I was always due a third operation about 4-6 weeks after my chemo had finished.

My surgeon hadn’t managed to get clear margins on my 3^rd tumour during my 2^nd operation but we decided not to do any more surgery until after chemotherapy. This was mainly because during my chemo I had my BRCA gene test which, had it come back positive, I would have needed a double mastectomy. My surgeon and I agreed that we would wait until after this test to see if I was facing a double mastectomy or just another ‘shave’ to obtain clear margins. Thankfully the BRCA gene test was negative so it was the latter.

As my final chemo session was the Friday before lockdown I wasn’t sure whether my operation would be delayed or would go ahead as planned. To my great relief my case was discussed at the multi-disciplinary team meeting and they decided to go ahead. The breast care team had moved from Warwick Hospital (which was classed as a ‘red site’ due to having COVID-19 cases) to Nuffield Private Hospital in Leamington which was classed as a ‘green site’ i.e. COVID-19 free. I was invited to go into the hospital for a consultation with the surgeon and to have all of my pre-op tests.

I went to Nuffield for the first time on Thursday 16^th April and I have to say after 27 days of not going anywhere I was both apprehensive and excited to be out. I needn’t have been apprehensive as they were very vigilant where Corona Virus was concerned. They checked my temperature before I was allowed through the door, had lots of social distancing measures in place and also wore full personal protection equipment (PPE).

During that visit I chatted with my lovely surgeon, completed a full pre-op booklet on my previous medical history and had an MRSA swab, a blood test and an ECG. I was told I would need a COVID- 19 test before surgery but that this would need to be done at Warwick.

On the following Monday 20^th I went to outpatients for my COVID-19 test. It was a very quick visit and again as safe as it could possibly be, although the test itself wasn’t too pleasant. The nurse had to stick a swab up both my nostrils (which just tickled and made my eyes water0 but then she also had to stick a swab down my throat. She kept apologising because she had to poke it far enough down to make me gag. I told her there was no need to apologise, she was just doing her job and to be fair I’d experienced much worse over the last 7 months.

My test must have been negative because I wasn’t stood down from my surgery.

I was told I needed to be at the hospital for 7.30am and the list started at 8.30am. Dave could drop me off at the door but that was it, after that I was on my own. It did feel a little strange being dropped off at the door knowing that you were having a general anaesthetic and that none of your family members would be there when (and if) you came round. I just put that thought to one side. I told myself I wouldn’t even know if I didn’t wake up!

As usual, I was exceptionally well cared for by every member of staff I came into contact with. Unfortunately, the full PPE meant that you couldn’t see people’s full faces which made it a little harder to connect with them but was totally necessary under the circumstances.

I was shown to my own private en-suite room and the first hour was spent with the nurse doing administration and taking a urine sample from me. I was also visited by the anaesthetist and we discussed ideally putting the intravenous tube for the anaesthetic into my foot instead of my arm (due to the fact I have no lymph nodes in either arm anymore). He was great and said he would do his best to accommodate my wish.

At around 8.45am I walked to the theatre with my nurse. I was met by the 2 anaesthetists who said they would be putting me to sleep directly in the theatre as opposed to the anaesthetic room (this was something to do with equipment going to Warwick for Covid patients). It took them 3 attempts to get the intravenous tube into my foot but thankfully they managed it.

The next thing I remember I was waking up in the recovery room with a lovely nurse who was looking after me. Before I have felt a little queasy waking up, but I didn’t this time (that came later) and before I knew it I was being wheeled back to my private room, I think it was about 10.50am by then. The nurse looking after me fetched me some water but left me for a while before bringing me my lunch.

Whilst I was lay there, my blood pressure was being taken on my arm automatically about every 20 minute and I also had 2 cuffs on both legs that kept inflating and deflating (annoyingly) every 15 seconds. I had no idea what they were at the time (I didn’t have them at Warwick) but have since found out they are Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices used to reduce the chance of blood clots after surgery.

I was brought a lovely lunch and got out of my bed to sit by the window to eat it. I was visited by the anaesthetist who came to wish me well before he left (how nice is that?) and the nurse who had been looking after me finished at 3pm and she also came to say good bye.

A wave of nausea passed over me around 2.30pm which I hadn’t experience before with anaesthetic, but I managed not to be sick and finally was able to leave around 3.30pm. I had called Dave and he and the boys drove to pick me up and waited outside the door for me. It was so lovely to see them all in the car waiting to take me home.

Unfortunately, after the car journey home another wave of nausea came and this time it didn’t pass and I was sick just the once but, a bit like when you’re drunk, I felt much better afterwards.

I was absolutely fine for the rest of the evening and any pain was being well managed with just paracetamol and ibuprofen.

All in all, the whole experience ran very smoothly and, as always, I received exceptional care. Whilst it was lovely to be in my own room and choose my own lunch etc (all the trimmings of a private hospital) I was a bit lonely and bored all afternoon if I’m honest as I couldn’t have any one with me. Having said that I was just really grateful that my treatment could continue, there was a safe hospital for me to have my operation and that I could overcome hurdle 10 of 11.

Fingers crossed when the histology comes back from the sample, there are no cancer cells present.