DIEP FLAP RECONSTRUCTION

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Before Surgery:

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1. Stock up on meals in your freezer as much as you can. Get the meal out in the morning/night before and then just prepare veg, salad, pasta, rice etc to go with it.

2. Buy an extra long phone charger as the normal ones won’t reach the bed – you can’t move too much the first day so this helps a lot. Here’s a link to an iPhone one  http://tinyurl.com/y4g7nee3.  I am sure they do them for other models too.

3. Exercise as much as you can.  If your mind and body are strong your recovery will be easier.  

4. Bras: Mastectomy favourites from Asda http://tinyurl.com/y24cuz5a  £15 for two and are very comfortable.

5. Pants:  Sloggi Maxi Control. Here is a link to a two pack from Amazon http://tinyurl.com/yywac9f2  

6. Binder:  This binder is much more comfortable than the one the hospital gives you http://tinyurl.com/yxsrhh5j  

7. Mini Fan:  You are wrapped up really warm after the operation and the room is kept very hot.  http://tinyurl.com/yyh57nyr 

8. Water bottle:  You have to drink loads of water.  It’s hard to drink out of a normal cup without a straw so a water bottle is a good investment.

9. Hired a cleaner to take the strain off family – just once a week to vacuum, polish and change beds.

Surgery: (anonymous patients point of view)

1. When they say you wake up feeling like a bus has hit you, they are very accurate. No pain just no energy. The operation is long so the anaesthetic takes it out of you hugely for a good 2 days. 

2. You wake up attached to a lot of equipment that is checking main stats such as blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels etc.  You will also have an oxygen tube in your nose.  There is also a fluid drip to keep you hydrated.

3. I had 2 drains – one in my new boob and one in my stomach.  I also had a vacuum pack on my stomach which was attached to a small box that you have to carry around when you go to the loo.

4. The high dependency staff are in the room with you all the time and they will check you as follows:

1. Every half an hour for the first 12-24 hours

2. Every one to 2 hours for 24-48 hours

3. Every 4 hours after that for about a day

4. Every 8 hours from there

Your stats are checked plus the temperature of the new boob and your body.  A doppler is used to check blood flow and sounds just like a heartbeat.

1. The room is really hot!

2. My appetite was poor for the time I was in hospital so I kept to bland meals like soup and toast.

3. Physio visit the next day after the op.  They give you exercises to do in bed and then help you get out of bed.

4. On day 4 I went down and up the stairs.

5. You will have morphine on a button.  I kept topping up as soon as it allowed me as I was nervous of any pain. I came out of surgery at 7.30pm approximately.  They took the morphine off me at about 10am the following morning.

6. Your catheter will also be taken out at the same time as they want to get you out of bed asap.  THIS IS NOT AS BAD AS YOU THINK IT WILL BE!  I was so nervous I cried but it really surprised me.  The most noticeable thing is that you are just so exhausted, and a trip to the toilet completely wipes you out! Also, I was very nervous I would damage my stomach wound but of course you don’t.  I ate my lunch sitting in the chair that day.

7. Once I was off the morphine, I was given tramadol twice a day.  By day 3 I was only taking paracetamol in the day and a tramadol at night – I didn’t need it but got a more relaxed night’s sleep with it.  

8. I was able to have a mini shower on day 3.  You are helped with this and you just have to take care that your dressings stay dry.  It was heaven!  On day 4 the nurses helped me wash my hair.

9. I went home on day 6 with tramadol in my medication bag but haven’t taken one since I have been home as haven’t needed it.  By day 19 I only took paracetamol at night.

10. I had to administer an injection for 7 days after getting home.  The nurses will teach you how to do it.  It is fine and very quick.

11. Take easy clothes to go home in and slip on shoes as you can’t bend to do laces up.

At home:

1. Take all the advice from the breast nurses and do absolutely nothing for 2 weeks.  Just eat, wash and rest.  If you follow this you will heal better.  It’s really hard not doing anything but it’s only 2 weeks of your life!

2. I had a full shower on day 7 after all dressings had been removed.  I still had one drain in but it was fine to shower with.

3. Do the exercises that they give you as it really helps mobility.

4. Day 16 I went out for lunch.

5. Day 17 I went round the shops for an hour.

6. Day 18 I walked round Packwood House.

7. Day 19 I walked 4km.

8. YOU CAN DO THIS!