Woke about 4, got up, showered and had breakfast where there were two cards wishing me luck from mammy and dad. We left the house about 5.15 and arrived at the airport about 6.30. I picked up the tickets at the Ryan Air desk and checked in. Dad and I had breakfast and then, after getting a book and a newspaper in the news agents we said good-bye at the boarding gate very quickly, a quick hug and that was it because I knew I'd start crying and I could see that he was about to as well. I headed off for the boarding gate, nearly managing to flush my boarding down the loo during a nervous pit-stop.

It was a lovely flight over, we flew down down over Blessington, then Arklow and along the Wexford coast. We were 25 minutes early arriving at Gatwick so we had to go into a holding stack for 20 minutes and as a result got a lovely flying tour of the South East, flying several times over Brighton (strangely the Sussex Nuffield seemed to mark the turning point for our stack). We landed about 9.30, I collected my luggage and rang home to let them know I'd arrived safely. I had a cup of coffee to keep myself going and caught the 10.35 to Brighton, arriving in about 11:10 and then by Taxi out to Woodingdean. Just in time to get a lovely flower arrangement sent by Alan.

I filled in several forms (and corrected my name from "Clara" back to "Ciara" on their records) and then I was brought up to my room (No. 10 with a lovely sea view!). Mr. Royle came in about 2 along with the Matron and I signed my consent form again while he ran through what the procedure again and the order and times of what would be happening tomorrow. After that I was formerly admitted and got my first dose of Pico-Lax and the blood tests. I hadn't been able to come over for were done. I spent the rest of the afternoon writing up my diary and reading through the literature etc. I did start to get a bit worried because the nurses who were coming in and out during the afternoon, asking after me and where I was from, and how I was getting home etc., weren't too happy to hear I was planning to go home unattended next week. They also brought around my gorgeous surgical stockings that I'll be wearing for the next 9 days or so. Unfortunately they don't come in any colour other than white, sigh...

Kate bounded in to introduce herself shortly after (what should have been!) teatime. She'd had her surgery the previous Thursday and had her pack out yesterday and was bouncing around the place full of beans! I think it did me a world of good to see someone up and about and obviously suffering no ill-effects whatsoever. Mr. Thorpe, the anaesthesiologist dropped in to meet me about 8. I told him that I was more afraid of the anaesthetic probably than the surgery since I'd never been under before. He was lovely and went through exactly what would happen and told me not to worry basically.

RR popped in to see me (which was nice considering I only went to see him once) and how I was doing and checking that I'd settled in all right. After that I rang home again and had a short chat before ringing Sally. I started feeling quite weepy at that stage and think she could hear it in my voice. She asked was I sure it was what I wanted and I just said yes. David surprised me by ringing about 9.30 (just as I was about to get into my bath) to wish me well, Mammy and Daddy rang again shortly afterwards. I eventually got into the bath and shaved (yuck! hopefully I won't be doing that again in a hurry...)

I settled down to watch some TV by about 11.30, the night nurse popped in to ask what time I wanted to be woken at tomorrow and check that everything was OK and then it was off to sleep (which was dead easy because I was tired out at that stage)