PoS - Preoperative Screening

We had to be at UMC for 09:00 for the first appointment, which was actually with the social worker to 'gauge my expectations...'. Yer akchul pre-op was for 10:30. It in any case meant getting up at 06:30 to travel down to Utrecht from Almere by public transport (not our best time of day and sure to be crowded too!) so J had the brainwave (I suppose it wasn't that hard to think of) of staying somewhere overnight instead. He duly booked us a nice wee place (Apollo Hotel) for the Sunday night. Sorted. Nice easy train trip down (he earlier to watch the game in the room undisturbed... didn't happen but that's another story), me later, in time for dinner out.

He had happened to mention about 'his wife needing a quiet room as pre-op...' and we were given a lovely tray of fresh fruit and fruit juice in our room at the back, with a 'good luck on your op' note attached. Very attentive! Can't say I slept well despite not hearing a thing (which I of course never do as no HAs in, so not sure if perhaps the quiet room was for sir anyway?) I was afraid to sleep in and kept checking my phone for the time hehehe. Up and showered before seven thirty which gave us plenty of time to stuff our faces at breakfast. Never wrong.

Of course we were early for appointments! But we were also taken early for the first discussion with the social workers. I think really this is just put in place to ensure both them and us that expectations are within limits... and to cover themselves ('we told you not to think that...'). I think my expectations are pretty realistic, if I do say so myself. I do of course expect eventual *improvement* (or what would be the point) but:

• I know not to expect this immediately, and 
• I know I have to practice a lot (together with J) until improvement is obvious. 
• I know the initial sound will not be much use and 
• I know it takes time for your brain to adjust... mine perhaps longer than others hehehe (no, I don't really think that J).
• I know there will be some discomfort, and frustration... dizzyness, possible tinnitus problems too.

But all in all, with perseverance and a bit of luck and 'getting by with a little help from my friend', it will all go smoothly and (operation) problems will be minimal. It's me though and my pain threshold is not the highest (witness this shitty broken wrist that is still bothering me!) and I'm not a stranger to dizziness or tinnitus so... keeping positive! I think I 'passed' whatever the social workers were checking out anyway.

Here's where I'd like to interject with acknowledgement of the fact that it was J kept me going and persevering when I was about to stop even trying for a CI. I just really thought I could do without the probing from the social worker about my 'attitude' to being hard of hearing. She seemed to continually know the buttons to press that dissolved me into tears... when I hadn't previously realised a problem! I hadn't been going to go for the last visit with her which was the one in which I somehow convinced her (again, thanks to J) that I would change my attitude (working on it!) and I was indeed a good candidate for a CI. The one that then got me into the trajectory good and proper. The strange thing is, J was the one that hadn't wanted me to get one at all!... 'no holes bored in my head, thank you!'... so his turnaround, really helped mine!  

Anyway, next was the pre-op checks. That was all fairly simple... bit of a health questionnaire and a check through current (and not so current  but still listed) drug use that is mostly recent and various painkillers for my arm hehehe... so that was ok and only took ten minutes. Another short wait to see the (or rather, an) anaesthetist who took blood pressure (120/67), listened to my heart (hunkydory) and asked a coupla scary things like 'are you fit?' ... I ain't no Sporty Spice, that's for sure :-/ ... But all seems do-able so... I'm there... dude!

We had actually discussed earlier that I would probably be vaccinated against meningitis at the pre-op. I'd read about it being necessary so just assumed... Hmmm, well that was stupid as I hadn't read it carefully enough... "now that's new" I hear you say? (HAH!) You need to get your GP to do this in advance, and it's now too late! We totally forgot to even ask when there, and J had to phone and inquire, but apparently getting vaccinated 2 weeks *after* the operation suffices too. Risk is very minimal. Phew, panic over. I do think though, they should perhaps emphasize the necessity a tad more?... It either is or it isn't, and if it is... just mentioning it in passing, even in their booklet, is not all that handy... I don't think. But yeah, my fault for not paying enough attention.

Next trip to Utrecht is next week already, for my intake on 21st Jan, day before the op on Wednesday 22nd. I can't quite decide whether to imprint that date on my mind as 'implant day' or would 'switch on day' (three weeks later) be better? Or perhaps even 'hear good day'... possibly months down the line? I think the 22nd is easiest and covers everything so perhaps I'll stick with that. It's a day worth celebrating I'm sure! Aside from it being the day I get a hole bored in my head of course! Maybe I'll call it 'hole in the head day'... aye, I like that, wee bit more fun than 'implant day' after all. It's all very exciting... I'm really curious to know how it will all work out. I'm keeping those expectations within limits though, honest :)