Surgery week

Leading upto my surgery I had to slowly increase my medication. This took its toll on my energy levels and my ability to deal emotionally with the upcoming surgery. I was feeling down about the surgery and very scared. Until this point I was able to keep everything positive and in control.

Before I could have the tumour removed, I had to have it embolized. This required me to have general anaesthetic and stay over night about 3 days before the surgery. To do the embolization, the doctor makes an incision in the groin and entered the femeral artery. They then go up to the tumour and start blocking the blood supply. This procedure turned out to be a great help to my tumour removal as I didn't end up losing a lot of blood during the removal surgery. After the embolization I was able to go home for 1 night before my tumour removal. This was great for me as I had some time with my family to relax and prepare for the big operation.

I was admitted to the hospital the night before my surgery. I was nervous and worried. On top of this, the doctors came in and discussed about the various risks and percentages involved. Blood transfusion was very high on the list of things that may happen. The doctors expected that I would lose a lot of blood during the operation and that along with the normal risks of a 8hr anaesthetic made it very risky.

On the morning of the operation I wasn't as worried as I thought I would be, I was in my bed, the doctors were talking to me and my family were all around me. The frightening part was when I had to enter the theatre. I was alone with the doctor who was putting in many drips and monitors. After trying to get a canular in, they decided it was best I go to sleep while they continued to try.

The operation took 6hrs, I didnt need a night in intensive care as the operation went really well. I didn't have a transfusion, it went faster than expected and the doctors were very happy with how the surgery went. I dont remember much of the first night back in the ward, I was very groggy and tired. What I do remember though was that I didn't need any morphine and that there wasn't much pain. My ear was blocked and I couldn't move my head. The following two days I spent lying around. The endochronologist tried stopping my medicine but as soon as I did, my heart rate jumped up to around 130bpm. He saw the same thing with another person with a glomus jugulare so it maybe normal to stay on the medication for a week following the operation.