Blog 4 - The hardest thing I have ever done...


The hardest thing I have ever done….

Last week was certainly chaotic. My mum was due to land on Sunday 10th June to be with me on the 13th, my surgery day. Unfortunately, due to a missed connection from France, she missed that flight and at great expense had to rebook for the following day. Unbeknown to her, whilst she was in the air, my surgery was moved forward to Tuesday 12th June. Poor mum was picked up at the airport and driven straight to hospital where we had about an hour before I went to surgery. 7 hours later I was wheeled back to my room and the next phase of my treatment was complete. I’d had my double mastectomy.
I can honestly say that THIS is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
Surgery makes chemo look like a walk in the park!

According to the Doctor and the nurses my recovery is going really well. I was up and walking around the ward the following day and was allowed home at the weekend, and truth be told the pain is bearable.
But what is not bearable, and is absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever had to endure, is how helpless I feel.
Not being able to shower, or dress yourself easily is psychologically taxing.
Not being able to drive strips you of your freedom.
Not being able to nip out as and when you please is limiting.
Not being able to sleep on your side is frustrating.
Not being able to lift your arms over your head is debilitating….the list goes on…

My mum and friends have become my carers and I can assure you I am not the easiest of patients! I pride myself on being fiercely independent and have always been a woman that CAN.
I can change a tyre, hang pictures and curtains, change a plug, I’ve trekked in the Himalayas and shark cage dived in South Africa…I’ve spent my life DOING and now I can’t DO very much.
There are lots of blogs out there about what the surgery feels like and what to expect after a double mastectomy, reading them all gave me a lot of comfort before the operation. But for this blog, I want to remind myself that there are lots of inspirational women that have been in my shoes, and they are still DOING!
Christina Applegate
Cynthia Nixon
Shannen Doherty
Angelina Jolie
Kylie Minogue
Olivia Newton-John
Sheryl Crow
Carly Simon…..

They say that 1 in 8 women are likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer and early detection is the key. 
DO something today and get your mammogram booked!

Sara







Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 6, 2018 at 2:30 PM

    You will probably have heard the phrase time heals all well it does 25 years on and my private nightmare is a distant memory and the pain almost forgotten. The future is there in front of you , embrace it

    ReplyDelete

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