Andrea was doing so well keeping you all up to date and now that the responsibility's mine again, you haven't been getting much news. But in this case, no news is good news! I've been hanging out at the house with Mom and my good friend Percocet. :) Naps have been my activity of choice, but I've also had some nice visits with some of you. I've been enjoying the flowers, balloons, treats, cards, banners, and other tokens of affection that have been lavished on me and have made my living room so cheery. You guys are the greatest!
So, what's the reality behind Extreme Makeover: Mastectomy Edition? Pain and drains. A lot of pain throughout my torso, due to the incisions, tissue removal, and expanders put behind my pectoral muscles. At the hospital, the pain limited me so much that I couldn't even move my arms enough to wipe my eyes and holding my water cup for myself was impossible. I basically didn't move the entire time I was in the hospital. Since getting home, I need help getting out of my chair (sitting up uses some of those injured muscles apparently) and I can't use my arms to help me up for fear of splitting my incisions open. Mom's been putting her hands behind my back and lifting me up, but I've improved to the point that I don't need that help anymore! I do have to sleep almost sitting up, because reclining is very painful for some reason. But I just snuggle down in the middle of a bunch of pillows and try not to move all night. I did overestimate my ability to get up on my own and got stuck in the chair this morning until Mom got up. :) But it's amazing how much better the pain is already. I hardly notice it (although I am still taking the pain meds). As for the drains, they are lovely grenade-shaped bottles attached to tubes that are hanging out of me and have to be carried around in pockets sewn into my shirts. They also have to be emptied several times a day and the amount of fluid coming out has to be measured. Quite glamorous. But if it weren't for the drains, I probably would barely notice that I've had surgery. I'm doing that much better already! Here are a few pictures we took today.
Again, thanks for all your prayers! I'll try to write a less gritty post tomorrow, but a couple of you have said you're interested in getting a patient perspective on cancer, so I'm obliging and being real about the whole thing at the same time. Here's hoping for another happy report tomorrow. :)
So, what's the reality behind Extreme Makeover: Mastectomy Edition? Pain and drains. A lot of pain throughout my torso, due to the incisions, tissue removal, and expanders put behind my pectoral muscles. At the hospital, the pain limited me so much that I couldn't even move my arms enough to wipe my eyes and holding my water cup for myself was impossible. I basically didn't move the entire time I was in the hospital. Since getting home, I need help getting out of my chair (sitting up uses some of those injured muscles apparently) and I can't use my arms to help me up for fear of splitting my incisions open. Mom's been putting her hands behind my back and lifting me up, but I've improved to the point that I don't need that help anymore! I do have to sleep almost sitting up, because reclining is very painful for some reason. But I just snuggle down in the middle of a bunch of pillows and try not to move all night. I did overestimate my ability to get up on my own and got stuck in the chair this morning until Mom got up. :) But it's amazing how much better the pain is already. I hardly notice it (although I am still taking the pain meds). As for the drains, they are lovely grenade-shaped bottles attached to tubes that are hanging out of me and have to be carried around in pockets sewn into my shirts. They also have to be emptied several times a day and the amount of fluid coming out has to be measured. Quite glamorous. But if it weren't for the drains, I probably would barely notice that I've had surgery. I'm doing that much better already! Here are a few pictures we took today.
 |
| August 5, 2011 |
Again, thanks for all your prayers! I'll try to write a less gritty post tomorrow, but a couple of you have said you're interested in getting a patient perspective on cancer, so I'm obliging and being real about the whole thing at the same time. Here's hoping for another happy report tomorrow. :)
Comments
Post a Comment