Hello all,
Just thought i’d let you know about my experience as it helped me to read others stories in the last days leading up to my op! I went in for my BA yesterday and was an inpatient so was admitted at 12pm. If you are being admitted at 12 I would recommend that you eat quite a bit of breakfast at 6am as I was waiting until 3.30 to go down to theatre and I had only eaten toast! After being admitted I waited in my room (watching tennis lol) and was seen first by a nurse who checked my weight ,blood pressure and heart rate, she also put my tag on my wrist and made sure all my details where correct. Next my surgeon Mr Traynor came to see me and clarify the size that I would be having under the muscle and that i was still happy to go ahead, he then marked me for surgery. Shortly after that the anethesiologist came and asked about history of GA and any family history and told me exactly what and how things would happen. I then waited for one hour and i actually fell asleep! My nurse then came to my room and again asked all the questions about dentures, nail varnish make up etc etc. She then let me say bye bye to my boyfriend who was with me and took me down to theatre…My turn finally! I was quite nervous when i got to the prep room but the male nurse there who put on my heart monitor and things on my legs (I think surgical socks) was really lovely and reassured me by talking about work, weather and the tennis! Then the anethesiologist who i met earlier came in to put me to sleep. The needle was no big deal to me but i know it scares some ppl, It just feels like a sharp sctach and a little but of pain but once the plaster bit is stuck down you cant feel it. He then said that i would feel a cold liquid going up my arm and a lead taste in my mouth and that is the last thing i remember…it was quite lovely actually, it just felt like i was drifting off to sleep naturally but really quickly!
I woke up and the first thing i remember was my nose was really ichy! they told me it was the morphine that did that but he allowed me to scratch, it was really nice waking up to the male nurse that i had fell asleep to as i recognised him straight away and we picked up our conversation where we had left it! I asked how long it had took and he told me i was in theatre for just 20mins! I was in recovery for 50mins so was only away from my room just over an hour! I was wheeled up to my room and the nurses took over. John was there waiting for me and he told me after that i kept asking what he’d had to eat because i was hungry! They let me rest for a while and i had to use a bed pan (which is a weird experience, im glad it was just the once!) as i couldn’t get up yet. I was starving and didnt feel sick at all so I had my dinner and just drifted in and out of sleep. the only pain i felt after surgery was where the incisions would be and it was a stinging sensation, i was given a strong pain killer which worked really quickly. Visitors left at 9pm.
At about 10pm i needed the loo again so a nurse helped me to get up soooo slowly, this was quite painful and felt like my chest would explode, but once i was up and got used to the feeling it was ok. I got up myself a couple of hours later- never in my life have i needed to wee so much! I was given a hot chocolate and more pain refief before i fell asleep.
I woke up again at 3am needing the loo so i got up my chest was really painful again and i felt a bit sick when i stood up but i was ok, or so i thought! I had stood up too quickly and my legs gave way, i banged my head on the wall but all i could think about where my boobs! I was disorientated and couldnt remeber where the pull switch for the nurse was so i just shouted HELP a couple of times and crawled to the door! The nurse came running in and helped me onto a chair where i passed out. She put my head down between my legs for a few seconds until i came around. My blood pressure had dropped to just 44 (It was low to start with but at about 78) and that is why i fainted. The doctor came and gave me oxygen and put me on a drip to rehydrate me. They told me that my blood pressure may have dropped beacuse of a combination of the anathestic, pain and the heat. My chest was agony after the fall and i was scared i had damaged them or opened the stitches so the doctor checked and said all was ok, then gave me more pain killers, i soon fell back asleep. By the time i’d woken up my blood pressure had stablised i had my breakfast and the doctor came to see how i was. She said i could stay a while if i didnt feel up to going but they were happy to discharge me. I left at about 11am.
Although it was a bit scary fainting and falling I was looked after really well and i feel fine now. My boobs are a bit tender but no massive amount of pain and they look awesome! I was told no bra for 6 weeks but i put a vest top on and they look soooo good! I cant believe i waited so long to do it! xxx
