6. Results and 1 week post op

Day 0 - Feeling pretty woozy but not in pain immediately post op. I daren't look down - not entirely sure what to expect, so rather not look. Managed a few hours sleep the first night but sounds of the patients buzzing the nurse and the cries of a woman giving birth in the opposite building are not conducive. Looking forward to going home.

Day 1 - my consultant, Giles (I think I can call him that now we're Bosom Buddies?), breezes in early the next morning. The procedure went very well and he is confident that all the tissue was removed. I venture a look at my chest - there is a mound covered with what looks like duct tape on and a drain inserted in my side. It doesn't look too alarming but I make a mental note not to look too hard.

The physio rushes in later and asks if I have read the exercise leaflet and whether it made sense because she didn't think it was very clear. I nod and wondered whether I had missed something on the simple ten step programme. She runs through the pictures rapidly demonstrating the moves, wishes me luck and is gone in under two minutes. My mum and I exchanged bemused looks. 

Jan arrives bearing what can only be described as ‘Chunky’ bras which I will need to wear day and night for the next six months - I sigh and mentally consign my pretty lace underwired bras to the lingerie shop in the sky. 

My blood pressure is low but eventually levels are restored later in the day and my drain removed (eye watering) so I can go home. My husband looks concerned - are you sure you don't want to stay in longer? No, hospital is for sick people. I sleep marvellously that night, fuelled by paracetamol and ibuprofen. I had wondered whether these painkillers would be strong enough but they are more than ample and everything is very bearable.

The rest of the week is a mixture of pottering about and watching endless episodes of Breaking Bad - I have gone off my usual guilty pleasure of Holby City, especially since Chrissie has been diagnosed with breast cancer - it's eerily too close to home. I may get cabin fever soon. I start my exercises but fail at the first hurdle - the warm up shoulder shrug is too painful. I stock up on paracetamol and try more successfully in half an hour. I religiously complete my exercises twice a day feeling very virtuous. I catnap during the day but don’t sleep well at night as moving is painful.