Wednesday 6th August 2008

After a pleasurable stay in a nice ward with some lovely ladies (all gynea ops) and equally nice food, I’m home.

The lady opposite me was so lovely and had for 13yrs tried for a baby and finally gave in and was in there having a hysterectomy - I was extremely sad for her.

I was scheduled last operation of the day and they expected me to go down between 3 and 4pm.

I went to the Medical Physics department at 9.40am to have the radioactive injection through my nipple…ouch!! Well you would think ouch but in fact it didn’t hurt at all and despite my concerns at subjecting the Berkshire public to me in my gown and slippers I did in fact walk down there in my gown and slippers!!

Settled back down on the ward and was having a lovely chat with the lady opposite me, when at 12.10 one of the nurses called out 5mins Clare….gulp!!

They walked me down to theatre and the surgeon was there waiting for me, he said a few words and assured me he’d do his best handy work.The anaesthetist was the same one who put me under for my gall bladder op. Now I can’t have anything in either arm he had to put the cannula in my foot…now that is ouch!

One of my very fetching white embolism stocking had to come off – shame

He gave me a choice of pre-med so I chose a ‘Bacardi and coke’ to set me on my way and by god did I feel woozy and that was it…I just about managed to ask where was the ice and lemon and the next thing I knew was, that I was in the recovery ward, about 2.30ish and was wheeled back to the ward.

I had 2 drains in my breast (well where it once was) and they were relatively comfortable, just annoyingly positioned to make you take extra care not to lay on them etc. I had an ok night on Monday but of course they have to wake you every 2hrs to do blood pressure etc

Tuesday on the ward was a scream as a Lady…a real Lady, was in the bed next to me (Lady Bader). She had a few mishaps..knickers fell down as she walked off to the loo, nearly fell out of the bed (wet the bed) she was so funny and kept saying it was boring and she could be in her garden drinking scotch (she is 91!!)

Tuesday night’s sleep was good and I missed all the drama!! Apparently about 2am until 3am Lady B kicked right off…she didn’t know where she was and was trying to get out of her bed with all her wires attached, shouted at the nurse ‘who the hell are you in my bedroom’…bless she was so confused.

The other ladies in there thought it hilarious that I slept through the lot!!

The registrar came round at 8.30am this morning and checked my drains and as they hadn’t filled the bottles anymore said I could have them out and go home – yippee!

One of the lovely nurses gave me some stuff to drink and came back a few minutes later and pulled out the tubes –I’m so rock hard I hardly noticed she’d done them.

Jon came to pick me up at 12noon and off I went back to my boys.

I have a foam ‘Comfie breast’ to use until the swelling goes down and I can then have a proper prosthesis, I went to Asda and got one of their post surgery bras with a pocket to hold it in and it is ok..the bra I had was a support bra without pockets but the foam comfie kept moving about and I didn’t fancy it falling out in front of anyone.

So all I have to do now is wait until the 19th for the results of the node biopsy and fingers crossed they will be clear and then I guess I will find out if I have to start chemo…that very short road to baldness!!

I’m not entirely happy with the way I look now (would have been better to have had both removed IMO) but it’s better than the alternative and Jon’s ok with it so together we’ll get through it.

love Clare xx