A Journey Part 2 - hello from the other side

 Well, here I am! Operation was on Wednesday and today is Friday. It’s been quite an intense few days.

So we were told to get to the hospital by 8am on Wednesday to have guide wires inserted. This is when they use ultrasound to place wires into the areas to be removed to help guide the surgeon. 

Only issue was that the radiologist had called in sick. They had managed to get another one to cover but we had to wait for her arrive. It was about 10 when she saw me. I was supposed to have 2 wires inserted - one for Damien the bastard tumour and one for an area that hadn’t been biopsied but that looked a bit suspicious. The radiologist though spotted a 3rd tiny area that she felt looked dodgy. She wanted to put a wire in it to ensure it was taken out too but had to get my surgeon to agree first. He was in theatre so there was a huge delay but he did agree. So by lunchtime I had 3 wires stuck in my boob and was waiting on the ward. Now I’d been told my op would be at 8:30am but at this point I was told that I was last on the list. I hadn’t eaten or drank since the night before so I was a mess and so anxious.

It was actually 6pm when they came to get me and I was out of recovery and back on the ward between 9:30 and 10pm. Kath, bless her, had trekked back to the hospital to see me and they let her stay until about 1am.

I was on oxygen and fluids and they made me some toast. Kath said I was coherent but rambling 😂 I got about 2 hours sleep that night because they kept waking me up for observations. I was also put back on nil by mouth as the staff nurse thought I might have bleeding inside and a haematoma. This would have meant another general anaesthetic and trip to the operating theatre so my anxiety spiralled again!!! Thankfully my consultant sent 3 of his team to check and they were happy everything was ok so I got food!! I was finally released about half 3 that afternoon and the girls took me home in an Uber.

I have a surgical drain in my side from the lymph nodes removal which has to stay there until I go back to the clinic. Sleeping was interesting but I managed to prop myself on my side. I was sent home with boxes of magic pills for pain relief. Last night was ok but paracetamol was not working this morning so I had to use codeine which I can highly recommend as I now feel slightly pissed. 😂. 

So the next big thing is to go back to clinic for pathology results and drain removal 😊. Then I will know my treatment plan more. I’ll post again then when I’ve got my head around it all!

It’s now a week since the surgery. District nurse has told me I’m healing well and I’m adjusting to my new normal. It’s weird that I feel so much calmer now but surgery was the thing that really terrified me especially the thought of not waking up again! That is why I kept this all quite secret, I had to focus on just getting through it! So now if my story makes anyone check their boobs more or helps take some of the fear away from having breast cancer then my ramblings here have been worth it!!

Took a few selfies in hospital too

Waiting for surgery and thoroughly pissed off!

Just after returning to the ward from recovery. I was shocked to see how rough I look as I actually felt ok. My poor eye was swollen as it reacted to the tape they use to stick your eyes shut during surgery. I was still on oxygen as a precaution because apparently my blood pressure dropped twice during the surgery.

The next day. I’d only had about 3 hour’s sleep but they’d finally let me eat so I looked happy 😂