OP CANCELLED !

Hi Guys
Here I am again and I can’t begin to tell you how thoroughly disappointed, angry and upset I am.

As you’l be aware I was booked in for my expander implant finally replacing with a teardrop shaped one (after living for over 6 months with an over inflated one) and an uplift to my other boob.

Well I sat there for nearly 6 hours, nil by mouth, all drawn on, gown and silly socks on - only to be told that there had been complications in theatre and my op was CANCELLED !!!

I was so bloody frustrated, angry and fed up. I’m now playing the waiting game again with no definite date set yet.

I’m sorry if I’m sounding a bit sorry for myself today but after 4 long years on my breast cancer journey this was finally going to let me draw a line under it all - oh no that would be too easy. Instead I’m left in limbo AGAIN - I can tell you I was very down this weekend and kept bursting into tears at odd times. I do hope they sort me out soon as I don’t want to be on a downward slope again feeling miserable. Its amazing how you can go from exstatic because you finally are reaching the end then to complete deflation.

I’l keep you all posted if I ever do get my op!!!

Sorry to sound off but I needed that

clemy X

Hi Clemmy,

Believe me I know exactly how you are feeling, I have had my reconstruction cancelled twice - it was due to be done on 17th March 09, I sat at home like a lemon waiting for a lift to the hossy and received a call saying it had been cancelled. I had to wait 5 weeks for any acknowledgement of a new date, and when I did get it they had booked me in for 17th June, so I can only presume I went straight back to the bottom of the waiting list. The week before last, 5 days before I was due to go in I got another call saying it was cancelled due to an ‘emergency’ - as you can imagine, I was incandescent with rage!!! Luckily, I got a letter the next day with another new date, and am supposedly going in on the 30th June. Apparently, they can’t cancel you more than twice or they get fined (both the hospital and the surgeon) but I will believe it has been done when I wake up in recovery, and then I’ll feel for bandages.

If you do not get a new date within a week, get in touch with PALS (patient liason and advisory service, there is normally one at every hospital) don’t do what I did and let them get away with keeping me waiting for 5 weeks, keep ringing the PS’s secretary. If they cancel me for a third time, I shall be contacting my MP.

I really hope you get a new date soon, these people don’t know the misery they cause us by cancelling operations.

Good luck and let us know when you hear,

Regards,

Tracy x

Well here I am again girls - have been in touch several times with my local waiting list office, to be told that it may be 4 weeks before I get called in again.

I’m so fed up with it all that its beginning to get me down. I can feel myself falling flat and becoming quite irritable, teary and thoroughly fed up.

They don’t realise when they cancel ops the effect it has on people. After 4 years of surgery, treatments and appointments I finally thought I’d be at the end but hey here I am still waiting. My next step is PALS which I really don’t want to go to because I’m worried it i kick up a stink it’ll affect how I’m treated when I finally get in so i’m in a catch 22 position.

Sorry to be a pain folks but if I don’t get my feelings down I’ll just end up bottling it all up.

Clemy x

Hi Clemmy,

Sorry that you still haven’t heard anything, I was a bit of a wimp and didn’t really push too much for a new date when I was cancelled at first. When I did finally get in touch with the PS’s secretary (she was on holiday for what seemed like weeks) I was politeness itself and ended up going back to the bottom of the waiting list. Please don’t let that happen to you, if you do go to PALS I’m sure they can’t hold it against you when you go in for your op, you’re entitled to fight your corner - and PALS should be able to help you in some way. Have you spoken to your BCN? Mine was quite helpful and spoke to the PS for me the first time it was cancelled.

I think it is quite unusual to be cancelled twice (but typical of my luck!) and from what I have been told they cannot cancel you 3 times. If they do, I won’t even bother with PALS - I’ll go straight to my MP.

I hope you hear very soon, let us know if you do.

Tracy xx

Hi Guys
Just a quick thread to let you know I’m booked in again for my expander replacement and uplift to other side for this Friday 3 July at our local Private Hospital. Have been on the W/L so long now they’re doing it there as part of the NHS waiting list initiative. I’m not complainint! I just want it to be over now then I can finally draw a line under the last 4 years. I’ll let you all know how I get on - much luv

Clemy x

Hi Clemy,

So pleased you’ve finally had your surgery. I have just come out of hospital this afternoon, my DIEP went really well (had a different surgeon, the original was off sick).

So that’s done and dusted for both of us thankfully, it’s onwards and upwards now!

Let me know how you’re getting on.

Tracy xx