Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Hello everyone,

Well, one last blog before the surgery. Just to clarify as lots of people have asked me - I do have someone with me on Christmas Eve, I kind of forgot to mention that I had sorted it out. My mum was going to come over but Ash is not going out now so he will be here and I think a couple of people are going to pop in so it should be a lovely relaxed evening. DVDs, maybe a glass of wine and some nibbles. Anyway - IT'S OK!

I have had a weird weekend as I have been super-busy seeing people and trying to get ready. I have managed to do lots of cleaning and stuff in the flat and it is looking pretty good. My room is ready for my return with the TV, DVD player and Sky box (which still needs plugging in).
Today Sarah visited me in the morning (caff brekkie and DVD), Gemma and Phoebe (age 2 and 1 month) came over for a cuppa and both my sisters dropped in so it's been busy. Probably a good thing because after Sarah left and I was alone for about 5 minutes I started panicking a bit. Luckily Ash was home from work earlier than I thought so I haven't really been alone today.

There were a couple of things I wanted to say in this blog. One is, the other day at work I met another patient of Mr D who had a mastectomy and tummy tuck at the same time. She was in the DSU as a patient and she kindly let me see her scars and chatted to me about the whole experience. I had seen her pictures in the book the Breast Care Nurse has of people post-op so I recognised her from her tummy tuck scar as it is unusual to have the two procedures. Anyway, they used some of the skin from the tummy tuck to do the graft on her boob and she said it was a bit weird because sometimes she gets hairs growing on her boob. Now if you know where they do a tummy tuck you will know that this means that the hairs that are growing are in fact PUBES!!!!!! She was lovely and said that I should take her number from her notes and give her a call if I needed to.

The other thing I wanted to write, and this is a bit gross, is that if you squeeze in the right place you can feel the tumour. It is weird because you can sort of feel how big it is. And it aint small. I have taken a picture of my boobs but as I can't find the data cable for my digital camera I will post it up post op when I have found it. (This is the problem with tidying up - now I can't find anything. i probably put it in a 'sensible' place!)

So now all that remains is a few bits and bobs around the flat to sort out (Ophelia and Ash have their instructions!) and to pack a bag. It is such a weird feeling to be going into hospital (it's not something I've done before). It's a little like going on holiday as I want to get the flat sorted and a bag packed but the weirdness is that I am only going to be down the road (literally) and I can't leave if I want to!

I might just add at the moment that Ash and Ophelia are in my room discussing putting up my curtains and are behind me now while I am writing this. In fact they are both goading me because I can't whistle and they can so they like to take the mickey every now and then to remind me that I am still me and not to feel too sorry for myself. Things are mostly quite normal in the flat which I am eternally grateful for.

OK, I'm going to sign off now as I am getting tired fingers (and did I mention that I need to pack!!!!!).

Thank you all for your messages today (8-9pm was text time).

Lots of love
Liz
xxx