TipToeing My Way Out of Cancerland

The title says it all.

Now that this surgery is complete, I feel like I am really moving out of Cancerland. Or is that Cancerville? Where ever it is, I don't want to live there anymore.

However, on my way out, I'll give you the report from yesterday and today. :)

I came home last night. Surgery was at 1:30pm. I was in the recovery room at 4pm. Silly me, it's one of the first questions I asked. Really, the second one. The first thing I did when I woke up was to check my vitals and then to feel around for drains. I DIDN'T FIND ANY!!!! (Drains that is.. I found my vital signs on the monitor). Awesome, awesome news! No drains at all. Not even one. Made my day, my week, my month... you get the picture. Can't say it made my year because I've had 4 drains this year for a total time that's longer than I care to remember.

I left the hospital as quickly as possible. I think I was the last patient into post-recovery and the last one to leave. When they wheeled me out of the recovery room into the post area (where you get to eat and drink and lose your IV), I only saw one other patient and they were getting ready to leave. Being the last one there did not hasten my departure. That was my choice. I was starving and the graham crackers were too dry, the apple juice too sweet and the water, well it was just water. LOL! I kept scaring the nurse every time I got up because I was still shaky. I just wanted to get home to my own bed, albeit one packed with pillows so I could sleep sitting up a bit. Still much better than being in a hospital by any stretch of the imagination!

I came home. Went to bed. Dh made me chicken soup for what was my breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Remember those NPO orders from midnight the night before?). I did lie in bed for awhile feeling as though I had just had chemo- tired, foggy and that general post-AC feeling that I know my fellow cancer gals understand innately. Funny. I then realized that was nausea. LOL. Popped a Zofran and all was good with the world. I fell asleep shortly afterwards. Never knew if Rachel did her homework or took a shower (she did both). Don't know when dh came to bed. I vaguely remember trying to stay awake for a while, but was unsuccessful. I got up only to take my antibiotic. Didn't need anything for pain at all! Was wide awake though by 3 am. Wide awake and starving! Ate half a chocolate bar. The diet can start again next week.

I still have not seen the final product. I once again came home with a beautiful black surgical bra. Just in time for Valentine's Day. Once again, I think this is a phenomenal choice when you are covered with all sorts of surgical scrub solutions. Looks like jaundice from the shoulders to the belly and a bit of the neck too (jaundice would show up in your eyes first... and you know who this is directed too... I'll write ya' later. LOL.. yes.. secret messages in my blog. LOL). Anyway, even thought I have not seen the final product, I have felt them. WOW! They feel so real. You can compress them and everything. Just like real breasts. :) WHAT A CONCEPT! So much nicer than saline. As everyone else who's BTDT and gotten the T-shirt (when do I get mine?) has said, they felt better right away. Just having something soft and smaller under the muscles is so much more comfortable.

It's a good thing I'm housebound for a bit. I keep feeling my boobs. What a sight! I cannot get over how much they feel like the real thing. If we could back up the calendar and go back to August, this is what I remember my breasts feeling like. Just amazing. Of course, this is not what they looked like. The new gals are so very much smaller than the ones I originally inherited. Even smaller than those nasty expanders. I know have 650 cc of Mentor smooth round Memory Gel inplants. The medium sized shirt I wore to the hospital was big and baggy on the way home. I had brought along a zip up hoodie sweater to wear home in case I had drains or couldn't move well. No need. This is one of the few shirts I had bought during the expander phase, when I was already smaller chested than before. Looks like I will need to slowly build up a new wardrobe. I'm going to have to learn when the stores make their major markdowns again!

I'm trying hard to avoid going back to bed. I was wide awake for so long this morning. Have to get my nights and days back in order again, like an infant. As time goes on, I am getting more and more sore. I suppose part of that is the Vicodin wearing off. I think the rest is from the liposuction on my sides. He did get a ton out from each side. I can tell there is swelling there but can't bear to touch it now because of the soreness. I'm betting it's all black and blue. I'm almost dreading taking the bra off to shower tonight. Here's another funny thing- I'm supposed to put on a supportive sports bra when I take this off. Now, I did actually acquire a sports bra or two from our cousin Carol (owner of Ruth's in Warick, Rhode Island if anyone is near there) but they are from when I was a 38DD. I suspect I am more like a 38B now. Maybe a C, but I doubt it looking down and knowing there are bandages stuffed inside the bra. Another thing to figure out. LOL

Anyway, I'm alive, tired and very happy to be through this last major step. There may be revisions down the road. Maybe even nipples, but I doubt I'll want them. The next step is to recover and then find a new anti-hormonal medication that doesn't cause me grief (another day on that story).

Happy Valentine's Day!