Tag Archives: operation

Oct22

Date for surgery

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Tuesday 22nd October

My surgeon’s secretary telephones to offer me a choice.

I could have surgery next week, with a consultant I don’t know, or wait until November 12th and have him carry out the groin dissection.

I chose to go with the surgeon who operated on me before. I have enormous faith and confidence in him. His secretary mentioned that the consultant had said this would probably be the decision I would make.

Have I done the right thing in waiting for another couple of weeks? I do hope so. But I think I am an impatient patient.

Jul19

Appointment details for September!

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Friday 19th July

The next steps for me have been have been set in motion.

I received an email this afternoon from my consultant’s secretary.

I have my pre-op on Wednesday 4th September ~ two days after we land from our summer holiday ~ the same date as the first day of term!!! Yikes.

And then I’ll be admitted on the 10th for the sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure.

Scared? Anxious? Relieved? Worried? Frightened?

All of the above!

But, I’m going enjoy my summer vacation!

Have fun, relax, chill, enjoy, laugh, rest, recharge . . . . . .

Worrying won’t make a difference to the dates of the appointments. The decision has been made for me, and I know I’ll be looked after by a great team.

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!”

Jul15

Holiday ~ Go or No?

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Monday 15th July

Plans for our whole summer hinge on today’s appointment . . . .

Just arrived home after meeting with a super, consultant plastic surgeon at Exeter. I had been dreading this appointment, wondering what he was going to say. He explained that he is going to carry out the staging procedure by injecting the radioactive dye into the site of my malignant melanoma, on the top of my foot, at 9am and in the afternoon, carry out the sentinel lymph node biopsy to see which lymph node this has drained to. If all goes well, I could be going home that same day. And then wait for the results.
(He commented that my scar was healing nicely, but my toes were still a bit swollen; looking like pork chipolatas!)

My big question to him was “When!!!!??? When would you plan on carrying out the surgery?”

He looked at my notes and saw that his colleague had written that we had booked our summer holiday. “No problem, we’ll wait until you get back ~ I do have a space tomorrow, but you wouldn’t be able to fly next week!”

Oh my goodness, I had come to this appointment fearing the worst. Lots of emotions flying around my head!

He explained that he has operated on pregnant women, to remove the melanoma, and then three or even six months later, after the baby is born, carried out the sentinel lymph node biopsy.
He could see no problem with waiting until September, and reassured us that I wasn’t being foolhardy or selfish in wanting to go on holiday. If there are any microscopic cells in the nodes, or in transit, they’re not going to get markedly worse in the time we’re away. Plus, as my CT scan had come back clear, he was really positive, and said we should go and have a good time!
Feeling much better, for the moment!

I have been using the internet to find out as much as I can about this disease, and the proposed next course of events for me.

Much of the information states that the sentinel lymph node biopsy should be carried out at the time of the wider local excision, so that the route to the draining lymph nodes can be tracked accurately.

There is a school of thought though, that thinks maybe some of the microscopic cells are still in transit, and so, could be missed.

I had the MM removed on 2.5.13, and then the WLE on 7.5.13. (6mm, Stage 2b). The CT scan was on 5.6.13. My consultant said he would get me on his theatre list for September. He said it probably wouldn’t be that much sooner anyway, (unless I had it done tomorrow), as August was looking busy for him, and he was probably off to Florida for a couple of weeks too.

I’m being looked after by the NHS, but two of the three consultants (male), I’ve seen have private practices, and I certainly feel as if I’m being treated as a private patient. I feel really lucky, and totally reassured.

Jun17

Back op #2

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Monday 17th June

It was way back, on 16th April that I first visited the dermatology department of my local hospital. On that day I had a dodgy looking mole on my right lower back removed under local anaesthetic. The results came back as inconclusive, so erring on the side of caution, the surgeon decided I should have a wider local excision. So here I am: not the most awesome way to start your week, but needs must when the professionals make that decision based upon your best interests.

I was first in at 9am; introduced to two nurses, asked whether I minded a student being present, whether I was taking warfarin and if I had pacemaker. The surgeon then arrived and began to put me at ease. I signed the consent forms, and we were good to go.

Having stripped off and climbed aboard the gurney, I could not see what was happening, but I could certainly feel the many sharp jabs of local anaesthetic, (the surgeon had to inject more halfway through as I could feel a little bit too much for my liking!) I was cut open, the scar tissue and surrounds dug out, deep stitches and surface stitches applied, and finally a  dressing gently positioned over the area.

And breathe . . . . And so to the recovery room for a welcome, wobbly-held, cup of tea.

Had a long chat with the ‘nice’ Macmillan nurse, about my left foot ~ I need to be taking it slow, with little bits of exercise and short walks, to help reduce the swelling, and also massaging in Bio Oil or Vaseline, to break down the fibrous collagen in the wound site (really doesn’t feel pleasant doing that at all!) Then she spoke about the possible sequence of events, going to Exeter for the lymph node biopsy procedure. Not pleasant either, but really is the best, and only course of action to take.

Am now in bed, heart is racing from the anaesthetic and tummy wobbly because it was uncomfortable, but thankful another procedure has been given a tick in the box.

Onwards and upwards towards a steady and comfortable recuperation.

Jun10

The Results

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Monday 10th June

The CT Scan results have come back clear. The melanoma has not spread to other body organs.

The big black cloud that has been hanging over me for months has now turned into a fluffy little white cloud.

Not totally out of the woods, as it looks likely I will have the Sentinel lymph node biopsy at Exeter at some stage ~ will know more on Friday when I see the consultant who will refer me. I’ll also have check ups every 3 months. BUT this episode has now passed, and I am so relieved.

Husband and I went to the appointment with hearts beating overtime, pulses racing, and tummy doing flip-flops. We also cried when we went in. Scared, not knowing what to expect, I somehow assumed the worst. All I could think of was the accepted thickness indicator, the fact that my melanoma measured 6mm, and a prognosis of survival being 37 – 50% for staying alive for the next 3 – 5 years. Not good odds at all. Having been told that the scan came back clear was the greatest feeling in the world. The massively heavy weight bearing down on my shoulders had been lifted. I was being given a second chance. Having arrived crying, we also left the appointment in tears; but these were tears of relief, of happiness, of joy.

Son was so happy and elated, too: the best news ever. His partner texted the following:

We are both so relieved. Just get the biopsy done and dusted, for peace of mind, then you can totally move on feeling blessed. Make sure you do learn from this awful experience though. It was a gift so you could fully realise you need to actually start enjoying your lives together now. We’re here for a good time, not a long time. Love you very muchly xxxx

Such lovely, tender, thoughtful words.

I still keep my leg elevated, and have it dressed twice a week. I have further appointments coming up. I will not be going back to work soon, and certainly will not be spending a week on the beach with a group of students, learning to surf.

I need to fully recover, to get back to feeling ‘normal’, before going back in the classroom. The nurse told me today that there is no point returning too soon, and undoing all of the healing process.

I feel so amazingly well looked after. Today’s consultant has rearranged her theatre list, and will do the wider excision on my back on Monday, 9am, just because I said I would prefer her to carry out the procedure and no-one else

Positive, positive, positive all the way.

A truly amazing end to the day.

Blessed.

May24

Down at the surgery again

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Friday 24th May

It’s exactly one week since I had the second operation. I’m off to the surgery to see my wonderful practice nurse for a clean-up and re-dressing. The dent on the top of foot doesn’t shock me so much today, and it is quite painfree having all the gauze, lint, bandages, compression stocking removed and reapplied.

I hobble out clutching a party sized box of strong painkillers; an absolute necessity first thing in the morning, when I lower my foot to the  floor, and attempt to begin my day with a spring in my step!

May17

Operation two

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It’s Friday 17th May, and the alarm goes off at 4:10am. We are out of the house and on the way to Plymouth a little after five. The sunrise is beautiful; colouring the sky in pink, yellow and orange.

Due to the lack of traffic on the roads, we arrive at the hospital car park at 6:35am, far too early! The appointment was set at seven thirty. Twiddles thumbs.

Upon arrival  I didn’t know what to expect. I half imagined we’d be back on the road soon, after a quick chat. But it became clear that surgery was going ahead, and I was first in the queue. I spoke with nurses, the skin graft registrar, a fabulously jolly anaesthetist, and of course the wonderful plastic surgeon.

He really wasn’t happy that the Macmillan nurse had told me my results over the phone, and had also confused me with the order of events. My surgeon had wanted to speak to me himself about the melanoma. He asked how I felt, and there was genuine care and concern in his eyes.

He explained that the plan was to cut away a lot more tissue around the original wound site, slice a sliver of skin from my thigh, and magically affix it into place. I would then have a plaster cast set around my leg.

I went down to theatre soon after, monitors were placed here and there, bleeping that all was normal, an oxygen mask went over my face, and a thin needle introduced the anaesthesia into my system. I remember the eight, bright lights above me. zzzzzzzzz

Coming round, I couldn’t feel a thing, but I could see a fat, bandaged leg poking out from the covers. The nurses and doctors in recovery were amazing, so attentive, cheerful and professional. I was treated like a star!

About an hour and a half after coming round, I was discharged, and we began the drive home. Just before we left though, the anaesthetist popped her head around the curtain to see how I was doing, and to make sure everything was OK. She made a shape with her thumb and forefinger, to show the size of the new wound ~ it appears to be mahoosive!!

I spend a dopey afternoon in bed, taking the super strong painkillers at regular intervals. I now know I have to time it right to make a trip to the loo, ha ha.

May3

Post-op #1

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3rd May 2013

Oh my goodness! The anaesthetic wore off at 2:30am, and the pain kicked in.

I had only taken a couple of paracetamol, and that certainly wasn’t enough to stop the awful throbbing.

When I tried to get out of bed a little while later, the blood rushing to my foot plus the actual weight placed on it as I attempted to stand was unbelievable. It felt like my foot was exploding, spurting blood and gore everywhere.

I had to get to the bathroom. Crying, hopping, sliding, bum-shuffling, hanging on to my husband; it seemed to take forever, but finally I was there. The pain was excruciating. And then followed the long journey back to bed; I must have looked ridiculous!

May2

Operation One

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Thursday 2nd May.

OK, so the day looms; overnight bag packed (just incase), phone plus charger, trusty Kindle, all ready to go. I’ve had nothing to eat since yesterday dinner time, not even a cup of tea this morning!

Soon after arriving at the hospital, we go for form filling, blood pressure and MRSA swabs. I have a name tag bracelet and a great big black arrow pointing to the offending blob; as if it needs an arrow!

Going into theatre is a breeze, anaesthesia takes over, and when I come round I don’t realise it’s all over.

Water, cups of tea and a ham salad sandwich are brought to me. Wonderful, wonderful after-care.

I finally hobbled out mid-afternoon, no pain, no ill effects. We stopped briefly for a cappuccino, and drove back home, whereupon I went straight to bed, feeling a bit groggy.

I was told to keep my leg elevated for at least 48 hours. Sleeping with my leg outside of the duvet is a little tricky, but I managed it.

On my discharge notes it said I’d had an excision of a lesion dorsum, left foot with dressing. Recommend rest and elevation and off duties.

In the first 24 hours I mustn’t cook, use electrical equipment or tools, not to drink alcohol nor to sign any legal documents, ie cheques. Any of the above may endanger you or others!