DAY 9

Had an appalling night.  I get this really tense restless sensation of wanting to escape and run off somewhere, it feels impossible just to lie and relax and then sleep, like I need to be somewhere else, not here in the middle of the night, stuck on my back like a beetle, I would do anything to be able to sleep on my side but I am too scared of dislocation now to risk turning.  I keep putting on the light, and reading and piling up the pillows to try for some comfort.  This really is the worst part of the whole thing for me.

Finally morning, and I checked my bag of medecines.  Nothing much left now except senokots, so I will just buy paracetemol and keep taking it as I was told to.  Or not, maybe they assume you know what to do as in (a) keep taking it at regular intervals, or (b) just when you need it.  I don't know, who should I ask.

I suspect this is my body in stress due to over exertion yesterday.  But how would I know.  No-one has told me how much walking I should be doing, how many crutches I should be using.  I like a challenge, I like to know that after a week, this is what you could be doing, 2 weeks, another goal go achieve.  I realise that people of all ages and levels of health will arrive at these stages at different times, but surely some guidelines could be offered!

Bruising is now down on my foot, all around my heel.  The inner thigh bruising is becoming lighter in colour.

Tip - have a notebook and pen in every room, even the bathroom, because thoughts that require action pop up all the time and can easily be lost!

Finally got through to surgery and I can book a telephone conversation with my own nice efficient lady doctor in 2 weeks time, can you believe it, so I said then I would speak to 'anyone' and so some other doctor will call this afternoon at 2.30 and I will ask about physiotherapy.

Well that GP conversation got me precisely nowhere.  I was advised that the hospital had done everything expected of them and that as I had my exercise regime to continue with, all is as expected.  If it was felt I needed any additional physio help, a session could be booked in 6 to 8 weeks, but there was no NHS provision in this area for anything more than what I have had.  I pointed out that I was intending returning to work in 6 weeks and was also aware from my research that there were considerably more elements to the physio side of things than I had been offered.  He was not at all helpful, so then I rang Nuffield Health, which has a private hospital about ten minutes away, and booked to see their senior physio on Monday.