I found these so helpful when I was preparing for my BA so thought I’d tell you about my experience yesterday!
So I arrived a little early (panicker ?) and was taken to my room at 10am which was lovely and clean, spacious and had an en suite. There were chairs and a tv for my Dad but we brought books, magazines and phone chargers cause we weren’t sure about wait times.
The nurse came in pretty much straight away to give me some lovely paper knickers, stockings and my gown (which I put on back to front…good one ???). She asked me to wee in a pot for my pregnant test and asked me some basic medical questions.
Then the ward nurse came in about 11 to listen to my breathing, ask more questions, take my blood pressure and make sure I was alright. About 12 – 12.30 the anesthetists assistant came in and asked me to go down to the pre-op room to see the anesthetist. He was SO lovely, really made me feel completely at ease and we chatted about what would happen before, during and after surgery, and he asked me all about my degree/where I lived etc. Then I went back to my room & Dr Traynor came in to draw on my chest and ask me a few questions. We confirmed I was having 375 unders. About 1.15 the anesthetist assistant came and got me – by this point I was getting a bit scared but was so excited to get it over with! She was literally the nicest lady ever and stroked my head as I laid on the bed preparing for my anaesthetic. Then they put the cannula in my hand (which is a bit sharp but really doesn’t hurt very much at all!) and gave me an oxygen mask, then they asked me if I was ready for a nice sleep and that’s the last thing I remember. I woke up in the post op recovery room in a bit of a panic, the spray they’d used to clean my stitches was really stinging and my chest felt so tight I struggled to breathe. This was probably the worst bit of the day but the nurse calmed me down and explained what was happening. I get taken back to my room and had a sleep because I was exhausted. Then a nurse came to put my sports bra on and gave me some toast and water which I didn’t think I wanted but when I started eating realised I was ravenous! Then I just spent the next hour or so trying to move about, drinking water – I wasn’t actually in any pain as such, my chest was just tight. They finally came and gave me my take home meds and took my cannula out about half 6 and I was on the way home! I felt fine yesterday evening but woke up this morning in quite a bit of pain. Finding it hard to sit up and move my arms but nothing unbearable.
Sorry for the massive essay but I hope this puts anyone’s mind a little bit at ease and good luck, it’ll all be worth it ??
