On Wednesday morning I was taken into surgery at 11am at Canberra Hospital. After surviving a head on crash on my motorbike, I was left with a badly damaged left shoulder that required a bone graft and reconstruction. At 12.30pm, I was taken into surgery where as far as I am aware everything went well. I was warned though that the bone graft and shoulder were both very painful during recovery. After waiting for 2 years to get the surgery, I was just happy that something was being done.
I woke from surgery at about 5.00pm, very groggy and in pain, but that was ok, I thought I was going to be in the hospital for a couple of days to heal before I went home. Was I wrong! The next morning, at about 9.00am my discharge was organised for lunch time, I was going home after less than 24 hours from major surgery. My wife works and cannot take time from work so here I am, at home by myself after having a bone graft taken from my hip and put into my shoulder.
The nurses were all wonderful, and so was my doctor, so why was I thown out on to the streets to fend for myself? I cannot walk and I have to crawl around the house to get to the toilet and bathroom. I am just waiting for the infection now to set in. I have no extra dressings to tend my wounds, and my pain relief is a few tablets that the hospital gave me.
So, is this how the hospital waiting lists are going to be managed? Cut us up and throw us out the door? Everyone I know is in shock that I am home and they are worried about me. My family feel guilty that they cannot look after me. And what will happen if I do get an infection at the 2 surgery sites? Maybe this is one of those survival of the fittest things, if I get through this I will be a stronger Canberran for the gene pool.
I am sure that I am not the only one going through this. I think it might be time to make some noise to the Health Minister and tell him we are not leaving hospital until we are well.
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