Bilateral Diep, The Story

Its now 3.5 weeks since my Elective, bilateral, skin sparing mastectomy DIEP - so I'm really over the worst - I hope. Now is the time to tell and show you my story. I searched on line and off prior to the "big day" for as much information and photos as I could find so now here is my contribution. I hope it helps..... Going through the Public system I received the date only 3 to 4 weeks in advance. Although I really new what I had to know I kept thinking that there must be more. There actually wasn't anymore but you feel so helpless and for a control freak its not easy. The back story is that I was diagnosed in May 2008 with early stage, grade 3 breast cancer - well hidden against the breast wall. The lump I found was my lymph node - big and round there was no missing it. The next day was confirmation, next day DT scans, then bone scans and exactly one week later I was in hospital for a lumpectomy and full axiliary clearance - 9/17 nodes were infected. My sister had passed away four years earlier from BC. I decided two years later (it took a long time) to divorce my husband. Knowing finances would be tight my Radio Oncologist (after the Op I had Chemo and Radio) suggested I attend the Clinic at The Alfred Hospital. Knowing I would not be ready for another two years it was the perfect option. DAY ONE - Operation I was at the hospital 6.45 am sharp on the morning of Wednesday 21 st May 2014. I had been told the operation would be 10-12 hours and my stay in hospital 7-10 days. My nerves were mainly due to the fact that I have "no" veins. One arm cant be used=lymphoedema and the other just crumbles. In I went, Mum went home and they (three kids and lots of family and friends - thank god!) waited the long wait. It was longer than expected - 15 hours!! Of course I didn't know the difference at the time. As my hospital stay went on I found out that the delay was as a result of my arteries crumbling (still dont fully understand). When the fat/skin/flap was transferred to the breast wall although my abdominal arteries were fine the ones in the breast area weren't. Quite a job apparently! DAY TWO/THREE-all became one My blood pressure was low - as it always is - but things seemed stable. I actually felt very little actual pain but mainly heaviness and deep aching. All was well-ish and again I'm not sure happened but I suddenly needed a blood transfusion. I did notice my hands were white and soooo swollen, I guess from all the fluids they were pumping into me. DAY FOUR - I think Instead of the obs being taken less they were still at me what felt half hourly but must have been hourly by then, blood tests - again no veins so they took it from my feet, legs anywhere they could find blood! Another hurdle - my room is filled with ICU staff, followed by mobile Chest Xray guy and then down to a body CT Scan....Blood clots in the lungs!? I've got to say that I'm usually a healthy person and could not work out where all this was coming from. They took off the Pump/stocking things in case there were clots in my legs as well and in went another IV for the Heprin/blood thinner - I don't know how the guy found somewhere to put it because they ended up putting the antibiotic IV into my leg! Of course with all this happening they didn't get me walking around as they would have - usually day two. I actually didn't get out of my bed until day 7, the Tuesday after the Op. That was hard for a day but I think I caught up pretty quickly....I'm having a break and will put some photos up shortly. Stay well Sharon