This is the 4th surgery (lumpectomy, lymph nodes, portacath insertion) and this was the first one done under local anaesthetic and for me, the worst out of all of them I would say.
On admission, I was asked to change into a gown and also put on the surgical stockings. I thought it would be a simple procedure in a doctors room but I was told it would be in theatre. I walked down to the theatre. I was told to fast just incase a general was required. I usually stop at the anaesthetic room where I get knocked out before being wheeled into theatre. This time I actually walked into the theatre room myself. Wobbly legs started kicking in again.
I thought I would be OK and I tried taking deep breaths but I couldn't control my emotions and started to panic. The needle for the local did hurt a lot.. The nurses could see my fear now since I was visibly shaking. The surgeon (same one) said I looked so terrified as if she was going to execute me. I felt sick at the thought of the sharp looking objects to the table on my right, about to enter my port area and how much blood I would see. Fortunately a 'tent' was put up. I didn't feel the pain but a very uncomfortable pulling and tugging. My surgeon was very good and it was almost like a tutorial as she talked through every step. The worst part was hearing the stitches being done. She explained that as they were dissolvable stitches, the texture was more like thick rope rather than cotton, which explains the noise I was hearing as it thread through my skin urgh! I didn't feel the pain but felt the pull and I just wanted to be sick. It was over pretty quickly. I was wheeled out into the recovery room where pressure had to be applied to the area where the tube had been detached from the jugular vein so it would clot. I did have visions of myself bleeding to death as soon as she detached the tube! She also showed me the 'bloodstained' port and tube and I couldn't believe I had such an intrusive object inside me all these months! The port looked like a rubber door stop and the tube seemed to go on forever, no wonder it protruded out my neck.
The pain hits before I'm even back in the room, downside of having local I guess. With the other operations, I had general which I assumed suppressed the pain for the rest of that day.
At least it's out and I will look forward to being able to turn my head towards the right without feeling the tube and not having the seatbelt rub on the port.
The nurses talk about the next appointments and surprised how close everything has been i.e. I only had my last chemo less than a week ago, now port removal and 1st radiotherapy session on Monday. I explained that it was me that was booking everything in so quickly and driving down the fast lane, I just want to get back to being me, back to the routine before April 27th though in reality, I am not sure after all this, how easy that would be. I can only try. Walking out of the hospital, I hope I will never have to return here again for surgery (I go to a different one for check ups and treatment). As nice as this hospital is, I will always associate it with breast cancer related surgery.
FormerMember
Argh...a very sore and restless night. Definitely the most pain I've felt compared to the other times. I think I would always opt for general given the choice!
