3 months it is then!

I went to the doctors the other day (well it’s now over three weeks ago), just for a check-up and progress report really, as I had got sod all from the hospital. So I hobbled in on my crutches and had a warm welcome from my doctor, as he ushered me in and then closed the door behind me. I got myself sat down and moved the chair closer to him, as I knew I would not be able to hear from the distance it was from him. So he asked me how I was and how I was getting on in my recovery. I explained all the problems I was still having, like balance, double vision, sight and hearing problems. I must have said it in such a tone that indicated I was not exactly happy, as he looked at me and said ‘Now how are YOU…really’. So I explained that I was coping, but maybe not as well as I wanted, and that I was still having issues dealing with the whole thing. I explained I was frustrated as I could not do the things I normally could do, without thinking. The day-to-day things that I could do before 15^th February, yet now, suddenly I have to really think about doing a certain thing. He basically said that I just need time to heal, and ‘learn’ all the basic stuff that I could do before. It was nice and comforting to talk to him as he did explain things, and ask how I was feeling.

The only worrying thing was that he seemed concerned about my hearing, and that I was still very deaf in my left ear. He mentioned that my surgery was not that invasive to my skull or my brain, so the issues I have should not be so apparent. I think he was hinting that my recovery should be better than it is, and that I should be seeing much more improvement. This did worry me slightly; as I knew my recovery was taking long anyway, but hearing a doctor saying that just made it worse. He showed even more concern for my left ear, so much so that he tried to get me an urgent appointment to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, to get my hearing checked out. He even mentioned that I might have to wear a hearing aid, as it may not get better. I was mortified to hear this, as all the doctors and consultants I have seen previously have said I should return to normal. I have not heard anything from my doctor as of yet about an appointment to see an ENT, but he did say he would try to get me an appointment. My mum has recently said to me that the Wednesday I was in hospital, just before I was transferred to Derrifiord to have surgery, a nurse had told us (not that I remember any of this) that I may have to see an ENT as the fracture to my skull may have lead to some fluid build up in my inner ear. So this would make sense, and did calm me slightly as if they knew this from the CT scans, then something could be done about it when I see the ENT consultant.

The next thing he mentioned was work, and how I was feeling about that. Now, I had mentioned that there was no way I could manage to work at the moment, what with all my neurological issues. We had a bit of a chat about what work I did and I explained my feelings about going back to the job. I have been thinking about returning to work, but this has been worrying me as I think I may have slight psychological problems in that I am linking the accident to the job, as it happened moments after I had finished my first shift there. He listened to me intently, and then posed me a question “how realistic is it that you return to work within the next three months”. Now I did have to think about this, and I thought 3 months is a long time, but then I did think about my recovery so far and how much little progression I had made in the 6 weeks since it all happened. Then he said that realistically I shouldn't think about returning to work for at least 3 months, so I can fully recover and let my brain heal and get myself back to normal again.

So that was that, being signed off from work for at least 3 months...let the boredom begin!