Category Archives: Nurse

Nov25

Dressing. Drain. Disappointment.

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Monday 25th November

Spent a lovely weekend with my family; lots of visitors, bringing more flowers, cards, chocolate, and much love!

My wonderful next door neighbour also presented me with a huge bunch of flowers ~ she had seen me returning last Monday, noting the struggle I had getting out of the car. She saw the pain I was in, and told my husband that her heart bled for me, and that I would be in her prayers.

Today we set off early on a trip to Exeter to the plastics clinic.

I had a left groin dissection fourteen days ago, was discharged a week ago.

Firstly I had the white dressing removed from a quite long scar: no visible stitches, just a very long, tidy line. The nurse cleaned it up a bit using sterile water, but did not then put anything back on it. Time to let it heal in the fresh air, so to speak!

I really, really was hoping for the drain to be removed, but no such luck!

As I’m draining 120 + mls per 24 hours, the drainpipe cannot be removed. That is way too much apparently!

I saw a nurse practitioner, who checked this out with the doctor.

The amount needs to be less than 30mls.

Plus, the drain fluid is still dark ~ a nice shade of merlot; it needs to go from red, through rose, and on to white wine!! (Well that was the analogy the consultant used!)

So, it’s back again in a week.

Must try harder!!!!!

So I’m stuck for yet another seven days with the dangly, plastic, collecting bag!!

I still feel rather uncomfortable, and the tube is leaving the top part of my leg bruised and puffy.

Probably, deep down, I knew the plumbing pipe wasn’t going to be removed today ~ I am an impatient patient! It’s just that two weeks with a foreign body stuck up the inside of one’s leg is not the happiest of thoughts! Still, if it is to be, I shall not argue with the professionals! Perhaps in another week’s time it will be gone.

Jul17

Eye ointment for my foot!

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Wednesday July 17th

So this is probably the last time I visit the practice nurse at the surgery for a check up on my foot. Plus, I needed a couple of things on prescription to take away on holiday with me. When I had my appointment with the consultant on Monday, he suggested that as the skin graft wasn’t fully healed between my toes, the best remedy was antibiotic eye ointment! Eyes and toes, hey? Almost at the opposite ends of one’s body! But, if it does the trick, I’ll not argue 🙂 One prescription for the cream was duly issued.

The nurse was really pleased I had been given the all clear to fly and go away for six weeks; yay! We talked about gentle exercise on the plane and the wearing of compression stockings ~ very fetching!

Later on in the afternoon I received a telephone call from the secretary to the consultant I saw on Monday. A quick catch up to explain the next course of events, and to check our holiday dates, so that the surgery can be fitted around those times. I will need a pre-op consult with a nurse, plus some blood tests, then I’ll be all set for the operation a few days later; a general anaesthetic, but I should be able to go home that same day ~ hopefully! She sounded really friendly, and very reassuring, and wished us well for a great holiday. She took my email address to make sure that I was kept up to date with details of appointments and hospital visits.

I can now relax for the rest of the summer, and enjoy our time away. Yes, I know I’ll be returning to more surgery, worrying about results and yet more time off work, but for now: “Here comes the summer!”

Jun26

My stitches were not removed!

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Wednesday 26th June

Scheduled for a visit to the practice nurse this morning, I managed to convince her that I wasn’t ready for the stitches to be removed from my lower back. Yay! Since the wider local excision ten days ago, I had been in a fair amount of discomfort: a dull, throbbing, bruised sensation, making it difficult to sit or sleep properly.

I had this awful fear that, because it was a much bigger wound than before, the scar hadn’t knitted together properly, and if the sutures were removed, the whole thing would open up! Silly thoughts I know, but I was really concerned. The nurse, sensing my uncertainty and trepidation, agreed to leave the procedure until Monday; exactly two weeks since the operation. Big sigh of relief!

She commented that my left foot was healing well, despite a small area of raw skin, but it did however, appear to be quite swollen still, but that was to be expected, after two bouts of major surgery. I told her I was trying to take short walks, but on returning home, and later on in the evenings, my toes look like a pack of pork sausages! She said I must continue to elevate my foot whenever possible, and also to massage it, to try and reduce pressure.

Returning from a slow, gentle walk around the town, this afternoon, I sit down in the garden, and my husband turns the hose on, cooling and massaging my aching foot! Perfect hydrotherapy!

May31

Last week of May

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Two re-dressings of the foot, and the removal of the one over the skin graft donor site ~ long and protracted, but the skin on my thigh doesn’t look too bad!

Had a quick telephone conversation with the second Macmillan nurse who appears much more friendly, sensitive and ‘glass half full’ than the other doom and gloom, telling-off one! It was good to let her know my thoughts and concerns, and not be made to feel insignificant or guilty, or to be spoken to in a dismissive or condescending fashion!

May23

Macmillan nurse phone call #3

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Thursday 23rd May

Not really feeling it today; a bit down, depressed, and teary.

Didn’t particularly want to get out of bed. But, having pulled the mask of a cheery, smiling face across my own; time to get moving.

Sometime during the afternoon, the Macmillan nurse calls, informing me of her findings, having spoken to the team in Exeter. Apparently, as a consequence of having the surgery for a wider excision, plus the skin graft, that now prevents me from having the lymph node biopsy. She was very negative, and seemed to be telling me off for having gone ahead with the removal of further skin and tissue, around the site of a large malignant melanoma. I’m sorry, but the sooner this was carried out, with such expediency, by an experienced professional, who had my best interests in mind, then I’m all for it. Telling the nurse that my consultant had indicated I could always have a delayed lymph node biopsy made no difference. All she seemed to want to inform me was that I had scuppered my chances of this type of treatment. Having had the open wound for 15 days, I was incredibly pleased the alien blob, and its surrounds, had been well and truly banished.

Following that phone call I felt extremely confused, upset, and anxious.

Professional? Sensitive? Caring? Thoughtful?

She also informed me I would be receiving an appointment for a CT scan soon, and perhaps the possibility of taking part in clinical trials, involving specialist ultrasound, at the Royal Marsden in London. But by then, I’m afraid I had switched off somewhat.

I just want to be rid of whatever is preventing me from living my life normally.

May21

Macmillan nurse phones again

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Tuesday 21st May, late afternoon

I’m on my way to the loo, hopping and shuffling, when the phone rings. The nurse wants to touch base, and see how Friday went with my trip to the hospital, what happened, what was said.

When I told her that the operation had gone ahead, I’d had a wider excision and skin graft, she was really taken aback. Oh, but, but, but . . . My case had only been discussed that morning, in the weekly meeting, by the Multi Disciplinary Team. They/she assumed I hadn’t had the operation, that I had just gone to Plymouth for a quick chat, and then come home.

I felt I was being told off for having the skin graft. I recounted to the nurse that my consultant said I could always have a delayed sentinel lymph node biopsy at that hospital, as they carry out the procedure there. No they don’t, she snapped. And then ended the conversation saying she had a number of calls to make further enquiries.

I felt as if I had done something wrong. It was quite upsetting.

It feels l am in a power struggle; my treatment action plan seems to be part of a game. Who is better qualified? Who has the greater clinical knowledge? I trust my consultant, and will listen to his expertise and advice. I really want my glass to be half full, rather than half empty. I think that there should be greater communication between the two hospitals. I would like continuity of care from supportive professionals. It’s not too much to ask?

May16

A phone call from the Macmillan nurse

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On Thursday afternoon, 16th May, the Macmillan nurse phoned whilst I was on the computer doing some school work. She had the results. As far as my back was concerned, the results came back negative, but they would probably err on the side of caution, and carry out a further, wider, deeper excision, at some point.

She then asked me if it was alright to continue talking over the phone about these results. There was something in her voice that told me it wasn’t going to be good news. And it wasn’t. The alien blob from my foot, was indeed a melanoma.

I couldn’t speak, I didn’t know what to say, nodding my head and tightening my fist until my nails dug into my palm.

I should be going to Derriford hospital tomorrow for a wide local excision with skin grafting. But she continued to tell me that I would probably just be going to Plymouth for a chat with my consultant, and then come straight home. It was unlikely that I would have the operation.

Continuing with her outlining of events, she said that the MDT had met the previous Tuesday morning, with my results appearing that same afternoon. It was probable I would be sent to Exeter for further surgery, but not until the team had met this coming Tuesday, and discussed their cases.

I would have a sentinel lymph node biopsy at the same time as the surgery on my foot, along with the skin graft. The biopsy meant injecting a blue, radioactive dye at the site of the wound, and then looking for an offending nodes that had turned blue. These would then be removed in the hope of stopping the spread of the disease. The nearest lymph nodes to my foot were those in my groin.

It was a long phone call, where she did most of the talking. It left me scared, confused, unsure, and made for quite a sleepless night.

What should we do?

Will the operation go ahead?

Will it be worth driving to Plymouth at all?

And what of the melanoma, what were the implications for me?

May10

An appointment with the Macmillan nurse

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Friday 10th May

We drive to our local hospital hoping for answers; but we come away confused and scared.

The results are not yet back from histology for either my back or my foot. The one from my back is being tested again, as it has proven to be inconclusive, and needs a second opinion. The nurse asks if I want her to phone me if she can find out the results. I say I would like to know.

The conversation then turns to looking at possible courses of action. She said the South West is in the forefront of new research, trialling new drugs and managing the disease. She said I would probably have a sentinel lymph node biopsy, to see if anything had spread. By then I think I had switched off, I didn’t want to hear anymore, I just wanted to go home.