I had intended to do this last Monday but even though I am recuperting, no heavy lifting or repretitive movements such as ironing and vaccing time has flown by, many with visitors and phone calls.
So a brief picture of my life after returning from Cyprus for my blog diary for the future.
Easter Sun we arrive home and I start washing and ironing
Easter Mon more washing and ironing and suitcases are put away in loft and bag packed for hospital
Tuesday 22nd April Off to hospital for blood test for op tomorrow then Peter has a blood test at his GP and then food shopping. I have been feeling terrible for weeks wirh extreme fatigue, terrified about the treatment especially the op and that mine and Peter's lives would never be the same again.
Suddenly I realise that I am feeling really calm about the whole process so all the prayers from my Christian friends are working and I truly believe that I have finally handed over my worries and fears to God and he is now carrying my burden for me, it has taken nearly 2 mths to get here! I have my last meal and take a sleeping tablet and have a really good night's sleep. It is the last sleeping tablet too that I have taken to date!!
Wednesday 23rd April My Op day
House is all clean, all chores done, wonder when I will be able to do them again?
We leave at 7.15am and Peter says I am v cheerful and look as though I am off on holiday or to the cinema, I feel really good!!
Prep time before op, make sure I am named in case I get lost!! Make sure they operate on right side ny writing in felt pen on chest!
(By the way my official names are Daphne, Lynne, never been called Daphne before!!)
I then have a visit from my anaesthesist who is very good looking but cannot be more than 12 yrs old
Last trip is up to outpatients on my bed pushed by a porter to another level where I am among outpatients, praying I don't see anyone I know!!...........I didn't but boy did they stare!! After having wire incisions to the cancer cells by ultrasound in breast and underarm and another mammogram I get back to the ward with all my xrays and at 11.30 I finally get to theatre!
2pm I am wide awake in the recovery room and continue to bounce off the wallswide awake rest of day til I settle in bed at 11pm having eaten and drunk and walked to the bathroom many times. My surgeon and mcmillan nurses visit me and they are amazed at my recovery rate!
24th April 6pm I am up, washed ...yes I took my phone into the bathroom for a photo!! note the green stockings!! The bag is holding my drain!!
I ask if I can get dressed, hopefully I can go home today even though I have a drain in!!
At 7.45 the registrar comes to see me before he goes to work and discharges me, so by mid morning I am home, 20hrs after a lumpestomy and total clearance of underarm lymph nodes under the care for the next 12 days of community nurses visiting me daily!
24th April - 8th May - I am well cared for by friends doing ironing and cleaning and invited out for meals as well as Peter doing his best, he does return to work on 28th the following Mon as I realised he needed routine as all this had taken a toll on him too.
I have so many lovely flowers and cards sent and gifts too, I feel very loved and blessed
These were from my housegroup
My lovely hairdresser has called in every3 days including the bank holiday weekend to wash and blow dry my hair and I have managed to have a pedicure and grown my nails and now have polish on them too. I am feeling really good.
My drain comes out after 5 days and dressings are off and I am healing well after 12 days
On May 7th Carol takes me out for her birthday for coffee and cake
My very close collage friend Ann came down for a few days last week which was lovely too
Ann doing some cooking
May 9th I mange to go out with Peter to Carol's 70th birthday meal along with 8 other friends
Here I am with Carol's partner who she now lives with in Wiltshire
Tomorrow I return to meet with my consutant and team to know what the next treatment is to be so I will roughly have a timetable for the next few months
