The story behind my stay in hospital

This is the story of my hospital visit. On Tuesday 10th I finished work at 8 a.m., went home, and had smoked mackerel on bread as my time-shifted equivalent of an evening meal. I began to feel a little bloated and uncomfortable in the abdominal region; the Wombat had reported similar feelings after eating that particular bread (although, as she’s gluten-sensitive, this was normal for her) and so I attributed my sensations to the bread too. It had been the last night of my 5 night shift at work and so I stayed up until the late afternoon, went to bed, and slept until about 2 a.m. then got up.

Wednesday what had been abdominal discomfort escalated to pain; not all that severe, actually, and it was low down in my abdomen. I felt very tired and spent a lot of the time asleep. Then, in the evening, I happened to touch my navel.

There was a bulge. I’d vaguely noticed, in the past few weeks, that I might have a slight bulge there and I’d made a mental note to go to the doctor about it in the period before Xmas when I have some time off work. However this bulge was larger, much harder, and *hot* to the touch.

So first thing Thursday morning I phoned the doctor, got an appointment for 12 noon, and when I was seen (at quarter-past one, where is Mussolini when you need him?) the doctor immediately phoned the hospital and arranged a bed for me on the men’s surgical ward. Strangulated umbilical hernia.

I was operated on sometime Thursday evening – I lost track of time after being anaesthetised – and they let me out of hospital Saturday lunchtime. I have a row of staples down my stomach that make me look as if I’ve had a zipper fitted.

I feel quite well and pain-free, actually, but I am tiring very easily and having to spend a lot of time asleep – and in fact I’m off to bed now.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me good wishes.