The Hospital Stay

At about 8.30am (I think) the Doctors came on their rounds.

They checked my drains (I had 3 at this point with 2 collection bags - one for my right breast where they had put in the regular implant, one for my back, and one for my left reconstructed breast). The back and the reconstruction drain were both filtering into the same bag, and when the doctors measured how much fluid had drained they seemed rather alarmed at the amount and started talking about blood transfusions and possibly a return to theatre as there was much more than expected.

So back on Nil-by-mouth for Emma then (great, just as my appetite was warming up).

Nobody seemed able to make a decision as to what was going to happen to me, so I was left with instructions not to eat or drink until they found out what the surgeon wanted to do with me. In the meantime they asked the nurse to put the 2 drains that were currently sharing a 'blood bag' (as my sister-in-law lovingly referred to them) to be separated in to 2 separate bags to help them ascertain which site was the one that was loosing the large quanities of fluid).

Lunchtime came and went, no news from the nurses as to what was happening (apparently they were trying to get hold of Mr Javaid my plastic surgeon) and still no food for me :(

I think it must have been about 2 or 3pm before I was finally told that my surgeon was going to come and see me and decide if I needed to go back down to Theatre.

(Bearing in mind during all this, visiting hours don't start till 2pm and I've been sitting in my bed alone texting all the people that I thought should know that I could be having a blood transfusion - in hindsight I realise this was a pretty mean thing to do as it sounds pretty serious and no one dared text to find out how it had gone so were just waiting for more details).

To those that received that text and spent hours unnecessarily worrying, I'm very sorry x In my defense at the time it all seemed quite definate and I was just pleased to have something to message people!

Anyway the surgeon finally came up to see me, checked my new blood bags, said all was fine and no blood transfusion or further surgery would be required, and yes I could now eat! AARRGGGGHHHHH!

I think at this point I then rang mum and asked her to bring in a cheese sandwich for me as I had missed lunch (which she did with the crusts cut off and everything!!!) That was the BEST cheese sandwich I think I have ever had or will have again).

I apologise now that I don't remember who came in to visit me on which day but would like to thank everyone that did for the cards, flowers, gifts and chocolate (and those of you that texted etc) all I can say is that I felt like a celeb in my own private room as there was very few times during the 2-8pm visiting hours over the whole week where I was actually without visitors, so thanks very very much xxx

Here's where the rest of the week turns into a bit of a blur as I've left it so long to write this post since coming out,but here are some high(and low)lights that I feel are worth mentioning.

The Cathetar -
This was such a godsend, the nurse that was looking after me on the first day thought I was mad as I was raving about having it. Compared to the issues I had during my QEII stay with the bed pan etc it was amazing not having to worry about needing to wee. Not quite so sure about the positioning of the bag of wee that was on full display to any of my wonderful visitors and anyone else that happened to glance into my room. I was quite sad to have to have it removed.

The first time out of bed -
They were very good with me as I was quite apprehensive about getting up after fainting in QEII the first time I got up. There were two nurses and they let me do it really slowly.
Infact it was nowhere near as bad as my previous experience and I managed to make it onto the arm chair next to my bed without any problem.
When I was comfortable they ceremoniously placed the 2 blood bags onto my lap (by this time the drain in my right breast had been removed)and said lunch will be round in a minute, you can have that in the chair.
Now I don't know if you have any mental picture of these blood bags but they are semi opaque silicone sacks full of blood and puss and really the worst thing you can think to have on your lap when trying to negotiate hospital provided roast turkey, mash and gravy!

I'm quite aware that I have yet to give any details on the sucess of the surgery, I plan to dedicate an entire post just to that so don't worry. (I'm also considering posting photos (non sexual I promise)of my new boob etc but as yet haven't decided if I should or not.

The emptying of the blood bags -
Every morning they have to empty the drains and similar to the lunchtime situation the nurses are clearly unable to comprehend that actually the patient might not appreciate this being done quite literally under their nose. They are obviously used to the spluttering sound of nasty body fluid being emptied from a drain into a bed pan (and the visual aspect too) however I am not! Yuk.

The 2nd day of doctors rounds -
On my second day of recovery (Weds) there were about 15 people on the doctors rounds, it was the weirdest of experiences as I was still a bit spacy from morphine. They all gathered around my bed in my little room and stared at my boobs, talking about me yet at the same time manage to make me feel like I'M imposing by being in the room while they study me! I really wanted to wave my arms in the air and shout "I am here you know and I am a normal person with a brain so don't talk through me". I felt quite dizzy when they all left it was like an out of body experience.

The Nasty Nurse (NN) -
On Friday I was starting to pine for Amber. We had kind of decided that it was best not to bring her in to see me as it would upset both me and her and she was quite happy at home, but on this day I was really missing her, so I asked one of the nurses (NN) if she would be allowed in to see me. She said flatly "No, she can't sorry".
Later that day my bestest friend Shiv travelled up from London to visit me, we were both really looking forward to spending the afternoon chatting and catching up, which we did for about an hour uninterrupted which was lovely.
I think Mad then joined us and my dad came a little later, then 'Nasty Nurse' came in and said you have 2 more visitors outside. So I said great, send them in! She said "You are only allowed 2 visitors at a time, I didn't realise you had 3 people in here but I'll let that go, however 2 of these visitors will have to leave before anyone else can come in"
I was quite shocked by this and said as much to her, stating that I didn't realise this was the case as I had been having more than 2 visitors on several occasions since I had been on the ward. She (quite rudely I felt) said "It's in the bedside manual" and walked off leaving me to decide who to send away. I didn't even realise there was a manual, let alone that I was meant to have passed some exam on the contents!
Later that evening I spoke to one of my 'Lovely Nurses' about the situation and she said that my visitors could have waited in the day room (or Shiv could have waited in there rather than going home earlier than planned). Thanks for making that rule clear NN.
Ironically later I came across said bedside manual in the bottom cupboard of the bedside table (which I had no need to look in before this time) and read the section on visitors. Which for the record states that due to lack of available space around the beds they kindly ask for no more than 2-3 visitors at any one time per patient. Do I need to say it again "I'M IN A PRIVATE BLOODY SIDE ROOM AND I HAVE LOADS OF ROOM!"
Just to twist the knife a little bit further the NN later came in and said (rather triumphantly I felt) that they needed my room for another patient and I would be moving out onto the ward so I needed to pack up all my belonging immediately ready to be moved.
Anyone that came to visit me in that room will know that I made myself at home, there were bags, cards, flowers and magazines everywhere in that room, luckily Gail and Becky were still around so they helped me pack, I wasn't offered any help from NN or anyone else for that matter. About an hour after we had finished rushing to pack everything ready for an 'immediate move' they finally shifted me out into the ward.

I will probably come back and add to this post as I think of things but it's getting late tonight and I will end it here for now.