Complications

So last I updated you the recovery from the mastectomy was going as scheduled. Two of my four drains were removed about a week after the surgery and I still had two in.

Well, I went in on Wednesday, Dec. 9 hoping to get the other two drains removed. The plastic surgeon felt that only the left side drain was ready to come out and we would try to remove the right side one on Friday, Dec. 11. When I went into the office that Friday morning, he noticed my left side was red and building up fluid. He decided to do a needle aspiration to take out the fluid. Well, when he did, he ended up puncturing the expander and it started leaking out fluid. So much so that I had to return Friday afternoon to get more fluid removed. By Saturday at noon, the pressure and pain was back, so I returned on Monday, Dec. 14 to get more fluid taken out.

Since the doctor was going to have to replace the expander at some point, he called me yesterday (Dec. 15) and said he wanted to take it out as soon as possible since it had been causing me pain and we’d put the new one in after radiation. He said I would be more comfortable and the radiation oncologist would be happier not to have to work around the magnet that is in the expander.

Now I have to go under the knife two more times due to the mistake of the punctured expander and I’m not happy about it. The surgery to have the expander out is tonight (Dec. 16), so I’ll be out of work tomorrow and not sure about Friday. My right drain is still outputting a lot of fluid, so I have no idea when it will come out.

I know in my last blog I felt like I could take on the world, but lately, I’ve felt like a punching bag. I’m tired. I’m so incredibly tired. All the time. I wish I could put on my Billy Bad ass pants and feel like I can take it all on, but I’m worn down. Trying to be positive, this incision today will put off my start date for radiation, so I’m going to go to the beach during the Christmas break for a change of scenery and to relax and take a break from doctor’s appointments where I’m poked and prodded all the time. I need it and I hope it is the rejuvenation I need before taking on radiation and going back to work after the 1st of the year.

I wish everyone nothing but the happiest holiday season possible even though I’m not in the merriest of spirits. I know I should be thankful to have received the best gift I’ve been given this year – to live through this cancer, however right now my body is pretty beat up and I’m having a hard time being happy through the pain and fatigue. I guess that’s why they call it a battle, I guess.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Love,
Marcy