I should be sleeping

Well folks, I'm home. I have been here since Friday but the t'internet was down so I couldn't get online to do the blog (how frustrating!).
The operation was successful, the full title of it was Right Total Mastectomy and Right Axilla Node Clearance +/- LD Flap.
I went in EARLY on the Tuesday with Mum and Ash. We waited in the arrivals lounge with a load of old people and then were taken through to the ward. I didn't get a side room in the end (boo!) but I was in a bay with 4 other ladies. I was near the door which I liked and there was no-one opposite me so when the curtains were round it was quite private, also I could see the nurses at the desk and hear what they were talking about!

I got changed into a lovely hospital gown (you know the ones I mean!), and some very sexy surgical stockings (knee high only, not thigh high) and even better - some paper knickers! It was the whole experience! I saw a couple of doctors, did consent forms and Mr D came and drew all over my boob (where he wanted to make incisions etc). Surgeons always mark their patients before they go into surgery as it is easier to mark someone when they are conscious and can move around. Especially with lumps and bumps, they need to be able to poke you and stuff. Anyway, with that done we just waited around, I wasn't first to go in in the end as they were waiting for my breast implant to arrive! Somehow Ashley managed to blag a cup of tea from the domestic (and said hello to most of the staff as he knew them all).
Tommy, one of the theatre porters (and someone else that Ash knew) came to get me about ten to ten, I kissed Mum goodbye and it was off to theatre. Picture it, there's me sitting in bed, lovely and cosy and warm, expecting to be pushed to theatre when Tommy goes 'have you got slippers?'. 'Yes, why?', 'because there's only me and I can't push the bed on my own so you'll have to walk and we'll get the bed later'. The cheek of it!!! The last lady was pushed into theatre, why not me!? I moaned a bit cos I was REALLY warm and cosy and so in the end Tommy got Ash to help push (well, it's his field of work anyway!). So the boys pushed me round to the theatres (a weird experience when you're used to walking WITH someone).

The anaesthetic room was cold but had a brilliant view over the houses and down the hill. It was a beautiful sunny morning as well. Dr Martin the anaesthetist was lovely as was Dawn the ODP (Operating Department Practitioner - anaesthetic assistant). It was interesting chatting to Dawn as she will be working at the Day Surgery in January! Small world!

I went off to sleep pretty quickly, it is a lovely experience having an anesthetic, there was a slight sting as they put the drugs in but then the lovely sensation of falling asleep. I'd recommend it to anyone!

I woke up at 4:15 on the ward, I vaguely remember being moved from recovery to the ward but then I went right back to sleep. In fact, Tuesday was probably the best day as I was totally drugged up with ALOT of morphine and so I was pain free and a bit high. One of the side effects of morphine is euphoria, it was great. Mum, Ash, Ophelia and my brother were all there, I kind of had conversations with them although it was difficult with an oxygen mask on.

*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*
OK - I was writing this on Christmas Eve but got distracted with, like Christmas, you know. After the big day I wasn't too well, felt a little bit rough. I woke up on New Year's Eve in agony early in the morning so I got taken to A&E by ambulance. I had an infection, my drain was full of gook (i.e. pus, blood, fluid). The doctors made the decision to operate to remove the implant they had put in at the previous surgery.
So, once more into the operating theatre. A much quicker op this time and I was on a surgical ward at the PRUH. I had to stay in a couple of days and they let me out yesterday. STILL have a drain and am in pain and have restricted movement etc etc but I do feel a lot better. The real downer about being in hospital was that NYE is Ash's birthday so he spent the entire day with me, bit crap for him but I will make it up to him next year.

Now I'm home and just bored and annoyed that I can't do all the things I want to properly. I will blog all this later on I expect. For now I'm going to lie in bed and watch TV.
Lots of love to you all as always
Liz
xxx