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2011 - Blog

In the morning I was woken at 7.00am.  I took some Paracetamol and was given one dose of Tramadol - a more powerful analgesic.  Cereal and toast and tea was provided by the Breakfast Lady.  The Registrar paid an early visit with, I think, two or three medical students in tow.  Jenny arrived at 9.00am to deliver a textile pocket full of cotton wool padding to put in my bra - over my mastectomy incision.  Jenny also 'supervised' my first inspection of my surgical incision: I had of course seen far worse sights in my day but, this time, I was looking at me!

I read Pooh and the Philosophers which I had recently found on a charity rack.  However, I had plenty of time to people-watch and waylay busy people!  Cynthia, the Cleaner, informed me that she had been put in care at the age of 13 months; Volunteer Eileen came round with the morning drinks trolley; the Pharmacist paid a visit and cast an eye over my prescription sheet; Leanne - a patient Pre-nursing Student listened attentive to me expounding about my recent experience as a patient . . . not being like it was in my day.  I wondered if Leanne got ticked-off for the delay by the SHO who was dishing out analgesics for patients TTA; Leanne came back and said that the SHO thought I only needed some Paracetamol! The Dinner Lady served me with salmon bake and broccoli for lunch.

In the afternoon, Lyn arrived to escort me home.  Almost at the same time Mary T arrived bearing, fruit, drink, something fattening, and some reading material.  I introduced the two ladies to each other but, in actual fact, they knew each other from the time when Mary had attended the Special Care Baby Course over 30 years ago.  So it came about that I had two escorts home!  Someone phoned for a taxi and so I was able to lumber into the front seat clutching my drain, whilst my escorts sat with everything else in the back.  Mary got out in St Budeaux Square, and Lyn and I reached the door of Hippo Haven.  Lyn had brought various foil dishes full of chicken casserole, roast potatoes, and green beans, which I subsequently ate up over the next few days; for dessert we had a trifle - which wasn't trifling!  During the evening, John arrived with JH's Betterware order:- like JH, Lyn is a people watcher, and so listened sympathetically to this lugubrious gentleman who is full of information about his health and his partner's.  Although it was not mandatory for Lyn to stay the night with me, she did so - sleeping on the bottom bunk of my bunk beds. We watched an episode of Frozen Planet and went to bed about 11.30pm.  My own bed is not so high as the Hospital beds, and so I was able just to put the drainage bag into my waste-paper basket - without securing it with a pin.  In the morning Lyn told me that she had heard a couple of trips - by the patient to the toilet - but did not feel it necessary to fuss around the patient, as she had instructed the patient to call her, if really needing succour!

The following day Lyn departed at 0715 to catch a bus to the Hospital - to continue her duties as an Appointments Clerk; JH waved good-by to her from her bedroom window, and finally got up herself at 8.30am.  A leisurely morning was spent - catching up on episodes of  programmes which had been missed during admission to Hospital, and reading back copies of The Herald, and doing a bit of whatever on the PC.  Lyn phoned during the course of the morning to check that the patient was 'still standing'.  Lunch consisted of a Ready Meal of stew and dumplings.  Mary T had insisted in offering her husband Rolf's services as a chauffeur to the Hospital.  Visiting the Primrose Unit was not Rolf's 'scene', so he went off to get some supplies from B&Q.  Even Mary, was diffident of going in to Jenny's treatment room with the patient, which was - I am sure a courtesy extended to the patient, and not because she was squeamish!  Mary recognised a Teacher - from the Roman Catholic School in St Budeaux - who was accompanying a very young lady who also had a drain dangling; Mary thought it would be inappropriate to express her recognition of this gentleman as he was not married.  JH thought that he did not need to be married to escort a young woman to the Primrose Centre, but Mary obviously felt that this inopportune meeting could cause embarrassment - if acknowledged. 

Jenny cut the appropriate retaining suture round the drain and pulled the drain out: this manoeuvre felt strangely tickly but was over in a moment; the several inches of tubing under the skin flaps had a blind end but there were lots of drainage holes into the lumen of the tubing;  the whole closed system was dropped into the refuse bin without dripping the contents anywhere!  Rolf returned to collect his wife and JH and delivered them back to Hippo Haven - and then went home to start getting supper.  Mary came in to Hippo Haven and had a cup of tea and a chat with the patient, and then walked to St Budeaux Square to catch a bus up the hill - in time to eat the prepared supper . . ..

On the postoperative information sheet, given to me by Jenny, is written:-

'Seroma (Tissue fluid)

60% to 70% of people who have breast and/or lymph node surgery develop fluid around the wound or under the arm.  This is a side effect of surgery.  It is not associated with breast cancer or other breast problems.  If it becomes uncomfortable please ring your Breast Care Nurse or attend the DROP IN CLINIC on Monday or Thursday (EXLUDING BANK HOLIDAYS) between 2.00pm and 4.00pm.  To access this please report to the primrose Breast Care Centre reception on those days.  This is not an emergency.  Please do not attend the Accident and Emergency Dept.'

By my 14th post-operative day I was very aware that fluid was sloshing around under my skin flaps!  I phoned Jenny for reassurance, and went to the Primrose Unit - where Jenny aspirated 600ml of yellowy-pink serous fluid by inserting a large-calibre needle attached to a large syringe which Jenny had to empty into a jug several times! 

 
 
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