In and out...and off!

Well, it's been a busy week!

We saw Mr Cawthorn at Frenchay Hospital on Wednesday lunchtime and he measured me up for surgery, answered our questions and allayed our fears about how this had come to be. This surgery was almost inevitable after he had not be able to get the clearance that he wanted in the first operation although I'm glad I didn't know that during the chemo. The chemo had probably succeeded in keeping the residue disease lurking in the lymphatic channels at bay but now treatment was over it had flared up again. The worry is that this is an indicator that this cancer is an aggressive little devil - we will need to find out more from Dr Braybrooke.

Just over 24 hours after the phonecall from Mr C, I walked back into Admissions at The Glen. By this time I just wanted to get rid of this horrible, diseased mass on my body. The anaesthetist, who in his own words bore a striking ressemblance to Gerry Adams (but that's where the similarities ended!) and seemed to know half our neighbours, put me to sleep with some minty smelling gas because of my knackered chemo veins, and then dug about looking for a receptive vein. Nice man sparing me that!

Then Mr C set to work using his new pioneering breast surgery technique which requires no drains - that means only one night in hospital and not having to endure the agony of having drains removed once skin has started to cling onto them. The operation took about an hour and I was back in my room with my supersize chest pad and my morphine pump. I was sick a couple of times - a reminder that it is not sensible to rush to the nearest Harvester when you have half an hour to eat before the pre-op 'no food' rule kicks in!

Next morning the nurse came to remove my bandages - I couldn't watch and concentrated on Martin's reaction to what he saw. He was ok with it all. I sneaked a look eventually and it's really not as gruesome as I thought it was going to be (you've seen the cold cap pic but I'll spare you this one!) and not too uncomfortable either - I haven't even dipped into the pick 'n' mix bag of pain killers that I was sent home with. I think I can live with this and I've been feeling in quite good spirits. I dragged myself away from the tennis and managed to get to school to pick Iona up yesterday (although I did need to go with Fiona and Stan for moral support) but needed to sleep for 2 hours when I got back!

We liked Mr Cawthorn before but we like him even more now and we are in no doubt that he is the best there is which is a very comforting position to be in. When Martin was walking back up to the hospital to see me after the operation (with Iona happily enjoying her first ever schoolnight sleepover at Asha's - thanks Annabelle!), Mr C drove past him and went back round the roundabout and stopped for a chat. Martin was touched by this. We've been playing a game of 'Guess what car the consultant drives?' and are delighted to say that in Mr C's case it is a battered old Saab. He's so cool - he even did my post-op check by text!

Iona is fascinated by my softee falsie - the delights of the chicken fillet are to come when my wound is healed!! As a 5-year old desperate to have wobbly teeth, she and I have had an interesting conversation about whether the boobie fairy will pay me a visit!!

I have made the decision that work is probably a thing of the past - the paperwork has yet to be completed - it's just not where I want to be focussing the time and energy that I do have. Iona is delighted that I will be taking her to school every day and that after school club is a thing of the past. Martin teases no more Fat Face shopping for me - it's New Look and Primark from now on!

The planned weekend visit by my sister and family has been downsized to just Anna and Ewan (aged 3 and Iona's favourite cousin) which will be lovely for all of us...especially because I can indulge in a guilt-free weekend of sport watching!

Once again I feel incredibly lucky to have friends and family like you, doctors like Mr C and Dr B and, of course, my very own super hero Martin, aided and abetted by mini hero, Iona.

Check up and histology report on Tuesday - more then.

Vicky xx