You are advised as soon as you can after surgery to get up and about, for me that was the same day. You are also encouraged to undertake gentle exercise from as soon as you can when you get home.

I took this seriously and the day after I got home I took a walk with my shopping trolley (don’t judge me its good for the environment) to my local Lidl (about a 10 minute walk) to get some essential supplies in. As I arrived at Lidl I bumped into a work friend who couldn’t believe I was looking so well. Had he seen me coming out of Lidl 30 minutes later he would have witnessed a very different story.

The shopping really took it out of me. I managed to get everything I needed but found that it was harder to concentrate and I couldn’t find what I needed straight away. I was also flagging by the time I made it to the till and had to have a sit down and some liquids before I could make the journey home. It was then that I realised the importance of carrying a water bottle with me at all times and haven’t left the house without one since. Top tip invest in a thermos one!!

Since that day I’ve tried to do a little exercise every day. Whether that’s taking the dog for a walk, walking to the shops or walking one further stop to catch a bus. I realise it’s too early to go to the gym or lift anything heavy so have focused on the things I can do.

Towards the end of week one I had to go to my weekly counselling session. I was much more organised for this session with my water bottle but completely forgot that I was due a snack just before I went in. I managed to get some dairylee from the local shop which got me through but was annoyed I’d made such a rookie error. I also missed my bus back so walked much longer than I would usually to get another bus and I’ll be honest this completely wiped me out!!

I’ve also found it a real challenge getting the 2 litres of liquid in each day. It is a constant struggle with no glugging allowed (your tummy wont take it) and involves lots of tea and coffee, frozen sugar free ice poles, jellies and flavoured water. I am also counting the liquids that I have in my meds and Im sure soup must count towards liquid too but I still wake up every morning with a dry mouth and have to reach for a drink first thing.

Things I’ve learned this week

• Always carry liquid with you
• Plan all trips to make sure you are going to be able to eat when you need to. Keeping a standby snack with you if you can is also a great idea.
• I’ve had surgery and need to give myself a break. I’ve acted like I haven’t had surgery this week and it has had an effect on my physical and mental health that I need to acknowledge.
• Life after surgery is going to be great!!