The raw unscripted life of Natasha Hurst: Tuesday 17th March and onwards...

Tuesday 17th March

11.30am - District Nurse (DN) has been and she was not happy that I didn't get called in by the HITH team yesterday, SO she called them again. AND, they called me and my hospital appointment has been brought forward to TODAY. To be honest I am glad as I'm with the DN and not liking the look of my leg at all. Anyway, they told me to pack a bag and bring meds, so chances are that I will be staying for a night or two.

DN packed up the hole with dressing.

3.15pm - In RMH transit lounge and waiting for HITH doctor.

Didn't have to wait long before being taken in.

Doctor was surprised by the state of things, and said he didn't realise it was so bad. Apparently I should be feeling much more poorly than I am. I have said I a tired, sore and a little bit off!

5.30pm - Well, its official, I've hit a pothole and taken a little detour in my healing journey! Ok, one could say its more of a backtrack, as due to complication and infection I have been readmitted to RMH 7SE (same place as before) and would you believe it bed 26 - yep, next to the first one I was in. They said they will probably be operating tomorrow!

Yes it totally sucks, but it is what it is and sooking wont fix anything so gotta keep my spirits high.

P.S. Below is Mark's post on facebook, posted at 12.05am!

Ok, Mark here! Tonight I find myself in a difficult dilemma. On the one hand, there is the vague possibility that I may get better than 4hrs straight sleep!!; but it comes at an extremely high price. My beautiful bride has traded our bed for a hospital bed back at RMH. Yep, we've hit a bit of a snag in the healing department. This arvo (as in Wed 18th), (hopefully!) the girl will be undergoing a second round of surgery. But as per usual, we will face these setbacks with hearts filled with hope and a smile on our dials!!.....coz, afterall, s#%t happens!!!

P.S. As always, prayer an positive thoughts greatly appreciated.

P.P.S. No. She does NOT have Covid-19!!!

Wednesday 18th March

6.30am - Goodmorning, I will be heading for surgery this afternoon...just a waiting game as to when.

7.30am - Change of plans. Due to them being ultra busy my operation has been scheduled for Saturday. In the meantme they will do daily dressing changes with a special liquid to treat the infection. AND, I will get some antibiotics via drip and oral tabs. So, I will be here quite a while yet, I kinda sorta thought I would be home by Saturday.

Whilst not at all ideal, it quite simply is what it is, and I just need to be a patient patient and trust that my team are doing everything possible to ensure that I am quickly set on the right path and am home bound where I can rest, heal and recover.

Thursday 19th March

The team AND infectious control docs came this morning and I am starting on new antibiotics today...penicillin ones! Yep you read that right, pencillin which I have always avoided due to allergy as a child BUT they want to give it a go. This makes me a little nervous...okay ALOT nervous BUT because it was a childhood allergy they want to see if I have outgrown it. Also, the infection will respond better with penicillin.

Anyway I am in the best place if anything goes wrong and they will be monitoring me closely with obs every 30 minutes.

9.30am all drains are out!

WHOO HOO! I feel so free!

As I have open wounds on my legs and aren't being operated on until Saturday, I need to be bandaged to try to prevent more infection. However, everytime I went to the loo and pulled down my draws the bandages would become compromised, SO I solved the problem by getting Mark to bring me in a pair of pantyhose.

I just realised that I also forgot to share another nifty thing that I made to make life a little easier and less painful for me when toileting.

I originally had a sheewee, but I found it too flimsy and to be quite honest not big enough to ensure that I didn't make a mess. And so, I cut it up and added it to a regular plastic funnel that I shaped by heating with a hairdryer to make it pliable. Then I covered it with cloth tape. I know it seems gross but it has seriously made a big difference.

WATCH FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEO UPDATE HERE

7.00pm - This evening I am feeling a bit down because my little man Jazz is sick with a sore throat and fever (doc said viral but defs not corona), and I'm not there to look after him and give mumma snuggles. On top of that I was a little upset at the thought of not seeing Mark for the next couple/few days, even though it is best he be there for our boy/s...as full as hospitals are, they can be a lonely place.

Anyway after a couple of phone calls with my Mum, and a video chat with my boys, I'm okay again.

Besides that, tomorrow my breast care nurse is visiting (she came today and I was asleep) AND I'm pretty tired so I will also catch up on some zzz's. There is always a silver lining!

11.10pm - One of my docs just came by and gave me an anti-nausea tablet and checked my obs and the rash that I broke out with earlier today. He believes I am indeed having an allergic reaction to the penicillin. My breathing is still okay at the moment though, so I said I will try and push through for 48 hours until I can no longer handle the itch.

Friday 20th March

WATCH FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEO UPDATE HERE

8.50am - Well, can't say I didn't give it a go BUT as it turns out, I am even allergic to penicillin as an adult; it gives me a rash AND does indeed affect my breathing. I had an antihistamine in the wee early hours of the morn which helped but it has made me ultra tired today.

Sleep didn't happen much overnight. It didn't help that we had a very loud and verbally aggressive man on the ward...his door closed, the fire doors closed, our door closed at the opposite end of long hallway AND you could still hear him. The nurses kept checking in apologising.

Swabs came back, I have streptococcus and pseudomonas, so not sure what antibiotic they will treat with now. Yesterday they said e.coli, so I am wondering if that is in there too. Will ask when they come to discuss antis later.

Today's plan, shower when nurse is ready to change dressings, and then lots of rest aka sleep!

Saturday 21st March

8.30am - Well its op day #2, I should go in around lunch time. There is not much to report as I've been sleeping mostly, I'm so very tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open to write this.

I can't remember what time they came and got me for the op, but I do remember I was on the phone to Mum and had to go quickly. I also recall that they parked my bed in the waiting area for a little while...so, I went back to sleep!

Ofcourse when they came and got me and wheeled me to the anaesthetic room, I was awake enough to need a nervous pee. So, they made me waddle all the way back to where they wheeled me from LOL.

The process didn't seem quite as daunting as the first operation. When they took me into the operating room, even the doctors and team seemed laid back...a good thing I think.

It was the same drill...shuffle over to the cold bed, arm rests in place, breathing mask on face, special gas and goodnight world!

I woke up in recovery more alert after this one too, not to say I'm not groggy but its different.

3.05pm - Back on the ward.

I found out in recovery that unfortunately my BP was very low and they were concerned that the infection is not fully cleared, so they only did a clean today.

The plan is for me to go back in for more surgery on Monday...but as we all know they change their minds as often as I pick up after the boys LOLs.

4.30pm - Feeling pretty good considering I had surgery today, but I am really cold so look what I got again...my special yellow puffy blanket!

WATCH FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEO UPDATE HERE

Sunday 22nd March

8.15am - So, I found out the 3rd infection wasn't strep, but Staphylococcus eeekkk. So thats Pseudomoneous, E.Coli and Staphylococcus. They now believe they have cleared them all, which is good because I have anxiety about it.

On Monday the plan is for me to go back in for more surgery to close the small wound under right breast, the two gashes in my left and right groin, AND to close up the flap on my left breast. Whilst the first three will be rather simple, the left breast will require a skin graft (most likely from my thigh), and a vac dressing for a week.

They will also recheck my leg is still closed up - yep, seems they managed to do that yesterday before BP dropped. Why do they insist on talking to you in recovery when all you hear is "blah blah blah bp low blah blah infection still there blah blah" LOL. And here I was thinking I was pretty with it yeah nah!

The operation will be in the arvo and at this stage I will stay in hospital for a few more days after that. Mind you with all this Covid-19 stuff going on, things could change again.

So after the op on Saturday I was totally high as a kite, as those who watched my facebook live video would know, OMFG I still crack myself up! Whilst high equals pain free, it also meant no sleep AND as what goes up must come down, today I hit a wall! Thankfully, I finally managed to get some much needed sleep.

P.S. Mark here - 11.30pm!

Starting to get a lil suss...I've yet to meet the anaesthetist, but I'm starting to wonder if he's a good lookin sort that my wife has taken a fancy to!! Yep, tomorrow (hopefully!) she goes under yet again! This won't be the last one either. But going into this, we both knew it would be a journey. And not a short one. We also decided that we would laugh our way through it...

Soooo...the girl vid called me to let me know she was out of the operation. She was also out of her mind on meds!!

She...has...no...idea...I...took...this...pic!!

Check THIS out!!!

(Love you baby, you uber-trippa!!!)

Monday 23rd March

7.30am - Well...today is op day #3 IF they can fit me in after lunch.

10.00am - I received a special parcel in the mail from my little sister and fam, Thank you I feel so spesh xo

Look who came in to wait with me. And wait we did!

6.30pm - Well, op cancelled, and they are sending me home until Wednesday, then I will be admitted to Royal Womans and have op there.

As they can't do my op today or tomorrow due to emergency cases, they believe that with the Covid-19 stuff going on in there, I will still be better off/have less risk at home. Yep even though Jazz has a viral infection. Also, they have assured me my infections are clear, but said regardless of that this is the best plan!

The way the registra told me was absolute bullshit to be honest. At 5pm she waltzed into my room saying "I have good news". I was like "It's time for surgery?", and she was like "Oh um NO, you are going home!". Talk about hear a pin drop and major cut the air with a knife moment!

As you know, Mark and I have been staying positive and sharing our craziness. However, we also keep things real and sometimes even positive people have 'moments'!

Anyway, by the time we packed, loaded the car, got discharge papers, script from pharmacy, and then wen't across to the 24 hour clinic near the hospital to fill it, we didn't get on the road until 8.15pm.

Looking forward to my own bed and to seeing my babies, that there is a silver lining!

Tuesday 24th March

After processing and no longer feeling like deers caught in headlights, thanks to a chat with my breast care nurse, we are okay with what's going on. We have said all along that we trust my team, and so we have released the need to control, surrendered to the process and trust this course of action is what is best!

Enjoying the comforts of home.

Love my new tea cup that my Little Sis and fam gave me...feeling very blissful indeed! How good was the timing on its arrival hey! A day later and I would not have gotten it.

WATCH FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEO UPDATE HERE

Wednesday 25th March

7.00am - Miss positive polly is back and she is ready for what today holds. Hopefully its an op to get all these infections/wounds sorted, but if not then I shall take a deep breath, grumble for a moment and then get over it!

11.00am - Arrived at the Womans Hospital and found out that Mark was not allowed to wait with me - but we weren't sure whether he should wait or go home. My paperwork was not sent over from the RMH like it should have been, so it was a little confusing to come in prepared to stay the night, and then told it was only a day proceedure. Then to complicate things more they told me that I will stay overnight but they wont operate until tomorrow. But next minute, they decide that they will operate today afterall. Oh, it also almost didn't happen for several reasons such as; no specialised equipment, and concern that Jazz may have shared his virus with me.

It was well and truly a kafuffle of a day which I will admitt was anxiety inducing (BP perfect because of it). Mind you, I sat on purple recliners under the warm puffy blanky most of the day and slept so I can't really complain. Worst part was that after I gowned up, they took all of my belongings and put them on a trolly which was taken to the recovery area - phone included. Thankfully I was allowed to use the ward phone to let Mark know what was going on.

Anyways, when the time finally came for me to be operated on (4pm ish), they got me to walk in and climb on the table...yup icy cold as always. But they did have lots of natural light coming into the O.R which was really nice. The only team members I recognised were Kelly and Tim, so it felt a little daunting. They again got me comfortable with some arm pads put on the bed, and made sure they had easy access to put in the canulas when I was fully asleep - much better than when awake! Then the usual drill began...mask, deep breaths, off to sleep!

9.10pm - I am out of recovery and in my own room at the Woman's 5 North Bed 11, the Womens Hospital is the.bomb! Feels like a luxury resort! . I had a tricky time in recovery with being unable to manage pain, not wanting to wake up, low oxygen stats, and ofcourse being cold again (despite the bair hugger). But, I am doing ok and being monitored closely.

Have been told that all going well tonight, I will be heading home tomorrow...remembering it is the best environment for healing AND with the whole C19 they want to limit my hospital stay other than than appointments eg. I need to come back for a complex wound appointment next Wednesday and I also need to follow up something about a radiation appointment which had to be cancelled today for this op.

I'm about to eat some sandwiches...starving.

Well that was a waste!

Anyway, the best part of my day was chats with my fam.

You like my ET phone home finger, check out those smiles.

WATCH FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEO UPDATE HERE

P.S. Mark here again!

So i was wron...wro...i wasn't right. I thought the girl wasn't getting the operation till tomorrow. She had it LATE this arvo and is happily recovering in her own room at The Women's Hospital. She's had a bit of pain and trouble waking; oxygen stats were low but all in all is doing ok and being monitored closely. According to the groggy girl, she hasnt been seeing just one anaesthetist. She's had several...Hmmm. Not sure bout that!!

At any rate, We're hoping she'll come home tomorrow if all goes well...best healing happens at home!! (AWAY from all these good-lookin,drug-haulin, smooth-talkin anaesthesiologists!!!)

Thursday 26th March

6.24am - Grumble Grumble! Maybe I'm a little grumpy this morning due very lillte sleep (standard for op nights), and also being sore...had 2 endone around 3.15am and slept 2 hours so it took the edge off, I forgot how painful and cumbersome vacs were.

Anyway, I will message later to let you know the jurys verdict when handed out.

Hmmm on a positive as every cloud has silver lining...stats are good!

8.49am - They are sending me home today, after lunch and after chat with my breast care nurse to go through my plan! Oh and also after revising pain meds.

12.36pm - Mark come and broke me our before lunch.

4.35pm - Happy to be home and in my own bed! As last night was pretty much sleepless I am absolutely buggered, but we managed to get on top of the pain which is a huge plus!

So where to from here?

Well I'm back to Day 1/Week 1, so its lots of rest, some gentle physio exercises and a 'little' walking, then back into the RMH for complex wound clinic in one weeks time. In addition I have gp, physio, psychology and plastics post-op appointments via telehealth.

Of course there is also life in general to navigate and LIVE...well, the new version of it in these crazy times anyway!

For now though...I'm gonna sit and give Mark verbal instructions on what goes where and how, before slothing off to bed frustrated and exhausted!

Friday 27th March

Okay, so due to a dressing mishap, today did not start off that well at all!

Their error a) didn't tell me unit needed constant charging b) dressing cut little less than needed to be hence why popped off.

Trying to breathe through urgent phone calls, waiting times for call backs with instructions and an emergency dash into the city to the Woman Hospital was not easy...if it wasn't for my sweet man keeping his cool and repeating the mantra over and over, I recon I would have lost my shizzle!