April - Things go a bit wrong

Early April -However, over the next few days I realise something is not quite right. The breast wound is still leaking and the place at the bottom of the incision has developed a small white lump and has reddened edges. I call the key worker as instructed. It switches to voicemail. She is away. I call the ward – the next point of contact on the list. Eventually I get through and explain the situation and am told to see my GP. My heart sinks..it can take days to get a GP appointment. I manage to get a fill in appointment with the practice nurse by stressing this is an emergency.

The practice nurse agrees it is infected and gets a doctor to prescribe flucloxicillin – an antibiotic I have had before for soft tissue infections so I know I can take it.

They give me more dressings and I start the antibiotic. I am due to see Mr P at the end of the week for my follow up appointment so hopefully the antibiotic will have started working by then.



Not a chance - the day after the visit to the practice nurse, I remove the dressing and a great blob of stuff comes with it leaving a hole at the end of the incision. I am not normally squeamish but this was a bit nasty. I managed to get my partner to find some sterile swabs in the first aid kit and cleaned and redressed it hoping that the next time I looked at it the antibiotic would have started working.