journal from post op days at home day 6-14

Day#6-Gaze and Bowel Release

So I wake up this morning and glory halleluiah, prune juice is truly liquid plumber, I have to say I was beginning to worry that my days would be filled with suppositories just to go to the bathroom, let’s hope this is a trend that will continue on.  Being pleased with my bowels I went downstairs and as I’m getting my breakfast made I notice that my right side feels really wet, I look at my drain dressing and sure enough it’s soaked with yellow and sero-sang drainage (blood and body fluid) that explains why my #4 drain was almost empty when I checked it. Dilemma however is that I no longer have drain sponges to dress the area with. So I call around Dad, Step-mom (she has some from the hospital, but she was sleeping after a night shift so she would have to bring them after 3pm), friends that are nurses, even Dave’s mom. No one had anything, so it is up to be to be resourceful with what I had basically double layers of 2x2 gazes and mepore tape to seal, I taped panty liners to my chest over the incisions and put on my front closing bra, and dressed up for a nice walk to shoppers drug mart. I was very impressed by the journey due to the fact that I felt pretty good the whole way, very tight in my chest but that was probably the bra.

Made it back in time for painkillers and settled onto the couch for some more bones action.

My mom joined me for lunch and all is well, hopefully tonight I will visit with Janine who is another young woman that has made the decision to undergo the surgery. As well I hope to develop my pictures today too.

 

Day#7 Post-op visit on Halloween

Last night I had a wonderful time, I’ll leave out details, but let me just say that the physical connection was successful and both parties were satisfied.

This morning I got all dressed up to go to the Edmonton clinic to get my #1 and #3 drains pulled. My dad picked me up and my mom met us there. My dad was surprised at how young Dr. Schembri looks, and he actually got curious and took a peak at my surgery site (up till today he has never seen them). The process was pretty easy the numbness in my chest probably hindered me feeling the removal, but the left tube was a two pull in length so I sort of felt the second tug. Dr. Schembri was a little concerned with my left nipple being so dark, but he assured me that nipples are resilient and next week they could be better with more space in chest from the lack of the two drains.  Fingers crossed, don’t want another surgery.

After the appointment I stopped in at my work to say hello, and showed off my surgery sites. They all told me how much the missed me and how good I looked so soon afterwards. I said my goodbyes and ventured over to compassion house while my dad went to donate blood. He came and took me home, and I   figured I deserved to rest, oh man does the chest feel good, eve my bra wasn’t nearly as painful to wear. My drain sites were a bit wet, the right side more than the left, but I figure its ben a successful day.

No Halloween fun tonight, next year I’ll be back in action. Cuddle night on the couch…another day closer to the end.

Day#8- Revenge of the tubes

So I woke up this morning to take my pain killers and boy was I stiff, it’s like what happened a week ago, feeling great then the day after something is done I’m sore and tight. At least this time I’m at home.

My drain sites are the sorest, but my incisions are a bit pinchy as well. Got some skin sensation on far sides of, center of breast is still very much numb pressure feeling. Left nipple area seems to be getting ridges around it, and might actually be a lighter colour today. Right nipple is a bit better too. I guess no pain no gain.

Lunch with mom was very nice, she is so funny, and she says I’m looking a little pudgy then she brings me a whole box of pumpkin pie…lol.

I decided to go for a walk to the bank, and as a reward I stopped at the second cup and had my first chai latte in almost 2 months. It was delicious the cup was a little heavy so I sat outside the coffee shop and enjoyed the sunshine. I felt a bit of a twinge throughout the journey, but was still feeling good so I sat outside my house and waited for Dave to come home.

Wore jeans for the first time today, surprisingly comfy, the belt loops make for a great secure area for my drains.

Dave is my chef tonight, pasta is on the menu, he claims that the longer you cook the sauce the better it tastes. Mental note to self.

My little sister Ola is playing volley ball at my old Jr/Sr high school, the smash tournament has been held there for more than a decade. Should be fun, PLAY BALL.

Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get to the piano…goal is to have at least 10 songs for Christmas…good goal I figure.

 Day#9-Small victories, but pain still lingers

Last night I tried sleeping flat all night that was not smart, 8 am I hardly could lift myself up out of bed to get the pain killers, made my little lounge chair out of pillows and thankfully settled back to sleep. Woke to Dave's soft touch on my belly, felt good to have the warmth on my sore guts and chest, it was 1100 hrs and we lazily stared the day playing quell a mind maze game, and then he stared to nibble on my belly tickling me, he said he missed my giggle. Time for a hearty breakfast, made a pan scrambler with hasbrowns, veggies, polish sausage, and hollandaise sauce....Yummy. Only had appetite for one scoop but it was delicious all the same.
We went to run some errands today, including putting together the Christmas boxes for the "Operation Christmas child." Always love putting them together it was extra special this year because Dave and I did them together.
Upon returning to the house a small miracle occurred I had to go number 2 all by myself, OMG how wonderful it is to have that back. But wiping still brings me great pain; need to improvise a bit when I do that. Man I think it's the tube on my right breast that pushes on the skin a funny way, because when I look at it there is nothing out if place or red.
It happens to be Dave's dad's 61^st birthday today, so we went to their house initially to say hello, but supper was soon produced out of leftovers, and it was a really nice evening. I’m glad I packed my pills, the pains started to creep up on me. I got Dave’s mom to look at my nipples and she told me that they were still soft and warm so they were just fine, when they start looking and feeling like dried wood that is when there is problems.

Dave’s gone out to hang with his buddies tonight, I’m so glad that he’s taking some time. Sometimes I feel like I’m holding him back and exhausting him. I’m glad that he’s going to let loose with his pals, hopefully the Oilers win…that would be great.

Another success in the bowel department to end the day off got to celebrate those small victories.

 Day 10/11- Out and about, forgetful, and Nipple Tares

So I finally get to the piano playing and it’s funny how something’s you remember and others you’re totally learning all over again. I’ve decided that my increase in pain is due to the returning of my nerve endings and better circulation; I’m quite entertained by how odd the expanders feel they are heard as a rock on top and squishy on the bottom. I was luck enough to get to go out to two suppers, one at Dave’s parents, and the next night at my favorite “all you can eat” sushi place ZEN. My appetite is defiantly not as monstrous as it had been but it was so nice to eat till it hurt.

I realized that I’m very forgetful on these tramacets; forgetting dates, events, to call pharmacy, etc. it’s very frustrating. I actually pouted in the middle of the deli department at save-on-foods…thankfully Dave set me straight. I’m running low on the tramacet, and called this morning to give the full report to Carrie my surgeon’s coordinator, she said it would be passed on later this afternoon.

Another odd occurrence, I was complaining that my bra was a bit tight yesterday, and low an behold I’m bleeding form my nipples, I’d sheered the skin right off a portion of my areola, thinking first aid I put polysporin and gaze to protect it. Found out from Carrie that it is ok and that I should do dry gaze no poly, yet another patch job in the AM. Funny thing was when I took off the dressing I had like an air blister on the top of my right areola area. I hope this is ok, really don’t want another surgery. I’m moving around pretty good today. Doing light laundry, cleaning house a bit. And tonight Mom is going to cook me an awesome supper and Dave’s off to the Slayer concert with his three friends…hope he has a ball. It was his secret Santa present. They were coming into town earlier so I had to give him his gifts early…don’t think he minds though.

Day# 12/13- Socializing and Bus Adventure

A wonderful sleep in day on tue with Dave,  he definatly had a good time at the concert so much so that he’s got bruises and no voice left from screaming. Poor guy. I had a pretty lazy day, started the day off with one of my favorite things getting my hair done. It’s been about 3 months so I figured it’s time and I deserve little pampering. Afterward Dave and I did the lazy bum movie watching, which was nice to just hang with my man. I got so caught up in the movie that we were watching I totally almost forgot girls group was being held at the house, so I quickly prepped supper, Dave took off to his buddies place, and girls group started without a hitch. They put special prayers forward for my nipples…which are looking really good asides from the sheered skin area…ops.

The next morning was not as pleasant, battled nausea all morning, thank goodness it was my last antibiotic today. After the battle was won I scarfed down some breakfast, and hopped don the bus to the Misercordia to see my auntie who is post op day 1 from her surgery. She looked pretty good, I walked with her, and encouraged the nurses to give her the stool softeners right away. For whatever reason it was put as a PRN order not as scheduled, seems odd to me that with constipating drugs it wasn’t ordered as a scheduled med. Did a little shopping for some outfits that would be comfortable and functional, and a pair of jeans, discovered that only one pair of my jeans fits me, that’s not good, guess I am getting  a bit pudgy, darn. Saw my other auntie that works at the mall, gave her a big hug, had a delicious lunch at Sorentino’s café, and then began the trek back home. The bus system to my area leaves me with limited options, so it took me 39 min to get home. But I made it and looking forward to my last night with these stupid drains.

Day #14- drain free and lady lumps appear

The day that I’ve been waiting for, drains gone. So initially he said he was going to take it slow, well he put in 150mL into each expander, that’s slow. Well after some discussion with the coordinator I’ll be waiting about 3 weeks to get filled again and it may be my last fill. These expanders are 600mL and I can go 50mL over that amount. Right now I’m tight in the chest at 550mL’s.

The pulling of the drains was no sweat, and the fill was a cool sensation of like a small jet on my chest muscles. I feel like I’m huge now, but it is pretty standard size, I’m about a small C cup at this point which gives me nice lady lumps, for now.

I also went to see Dr. Dabbs today, she said that with sending my tissue for pathology there was two small benign cyst behind both of my nipples…imagine where that would have gone if given more time to grow…no thank you!!!