April 18th, 2025

Wednesday was a fairly calm day. After the surgeons’ rounds, I managed to get some sleep, despite the nurse coming regularly to change the medication bags (painkillers and antibiotics) and adjust the infusion pumps. The catheter in my neck also needs frequent checks, which often interrupts my rest.

Around 11:30, lunch was served. Afterwards, I dozed off until Deniz came to visit, bringing me a few things I’d forgotten at home. We went to the lounge for a coffee. At 5:30 pm, it was time for dinner, light but tasty. As always, the meals at Sonnenhof are flavoursome and nicely presented, which I hear isn’t the case everywhere.

I tried to start a book but found it hard to concentrate, closing it after a few pages. Tonight, I have my anticoagulant injection scheduled around 8 pm, which should stop me from being woken up in the middle of the night. I watched a bit of TV before dozing off.

Suddenly, an alarm went off on one of the infusion pumps. I called the nurse, who checked the tubes and adjusted the dressing on my neck. It turns out when I turn my head one way, the flow is cut off, triggering the alarm. I changed position and managed to get back to sleep. The rest of the night was quiet.

Thursday morning, the night nurse woke me around 6:45 am to hand over to the day team. The routine began again: vital signs checked, medication distributed, then breakfast arrived around 8 am, which I ate at the table. They helped me up and moved the drip stand along with me.

After breakfast, I asked for a shower. The tubes from the neck catheter were temporarily disconnected, and my foot was wrapped in a plastic bag to keep the bandage dry. The first shower after surgery is always a moment of comfort. Once I was clean, everything was reconnected and I went back to bed.

I realised I have very few memories of the operation. I remember being taken to the anaesthesia room but nothing after the sedation with Propofol. My memories only return once I’m awake, lying on the operating table. For previous operations, I recalled more up to the injection. I wonder if they used different anaesthetics this time.

Thursday went smoothly, with no pain. Lunch was served, and the afternoon passed between reading, radio, and TV.

Early evening, the surgeon, the chief doctor, and the assistant came with good news: the second bacterial culture was also negative. That means I can leave hospital Friday morning! They gave me my medication prescriptions, some advice for afterwards, and set a follow-up appointment for stitch removal on 28 April.

We had a long discussion about the operation and diagnosis. I’d come in because of a persistent redness and pain at the base of my tibia, suspecting an infection. The operation brought a pleasant surprise: no infection. Instead, a vein had been compressed by the orthosis, blocking circulation and causing a painful local thrombosis. Luckily, the surgeons were able to free and reposition the vein, preventing future problems. I’m already feeling a noticeable improvement in the sensitivity of my foot.

With that good news, I prepared for a restful night. But the infusion pump alarm went off again… After several alerts, the team decided to disconnect the devices since the last dose of antibiotics was given at 11 pm. I finally fell asleep around midnight.

Friday morning, I woke up to birdsong. Medication and breakfast were given. Shortly after, the surgeon and chief doctor changed my dressing. I saw my new scar, the fifth or sixth now… The chief doctor always does the sutures with great care and jokes about her work being “haute couture.”

The neck catheter was removed, I had one last shower, then packed my bags. I left hospital around 11 am, happy to be going home. Surprise, it was Good Friday, all the shops were closed, and my fridge was empty… Luckily, the hospital gave me a home-made bread and a small pot of honey, which helped with the hunger. Tomorrow, I’ll do some shopping, probably by car and on crutches. We’ll see how it goes!