(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer)

Tuesday 10th July 2018 – The Day of the Operation

If you have read my previous posts you will know It was now the day of operation at UHCW (university Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire) in Coventry due to jaw cancer.

I was up bright and early, had had my shower and was sat on my bed waiting to be taken down for my operation.

The anaesthetist came to see me on the ward to tell me what to expect and to fill in more forms, then to my surprise a couple of porters came and got an end of the bed each, I thought I would just walk along to the operating theatre but no, they put all my stuff in my locker, got me in a robe, got me in bed ready to be wheeled away.

I wasn’t at all concerned, was still looking forward to getting on my proper ward and the only thing that worried me was, how would my stuff get to me if I was being moved to another ward, they told me not to worry and it would all be there when I woke up.

Off we went, the 2 porters pushing me in the bed and we got to the lift.
I asked if I could get out the bed, walk down the stairs and meet them at the bottom, but they weren’t having none of it, so in to the lift we went.

It was a nice big lift, nice and quick and much to my relief the doors soon opened and we were out at the bottom.

Along the corridors to the pre op room where the anaesthetist was waiting for me.

I can’t remember a great deal other than there was 2 or 3 of them, everyone was very nice again.

They asked if I was ready, put a mask on me and told me to start counting.

I was then wheeled in to the operating surgery where they cut away half of my mandible (lower jaw), cut my leg open and took out my fibula to use to reconstruct a new jaw, and sliced my belly open to get a bit of spare skin and tissue to graft on to my leg.

Before doing any of this they also gave me a tracheostomy

I never really asked much about the operation but apparently I was in there for 10+ hours with 4 different surgeons.

I have no idea what happened next but the next thing I remember was being on Ward 32 flat on my back with a Nurse shining a torch in my mouth.

My 1st night in hospital had been fine, a bit annoying having to stay awake for my pre-op drinks, being woken up for vitals and having to wake up early, but all in all it was fine – My 2nd night in hospital was completely different 🙁

Story continues here – My 1st night after my operation

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