I continue to be blessed through this journey that I know will be a Glorious Unfolding!
If you start this journey on your 6 th day you might experience some puffiness in your chest area. Remember to massage this area to help avoid lymph edema which can be painful.
Some of my posts will be lengthy and detailed as my hope in this journey is that it's glorious unfolding will be an inspiration to even just one reader who is scared about beginning their own journey . Once I was diagnosed on August 28,2014 I was starved for real information on what to expect. I can't really tell you what I expected but I can say that so far it has been easier than expected for whatever that was. I have pain meds but don't take them because I don't have pain! Now if there is someone out there reading this and thinking about breaking in just forget about it. I will also tell you that I believe with my whole heart that I'm covered by the grace, mercy and healing of my Saviour and the Great Physician Jesus Christ. If you don't know Jesus or don't have a relationship with Him I believe you can expect your journey to be more difficult because you don't have Him and his army of prayer warriors to carry you through! If you want more information on a relationship with Jesus please comment to me and I will get back with you. If you have local Christian resourses where you are, please reach out to them. If may be easier than them trying to find you or quicker anyway. Eventually God will place someone in your path to plant the seed of His kingdom. Why wait seek Him NOW!
If you find my post too long it's ok. Read if you want but no offense if you don't. This blog is also to help me remember as I know God will make many of these things a distant memory in what is yet to come of my life here.
First I will share the inconveniences and close with the great things that carry me through.
Upon dismissal from the hospital my instructions were:
1. Don't lift ANYTHING
2. Rest
3. Don't reach for anything or use your arms to push up
4. Keep your arms down to your sides
5. Re-wrap ace bandage daily to make sure there are no wrinkles in it
6. Sleep on your back
7. Empty drains daily as needed and record drainage output as instructed
8. Only button front tops nothing pulled over your head
9. The general post surgery instructions concerning fever
Ok so all of these instructions sound pretty easy and shouldn't be a problem for me I am thinking. I'm sure you will agree that they all sound pretty achievable. Well let's go over them in a little more detail.
1. Don't lift anything.
Upon first getting home my right shoulder was very sore the next day my left shoulder was very sore. I knew that was likely from the position they have to place your arms in for surgery and them being that position for at least 5 hours. That has since gone away so all good there.
Have you ever dreamed of how nice it might be to have someone wait on you hand and foot and not have to do anything for yourself? Well I have that opportunity now and for an extremely independent person that becomes really hard. At first when I got home I was still under the influence of 5-6 hours of general anesthesia followed by 36 hours on that peaceful IV pain meds I so graciously received. As that euphoria wears of your earthly independent mind begins to return you start to think oh that's just a pillow, I can pick that up or oh that medicine bottle is just over there, I can reach that. I must continue to make myself let others do for me. If I forget then my daughter reminds me. A little role reversal here!
2. Rest
Ah yes! We have all dreamed of the day that we could just sleep or lay around as much/long as we wanted to and not have to do a thing. Trust me it didn't take me long to get tired of the couch or my new electric recliner. I think it was maybe by day 2 of being home.
3. Don't reach for anything.
Refer to number 1. Ditto
In regards to using your arms to push up. Just try that a time or few. We don't realize how habitual we are. So do this. Lay down on your back on your bed or couch. Fold your arms on your chest like a mummy. Now get up off the couch while keeping your arms on your chest. Ok, now let's try it from a chair. The chair is much easier because you have your legs to push up with. You get the picture though.
4. Keep your arms to your sides.
Shouldn't be a problem along with complying with 1 and 3. Well ya see I just love to sleep with my arm gently folded and my head resting upon it like my own personal, always with me pillow or in the rare occasions that I do sleep on my back I like my arms over my head
5. Re-wrap ace bandage daily. This one is pretty simple. It's just making sure you remember to do it because if you forget then a wrinkle can cause a skin fold in your new structure that is forming. Yep forgot that on second day home and now we are on it in the evening routine.
6. Sleep on your back
OMG! I am a full stomach and side to side sleeper! This has been my most difficult challenge yet. Now that the large majority of anesthesia has worn off (but I can still use that as an excuse for my misty thinking for awhile right?) my sleep patterns are a bit erratic. You sit around all day dose off for a nap. I walk end to end of my house to move around each day to "tire" myself and help with circulation. Bedtime comes and it takes me a bit to dose off. I sleep for a couple hours then wide awake! I move from the couch to the recliner then back to the couch. All the while my knees wanting to curl up and and my arms curl up under my head and get my snore on. I think boy how good I could sleep if I could just sleep on my SIDE.
Just a bit of insight as to why you can't sleep side or stomach:
When you have mastectomy single or double with immediate reconstruction they place tissue expanders where the breast tissue was removed. Gradually, once or twice every week beginning 10ish days post surgery the plastic surgeon will inject saline into the expanders to gradually promote growth of new skin and stretch the skin making pockets for the final implants to be placed once treatment for cancer is complete and you have "recovered". Back to why..... Well if something isn't totally anchored it can tend to shift or slide to either direction. That would mean I could have an expander in the center of my chest or under my arm and wouldn't that be a quirky sight!? I haven't tried sleeping in my bed yet because I don't trust myself.
7. Empty drains as needed
When first getting home we generally emptied drains 3 times per day. Now we are down to twice a day. That's a great thing. The fluid drainage gradually decreases and the color gets lighter from total blood red to a lighter pink. We have also progressed to a medium orange hue.
The drains along with the sleeping issues have been the most difficult part of my journey to date. I know that chemo might be worse than these things. Having drains means there are plastic tubes coming from your incision sites. I have 2 on each side for a total of 4. At the end of each tube is a bulb that kind of looks like a grenade. My doctors and the hospital gave me these nice little bag pouch things that hang over your shoulder to keep your grenades in. God sent a trailblazer in my path before me and she went through same surgery early this year. Her issue with the drains was that she was using an apron that went around the neck to hold her drains and it tugged on her neck. We switched her over to an apron that was more like a smock and that worked better. I chose to use the shoulder bags but they kept falling off my shoulders. So we safety pinned them. They stay neatly on my shoulders but easily swung behind me when sitting or lying down. As I pondered this I decided that there had to be a better way. Here it is. You simply hook the straps in front with a caribeaner! Works great. After a few days I began to feel as if wearing a combat vest and this just seemed to weigh me down. I humbly (already did but even more now) appreciate our military as they choose to wear armor every day. Through my mind going to minor pity pouts I always circle back to how Jesus felt when carrying His cross to Calvary. Ok I can do this through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13So after my simple bath time this morning I decided it was time for a new look for the drains (and comfort sanity). I was also given this pretty little apron to try so here we go. No more shoulder stuff and trying to be dressed like a warrior lets go for the God moved me through that to a more feminine look. I warn you. The bandage shows in this picture. Not to shock you but for those who come behind me to know what to expect!
Yes I'm hoping that little pot belly I now (yes it was always there but my breasts stuck out above it so it was less noticable) appear to have turns into a 6 pack after all of the core sit ups I do while trying to get up without using my arms. So far all I have is a punch bowl. LOL. Did I say laughter and attitude is everything?
And for my last giggle about my new look... If it were Halloween and I had a set of set of floppy ears, a white unitard and turned sideways I could go as the Easter bunny! Guess I could rent out for that for Easter photo shoots!
NOW FOR THE GREAT THINGS
1. Draw closer to God. Trust Him and talk to him through all situations. He will be there 24/7 and does answer, calm, reinforce, encourage and so much more.
2. God has sent so many angels from his army to go along side not only me but also my family and friends. I hear that about 1/4 of the surgery waiting room might have been my village of angels
3. The inconveniences are temporary.
4. Being of the Baptist faith insures a plethora of good food during recovery and many other Christian Angels from different faiths provide too. I think it's actually a southern thing more than a denomination (hahaha spell check changed that to demonization, I think not) appointing.
5. I am living many, many answered prayers.
6. My mom, sisters , and friends are there to help me through anything! When is the last time you couldn't shower or bathe yourself? I have recovered enough to figure out how to do that now but it took 5 days!
7. Aleve sinus and Aleve PM. ITS GONNA BE A BETTER NIGHT!
8. A loving, caring, Christian and totally capable co-working staff who I know have encountered situations that they would have normally looked to me for solution. They are handling everything on their own (I knew the could) and are allowing me to be totally removed from work at this crucial time in my life.
9. The great young ladies in youth Sunday school who sent me get well cards with sweet prayers and smiles galore that were delivered yesterday.
7. The thing I cherish most and no offense to anyone who is there for me, is the bond that has become stronger between me and my 17 year old daughter. She has taken upon herself to do everything for me that she can. She tells me not to reach, lift or anything else she sees me do that I forget and take for granted. Most touching to me is that she has made it her job to empty my drains every time they need when she is not at school or at work. She then documents the output and encourages that this color is getting lighter and output less. No mother ever expects for their child to have to take care of them at age 52. My most precious times are at night when she sleeps on the other end of the sectional and holds my hand while she goes to sleep or she brushes my hair for me. Thank you Jesus for trusting her to me! She only leaves me when she has to as that is her way to cope. Not to overlook my son Jon who will be 22 on 11/17. He still has chosen not to contact me for the past 7 years but I have peace that passes all understanding. He IS first and foremost God's child but he does have the free will of choice and influence from society. I love him too with all my heart and hope that some how he will grow from my journey. I also know that the more people try to tell him what to do the further he goes in the opposite direction. He does know what is right and I will continue to love him and pray for him and our relationship.
I'm sure you're eyes are tired if you made it to the end so I will close for now! The glorious unfolding continues!
