Op Week.......

 
Time to get rid of bladder cancer for the seventh time! 

The operation was booked for this Tuesday as a day patient, however I doubted that as not arriving until noon and from previous experience I'd needed to stay in at least one night and sometimes more. 

This time we arrived and went through the whole thorough and repetitive admissions process with various members of staff including the surgeon and anaesthetist, during which I sent Hubby home. Next was to struggle into those awful compression socks and gown. 

I'm guessing it must have been around 2pm ish when I was walked to Theatre a few doors down. 

Prepped and sedated by a full team of lovely, chatty, calming staff with one thing I've never had before which was a strip attached across my forehead which was to monitor brain activity while I was under (clever eh?). 

Then I was being woken and told all went well. Bit of a problem as I couldn't breathe or speak but thankfully they resolved that quickly. Another problem is always my blood pressure which will rise just because I'm in hospital. Plus I've extra medication adjustment issues which I'm explaining to each person. Eventually they decided I was stable enough to be wheeled to Lavenham Ward. I've no idea how long I was in recovery or even in surgery.

On the ward and reunited with my stuff so turned my phone on and let Hubby, Daughter, Son and then others know that I was out the other side. Told those others that "I will chat more but not tonight", I was still sleepy of course. Think there were four different nurses that came to take my obs and panic over my high blood pressure and listen to my probable reasons why. I'd asked a few times for tea (I'd been nil-by-mouth for hours) each time promised but not arriving. When I had a little moan on WhatsApp to my children Daughter immediately said she was coming with her full up travel mug. While we were still chatting the tea trolly man arrived miraculously! Daughter came anyway, turned up about the same time as Hubby, think that was just after 6pm ish. I couldn't eat the sandwich, crisps and yoghurt I'd been brought as my mouth was making everything taste awful, I was brought more tea and drunk three jugs of water and went to the loo twice so they said I could go home. WOW

I still hadn't had any surgery feedback in person or on the MyChart online record system but I eagerly got dressed and Hubby brought me home. 

Wednesday I woke from a good night in my own bed and only feeling minor discomforts. So grateful I hadn't needed a catheter as I had every time before. 

My phone was pinging nearly all the time. Flowers came up from neighbourCM with a card and she brought a card from my nails lady too as we both use the same one. Flowers also came up from neighbourLW

And Son came to visit and brought his own vegetarian sausages to take the place of our ham and we all had the eggs, croquettes and beetroot and sat down for dinner together. 

It took until Thursday before I discovered one of the stickers they wire their monitors up to, stuck to me pre-op and missed at post-op removal. 

By Thursday night I couldn't put up with those painful compression socks any longer so I got Hubby to pull them off before bed. Awwww bliss! 

Friday NeighbourAB messaged to see if I was ready for a visitor. I was ready for a change of scenery so invited myself to her house as it's only two doors down. Lovely tea and chat. While there Daughter messaged to say she was coming over with the dog and we arranged a delay as I was already out. Also friendNH phoned and we decided what time I should call her back. I'm feeling so loved and so lucky. 

When Daughter came, R came too and it was lunch time. R made tea and I made the sandwiches. I would never have been capable of being this active after previous surgery's... am I super woman or a complete forgery hahaha. 

I'll leave you now, if you don't mind, as I'm still busy counting my blessings.

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Through Rose Coloured Glasses?.......

 
Last weekend Hubby noted it was a very full laundry box, so feeling very blasé I confessed that I'd spilled food down my thick jumpers three days running. One of those days we'd had fried egg sandwich for lunch and I hadn't noticed at all that I'd been wearing an uninvited bright yellow broach all afternoon. 

This week started with a lovely family day. Because I'd had a break from the evil pills that ruin my appetite and I was eating almost normally Son gathered the flock and booked a table at The Ship Inn for eight of us:  2 parents(us) + our 2 children + their 2 partners + our 2 grandchildren = my family

Our third grandchild E couldn't make it to the pub but Daughter picked her and the dog up on their way back to ours and Hubby and I were in Son's car so very nearly a full list when I called the register but M didn't come back with them. We'd gone for a late lunch at 2:15pm and they all stayed till late evening. Lovely! 

Busy Monday with coffee morning and still quite a few missing with coughs and colds. They left and we had a quick lunch then across town to have my nails done which always makes me feel good. After we got home I had an unexpected phone call from my lovely friendNH and it was a proper catchup long chat. She is also a cancer patient and has taken on an effort for her, physical fundraising challenge of walking a mile every day in March so of course I'd sponsored her as I do most people I know raising money for cancer research and Macmillan Nursing. 

Another special friend and I used to do so much together but our daily lives and family commitments went in different directions and our get togethers got mainly to a couple of theatre trips a year. Thursday friendKK and I planned a day together and the sun shone all day. She came here to pick me up, (she drives a convertible and the top was down) and Daughter had actually just walked over with the dog and KK and Daughter had a good chat before we left. First stop was back to her house so I could inspect her new kitchen (I'd heard about all the disputes she'd had with the kitchen fitters) and see all the redesign and hard work she'd done in her garden. Next stop was to Milsoms Hotel Restaurant for lunch which she paid for as she'd been given a voucher. Oooooow ladies that lunch hahaha! As the sun was still very much shining we did a lovely drive through our beautiful villages before she brought me home. She very kindly swapped me at home for the large amount of charity stuff I had waiting to take and filled her boot as she had a heap of her own for it to join and it would get there sooner than if it stayed here. 

So much of this week has been medical too with test results coming through and phone calls and my appointment for surgery being confirmed for next Tuesday!!! Of course a worry so all distractions gratefully taken on board, hence the rose coloured glasses, and pics of my beautiful flowers to keep my mood 'in the pink'.....

Indoors the Orchids

Outside the Camellia

Hyacinths all coming up suddenly

And the top patio bordered with the bright blooms of the bergenia 

I wish you all good health xxx

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