3rd June 2025. Early start today had to be at the hospital for 0715hrs, in one way I'm not looking forward to today but on the other hand I am looking forward to getting this sorted !
So checked in, met the nurse who will be looking after me today, changed into the hospital gown and at about 0730 the anaesthetist came in to introduce himself and explain what's going to happen this morning, the surgeons came in while i was talking with the anaesthetist, they also went through what they were going to do, looks like I will be out for about 4 hours. I must say they were all very helpful and explained things so I understood, even if I cant remember everything they said, but then my wife was with me who is excellent at taking everything in and remembering the details.. good job one of us is !
0830hrs and I'm taken through to start the 4 hour sleep, can remember laying on the trolley and having cannulas put in my hand, the last thing I remember was looking at the clock on the wall, 0900hrs, and that's it.. night night !
Apparently I was wheeled into the recovery ward at around 1300hrs, But it was about 1430hr when I woke up. Not in any pain, but then I suspect I was full of pain killers, had a drain coming out of the bottom of my scar on my neck, connected into a bottle, otherwise just connected to an anti-biotic drip and oxygen to help my recovery.
1600hrs I'm wheeled into the main ward where I will stay until fit enough to go home. Still a bit groggy, but no pain at all, just had to get used to carrying my drain bottle everywhere I went, I also had some really sexy compression socks to wear.
4th June 2025. At 0900hrs the surgeon did her rounds and explained that the surgery to remove 4 lymph nodes on the right side of my neck, my right tonsil removal and tongue tissue removal went well, but one of the lymph nodes was "sticky" in its removal, which in her experience is a sign that the cancer has spread, but the tests from what was removed will confirm in about 3 weeks. so not out of the woods just yet !
She explained that I my need to have radiotherapy and possible chemotherapy depending on the results and that "just in case" they will organise for me to have a dental assessment. I've never liked going to see dentists, nothing personal, just don't like the work they do to me in my mouth !! But it will be worth it (so I'm told) as radiotherapy could cause more problems in the near future if I need any serious work doing as there is a chance my jaw my not heal after !!!
Otherwise I've go to eat as much as I can and drink some of the "Fortisip" drinks, these are the nutritionally complete, high energy drinks that taste like milk shakes if I'm not eating enough "ordinary" foods.
5th and 6th June, Doctors check the amount of stuff in the drain bottle every day, I'm told that if the daily amount is less than 30ml then I can probably go home. so this is now the focus of my attention each morning. The staff, everyone of them, on the ward are really friendly and helpful, I couldn't ask to be in a better place for my recovery.
7th June 2025. The big question is, how much has been added to my drain bottle in the last 24 hours, is it less than before and therefore can I go home? The check is made and Yes good news, I'm going to go home later today !!! The other bit of good news is that my Stitches can come out, this can be done at my local health centre, so need to get this booked in, so my scar doesn't look like a zip anymore !
My drain was taken out at about 1130 hrs, now just have to wait a couple of hours to make sure everything's ok, these couple of hours went very very slowly. but at 1400hrs told to get packed up and the nurse will put all my medication together for me to take home. These were Ibuprofen (3 times a day) plus paracetamol (4 times a day) and Codeine if I felt I needed more pain killers.
1430 hrs Elvis has left the building !!!
