Sean and I arrived at the hospital at about 7.15am and went to our allotted ward, we were the first there and were shown to a room containing about six recliner chairs in the place of beds. It was quite a strange set up, how I would imagine a chemo suite to look.
I was told I was first on the list and would be going down to surgery at about 8.30am. Between arriving and being taken to surgery various people came to visit...nurses, anaesthetists, surgeons....they all had something for me to sign or a swab to do or blood to take. Sean was allowed to stay with me throughout all this and it was a very calm environment. I was worried that one of us would get upset but no-one in the room did.
I had to put on compression stockings and a surgical gown fastened at the back, I was allowed to leave my knickers on. And then it was time, I was lead down to the recovery room by a nurse to wait for the anaesthetist. One of the surgery nurses came and was a bit too cheerful, he obviously spends a lot of time calming or cheering people but I just found him a bit annoying.
I was taken into the anaesthetic room at about 9.15am. ECG leads were put on my back to monitor my heart and then I was given an injection into the cannula on my hand...this made me feel very drunk. A mask was then put over my mouth and nose and another injection given that made me go to sleep.
And then I woke up...I can't really tell you what time it was, I made sure to look at the clock before the op but I understandably forgot to look when I woke up!
I was in no pain, the nurse kept asking me to rate my pain in the recovery room but I had none...I did however desperately need the toilet! The nurse brought a bed pan and I had a wee...and instantly felt much better!
I was hooked up to a drip and a morphine pump and I had an oxygen mask on.
I think I must have been in recovery a long time...they kept ringing the ward but no-one came to get me for a while, they must have been busy. I got to the ward at about 3pm. I don't know how long my operation took...the surgeon expected it to take 4/5 hours and that would fit with when I got back to a ward.
On the ward my drip and morphine pump were kept up and my oxygen mask was swapped for one of those tubes that just sits inside your nose. I had a button to press when I needed pain relief that would release a small amount of morphine...I honestly didn't need it, however I did press it as I didn't want to have the morphine wear off and realise I was in pain. I had to use the bed pan a few times more during the evening but at about 2am I decided I would like to get up to go to the toilet. I was unhooked from the drip and morphine so I could go to the loo and I got there fine...a bit wobbly but I made it!
The drip and morphine were reconnected but I decided not to press the button any more as I didn't need it. Both were taken away at about 4am on the 13th as I was drinking plenty and obviously not dehydrated judging my the amount of times I was needing to go to the toilet!
I was told I was first on the list and would be going down to surgery at about 8.30am. Between arriving and being taken to surgery various people came to visit...nurses, anaesthetists, surgeons....they all had something for me to sign or a swab to do or blood to take. Sean was allowed to stay with me throughout all this and it was a very calm environment. I was worried that one of us would get upset but no-one in the room did.
I had to put on compression stockings and a surgical gown fastened at the back, I was allowed to leave my knickers on. And then it was time, I was lead down to the recovery room by a nurse to wait for the anaesthetist. One of the surgery nurses came and was a bit too cheerful, he obviously spends a lot of time calming or cheering people but I just found him a bit annoying.
I was taken into the anaesthetic room at about 9.15am. ECG leads were put on my back to monitor my heart and then I was given an injection into the cannula on my hand...this made me feel very drunk. A mask was then put over my mouth and nose and another injection given that made me go to sleep.
And then I woke up...I can't really tell you what time it was, I made sure to look at the clock before the op but I understandably forgot to look when I woke up!
I was in no pain, the nurse kept asking me to rate my pain in the recovery room but I had none...I did however desperately need the toilet! The nurse brought a bed pan and I had a wee...and instantly felt much better!
I was hooked up to a drip and a morphine pump and I had an oxygen mask on.
I think I must have been in recovery a long time...they kept ringing the ward but no-one came to get me for a while, they must have been busy. I got to the ward at about 3pm. I don't know how long my operation took...the surgeon expected it to take 4/5 hours and that would fit with when I got back to a ward.
On the ward my drip and morphine pump were kept up and my oxygen mask was swapped for one of those tubes that just sits inside your nose. I had a button to press when I needed pain relief that would release a small amount of morphine...I honestly didn't need it, however I did press it as I didn't want to have the morphine wear off and realise I was in pain. I had to use the bed pan a few times more during the evening but at about 2am I decided I would like to get up to go to the toilet. I was unhooked from the drip and morphine so I could go to the loo and I got there fine...a bit wobbly but I made it!
The drip and morphine were reconnected but I decided not to press the button any more as I didn't need it. Both were taken away at about 4am on the 13th as I was drinking plenty and obviously not dehydrated judging my the amount of times I was needing to go to the toilet!
Sean and my parents came to visit on the evening of the 12th and I was very with it, and in good spirits. I also managed to eat my dinner at about 5pm. I was finding it hard to believe how easy it was turning out to be! No pain or sickness and the morphine wasn't making me loopy!
A post on recovery is on the way...Sean and mum are helping me to piece together the days as they all seem to run into each other when you're in hospital! I will try to get it up soon but for now, know that I have experienced no pain over the last week and that
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