About to have mastectomy - worried about sleeping arrangements

[Guest user]

Thank you for all your posts and good wishes
I am now finally back home!
The admission was very slick and as I was the first (and only!) person on the list I was dealt with very quickly. My op went very well - took an hour less than expected!
I did not recover very well from the anasthetic but once they stopped giving me Ibuprofen I stopped vomiting!
The nurses on my ward were absolutely great - really lovely 🙂
I had some very good company in my bay too all of us had had MXs and reconstructions - lots of support for each other.
On Day 7 I was moved to the Patient Hotel attached to the hospital until such time as my drains were removed.
Last drain came out yesterday afternoon (Day 10) and I spent last night in my own bed
Poor OH spent most of the night not daring to sleep to deeply for fear of hurting me!
Hope all is well with you lovely people

[Madmax]

Hi Liz

I had my MX on 10th May and ANC on 10th May and came home on 11th
My husband is currently still sleeping on an airbed in the living room as we only have the one double bed and he is too scared of causing me pain when he moves about. (I cant move on to my left side at all still and dont know how long this arrangement will last but hopefully for not much longer - I miss him!

[Guest user]

Hi Liz
I had mx & immediate recon on 19th May, was home bt 23rd May.
Not at bad as I thought it would be.
Good luck with yours. Anne x

[Guest user]

Didn't realise you were have recon. and mx. That explains why you will be in hospital longer so I don't know how quickly you will be able to text as it is a much longer op. You will have to let me know what you think of your boob job and tummy tuck as this is what I think i will do when my treatment is over.
Will be thinking about you tomorrow. Best of luck and hoping for a speedy recovery for you.
Lynn xx

[Guest user]

Hi Lynn
Glad to know your mx went well and that you are recovering well from the anasthetic 🙂
My mx is on Tuesday with an immediate rebuild (DIEP) so I will have a flat tummy 🙂 - it is a lot longer recovery time but it means no more major surgery (hopefully!!) and no decision to make as to whether to go under the knife to have a later rebuild.
Thanks for your good wishes
Wish you a full and quick recovery
Liz xx

[Guest user]

My mx went well. I was operated on at 1:30pm and was texting people by 6:00 pm. Then slept loads. Got out of bed next morning to go the loo at 6:00 am. You should be well enough to use to use netbook. Is your op tomorrow? Will be thinking about you and good luck.
Lynn xx

[Guest user]

1 blank post and 2 the same! hopefully things will improve on the posting front once they have completed the move and the post-move sort out! In the meantime why don't you try doing a Preview first before you post? Have you got a slow connection?

I spoke to the OH and he agrees that we try and get the bed but he does not hold out much hope. I did not tell him your suggestion for a lilo at the end of the bed 🙂
I will be in hospital for at least 6 days after my mx on Tuesday - hope to feel well enough at some point during that week to use the netbook to post stuff on here 🙂

I get my results on the SNB on Monday - just before my op!! well they can't rely on having the results before then! - Suits me fine - go down to Slough for a few nice days in the lovely garden. Much nicer there (it is not actually Slough btw in case anyone was wondering!! just a lovely place near there!) Come back on Sunday to go to Guy's on Monday - works a treat 🙂

[Guest user]

Hi Liz this b****y forum keeps wiping my posts. !!!!!! We stayed in hospital for 6 days after surgery. Ask a PM if you would like to know what it was like in the good old days. Put in order to argos and refer OH to me. Love Chinook

[Guest user]

Hi Chinook - glad you finally managed to post! I kept getting emails saying you had posted and when I clicked on the link there was nothing new weird! I never knew the old format so I can't comment! I just thank all the hardworking volunteer moderators and staff that there is a forum at all!

I am seriously considering copying and pasting your post to my OH but I think that might wind him up LOL
I will certainly take on board what you say about the bed - I was wondering about that myself but I think they have cut back on that sort of loan - I will definitely mention it to the BCN when I see her post-op this week. (No date or time yet!! I suppose they don't know when the results will be available.)

Thanks for your good wishes 🙂

[Guest user]

Hi Liz. This my third attemp at posting so fingers crossed. I only had a lumpectomy but I had a special bed which changed positions at the touch of a button. It had a special rack at the side for drain bag and came with 24/7 proffesional medical support. It wasn't expensive it was all free provided by Pontefract Hospital 6 years ago. Frankly it would have frightened me to death if I'd have been sent home so quickly after surgery as you are all expected to these days. My advice for sleeping put OH on a lilo at the foot of the bed and give him a teddy to cuddle. You are having major surgery and you are the priority. I did find almost sitting up most comfortable as I normally sleep on my right side and that was surgery site. Full node clearance (which was standard back then) meant that my arm was more comfortable proped up. I hope all goes well but please take care of yourself. Regards Chinook. P.S Hate this format

[Guest user]

Ooooh now that is a good idea - I have got some soft quite thin horseshoe pillows I could use for that 🙂 .... now where did I put them?.....

[Guest user]

I used the reclining chair for sleeping when I woke early morning also for afternoon naps. It was perfect.
Another tip. My hospital gave me a small heart shaped pillow to put under my arm. It was made by a sewing group attached to the hospital. This helped to keep the wound and swelling under the arm away from each other. It really helped so I would reccommend a small thin cushion or something similar for under your arm.
Good luck.
lynn xx

[Guest user]

Thank you both for your helpful advice
Looks like it is do-able as you say
I will try the pillows or there is always the reclining armchair in the lounge
Thanks again for responding 🙂

[TSR]

Hi Liz,
We were in almost exactly the same situation. Like 1J, I used several pillows. You might also find it helpful to make sure you are sleeping with your MX side at the outer edge of the bed, and then you can put your drain on the floor. I had full node clearance, so found I had to rest my arm on a pillow too.
Good luck, it IS do-able,
X

[Guest user]

After the op I used 3 pillows and a v pillow from Dunelm Mill. This meant that I was effectively sleeping sitting up and was very comfortable. If my husband had tried to cuddle me he would have cuddled my legs! Care was carried out by district nurses. One visit to hospital after 6 days to remove drain, and one 2 weeks after op to get results. My third appointment is with the oncologist today, 10 days after last hospital visit. I have given you these facts to help you to make up your own mind. I think that whatever you choose to do is doable. I am sure more ladies will be along to give advice.
And best wishes for your op.
Lynnxx

[Guest user]

Hi all
We are halfway moved out of our house in South East London and moving to my father-in-law's house near Slough - I am being treated in London as if we were still based in South East London - but we only have one big double bed in the place in SE - no spare beds - my husband is a very restless sleeper and loves to cuddle me in the night 🙂 but I am worried about what happens after the op... has anyone been in this sort of situation? Would it be better to go down to Slough where there are spare beds that I can sleep in soon after coming out of hospital or do you think it would be a bad idea to go so far from immediate care?
I have only just thought of this and am a bit worried!
HELP!