ARGH! Just been offered SPINAL SURGERY cancellation...

[PavlovtheCat]

tomorrow! How fucking typical. I wait for 18 months to get this far, fobbed off, minimised, see the consultant 4 weeks ago, on waiting list 2-4 months, and I get a call this morning! I have to make a decision NOW.

It's going to have a be No . It's too short notice, Dh is at work, and can't even get half hour out to talk to me about it, pros, cons, solutions to cons. I never thought for a moment I would get a cancellation either this soon, or with so little notice!

But, yet, I don't want to make the call. Secretary has assured me that if I don't take it, I will be kept on the waiting list, this is not the only opportunity for the surgery, but I'm scared that if I don't take it now, I will be forever kept waiting again.

I feel so tearful, even though I know it's probably not doable tomorrow

fucking typical. Delayed for so long, and the suddenly its all quick!

And what will happen if the next offer is short notice, and the next? In terms of childcare etc it is always going to be a problem even if you are more organised in terms of the house etc.

It will be the same notice next time, and the time after. It's very rarely more than 24 hours. If you can't do cancellations, you'll be stuck waiting for an actual date, and that can take a while.

I do appreciate your objections, but if you've been waiting 18 months, I'd take the chance to get this fixed. The hospital clearly think it needs doing now to offer this to you rather than anyone else.

It is up to you, though, and if you think it's better to wait, than do that. You are unlikely to get more than a day's notice at any point, so work aren't being helpful there. Childcare will also need to be arranged at short notice.

And you may well not be well enough for the Yurt or your DHs birthday anyway, so I wouldn't base it on that.

I suppose it's a lot less scary to someone who has been there 7 times!

ali i agree. we will talk about tonight. I think it has just spun him out. Like me! We will be prepared next time, as I will actually expect it now.

caja and everyone else. Thank you. I take all the advice on board and will make sure we get ourselves properly organised right now so that I will be fully prepared for any further cancellations and be able to take one of those.

Funnily, my employers are fine with it all, they are aware it needs doing and my caseload/workload has been largely made so it is relatively transferrable at any point. And, it's ok for me as I get paid up to 6 months full pay (less as I have had time off sick due to back problems, but certainly it should cover my recovery period)

Seems like a sensible plan. But DH needs to be prepared that next cancellation may well be at a days notice again.

I think if I were you I would start plans in place to take any cancellation that comes up after your yurt trip.

I looked after a friends 3 year old years ago when friend had a similar op. The DD would be taken to nursery by her dad and I would pick her up at Lunchtime and take her back to their apartment. We were living in Bangkok at the time. I would give her lunch etc and we would go to the pool or to a friends for the afternoon. Then I would hand her over to her dad when he came home from work. I was happy to help out. I didn't even have DCs myself then! Can't remember how long I did it for or how long friends recovery was.

solid you say about a morphine filled rage - I am looking at the state of the house now, I can so see that happening to me!

I feel ok with my decision. But I also feel spurred on to address the things that need addressing so we can do this next time.

1. speak to those who will help and iron out practical support with children.
2. organise/supervise the organisation of the house
3. get a big shop of food in!
4. call DLA and chase them
5. talk to the children and prepare them.
6. talk to DH about exactly what plans his employers have to support him with time off/holiday etc.
7. pray my back does not 'go' again between now and next time as I will bloody kick myself

you lot are marvelous at helping me work through things. I would be a messy tearful wreck by now otherwise!

right, i'm off to console myself by taking the children out for some lunch...

I have had this operation and it all depends on your state of health today.

Things you can do: get a bed moved downstairs.

Rearrange the seats in the car so that you can lie flat.

You can still go to the party, though may not be up and dancing (that took me 6 weeks).

Yurt - again, depends on how fit you are. I was told to lift nothing heavier than a kettle for the first fortnight and to lie flat as much as possible.

I went back to work part time after 2 weeks and was signed-off by the GP as fit for work at 4 weeks.

If you cancel this one, and explain to the secretary your reasons, but beg to be kept on the cancellation list, just try and do what you can now to get things in place so that you can take the next short notice operation.

Good luck - the first time you wiggle your hips and realise the pain has gone is an amazing moment.

world wiggling hips? not sure that's gonna happen again

One of the things we have talked about is bringing bed down stairs, as we have two flights of stairs in our home and our bedroom is at the top of the second one! (should probably have done this already, as I mostly crawl up stairs and shuffle down them!).

I have left message with secretary as she is not answering, saying exactly that, i was not prepared for a cancellation, and so not ready, but we will get things in place so that I will be able to take a future cancellation so please please keep me on cancellation list as I will be ready to go even if one day's notice next time.

Health wise, I am recovering from a sinus infection (ABs) but apart from that, and my back problem I am in good health, I have taken advantage of my 'good' phase to go swimming three times a week, nothing huge (and have some payback) but enough to get my general fitness back on track a little, been eating well, drinking lots of water, and trying to get into shape for a good recovery, so complications aside I am as well as I can be to promote a speedy recovery.

and mentally, I am ready.

Pavlov you will wiggle your hips. I think when we have back problems, we become so used to living in constant pain, that we forget what it is like to be pain free. I hope you have a succesful operation and enjoy the same new lease of life that I had following mine.

world thankyou I am looking forward to it. I didn't realise how little mobility I have even when moving 'normally', until I went to dance a bit at a birthday disco with DD. Not real dance, as definitely can't do that!, but you know, just a little hip wiggle, and I had no movement, i looked like a wooden puppet! I promptly sat down again. used to love dancing. Not that I could really dance even when mobile, but I used to pretend I could

I've been waiting for shoulder replacement. I can still manage just movement is limited so I wouldn't call it urgent. Today got my surgery appointment for 4 weeks time. Trouble is I'm due to exchange on a house and I just cant be one armed during this time! Also I have rescue dogs and I need to find a dog walker at new house. I'm ringing hospital. I know I'll have to go back on the list, but at the moment I can't do it.

@EuphemiaEmmet - do you realise you have resurrected a ten year old thread?

CiderwithBuda.
Yes just realised!