Healing from Surgery

Healing from surgery is always an up and down ride.  Sometimes you feel great, other times, you feel like, yes, you have had surgery.   Sunday July 17, I felt like I had surgery!  Although the pain wasn't what I thought it would be, the best way that I could describe this day was I felt like I had been in a fight.  And in a way, it kind of was like that.  I mean I was sliced and diced and suctioned and stitched and so many other things.  I think today was my worst pain day.  Again, thank you to the makers of Demerol and for sleep.  

Monday Glenn has to go back to work so we have friends come in for the week to take care of me.  Remember, I can't do much of anything for myself.  I can't even get a glass of water.  I am so thankful for the friends who came during the day to be with me, to feed me, give me my med's, help me get comfortable, whatever I needed!  I could not have survived without them!

Sleeping is the hardest part.  You have to stay on your back for a minimum of 6 weeks and I am not a back sleeper.  I so badly want to be on my side when I sleep but I cannot do this.  I struggle to get in any comfortable position.  Many pillows and such to try figure out what will help me the most.  Eventually, I kind of get in a groove of some sort but that was one of the hardest things about this surgery....sleeping on my back all the time.

I have to give a huge shout out to my husband as well.  Remember, I can't really do much of anything because I really can't use my arms.  Yes, I can go to the bathroom by myself, but it takes having the toilet paper roll strategically placed in the bathroom so that I don't have to reach for it.  Showering I cannot do on my own.  I can't raise my arms to wash my hair.  So Glenn has to shower with me and wash my hair and get me clean.  I feel like a little child again!  But Glenn just did everything that needed to be done without hesitation and was very gentle with me.  He was always scared that he would hurt me, but I assured him that he wouldn't.  You have to remember, my breasts are swollen, bruised beyond belief, have scares and I am taped up.  He had reason to be concerned and careful!

On July 21st, I go back to Dr. Moysa for a follow-up appointment.  Things are looking really good and he tells me what I need to do for changing the tape on my incisions for the next 8 weeks.  The trickiest part for me is going around the nipples.  During a breast reduction, the nipples are completely removed and then reattached.  But with the doctor's guidance, I think we can do this!  I will have to see Dr. Moysa again in a month for more follow-up.  Until then, I am to continue on healing and doing as I have been...which is nothing!

So things are going really well!  We have lots of help, I am just taking it easy, the pain meds are doing the job and I LOVE my new body!

I get a phone call, and, remember the excessive white blood cells in my stomach?  I am scheduled to see the blood specialist on July 26th.  More to come...