The Amputee

Bug War I

October 15, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

Important Information – Yesterday’s post was entitled Exercise “Battle of the Bug”, it marked the start of the story in my battle with a serious knee infection. Although it had a lovely little ring to it, it didn’t seem quite right in hindsight. For me as an amateur writer this is a big thing to […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

abscess, amitriptyline, amputation, amputee, anaesthetic, analgesia, antibiotics, arm, army, bacteria, BIU, body, bone, bruising, cadet, cannula, cannulate, cartilage, catheters, central, confidence, Consultants, discomfort, dressing, elbow, enemy, force, gabapentin, heart, infection, inserted, intravenous, knee, laxatives, medical, medication, Military, mind, morphine, nurse, orthopaedic, Oxycontin, pain, painful, Paracetamol, patient, PCA, peripherally, physio, PICC, positive, professionals, pus, recovery, replacement, scar, sensitivity, sterile, sting, surgery, Team, tests, treatment, Ultrasound, uncomfortable, unit, vein, war, ward, wound, X-Ray

Exercise “Battle of the Bug” Commences

October 14, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

Because of being ‘Nil by mouth’ from midnight I managed to get left in peace first thing in the morning, apart from the obligatory medication at about 06:00. I managed to get some sleep throughout the night but was extremely apprehensive about this surgery and what it would be like after. Having surgery is always […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

amputee, anaesthetic, anaesthetist, block, cannula, cannulate, Catheter, Consultant, damage, drain, foot, knee, leg, medication, nerve, nurse, operated, orthopaedic, pain, painful, patient, plastic, pressure, recovery, rehab, scared, sores, surgeon, surgery, Team, vein, walking, ward, wound

Two stage surgery

October 8, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

So, here we are again, on the Eve of yet more surgery. I’ve been in the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford for four days now. It feels like a strange place because it’s an NHS (National Health Service) Hospital yet feels more like a private one in many ways. I have to question the common sense […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

adaptions, amputation, amputee, ankle, antibiotics, Aspirated, bacteria, bay, bone, bug, cannula, cartilage, cement, centre, doctor, E. coli, emotions, exercise, flex, foot, health, Hinchingbrooke, Hospital, infection, joint, knee, leg, National, NHS, Nuffield, Nurses, occupational, orthopaedic, Oxford, painful, patient, physiotherapy, replacement, service, spacer, stump, surgery, theatre, therapy, tissue, ward

From one Hospital to another

October 5, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

Thursday evening I was shuffling along the bed to try and transfer onto my wheelchair, so I could go to the toilet. I’ve been using a commode most of the time but every now and then preferred to use the toilet. I got my leg laying along the edged of the bed when all of […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

abscess, admitted, ambulance, amputee, antibiotics, appointment, aspiration, biopsy, body, cartilage, Catheter, cement, commode, CRP, discharging, doctor, dressing, Guided, heart, Hinchingbrooke, Hospital, infection, knee, leg, marker, medication, mobility, nerve, Nuffield, nurse, Oramorph, orthopaedic, Oxycontin, pain, painful, patient, pressure, puss, Radiography, rate, reception, replacement, sleep, spacer, staff, stretcher, surgery, syringe, theatre, transport, treatment, Ultrasound, ward, wheelchair, Wi-fi

Been to hell and back

October 1, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

The plan for the weekend had been set on Friday and I was resigned to the fact that I would be here at least Till Monday. Saturday should have been a quiet relaxing day but it turned out to be anything but that. It all started to go tits up when a young oriental guy, […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

A&E, admitted, ambulance, amputee, appointment, blues, brain, breath, cap, care, chart, Consultant, damaged, discharged, discharging, doctor, dressed, dressings, drug, fused, hamstring, hip, Hospital, ice, jacket, joint, knee, lay, leg, medication, muscles, nerve, nurse, Oramorph, Oriental, Oxford, pack, pain, painful, photo, relaxing, relief, shin, sit, smart, spasmed, sterile, stress, superficial, swelling, theatre, treatment, wheelchair, wound

The inevitable happened

September 29, 2013 by theamputee 1 Comment

Over the last few days the abscess had slowly grown bigger and bigger. I knew it would open, just didn’t know when. When my muscles contracted to get out of bed Friday morning it proved too much for the skin, a small hole appeared and it started to weep. I managed to get to the […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

A&E, abscess, admitted, amputee, bandaged, centre, Consultant, discharge, doctor, drain Aspiration, dressing, emergency, fever, GP, Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Hospital, infection, knee, muscles, Nuffield, nurse, orthopaedic, Oxford, pain, painful, positives, prescribed, psychiatrist, sick, situation, skin, sore, sterile, stinging, surgery, temperature, throbbing, transfer, treatment, triage, ward, wound

Whaaat!

September 25, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

I phoned the Doctors Surgery just before lunch, to speak to the receptionist I spoke to yesterday about getting everything finalised for Oxford on Thursday. The person who answered the phone couldn’t find the lady I needed to speak to so I left my details and she would phone me back. In the afternoon the […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life

admitted, amputee, aspiration, clinic, Consultant, doctors, GP, healthcare, Hinchingbrooke, Hospital, infections, knee, NHS, Oxford, patient, psychiatrist, surgery

Hospital averted, for now!

September 24, 2013 by theamputee 0 Comments

After the visit to Oxford I knew the infection in my knee was not cured and it would raise its ugly head once more. From how it looked when I left Hospital last time and only having a localised hot spot last Thursday, I thought I would make it to my Guided Knee Aspiration appointment […]

Continue reading →

Daily Life