I began the
first day after my surgery by shuffling like an elderly lady to the bathroom!!
My legs felt incredibly wobbly and I was carrying my 2 wound drains in my
‘good’ arm. My left arm felt so heavy and sore, there seemed to be so much
swelling around my shoulder. Any
movement of my left arm was uncomfortable. I knew I needed to get moving and really
wanted a shower. I made it the short distance to the bathroom…. and then the
juggling began…
I had been
told not to get the dressing at the mastectomy site damp. A PICO dressing had
been used at the surgery site, this is a vacuum
dressing attached to a battery operated control unit. This was in place for 2
weeks, it has been found to reduce complications post op.
I stood in the bathroom and began to take off my pyjamas. I unbuttoned my top and for the first time I
properly looked at my surgery site. It was covered in the dressing, but despite
this it was obvious that things were very, very different now!!!
I
thought seeing the change and missing a breast would have upset me, but to be
honest I felt relieved that it was gone. Maybe I had already mentally detached myself from my breast
over the months of tests and chemo.
I stood and showered extremely carefully, holding
the shower head. I had to position the
drains on the shower chair so they wouldn’t pull out. Whilst balancing the PICU
control unit on the top of my head under my hat to prevent it from getting
soaked. Such a ridiculous sight!! I then began to dry myself again so
carefully, no sudden movements and all very energy sapping. The part that was
most challenging was dressing again. Trying to balance to put on my pyjama
bottoms was a challenge, whilst the struggle I had to put on the compression stockings
with one functioning arm was comical!! I shuffled back to my bed…exhausted,
literally exhausted!
I felt I had
achieved so much by having that shower. It sounds such a minor thing, but at
the time it was major. I didn’t want help, I wanted to have some independence and
control as there was so much I didn’t have control over at that point.
A little
later that morning I was offered a single side room which I accepted gratefully,
I knew I would have more privacy and it would be much less noisy!!
That
afternoon the Physiotherapist called to teach me the arm and shoulder exercises
I would need to practice to increase the movement at my shoulder.
She also taught me the arm massage technique I will now have
to use daily for the rest of my life.
This is because I had all of the
lymph nodes in my left armpit removed. Normally the fluid your body creates is
redirected back into the body through the lymphatic system.
This chain
has now effectively been interrupted in my left arm and I will have to help it
along every day. There is a high chance of developing lymphoedema following
axillary clearance so I listened intently!
It did feel strange to be listening to a Physiotherapist advising me
about the benefits of the exercises when this is normally me in my role.
My days fell
into a routine of waking at 6am for the nurses to check my obs then again at
8am for more pain relief. Breakfast, followed by my shuffle and shower. After
this it was frequent repetitions of my shoulder exercises, sleep, pain relief, meals
and lovely visits from Craig, my Parents and my Sister. I had hoped I would get
home soon, but the surgeon requested I stay.
On the
fourth day I was allowed home. The Breast specialist nurse removed one drain
that morning, I would go home with one drain still in situ and this would be
removed all being well in a week. She
asked me to cough whilst she removed it…I felt nothing as it was removed.
Craig
collected me that evening to take me home and after a delay getting my
medications (miscommunication on the ward!) I was allowed to leave. I was weak
and still tired but very happy to be home in my comfy, quiet bed and some uninterrupted
sleep.
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