GCS surgery draws closer: I'm now "top of the waiting list"

[Tills]

Thanks so much @Lori Dee That's really encouraging and very much on my wavelength

xx

[Tills]

Sorry for various posts on this but another curious thing. They mentioned covid yesterday, saying that there is still a lot of it about at the moment and that if I feel ill in the fortnight prior to surgery I need to test myself for covid. The reason? Apart from feeling like rubbish, covid can heighten the risk of blood clots forming through surgery and they would defer the operation.

I confess that I'd almost forgotten about covid. But I reckon I'm going to buy a few face masks for use on public transport over the next few weeks. It will feel very strange to be doing that again but I'd rather play it safe for the surgery.

[Sarah B ✅]

Hi Tills

Who is Tills?  (just joking)
Yes, In answer to your covid question.  In a large international study of surgical patients, 2.2% of patients with perioperative COVID-19 developed a postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE).  In other words, approximately 97.8% did not develop a VTE [1].

Put simply, about 2 out of every 100 patients with perioperative COVID-19 developed a VTE while about 98 out of every 100 did not.

It is important to distinguish perioperative COVID-19 from having had COVID-19 sometime in the past.  Among patients classified as having a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection, the reported VTE rate was 1.6%, meaning approximately 98.4% did not develop a VTE [1].  Patients with a previous infection had an even lower reported VTE rate of 1.0%, meaning approximately 99% did not develop a VTE [1].

Although the study found that COVID-19 was associated with an increased risk of VTE following surgery, the absolute risk remained relatively low and the overwhelming majority of patients with perioperative, recent or previous COVID-19 did not develop a postoperative VTE.
Your suggestion of wearing a mask sounds like a good idea and stay in side?  Anyway, its good to hear that your surgery day is coming soon.

Trust me its a wonderful day that day.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
[1] COVIDSurg Collaborative & GlobalSurg Collaborative. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 infection and venous thromboembolism after surgery: An international prospective cohort study. Anaesthesia, 77(1), 28–39. https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.15563 🔗
@Tills

[Stottie Girl]

The Hilton sounds like a feasible plan to me Tills. I don't know how you will be in your rcovery but being near a hospital and having room service available, fantastic breakfasts, good views and a free nights stay doesn't exactly sound like you will be slumming it!

You would have been welcome to recover in my spare room for a few days but A) I'm miles away, B) the house is a wreck and C) It's most definitely not a Hilton!

[Tills]

The Hilton sounds like a feasible plan to me Tills. I don't know how you will be in your rcovery but being near a hospital and having room service available, fantastic breakfasts, good views and a free nights stay doesn't exactly sound like you will be slumming it!

You would have been welcome to recover in my spare room for a few days but A) I'm miles away, B) the house is a wreck and C) It's most definitely not a Hilton!

That's so incredibly kind of you @Stottie Girl thank you so much. Made me smile about points B) and C) though 😀 I'm not normally fussy I don't think. I mean, I just spent nearly 2 months in Scotland sleeping on a wafer thin sofa bed and using camping gear all that time, with no fridge so eating only non-perishables, whilst I did the place up. I didn't have a single meal out or takeaway.

xx

[Tills]

Thanks so much @Sarah B

Actually I have to say that I'm quite shocked at how high that incidence is. c. 2% is a high risk. I mean, 1 in every 50 patients at risk of a VTE is a pretty significant risk.

Compare it to, say, the theoretical risk of oral estrogen with which we are all familiar: is that, what, about 1 in a 1000?

Anyway, Parkside's policy is that covid in the 2 weeks prior to surgery means they defer the operation. Seems fairly sensible to me: VTE is definitely not something to play around with.

xx

[Devlyn ✅]

By the way, the food at Parkside is fantastic. You'll be well fed while you're there. 🙂

[Tills]

I hope I feel like eating that lush food @Devlyn 😋

I'm gradually getting my things together and exercising lots to keep fit. They told me that they will weigh me the morning I come in. I'm guessing that's more to do with the anaesthetic but it's a reminder about their strict rules on BMI.

I had a bit of a wobble yesterday evening, for various reasons. I know it's likely to be a gruelling experience afterwards. I'm reliant on my friend here ... who's not altogether reliable. It does feel like there's a bit of passive aggressive hostility in the air as I don't think she really approves of me having the op. She won't articulate that so it hangs like an intangible presence. Also I do hope I have some sexual feeling once it has all settled down. I may be 62 but I would still like a sensate life down below.

It felt fab to buy some clothes that I have avoided all my life: more of a statement of intent with the leggings as I know I won't be able to wear them straightaway but it will be wonderful to be able to step out without a bulge.

xx

[Tills]

p.s. Re the little wobble it's also because I'm walking a pretty lonely path. I have told very, very, few people (including no one in my family) and I just know that if I were to dare to mention even the faintest scintilla of a doubt to my friend she would pounce on it and try to balloon it. She already tried three times a week ago to ask me if I was sure! And three times I changed the subject. Living in an environment where those seeds are being scattered requires resilience. Which fortunately I have in abundance 99.9% of the time 😀

Seriously though, it's a lonely path. I'll be in the hospital for 4 nights over the August bank holiday and my friend won't come and visit me (her way of showing disapproval I suspect) so I won't have a single visitor. So having friends on this forum really helps. And I'm pretty sure over the years that I've read most people approaching GCS on this forum have 'a moment'. We wouldn't be human if we didn't check in with ourselves.

xx

[Tills]

Oh and by the way, mega praise to Parkside for not asking me to come off estrogen. Because my estradiol level is c. 400 pmol/L they have left me on hormones, as per latest WPATH guidelines.

I shudder to think how tough this would have been without any hormones in the system (I had an orchidectomy in 2014).

xx

[Lori Dee ✅]

Pushing through the doubts (internal or external) is a show of strength and resolve. You have come too far to back out because someone else disapproves. She isn't the one having surgery. She can't live your life for you.

Wishing you the best. Check in when you regain consciousness. We will be here for you.

Big Hugs!

[Devlyn ✅]

I've scanned back through the topic, so forgive me if I missed it, but do you have someone to pick you up when you're discharged from Parkside?

[Stottie Girl]

You aren't walking the path alone Tills, I know we are virtual friends but we are all following your journey with you and someone is here 24/7 due to time differences. Whenever you are feeling lost or alone, you have this place to fall back on.

I know it's not quite the same, it is what I will have to deal with as I negotiate all of this solo. I don't currently even have a disaproving friend I can call on so you have that over me! Plus, maybe she is just worried about you? She is letting you stay there to recouperate at least, that shows she does care about you.

I have been alone most of my adult life so am totally comfortable being solitary but I do find tackling this stuff solo is scary, that's totally normal, it does not mean that you are having real doubts. Once you are though this and pulling on those leggings bulge free for the first time you will know it's all been worth it. I dream constantly about the day I can do that.

This will be a wonderful thing, don't worry.

If your friend drops you in it you can always PM me Tills, maybe I can help. I'm sure there are other UK girls who could offer help if needed too.

You've got this.

[Tills]

Pushing through the doubts (internal or external) is a show of strength and resolve. You have come too far to back out because someone else disapproves. She isn't the one having surgery. She can't live your life for you.

Wishing you the best. Check in when you regain consciousness. We will be here for you.

Big Hugs!

Love this @Lori Dee - thank you

I'll do that. It'll likely be late on the Friday as I won't have the op until later that afternoon.

[Tills]

You aren't walking the path alone Tills, I know we are virtual friends but we are all following your journey with you and someone is here 24/7 due to time differences. Whenever you are feeling lost or alone, you have this place to fall back on.

I know it's not quite the same, it is what I will have to deal with as I negotiate all of this solo. I don't currently even have a disaproving friend I can call on so you have that over me! Plus, maybe she is just worried about you? She is letting you stay there to recouperate at least, that shows she does care about you.

I have been alone most of my adult life so am totally comfortable being solitary but I do find tackling this stuff solo is scary, that's totally normal, it does not mean that you are having real doubts. Once you are though this and pulling on those leggings bulge free for the first time you will know it's all been worth it. I dream constantly about the day I can do that.

This will be a wonderful thing, don't worry.

If your friend drops you in it you can always PM me Tills, maybe I can help. I'm sure there are other UK girls who could offer help if needed too.

You've got this.

Love this!!! Thank you soooooo much.

xx

[Tills]

Re leaving the hospital, incredibly at the video appointment they said I could take the train. That would mean a cab to the station, train for about 30 minutes, and my friend would meet me at the other end. But that's far from an ideal solution and, as a different nurse told me during my pre-Assessment Appointment, 'what happens if there's a problem with the trains?' Which is quite possible, especially around Wimbledon for reasons I won't go in to here.

So cab it is (probably about £100). If the driver doesn't listen about going slowly I'll employ a tactic I've used in other parts of the world: wave a banknote if he / she slows down. I'll just need someone at the hospital to help me with my bag but that won't be a problem, and at the other end my friend will help it, and me, out the cab.

xx

p.s. £100 for a cab for an op which would have cost me £25,000 is a deal I'm not going to start whingeing about ...

[Stottie Girl]

Yikes! Cabs are expensive down there!

Yeah, when you put it in the context of the op cost it's not a bad deal is it!

I'm, surprised your friend isn't picking you up though, I would have.

Will the hospital not have porters who can help you with the bag at that end?

[Tills]

Yikes! Cabs are expensive down there!

Yeah, when you put it in the context of the op cost it's not a bad deal is it!

I'm, surprised your friend isn't picking you up though, I would have.

Will the hospital not have porters who can help you with the bag at that end?

Hi Stottie Girl (can I call you Sarah?), thanks and agreed.

Yes hospital porters or someone will help me at that end.

I was slightly incredulous about the train suggestion. It's probably not a very good idea.

I need to try and avoid letting myself get into a negative mindset about my friend. If it were her (nearly 30 yr old) daughter, she'd be camped out at the hospital and would pick her up. On the other hand, as you have rightly said she is letting me stay and she will do my meals etc. And to be fair she doesn't like driving in London.

It's one of the main things that caused that minor little wobble but I think I'm through that. I like the 'You've Got This' which you wrote.



xx

[Stottie Girl]

Hi Stottie Girl (can I call you Sarah?), thanks and agreed.

Yes hospital porters or someone will help me at that end.

I was slightly incredulous about the train suggestion. It's probably not a very good idea.

I need to try and avoid letting myself get into a negative mindset about my friend. If it were her (nearly 30 yr old) daughter, she'd be camped out at the hospital and would pick her up. On the other hand, as you have rightly said she is letting me stay and she will do my meals etc. And to be fair she doesn't like driving in London.

It's one of the main things that caused that minor little wobble but I think I'm through that. I like the 'You've Got This' which you wrote.



xx

Of course you can call me Sarah! Everyone else does!

I'm not being a debbie downer on your friend, driving though London can't be fun, like at all, I don't blame her for that. I think if it was me I would have gone with you in a taxi is all, that being said it is expensive. Maybe there's no real need in all honesty, you will be with "someone" after all. I'm sure many people do that journey alone too. The important thing is she will be there for you when it counts by providing a safe roof over your head and feeding you ha ha! Can't be all bad eh?

You wouldn't be human if you didn't have a little wobble Tills! Just keep that magical leggings moment in your mind!

[Tills]

Well I can now say that my GRS surgery is at the 'end of next week'. (If you take Sunday as the start of the week )

Which feels cool to be able to write that. I think I'm fairly organised. I'm going to meet up with various family members this week. It's not that I'll be telling any of them but more because I know I'll be unlikely to visit them in the next couple of months.

Then the week of the Op I'll be taking it easy as per hospital suggestions. I might head over to RHS Wisley gardens, which I love, but will do so in a casual way. It's only about 15 minutes from my friend's house.

I don't have to attend on Friday week until 10.30 am, which means I'll be an afternoon surgery - likely late afternoon I'm guessing. A couple of advantages of this are that I am allowed breakfast and I can drink up until I arrive. So all being well I'll pop in to my Caffè Nero beforehand for my favourite double macchiato.

xx