I’m here to write it so yay I’ve made it out of the op. I thought about this if I should write posts and back-schedule for the days I was flat on my back and topped up with morphine or do it a special offer – all in one. So all in one it is as we are now 3 days after the op.
Op day – Thursday. Went in way earlier than expected so it’s all ready for 8 am. Had to wash again in the morning with the famous Betadine, an iodine based solution. I still think that parts of me smell like it. Anyway, dressed in the famous blue suit and with incidental matching socks (special thank you to my pharmacy for this) last thing I remember was various people introducing themselves to me. I would not recognise any of them now, sorry guys. Just my surgeon. Last thing I remember was the clock in the operating theatre showing 7:59:48. Whoosh….gone.
We are now 5 ours later, because that is how long it took. In the ICU with a lovely nurse around me. I think this time the waking up was better. I was thirsty and she kept spraying me with the water spray. At the same time covered in a heated blanket powered by some device that looked like R2D2. It has to keep the breast and tummy area warm, thing that continued for 2 days after actually. I am told it took me 30 mins to wake up. I was in ICU for 5 hours as I had some pain and they kept topping me up with morphine. I woke up with the nose tubes for oxygen, which donut bother you, they are there to put some oxygen through so you can wake up. Got to the room around 18:30 with my husband and son waiting for me. The surgeon was lovely, he already told them how it all went etc when he came out. Of course now the world and the mother comes to see me and measure various things. I am on my back and again with the same sensation of not being able to sleep nor stay awake. In limbo really!
All my requests and tries to bribe people to get me water failed until later in the evening when the nurse gave me the green light. Let there be water! At this point I realised that I had a catheter so not having to get up… drink on!!! Not that I could’ve anyway. The surgeon visited, he is very pleased with the result and said it all went very well.
Not slept much the first night, only about 2h I think. At this point I had 4 drains, a perfusion and a catheter. Could there be any more pipes coming out of me??? I take this back, I’m sure there could be.
Friday – pain, pain… ok, managed, but pain! And it is not from my breast nor from my tummy. It’s from the muscles he used in the TRAM procedure. So At this stage I was feeling like in a cage, like a wide belt under both of my breasts and going down my tummy. Any movement and even breathing in a bit more that very softly hurts. And for this…no solution and no meds. They kept me topped up with morphine of course but even this can only do so much.
I had a magic green button that dispenses morphine into my vein if I press it. I was reluctant at this stage because of the massive amount of morphine they put into me the day before got me a bit doodah in the night. It is amazing how it plays with your brain and distorts reality, wide or awake. Or in between really
Saturday – The surgeon ordered blood tests as he said he isn’t happy about bleeding and wants to be sure. Blood tests happened in the morning, by lunchtime I had the result, a nasty anaemia which means blood transfusion – already ordered and on the way. I had palpitations all the time and first the thought it might be a reaction to some of the pain killers, which they stopped.
I got moved into my own room by this point as well and it was nice. Two bags of blood later…thank you to whoever donated them…I started to be able to open my eyes more and be generally brighter. Got the catheter removed so now the challenge of the bed pan!
By the end of Saturday I got used to other people washing me and having to turn me or pull me up the bed as I kept sliding. So the bed pan was trivial.
Sunday – today, first day I manage to sit up and write this while watching the final of the football World Cup, France vs Croatia. We are now at 65 mins into the match and I just realised how slow I have been writing. It’s 4-1 for France at the moment. The entire hospital is in ecstasy here and not because of the drugs this time. Anyway, my day today…the drip went out so I’m not feeling like a T-rex anymore. I can sit at the edge of the bed for a little while, I can sit up in bed for the first time. The less pleasant bit is that I started to have a cough. I was not prepared for this type of pain! Can only compare it with giving birth :(. And why stop there? My period just started!
Because the morphine would kick in too late for me to endure at the time, I put my headphones on and listened to Michael Sealey. This man has helped me sleep so may times and helped taking the edge of the pain away through hypnosis so may times. And the good part is that it is all chemical-free. So when the nurse came with the little pot I was already feeling more zen.
In the meantime France has won! But I am have to lay down for now – not flat as I can’t be flat, but stretch out a bit. So more updates tomorrow…but yay, I have made it through this one! So I wish you all a good day/night/whatever it is in you country, and lots of bowels working because mine aren’t 😦
Always on a journey 