Surgery cancelled today due to Neutropenia.

[MH500]

I was gowned up, stockings on waiting for call to theatre and path lab ring to say white cells (particularly neutrophils) had not sufficiently recovered from my 3rd chemo. I'm obviously I would be at risk of infection. My surgeon was a little more gung ho and said we could risk it, but the anaesthetist put his foot down (bit of an atmosphere lol). My nerves are in shreds as I had psyched myself up big time. As a nurse I agreed with the decision but got to go through all this on Monday again now! I'm such a wimp .....Anyone been through this?

[Shellygirl]

My anaesthetist was horrible I was laid on table outside theatre doors while he lectured me .... my op did go ahead but it was awful experience... good luck for Monday 🤗

[Katmal-UK in reply to Shellygirl]

Obviously thats y hes an aneathetist, no bedside manner!!

[MH500 in reply to Katmal-UK]

Yes that's obviously why theatre is the best place for them x

[MH500 in reply to Shellygirl]

Like we can help our white cell count!! Thanks Shelley, I guess it must be a common problem but so annoying. I feel exhausted from the whole experience and I've not even had the surgery yet 🙄 Xx

[Shellygirl in reply to MH500]

Totally understand you get yourself ready .... then the rug is pulled .... I was equally stressed as my son getting married a couple of weeks after my op and I didn't want it to be cancelled .... wanted the 12 days to recover ... was in hospital 6 of those .... fingers crossed you get your op Monday 🤗

[MH500 in reply to Shellygirl]

Oh my goodness, were you fit enough for the big day? X

[Shellygirl in reply to MH500]

Thought I was going to need a wheelchair but I managed ... was a lovely day but my scar had not healed put a dressing on but it didn't last so I put a sanitary towel (only thing I had) over it pulled up my big girl pants .... so glad for the make up tho it transformed me dark circles gone 😂

[MH500 in reply to Shellygirl]

🤣🤣 bless you, good old sanitary towels!!!

[Lyndy]

Really sorry for you...it's horrible to be all ready to go and get pulled at the last minute xx

[MH500 in reply to Lyndy]

Thanks Lyndy, it was hard. I felt so nervous and just wanted to get it over with. Just hope it's recovered sufficiently for Monday. Hope you are ok?

Xx

[koffeekat99]

My first op was cancelled. Similarly gowned up, stockinged up, paper panted up. But cancelled because the op before me over-ran and the surgical team decided that there wasn't sufficient time left in the day for them to ensure a safe procedure. I'd been waiting there for 8 hours pacing up and down not being able to eat or drink. The anaesthetist was lovely as it was her that had come to explain it to me. They had a nurse standing ready with a cup of tea and slice of toast for me.

They then mentioned an issue about my low iron and asked if I could stay a bit longer to have an iron transfusion. I really really wanted to go home, but realised that I'd have to come back to hospital the next day for the transfusion. So decided to continue with the crappy day and have it there and then. The team in the surgical waiting area looked like they felt really sorry for me and continued to ply me and my partner with tea and toast for another two hours. They also let my partner go out for sandwiches for us both as everyone else had already gone into theatre by then.

I was back in a week later, again I was scheduled as the second op for the surgery team. It got to about 2pm and I was convinced that I'd be cancelled again. The staff were the same ones as the previous week so knew why I kept walking up to ask them about timings every ten minutes. I was very surprised when I was collected for surgery around 3pm as I was utterly convinced they were cancelling me at that point. Strangely, during that second trip whilst waiting I was a lot more relaxed. I actually went to sleep whilst waiting. Perhaps because I convinced myself that it would be cancelled again and it wasn't going to happen anyway.

I'm told it's pretty unusual for a surgery to be cancelled at the point where you are in the waiting area. So fortunately most people don't have to go through it. It is horrible because you are psyched up and the thought of having to go through it all again is crushing.

Make sure the staff in the surgery waiting area know you were cancelled previously. They'll probably be more sympathetic to you and will try to keep you informed a little more as a result.

[SuziTench1]

So stressful, However if someone thought that I would be in trouble after operation with infection , I would be grateful that he over rid the Surgeons decision . Safe than very sorry ... all the best Monday x