Surgery date looming nearer.... head in a mess

[Mel66]

Had a really bad day yesterday. Severe pain, swelling & vomiting. Much better today. Catheter is finally out and I'm sat up in a chair. Still anaemic which probably isn't helping the energy levels much. Got 5 drains in... not sure when they're going to start to come out.

However.... the pain is being managed with tablets and I'm off the morphine now, I'm mobile, my hair's brushed and I'm starting to feel human again. Onwards and upwards. 🙂

[Duffer56]

I am so pleased for you. I had a similar length of surgery. Don't underestimate the amount of time that amount of anaesthetic takes to recover from.
Somebody told me that it can take a week per hour of anaesthetic.i never would have believed them before but I surely do now!
X

[Mel66]

Had surgery yesterday. 11 hours in theatre. Came round with 5 drains in place. Feeling like I've been hit by a bus and glad of the morphine pump but initial peeks at new boob looks amazing!

[Jaye]

Hope all goes well for you Mel

Jaye x

[Duffer56]

Hope all goes well.
Thinking of you

[Jo1]

Lots of us are thinking about you, Mel66.

Gentle hugs, Jo x

[Mel66]

Thanks everyone.
Just had my first diazepam.... now clock watching to see how long it takes to kick in and figure out if I'll need a double dose in the morning. Have to be at hospital 40 miles away for 7.15am. At least by this time tomorrow it will all be over and done with. It still isn't really sinking in.

[Emma76]

I meant to say take any painkillers they give you, Im still taking iboprofen now as I still get a few aches and pains xx

[Emma76]

Hi Mel,
Ive just had the same as you a few weeks ago, yes I was scared too but once you're there and in their hands i just went with the flow, it will be over before you know it! I felt groggy afterwards but the next day I was up and walking around went downstairs to buy crisps! The drains really arent that bad I went home with mine and I hardly noticed they were there after a few days, the lovely ladies from the WRVS made some cloth bags at my hospital so I just put them in there! i even went out walking with them and went to the shops!
On the boob they can work miracles I've still got the same skin and it feels great and really doesnt look any different. Good luck Mel I will be thinking of you tomorrow lots of love Emma xx

[Nolton9]

Hi mel66,

I had my reconstruction, immediate diep in late march and everything you've said I felt too, except perhaps for the squeashmishness! But I am a huge hospital/ being made to rest  phobe and I had to face that. I would guess anyone going for this op feels the same. I certainly didn't know what part I was most worried about most of the time prior to the op, but the reality was copeable with.

the drains are annoying rather than painful I found, I took one of my small , glamorous handbags in, which once I was down to one, within 2 days I could pop it in and really with careful clothing noone knew. I adapted one or two of my husbands shirts for night shirts, big and not too girly for me!  I didn't like looking at the drain 'output' either so it lived in the bag and tbh the tubing went clear quite quickly.

it is a big surgery for sure, but I was ok to come home after 3 nights with a drain, I was very very tired but felt better at home and it was quieter than hospital even with our 4 kids... just make sure you rope in help, one of my good friends would just appear to blowdry my hair or give me a manicure etc and that was as welcome as all the other more pratical things.  Hopefully you've got some support too.

The new boob is a big thing to come to terms with but I just took it steady, looked at it little by little ( a tip from a friend's mum who had one of the first LD flaps a long time ago 15 years or so I think!) and gradually its less odd, still a bit of a headmess how on earth they do it.

Keeping busy helped me too before, but I think how you feel now is a normal, sensible reaction to a massive event and any woman who has been there, completely understands. Deep breaths 

[Downbutnotout]

x

[Kess]

I know what you mean I was dx end of Jan but had chemo first, and now coming towards surgery (next month) and am already fretting about it. I think that is very normal, and you sound like you are doing what you can to help you cope with the sedatives. Having not got that far yet all I can suggest is try and keep busy till the day. It will take time to adjust. You might benefit from seeing a counselor too, even if just for a couple of sessions to talk through how you are feeling and help you come to terms with things.

[Mel66]

I'm booked in for mastectomy, LD reconstruction and ANC on tues 8th July. I've been coping ever since diagnosis by thinking about the practicalities and then trying to push it to the back of my mind but now that the date is almost upon me my head's in a mess.

Firstly, I'm terrified of the surgery, the extent of it, the length of time it's going to take and how I'm going to feel when I come round. My logical brain keeps reminding myself that I was terrified of the SNB but it was ok in the end.

Secondly, I'm squeamish about anything surgical and the thought of having drains attached to me for days fills me with complete dread.

Thirdly, I'm also afraid about how I'm going to feel about my new boob. Will it feel like an alien being? I know it's not going to feel like my breast... how long will it take before I will mentally accept the reconstruction as the new 'normal'?

I've been given some diazepam to take, both the night before and on waking on the morning of my surgery and I'm hoping that will help to get me down to theatre without having a complete nervous breakdown but at the moment the reality of it all keeps hitting me like a tsunami! I can't believe it's happening. I just want to wake up and find it's all been a horrible nightmare!