to hear that your afternoon on the day ward was such a bad experience. But good that the surgeon has done a DALK and that you were finally given the pain relief you needed. I hope over the next few days you feel a lot better and the eye will start feeling more comfortable. I was one of the lucky ones who had my grafts in the days when it involved a few days in hospital to recover in. I can't imagine how I would have coped if I'd been told to go home on the day of my op! I'm sure you don't need us to tell you to take it easy and have a restful few days before you go back for the first check up. And all the very best for good news then.
Anne

[alison falshaw]

Thanks Anne,
Will take it easy and one day at a time.
Normally ny stay on the ward is fine but just felt neglected a little yesterday......on the one day that I needed more care than before.
Am happy to be home really. And if anything untoward happens am only 30 mins from the hospital.
Thanks again
Alison