Surgery done!

Hi Julie,

After reading your description of hook wire insertion and hearing it from others I'm thoroughly happy to have had a mastectomy.  I went to radiology at a different place to the hospital in which I was having surgery.  I remember the nurse at radiology saying now this is what will happen, the doctor will come and do 4 needles, 3 won't hurt but the 4th is painful.  Then he'll insert a hook wire so that the surgeon will be able to find the tumour.  I looked straight at her and said "If he can't find one tumour that is 5.6cm across then I seriously do not want him coming anywhere near me with a scalpel".  She hadn't even looked at my file.  As for the 4th needle hurting, I got myself all in a tizz about it being painful, I don't like needles, and I didn't feel a thing with any of them.  There wasn't any hookwire because the decision had already been made to do a mastectomy.  Lesson learned, grill every person that comes near you so that you know you are on the same page from the outset.

We then rushed to the hospital because I had been informed the day before that I was 4th on the surgeons operating list.  Half hour drive between radiology and hospital and we made it by 11.45am.  Sat for 2 hours, then I was called in to preop, gowned and left to sit on the bed for 10 minutes.  Next told that the nurse had made a mistake and would I like to sit in a waiting room nearby.  I said ok thinking it might be another hour.  Two and half hours later I was upset, cold, annoyed so I went looking for this nurse to ask if I could be sent up to a ward to wait.  I was close to losing it and really having a full on temper tantrum.  Thankfully a bed was found (private hospital mind you) and I was taken up.  I waited another 2.5 hours in the ward.  So from arrival (after all the radiology had been done) to being wheeled into surgery took 7.75 hours and that nurse would have left me on that uncomfortable chair in a waiting room by myself for at least 5.5 hours if I hadn't complained.

I've put in a formal complaint since and been apologised to profusely by the hospital.  That nurse has been spoken to.  So, ask questions, demand to be treated fairly and empathetically and know that you deserve the best. 

Glad you are in high spirits this morning.  It is a heck of a shock to the system when you are diagnosed and everything moves so quickly.  You discover tests and services that you would otherwise have never known about.

We're all here to listen and chat with when you feel up to it.  I've had some seriously wonderful people help me along with answers and support.

Cas