Week 5: Getting surgery...

Week 5: Friday 23 - Friday 30 December 2016

Ok this is another blog which really just covers two days as it covers the day of my surgery.  (Things did not quite go to plan on the whole one day surgery thing lol)

Having arrived at the hospital at 7.15am, we discovered that the main car park was closed... but we got into side car park after buzzing the guard lol (not good for anxious patients or drivers methinks!!)

Then had to go to the day surgery reception.... who took my paperwork and sent me to another reception...
(A la "Follow the yellow brick road"... except in my case it was the red arrow!)

Then another small wait as the collection of patients were waiting to see whose staff nurse's list we were on.... once I got taken through, I was placed in a group of 4 beds on my own.  Felt a bit strange as other people were placed in groups, but I actually then reckoned that maybe a bit of solitude possibly good as it meant I could start writing my blogs properly.

Had to sit in my own clothes, and kind of felt awkward just sitting on the hospital chair - it was not particularly comfortable so I then decided just to kick my shoes off and sit on the bed wearing my normal clothes, but with my dressing gown over me like a blanket - man, that ward was chilly with the window open!

Anyway, getting checked in, I had blood pressure taken (actually normal lol), and had name tapes put on both my wrists (in case I either lose one, or perhaps they are bi polar?).

I also had an allergy tape on one wrist for fish / seafood, and thankfully they asked how I react to general anaesthetic (normally badly 😱)... so I had to tell the anaesthetist to get a special cocktail 😜.

I was told that I was mid - late on the operations list, but to sit about in my own clothes till they told me to get ready... no bad thing as I had the hospital backless gown and medical stockings to wear for surgery... sexy they are definitely not!

Surgeon came to visit me to go through what I was to expect and to sign consent forms.  What I hadn't expected is that the blue dye injection was going in through my nipple! Even now it makes me cringe... even though clearly I was asleep lol.
(Purpose of the blue dye was to trace where my sentinel lymph node was, to allow easy removal for biopsy.)

I also had to laugh.  Apart from marking me with dots again around the tumour, the surgeon also wrote on top of my breast what the op actually was.  I know I was on a conveyer belt of slicing and dicing, but slightly disconcerting that they require instructions to double check!!! (Although I suppose also reassuring lol.)

After this, the anaesthetist came to see me - a very cheery lady who said that there were many people to get through that day... but she promised to do her best for me not to make me sick so I was happy 😀.

Around about 11am I got told to get changed... so I did that in all of about 5 mins, and sent quick text to loved ones saying that was me heading in.  I switched off and packed away all my stuff to be neat and tidy.  Then waited.  And waited.  And waited.  For about 45 minutes.

I thought they had forgotten me, and I didn't want to make a fuss, but the 3.5hrs spent reading and blogging had went by in a flash compared to 45 minutes doing nothing other than watching the clock, the orderlies rushing about and the cleaners.

Anyway at last my time arrived.  I actually thought I would be walking to surgery as that was what letter had said,  it instead I got wheeled about 20 feet along a corridor and into the waiting area which I think was meant for children... was covered in jungle book type montage.... I was only there for about 5 minutes when I had somebody else come and whisk me down to the pre-op area where they attach wires, raise your veins for the cannula, and administer the anaesthetic. (All whilst asking me to confirm my name and date of birth at each stage lol.)

I remember thinking that it was like 'Grey's Anatomy' as they were playing loud rock music in the theatre... but then the 3 people preparing me at pre-op were like synchronised ninjas and I didn't even realise I was going to sleep.
(Previous ops I was always aware of the anaesthetic travelling up my arm before I passed out, but this team were busy attaching electrodes, tapping my veins, squeezing my fists and inserting cannulas all at the same time honest I think it was just like sensory overload in a good way!)

Anyway... I came to, maybe 3hrs later - the recovery room nurse was trying to get me to take sips of water.  I just remember her face was kind of in a haze as she put the straw in my mouth.

Next time I kind of woke up, the breast cancer nurse had popped by to give me a wee comfort cushion to put under my left armpit where the surgery had taken place... also somewhat hazy but I was aware that I was back in the ward by that point.

The third time I woke up, it was the anaesthetist, who was just popping by to see if I was ok and to make sure I had not been sick... and I hadn't 😀😀😀.  She also ordered another warm IV drip for me too, to make doubly sure I would not be.

And then finally, the surgeon popped by to explain that all had went well, he had a quick check of the wounds, and said he would see me in 3 weeks time....

So... all was going swimmingly.

Woo hoo!!!

Back to full wakefulness and getting the medical staff life stories and gossip about their Xmas nights out 😄.

It is amazing what 2 cups of tea, a wee sandwich and a couple of biscuits can do for a woman... perhaps not to mention the potential Class A drugs that made me think of fairy dust and unicorns  😄.

(That wasn't actually the drugs talking by the way... just wanted to make you all smile lol)

Was told I would still have to face the indignity of having to go pee with medical staff watching... but I will save any embarrassment by NOT sharing anything to do with that 😄😄😄.  (Thankfully I did actually manage to go pee in private.... and it was actually blue!!!)

I was given exercises to do once I got home, (it's like yoga for dummies - no derogatory comments please!) and I had the potential for further drug taking depending on what they decided to give me away with me.

Also got given my sick line up to results day in January... still plan to take everything in stages.... but definitely looking on this as extended Christmas holiday time 😄😄😄.

It is funny what went through my mind though... like, I won't be able to wear deodorant for next wee while on my left side.... so that means I might be half smelly and half not... how to make a girl paranoid lol!

Also...idea of wearing a bra currently possibly not feasible, so the theme song that  came to mind is "Swing low, sweet chariot..."

Also... my mum had previously suggested on diagnosis day that I may have to consider getting some kind of boob sling (on the basis that bras are not going to be comfortable to wear)... I don't even know if those things even exist or how they would even work... but in my mind all I can picture is the handkerchief that Oor Wullie tied around his face when he had toothache ... you know with the big knot on top of his head.....

Only I was picturing a much bigger one to put under my boobs.... maybe a temporary chest lift? 😄😄😄

Anyway.... I was at the point of being all excited as the end was in sight.... when I fainted.

Cue the medical team rushing around, putting me back on the bed and taking blood pressure.  Which had dipped quite low supposedly.  So cue the oxygen mask too.

To cut a long story short, I ended up being kept in overnight unexpectedly.  I got wheeled up to another ward, where the inmates were watching Coronation Street 😂😂😂.  But I stuck my headphones on and tried to relax and make my blood pressure return to normal through positive thinking.  It didn't.

So an overnight in hospital was indeed confirmed, and I have to say I had little to no sleep all night.  My fellow inmates were actually lovely though, and the lady in the bed next to me was telling me about her cancer journey - mastectomy on one breast, then a reduction on the other side... in total it had taken 3.5 years, and a whole lot of pain from the liposuction, but that the following day she would be walking out on cancer treatment and surgery for the last time...

She also talked about her previous high flying finance career, which she then swapped for a less stressful job, as the one thing which can also set back recovery is stress.  She was also very upfront and honest and offered to show me her scars on her front and back to help me understand what I might be facing in the future... although we never did get to that stage...

But again, she was full of hints and tips on how to deal with various aspects that you may never get anywhere else.... actually the whole thing turned into a bit like a grown up slumber party 😀.

The one thing I did learn was that the nurses were very good at making sure that I was in no pain.  I actually had no idea what I was taking at that point, but every time they came with little plastic pots with pills in them, I just swallowed them like an obedient child.  With hindsight I think this was a good thing as I really did not feel very much at all from the surgery sites.

The next morning there was some very cheery / militant nurses who were trying to get us out of bed by 7am in order to strip the beds... we got told to sit in the bedside chairs, but actually after 30 minutes of no action, and because I was feeling that hot, sickly, sweaty feeling of a fainting episode coming on... I just got back into the bed and stayed put.  And once I was back in the bed, the others went back into their beds too.
(Always a trend setter lol... or maybe I am just a rebel 😀)

Anyway, the doctors came on their rounds, and the one checking me basically pressed the dressings against the 2 wounds to check for seepage.... at which point I thought I was going to literally hit the ceiling.  So they noted that I was a bit swollen and tender, and needed my dressings changed... (the amount of swear words going through my head at that point really would have made a trooper blush!)

But as I was adamant I was getting out, I waited until the dressings were changed and then I got into my own clothes and waited for my lift to arrive.

I actually did feel a bit sweaty and faint like, but I would not admit that to anyone - as technically I could put it down to tiredness and I really just wanted my own bed.

Anyway, after texting the world to say I was alive and out of hospital... I slept.  A lot.  A pretty boring Christmas Eve, but I was chuffed with the fact that I had had the surgery, hadn't been sick, and that they had issued me with a bag of various painkillers to see me through the next week or so.  So... success all round. 😀😀😀

Surgery really wasn't as bad as everybody thought it was going to be.  In fact, really it wasn't any more complicated than when I got my wisdom teeth out years previously.  Silver linings and small mercies 😀😀😀- I was going to be ok for xmas entertaining!