Its D Day ........

September 16th 2014

With one of my besties driving me into hospital for 8am we sat in the waiting room with several other patients awaiting beds on Rayner Ward. Their was the general chitchat people make. 

I wasn't nervous at all, strange huh, but true. I was about to undergo major surgery for several hours and I just wasn't nervous. I'm not sure really if I had just shut it out or hadn't really thought what was happening. As if it was not me going through it. I wasn't scared, infact I had no emotion apart from the fact of lets just get on with it!

I think if im honest, I hadn't really given it any serious thought. I was incredibly busy with my business, the boys, the competition that the operation was the last thing on my mind. 

I was positive, bubbly, and nothing was taking me away from my boys. After all how would they cope without me ? I did everything, so I didn't even think about not being around for them. 

One of the nurses popped into the waiting room, called us into a side room and went through some questions with me. You know the usual, what time was your last drink, meal etc. Any allergies, piercings and so on.... I was then given my gown to pop on and waited for my surgeon Matt Stephenson to come and have a chat with me, sign to say I know what surgery is being carried out and to draw all over my chest area so they take the right breast away. 

I was shown to my bed in the ward and more paperwork completed. The anesthesist came, talked me through his process to which I informed him I'm really crap at waking up after !! he placed the catheter in my right hand and off he went. 

As lunchtime came and went with the food smell really quite tempting, Yes I know hospital food and all that but when you've not eaten since the evening before anything becomes mouth watering.

Finally around 2pm I was asked to give a urine sample and asked to put the delightful white long socks on to stop deep vein thrombosis. Beautiful ha ha . Then it was grab your pillow they are ready for you. Off we go walking down to theatre. This was it.

We arrive at the theatre waiting area. Im asked to confirm my name and date of birth and my URN (unique reference number) to make sure they have the right person, not like anyone would want to take my place is it ! minutes later I was taken into another room where the bed trolly was. I had several stickey pads attached to me to monitor all my vital signs then it was time for the sleepy stuff. As its injected into the catheter I feel the coldness of it as it travels up my veins then they start to count down loudly and tell me to think of something happy......

Ok not having a clue what went on then I just remember rousing covered in tin foil or so I thought with a nurse sat next to me telling me to breathe. Like I said I had told them I was crap at waking up and well here they are trying to get me to wake up enough to get me back to the ward. An eight hour operation and two hours in recovery because I wouldn't wake up enough to be released back to the ward. My temperature had dropped considerably and I would forget to breathe unless prompted by a nurse who was sat next to me. 

With oxygen mask, heated foil blanket and my own nurse off they sent me back to Rayner ward. My obs were taken every 30 minutes and I slept until the following day around 7pm . I had told them I was crap at waking up. I had been given morphine and god knows what else. I had two drains in which were filling with blood from the chest area and I was bandaged all up tightly. 

Due to the amount of drugs they had given me I was unable to get out of bed to go to the toilet if I needed so was told to call for a nurse and a bed pan could be used but I hadnt had anything to drink for nearly two days so I just didn't need to go. 

When I did finally come around enough to drink some water I had several beautiful bouquets of flowers and cards. How lovely that my friends had been in to see me but I had been completely out of it so it was really lovely yo wake up to. 

When Dr Stephenson came to see me he told me due to me being grade one breast cancer I would'nt need chemotherapy or radiotherapy so they were able to remove my left breast and re-construct straight away with a silicone implant which was fantastic news. It meant I still had two breasts albeit one was false and no nipple.  I was really pleased. 

When they take a breast away it is sent away to be disected I presume like other organs etc. 

I had to stay in hospital five days and was so lucky that everyday I had so many visitors who all brought me sweets, chocolates, flowers, etc. what gorgeous wonderful friends I have. I am truely blessed, thank you, I love you all. 

I was on morphine for a few days, whilst the drains were in but then just normal pain killers nothing more than that. The breast nurse would come and see me daily to check on my progress and let me know about all the helpful groups and so forth for support, financial help, and all that. I was visited by the physiotherapist and given my exercises to do daily to help with my recovery. I was told I could not lift anything more than a pint of milk. I could not walk my dogs, I could not drive. The only thing I could do was go for a walk to get a little exercise but not much. Well this did not go down well at all !! I was super fit two days before the op I was on stage competing in my figure fitness competition and won and now I was'nt allowed to do anything but walk for ten minutes and that was it. I donot do well at doing nothing. Anyone that knows me well knows I can't sit still so doing nothing was seriously hardwork.

Anyway, I was allowed home as I said five days later once the drains had been taken out and by the way, that bloody hurt ! when they pull the tubes out and you've got the suction from your insides pulling to keep them in its painfull. Thats after they take the stitches out that are holding the tubes in place through the holes to your insides. Ohhhh nasty. 

I had to go to the breast clinic daily for dressing changes but thats so much better than staying in hospital. My only problem was hassling my pals to take me as I couldn't drive myself. 

Then as I thought the hardest part was over, and was starting to heal nicely with just twice per week dressing changes. I get a phone call asking me to go to the breast clinic the following day as Dr Stephenson wanted to see me. 

Here we go again .......