"Thank you so much for being so kind and caring."

In June I had to have an axillary incision at east surrey in SAU. I thought it was fine until nurses at planned treatment said bleeding was not right and they have never seen this before its hard and to go back before it closes or it will come back. They sent me back 3 times and each time each surgeon would do and say something different. The first surgeon drained all the blood which was painful and told nurses at planned treatment to do the same. They sent me back because it was not right. The second surgeon said an ultra sound and incision then changed their mind after speaking to seniors and gave me antibiotics which didn't work. The third time nurses referred me back I broke down at SAU as they said they have to poke up blood again and then another senior said no the hardness was part of the healing and do the dressing myself. I was appalled by each professional saying something different but felt in my body planned treatment were right. 

After weeks had passed. I went back to the GP because of hardness and pain. They said I can refer you to the breast clinic or back to SAU I said um both? They felt it was a lymph node. Not sure why they asked me as they are the Dr. They referred me back to SAU. The surgeon felt it was a lymph node and then sent me for an ultra sound. The ultra sound showed the hardness and it had come back. They sent me back to SAU to discuss which I didn't expect. The surgeon said because I had come back so many times and pain they will now do the surgery.

They took bloods, urine sample, signed the document. Anaesthetic nurse asked questions, had me change into a gown and told me surgery would be today and I was next. I waited in SAU 11 hours, at 4pm they told me I was next. Then urgent cases came up but they didn't inform to say my surgery was delayed they just said I was next. Me and my parents would ask instead of anyone communicating to us.

At 10:50pm the nurse says it has been cancelled for the day and will do it tomorrow. I really wish they could have simple communicated as I saw 2 patients go ahead of me and all they had to do was simply say sorry the surgery was delayed due to higher urgency patients. But they kept lying and saying I was next? The Dr pulled us aside as my dad was not happy. He said I was golden hour alongside another patient to come at 6:30am next day. Me and my dad came at 6:20am before the other patient. The other patient was taken to theatre. There was no update for me, I waited 2 hours until handover with no info. I don't know why I needed to be there at 6:30?Then later when queried, a nurse mentioned I was on the list and had to wait and me and my dad told her no, I was on the golden hour. 

The Dr then saw me and explained I am on the list but the other patient went first as they met the criteria with regards to bmi etc and they had urgent child next but I was on the list and because I had another appointment to go to that as this isn't that important and can be done another day but I didn't want things to get worse and this was my 7th time going to SAU being referred 3 times by nurses by a GP and ultrasound. I broke down as every person would just say something different or lie or say my wound was not urgent enough or they don't do minor procedures.

Having to wait 11 hours one day 9 hours the next. All I would ask is SAU to simply and kindly communicate with patients, to update them what's going on and if there is any delays or what's happening and listen to patients. I didn't need to wait so many hours be told different things and for surgeons to discuss with each other before not each surgeon suggest something different which was distressing.

As this mentally stressed me out. I was grateful that planned treatment told me it was going to come back but each time the surgeons would not listen which made me feel distressed, how many times do I need to be sent there until they had to do the procedure. This could have been avoided if they listened to the nurses that it was hard and going to close or if the surgery done the first time done effectively so it wouldn't come back. The NHS states putting people first and delivering excellence but I felt I was being put last by some of the SAU. I was very disheartened how I was treated I think anyone would be with the lack of communication and waiting system but grateful my surgery was done

The positive I am grateful to the lovely surgery team the second time round who were so positive and played Whitney Houston I want to dance with somebody in theatre and really took care of me. I hope this lump it does not come back with this surgery. I really do not want any more stress. Especially grateful to the Drs and two nurses post surgery and the porter who wheeled me in a wheelchair, their energy was lovely and really made my day need more people like that. Thank you so much for being so kind and caring.

God bless