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2011 - Blog

On 30th June 2011 I had a biopsy of the lump in my left breast - under ultrasound guidance - and of a lymph node in my left axilla. Subsequently I went to the Primrose Unit
 
On 11th July 2011 I had a consultation with the Staff-Grade Surgeon, Miss Prance, together with my Key Nurse, Jenny Richards.  The biopsy from the left breast was positive for cancer, but the biopsy from the lymph node was negative - the latter was of course good news.  I was offered lumpectomy - 'As I might be a bit unbalanced . . .' - in the first instance!  My relief was to be short-lived.

On 13th July 2011 I attended an afternoon appointment on Erme Ward for pre-operative assessment which, of course, included swabs being taken for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), blood sucking, weighing, urine testing, completion of the 'inevitable' paperwork . . . in short, 'a medical assessment prior to forthcoming surgery'!

4th August 2011: my first sortie into Derriford Hospital for lumpectomy got off to a bad start, which was entirely my own fault.  I set two alarms so that I could get up before the cut-off time for eating some breakfast, ie, before 7.30am.  However . . . in spite of tossing and turning, and realising how light it had become outside, I failed to realise I had not set either alarm properly: so I missed breakfast . . ..  I surfaced at 8.40am and, shortly afterwards, my previous colleague, Lyn Headon, phoned me  and was astonished to find me still in bed.  I had a hurried shower - as instructed - and hurried to the bus stop just in time to catch the 9.15am bus to Derriford: Phew!

Against all expectations . . . at 10.00am I was in the Nuclear Medicine Department to undergo a Sentinel Node Scan: this was a new experience!  The Radiographer injected radio-opaque dye into the areola of my left nipple.  I was able to see the flow of the isotope towards my axilla - via a lymph vessel - on a computer screen.  The Radiographer gave me a print-out of this image to take to the Ward and deliver to my Surgeon.

I had received an information sheet about the procedure I had just undergone:- this assured me that I would be no more radioactive than I would have been after having had an X-ray, or receiving the natural background radiation - to which I would have been exposed in the course of a year.  The Radiographer directed me to nip in to the toilet opposite the Department, ie, the first door on the right.  Unfortunately, the door was standing open and so I walked into the Gents.  Both the gents therein and JH rapidly got over this . . . and I did mention this mishap to the Radiographer, who was suitably apologetic/embarrassed.  I did not follow up my thought that perhaps it would be advisable for the toilet doors to be kept shut as a rule . . . by the patrons and/or the cleaners!  [Actually . . . I should have remembered: I had been to the Nuclear Medicine Department before - when I was screened in 2006 before I gave a kidney to Kathy.  After this investigation, I was a little bit radioactive because a radio-opaque dye was injected to ascertain that my kidney 'drainage' was functioning properly so, as I had drunk loads of water, I was asked to go to the Department's 'dedicated' toilet in the first instance!]

I then went to Fal Ward: here I ran the gamut of all the usual preparatory performances required by a patient prior to surgery: the Anaesthetist checked-out that I was not a patient who was an 'anaesthetic risk' although he did prescribe me Ranitidine pre-operatively, as I mentioned having a reflux problem.  My problem, at that time, was due to the omission of breakfast and being full of the usual wind!  My Nurse handed me a hospital gown to put on with the opening at the front (obviously), and gave me another gown to put on back to front - in view of my omitting to bring such items as a dressing gown, slippers, or whatever.  I also had to struggle in to TED stockings, which hopefully preclude the acquisition of a deep venous thrombosis in a leg.  Miss Prance came to see all her patients; she was suitably sympathetic to learn that JH had had no breakfast!  On opening JH's notes, she could not find any information about my recent Consultation - so went off to find the file copies of letters or whatever - probably from the Medical Secretary.  Oh Dear!  I signed a consent Form after Miss Prance had ascertained that I was fully informed about my impending operation.

According to my 2011 diary, which I can read (decipher), I chatted to Jo, and the Dog Lady . . . I do recollect one lady greeting me with a smile, and so I asked her if we knew each other from a past acquaintance . . . this was not so, but we broke an apparent tacit rule of hush, and actually chatted amicably.  Apparently Jo had been told her hysterectomy had been postponed from the morning session because of an emergency operation being required by someone else.  JH observes that there are now so many of us that the period during which one is starved/starving is now extended 'exponentially'.  Jenny Richards's Deputy called down to give more leaflets to me which included information about what might be construed as a 'something to worry about' postoperatively [which JH subsequently did not worry about] and advice about asking for the see-through dressings to be removed on or after 11th August 2011 by the GP Practice Nurse.

I was dressed for Theatre - and walked down the corridor, accompanied by a Nurse, to the Theatre in the Neurosurgical Department on level 4!  I noted in my diary that I arrived at about 1645 . . . and woke up at 1910:- I was able to see the clock on the wall.  I was taken to Norfolk Ward.  The Nurse in attendance informed me that there was no SHO available to complete my Discharge Summary and so JH was asked to stay in overnight.  I refused to do so, and asked to sign the appropriate form to discharge myself.  Mary was a bit miffed by observing that 'You are not thinking of me' which - actually - was not so.  I had been told that I would be admitted as a Day Case - on the understanding that an Escort should accompany me home and stay with me for one night: Mary had arrived to be my Escort, and it seemed reasonable to JH that Mary should not have made an unnecessary journey to Derriford Hospital.  So I was discharged, after eating a corned beef sandwich, having a drink of water, and proving that I could PU.  Mary took JH home by taxi by 10.00pm ie 2200 (to consistently quote the 24-hour clock).  Subsequently . . . I did eat a bowl of cereal - some of which I 'burped-up'.

 
 
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