Cervical Cancer: A Diary - Part 8

I come to sometime later that day – I think it’s about 3pm as I vaguely register that my dad is at my bedside. Bless him. He tells me later that I ask him for water and then am passed out by the time he comes back. My op was about 3 hours long but I sleep for a further 3 hours after that. The entire day is a blur in my memory. I have a vague recollection of the anaesthetist telling me that he’s going to put me to sleep now and then absolutely nothing further.

At about 4pm the nurses comes to bring me more drugs and I get some hospital food for supper (blech) after which I sleep some more.I awake the next day in hospital and prepare for my 7 to 10 day stay here. My ward is as nice as this hospital gets. I am in a private ward so have 24/7 nurses and sisters at my beck and call. I don’t register any pain when I wake up probably due to the amount of drugs coursing through my veins.

The next few chapters are excerpts of my diary that I kept while in hospital.

To be continued

Cervical Cancer: A Diary - Part 7

I spend the rest of that day lazing about in my hospital bed, reading a bit. I get my dad to get me some takeaway lunch as I’m starving. Several hospital staff come to check on me to take blood pressure, temperature etc. My anaesthetist drops in at about 4pm to tell me what will happen tomorrow morning. Apparently my op is scheduled 1st thing at 8am and I will be given something to calm me down beforehand. Goodie, I think, drugs – just what I need! I ask for a sleeping tablet that night as I am unable to calm down sufficiently to sleep.

The next morning I am awoken at 5am by the nurses offering tea or coffee. Hospital coffee is like dishwater in any event but I am not allowed to eat or drink anything anyway due to my impending operation. I go and have a shower and wash my hair figuring I won’t be able to do this for a little while after the op. At 6.30 the sister comes in bearing drugs including the promised calming tab, Ativan. I swallow this and almost instantly become quite sleepy and have a little nap.

At 7am they wheel me into the pre-operation area. I am not at all nervous thanks to the good drugs!

To be continued