Nigel rang me on the Monday evening to say that he had arrived safely at the clinic in Bayonne. The surgeon had been to see him and told him that the operation was scheduled for 10am Tuesday. We arranged that he would call me when he was able to. I spoke to the nursing staff on several occasions on the Tuesday and Wednesday and was told that the operation had been a success, that he was in considerable pain which they were treating and that he was resting. He finally called me on the Thursday lunchtime, what a relief to talk to him again. He sounded reasonably OK but obviously in some pain and very uncomfortable. He has a drain in his side which will be in place for about a week. He says that it is very painful when they change the dressings. By Friday he was able to get out of bed and sit in the chair for his meals. I was quite worried when I spoke to him on Friday evening and Saturday lunchtime as he sounded much worse than he had previously. When he didn't call on Saturday evening I became more worried. He finally called again on Sunday morning and sounded much better. The medication that they are giving him for the pain had really knocked him about but he is now feeling more "with it". I had said that I would go over and see him today, Sunday, but he said it is not worth me making the trip for just an hour or two with him, says it will be better to see him again when he is back at Cambo. I'm disappointed in a way but as it is foul weather today, very wet, I am quite relieved not to be driving all the way to Bayonne and back.
The drain came out on Monday much to Nigels relief and on Wednesday he went back to Cambo. He's much happier now that he is back there as he is more comfortable and there is much less noise. He has a room on his own on the second floor next to the nurses room so they can keep an eye on him.
I went down to see him yesterday and was surprised but pleased to find him looking much better than I had expected. I took the CD player and a selection of CD's which will hopefully help pass the time for him. At the moment he is confined to his room but he was allowed down into the dining room for lunch with me. The staples in the wound are causing him a lot of pain but half of them are coming out tomorrow. I also took him an electronic notepad which may take him a while to work out how to use! Lunch is served at 12 and dinner at 7 so he is finding that he gets quite hungry mid afternoon. I took him some biscuits and some cake so hopefully they will fill the gap. The scar is 25cms (81/2") long, I'm not sure why he had a tape with him but it did come in useful to measure the scar! After lunch we went back to his room, chatted and played Scrabble and then it was time for me to leave. So good to see him again and so good to see him looking relatively well,.
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