Hi lovely ladies, I hope this finds you in good spirits.
I had debulking surgery on the 21st and came home on the 25th morning feeling really rather wonderful. The op was a huge success and my incision scar has to be seen to be believed ... It is almost invisible, all stitches were done internally. The surgeon was an artist, bless him. He also showed me pretty pics of my lovely sorted out insides. Oh the joy of seeing one's large bowel knows no bounds. Sharing pics is common here. In Thailand and Singapore I was presented with my uterus, appendix, boob lumps etc when they were removed! (They were binned!)
I was hugely lucky ... Up and walking less than 18 hours after surgery minus pee catheter, IV pain killers stopped on day 3 when other assorted drains were removed. The only drawback was being asked, in bell-like tones, if I had passed wind and opened my bowels. In our family, farting is blamed on the dog or a gecko and discussing the content of toilet trips is not a popular topic of conversation.
My op was done in Dubai ... Fabulous hospital, marvellous medics but isn't there always a Nurse Ratchett? On night 2, the Dubai version told me to go for a walk around the hospital at 10.30 at night, on my own, to encourage wind to pass. Being somewhat tired and wobbly, I didn't, but the dreadful creature repeated the suggestion 6 hours later at 4.30 when the trapped wind was still firmly within. I suggested she might like to read my notes and off I went, just moi and my IV drip, with the hand grenade drain thingies tucked in to my knickers.
To say she went in to panic mode after reading my notes would be putting it mildly. 'I didn't know you have cancer / had chemo/ had major surgery, I am sorry, please don't report me.' I didn't report her but certainly had a strong word about her appalling attitude, behaviour and refusing to answer the call bell. Bizarrely she insisted it was working and I should not have got out to bed to find her, and then she back pedaled when I asked why, if the bell was working, didn't she answer it. She was one of those nasty, nasty women who give a bad name to the nursing profession. Fortunately she didn't come back for the remainder of the time I was in hospital.
The histology results are in on Wednesday. I am so blessed to have received superb medical care, the love, prayers and support of my amazing family and friends, a PMA (God speed Louise Wesson) and a sense of humor to help me get to where I am today. I know there will be down times ahead but I feel I will get through them as I have weathered the sometimes ghastly days of the past 6 months. These blessings are what I wish for all of you who are battling to kick this cancer in to touch. Take care. Xxx
Outstanding Jeanne. Never knew that Dxb had such accomplished surgeons. Nevertheless am very glad for you. Getting out of hospital in four days may be a sort of record. Now look forward to happy days. Keeping your sense of humour intact even soon after debulking shows the stuff that you are made of. Kep it up.
Naimish
Thank you Naimish. Dubai has some superb medics and I was so fortunate to be cared for by two of them. I hope all goes well with your wife. Take care. j
Well Jeanne, just in case you didn't see my post which was immediately post your surgery, she is under Complete Remission (NED). Thanks and Cheers!
HI, there I am glad the operation went well apart from the Nurse, yes there is always one. One of mine only worked weekends and one of days I got a melt down and went along to the day room away from the ward not to upset anyone. Well I got eaten alive for being upset. I forgot to mention the night before, one of the other patients was caught smoking with her curtain around her and the hospital Matron was called and security. So that upset me and of course it was a no sleep night. I was asked did I want to move to a big ward on my own. I declined and tried to explain but witch wasnt having it. So the night nurses came on and incident passed on and one lovely nurse came to see if I was okay and said that I cried because it was my time to cry and get it out of my system. She listened to what I said about the smoking incident and agreed it was a factor, She also told me if I wanted her during the night to come up to her. What a difference!!!!! I am glad you are a home recuperating, take it nice and easy and I wish you well with the histology report
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What a ghastly time for you. Some nurses should be given refresher courses in empathy, because when people are afraid and vulnerable, a kind word goes a very long way. I blubbed about Nurse Ratshit to my sister who also said it was perfectly normal to weep given what I had just been through. Perhaps under different circumstances you and I would have taken the bad attitude in our stride but I reckon we were allowed that little moment to melt a bit. Take care, stay strong and positive. Xxx
That sounds awesome, Taprobane! I had my surgery on Monday, and my incision looks like a 4 year-old went wild with a staple gun to close it up. My mother-in-law said it looks just like someone has stitched a zip into my tummy!
I hope your recovery continues apace
Oh my god. I thought I was the only one who encountered nurses like that. One afternoon after my op I was sick over my nightdress and compression socks. The lovely day nurse cleaned me up and said she would leave the socks off for a short while because I was very hot and the night staff would put them back on for me. I couldn't do it due to the fact that I couldn't move very much. Night staff arrived and popped in a few times but by 10pm they still hadn't put the socks back on. So there I lay thinking I've just got through a major op, come out of intensive care and now I'm going to die of a blot clot!! When I plucked up the courage to ask the nurse to put them on she obliged but all the while moaning about the day staff saying "they're always doing this". So how come I felt it was my fault? Funnily enough this was weekend staff. All other staff, nurses, cleaner, people who brought the tea/food were wonderful. So pleased your op went so well. Onwards and upwards now. Xx
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Feeling like a nuisance is awful, one does feel guilty when there is no need to but I guess being vulnerable has a lot to do with it. At some stage some of us come across a Nurse Ratshit as my sisters called the dreadful creature I locked horns with, but the other wonderful, caring souls more than make up for the horrors. Take care. Stay strong and positive. Xxx
Fantastic. I have scar envy. My now staple removed wound looks like a tractor track. Had problems with it along the way too needing daily nurse attention. Rest up now and recover. I have to say i had amazing nurses whose care I could not fault. It makes a difference. X
The tractor marks will fade and until they do, consider them your badge of honor for a battle well fought. My sister, thinking I would have a huge scar, bought me 'Invite', a Vitamin E Oil from Australia which worked miracles on our good friend's double mastectomy scars. Not sure if the stuff is available in the UK or if there is something similar. I was extraordinarily lucky with my surgeon who told my husband he HAD to do a good job because he was afraid I'd tell his mother if he stuffed up his sewing skills! Take good care, stay strong and be positive. Xxx
Tracey, I reckon there will be a difference in the incision size for PPC and OC. Hence the variations in cosmetics. Of course even larger incisions are and can be done with minimal body marks.
Sounds like the care is generally very good. I'm way too squeamish to see pics of my insides, I can't look when the consultant calls up my insides on the ultrasound lol.
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