TSF + two and half hours....

I was awoken in Recovery - feeling groggy - a bit like a really bad hangover. I had no feeling from the waist down and had an oxygen mask on. Although I had no pain, I was uncomfortable and through slurred speech requested a pillow to go under my leg.

After an hour or so and drifting in and out of consciousness, I was returned to the ward and met by my parents. The operation had gone well, I was only under for two and half hours. I spent the rest of the evening trying to get my voice back and trying to get rid of the taste of the anaesthetic. Still fairly out of it, I had a surprisingly good nights sleep.

8th June 2009...

Before I knew it, I was sitting in traffic on the M25 on my way to RNOH - the 8th June was finally here. I had finished work, rented my room out, drunk all I could drink and bought numerous pairs of new pyjamas!

The day started well, I had been allocated my own room - which Mum set about cleaning frantically and before I knew it, I had was changed into my gown and paper pants and being wheeled into theatre - sobbing.

I opted for an epidural, which was put in before I was put to sleep. Post-op pain control would consist of tramadol tablets - fairly strong opiate based painkillers, which I would start to take once the epidural was removed. As my cannula was put in, I was asked to count to ten, I think I made it to 3....