Back to the Northern General once again.

When we arrived at the check in desk this morning we were told that there was only one consultant on today and that there were some delays. Two and a half hours late I went for my X-ray and then a good long while after I finally got called in (trust it to be like this the day we really needed to be in lectures. After a few moments of prodding and squeezing my central frame rings the consultant muttered that the frame could possibly come off today. This slightly shocked me and I asked whether he was talking about the threaded bar! I was told, No that he was thinking of removing the frame all together, he then decided to go and get a second opinion leaving me on the edge of my seat for 5 minutes or so.
He returned smiling and said that the frame was coming off today and send me back out into the waiting room. Now at this point there was some serious mixed emotion, I was extremely happy that it is finally coming off:

• I can shower at will


• Sleep without pillows propping my leg up


• Wear more than two different pairs of trousers


• Sit on sofa's without the fear of shredding them

and of course at some distant point climb and drive. Unfortunately I had already experienced the removal of one wire and it wasn't fun then! After a short wait (not that I cared at all by this point) I was back in with the two pin site nurses who set about first de-tensionining all the wires. Again this wasn't comfortable at all, there was a great deal of sharp pain. Next they set up de-constructing my frame which hurt like hell (just imagine a set of spanners twisting some loose pins about!). After this they set about cutting all of the wires down so they were straight and small, this vibrates through your leg and is thoroughly unpleasant. No pain relief yet. Just as they were finishing the trimming of the wires I was handed the Air+Gas (it's crap) I took a good few tokes before they confiscated it from me fearing I was going to put myself to sleep (I couldn't really see the harm in this at all). After that they told me that; "once we start we'll keep going until they're all done" a promise they certainly kept. I was then re-handed my pitiful excuse for pain relief and the two nurses set about pulling my pins out with large pliers, it hurt a lot and true to form they didn't stop despite my shouting until it was all done.

After the gas wore off I took my first steps on my un-framed leg, it still feels a little odd and a bit tender now (it's bandaged until saturday to let the pin holes heal over), but a lot lighter and instantly I could feel less soreness when moving my ankle.

After all thats happened over the last 4 months I feel glad to be finishing university. Natalie and I are planning a nice holiday with the cash we saved up for the trip in order to get some hard earned relaxation and laying around in the sun. When I get back from that it will be time for graduation and I'll be able to start (trying) to climb again. Can't wait.