Hi all, Steve here!

Recently I've been waiting for an operation on my elbow to take place. 'Not another one!' I hear you all say! Oh yes, another one!

You see, the other 2 operations weren't as successful as I'd hoped. So once again in order free-up my elbow joint, they had to remove some calcified bone from the crook of my arm. Basically the excess bone was preventing my arm from bending. And so, early Friday morning on February 11th, Pauline and I travelled to Wythenshawe hospital. The route we took was the same as always, so we both just sat in the back seat while my car drove itself there - just kidding!

At Wythenshawe hospital they have a new system for booking in now. Everyone having an operation that morning checks in at 7.30 am, then sits in a waiting room waiting to be called for their operation.

The old system meant that everyone would be taken to their own room or a ward, where you'd be told what number you were on the list for surgery, but at least you could relax and chat before your operation.

This new system meant that everyone would be sitting in a waiting room, with their belongings, waiting to be called for surgery! It looked like we were all in the departure lounge of an airport, waiting to go someplace nice - but it wasn't nice!!!

Now the last time I was waiting for an operation, I was STARVING HUNGRY! You see, you have to fast for 9 hrs before your surgery, and I'd not eaten since 12 midnight - by the time they were taking me to theatre, it was nearly lunch time!

For this operation, I had AGAIN been fasting since midnight - but I suppose all this can't be helped. I could only pray that I would be somewhere near the front of the queue. Well, my prayers were answered this time because I WAS FIRST! I was really pleased. Being a bit of a hungry hippo I was beginning to look like Thomas the cat (from the Tom And Jerry cartoons) floating towards Mammy's freshly baked pie cooling on the windowsill - only with me I was floating towards the canteen following the smell of breakfast which was wafting throughout the hospital! It was nothing less than torture!!!

The operation took around 5 hrs, and when I came round I was once again tied to a hospital bed via plastic tubes. One tube came from my bandaged arm to a pint bottle which was slowly filling with blood. This blood would cause a problem if left undrained - it could cause my arm to swell up causing pain and bruising. Now I ask you, what could be worse than being restrained like this? Well I'll tell you - having no feeling whatsoever in your arm, that's what! Not only could I not feel my arm, I couldn't even move it! I tried to move my fingers, but I couldn't! Then I tried to bend my elbow, I couldn't do that either! I found that I couldn't even LIFT my arm off the bed! My arm from my shoulder down, was paralysed!!!

Now this situation was expected - as I've been here before. But even so it's a bit disconcerting and weird when you've got a lifeless arm attached to your torso. Especially when you need to use the toilet. It took 2 nurses to take me there, one to help me out of bed and the other to carry my bottle of blood, (which was a constant companion throughout the night!) When I stood up to use the loo for the first time, my lifeless arm weighed an absolute ton and nearly toppled me over! The 3 of us reached the toilet, then one nurse waited outside while the other followed me in with the bottle. She placed the bottle on the floor, then pulled my pants down for me (very embarrassing) and then helped me to sit on the loo. She had the courtesy to leave while I used the toilet, then came back in when I was ready. Throughout the night, this routine was performed 5 times! I was exhausted in the morning, and swore that this was the very LAST operation I was ever going to have. I felt tired, sore and generally fed up with myself. I long for the day when all this is behind me, and can go about life in a normal way - along with everyone else!

On the sociable front, this year's Valentines Ball took place on the 19th of February at The Reebok Stadium, Bolton. It was the 3rd outing for this event, and once again it was in support of 'Help for Heroes' and 'The Firefighters Charity'. I mentioned earlier that my operation took place on the 11th - just a week before the Ball! This unforeseen occurrence had me concerned. Would I be well enough to attend? Would I have a big bandage on my arm? If so, I wouldn't be hiring a DJ as I did the year before! And would my arm be too sore to enjoy myself? Well, I did attend! I did have a 'small' bandage on, but I knew I'd be more comfortable with my own shirt on, so in the end I didn't hire a DJ! And yes, it was sore! But thanks to lots of LEGAL drugs, it wasn't too sore to enjoy myself! And boy did I enjoy myself, it was a brilliant night! Everyone had a fantastic time! And for me, my cousins and my friends who all came along in support of this good cause, the night was over all too fast! Many thanks to them for their support! And a BIG thanks to Brian Wiggans and Steve Parkinson for going to the trouble - and believe me, it is troublesome - to sort the Valentines Ball in the first place! You've done a good job and a great service for injured Soldiers and Firefighters alike. Thanks fellas! And not to forget the priceless help of my mate Carl Haslam, without whom we wouldn't have had a Valentines Ball website to look at - which looks great and we wouldn't have had the moving footage of our armed forces performing their duties in Afganistan. This was a compilation of scenes put together by Carl to music, displayed on 2 large screens of our lads in action. Sadly, both of these would only have been viewed by the people who attended the Ball, but trust me it was top stuff! Cheers Carlos! In fact I believe Carl has now added the link to the video on the Valentines Web Site, so you can judge for yourself. http://www.heroesvalentineball.co.uk

Well thats all for this time, apart for one last thing! Good luck, to Jan Makinson and Anne Porter both whom work at W59 Broughton. Jan who works as a clerk and her friend Anne Porter who's a cook at the same station are - in aid of The Firefighters Charity - going to run the 'Tunnel to Towers' Marathon held in New York. I'm sure Anne will know all about the required carbohydrates you should take on board before such an endeavour. I remember well, having my own private 'Pasta Party' the night before a Marathon - it never increased my speed, but it tasted good and got me round the course - just!!!

So, once again until the next time, look after yourselves!

FF Steve Morris.

PS Always make sure you have a working Smoke Alarm!