Three Weeks Post-Op Update

Today is three weeks from surgery and all seems to be going well. I saw both docs three days ago and they are THRILLED with the results. I cannot believe how small the scars are on the breast area. Even though the scars are long, they are thin and I’m just amazed how they look in only three weeks. I can’t imagine how great they will look once we get further down the road.

I’m spending this week trying to get out a bit more so I can continue to build stamina to get back to putting in 8 hours a day at work. Right now I still get very tired once I exert energy.  It’s a process.

I’m attempting to come off the pain meds today. We will see how that goes. I still have tightness in my belly, the occasional cramping in my chest and I still have one drain in the lower left abdomen. The doctors told me that since I didn’t have a ton of fat, they had to take it all, which left my stomach VERY tight – more tight than normal patients which is why I have so much pain there.

I see the doctor a week from today so hopefully, they will take the drain out and give me clearance to go back to work.

Right now, I am not allowed to lift anything over 5 pounds or lift my arms over my head for six weeks. I also have to sleep on my back with two pillows under my knees for six weeks. I’m not sleeping great as I’m normally a side or stomach sleeper.

Regardless, I am incredibly thankful to finally see a light at the end of this journey. You have no idea how amazing this feels.

Love,

Marcy

Two Weeks Post-Op Update

Just wanted to give you an update as yesterday was two weeks post-op. Things are progressing nicely. I’ve been able to shower on my own for the past four days. And I’m walking a bit more (still only inside thee house), but not as hunched over as I was. The tightness in my stomach still does not allow me to stand completely upright, but I’m getting better every day.

My mom brought me home Sunday and it has been great to sleep in my own bed – even if I have to lay on my back with my legs propped up with two pillows and not move – it is still great to be home. Plus, the kitties have been super intuitive about not getting on me – typically, they love to lay on me and they won’t be able to for a long time. They are finding other ways to get their affection by laying by me, but not on me.

I saw the doctor yesterday. She took out the remaining stomach staples and two more drains. All I have left is one drain which should come out Friday on my next appointment plus the remaining sutures.

Right now my days recovering are being spent by doing work in the morning on my computer for my job and whatever chores I need done around the house as I have the most energy in the mornings. I can’t do much as I’m not allowed to lift over 5 lbs. until six weeks post-surgery. I’ve got friends bringing me lunch and dinner all week so I won’t waste energy cooking and I have found myself napping during the afternoons as the morning energy exerted seems to catch up to me around then.

I am still amazed by the work the surgeons did. It is just amazing. I feel like Humpty Dumpty – all put back together again. I have a lot of scars, but that’s ok. I don’t see myself entering any beauty pageants in my future, so I’m okay with that. I’m just thankful to be healthy and have this procedure that will last a lifetime.

Thanks for keeping up with me!

Xoxo,

Marcy

Feeling Tougher Than Ever

Hey there everyone! I wanted to give everyone an update from surgery No. 11 on April 9. It by far was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. It was an 11 hour surgery called the DIEP flap – they disconnect my stomach tissue and reattach the blood vessels to my chest to make breasts. It was done by a great surgeon in Atlanta, Dr. Grace Ma, in conjunction with a surgeon out of Houston, Dr. Sean Boutros. Let me tell you, their work is impeccable! Dr. Ma is a breast cancer survivor herself, so I really feel she brings the most compassionate perspective to her craft.

The recovery was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. I was in the hospital for four days, forced not to move for that entire time. It was painful, itchy, sleepless days/nights. The nurses had to wake me up every hour to make sure the flaps did not fail. I was in so much pain, I couldn’t even focus to watch TV or read. I basically sat there in pain. I couldn’t eat so I kept getting nauseas off the medicine/post anesthesia. When they finally allowed me to sit up on Friday morning, after dry heaving, the nurses said I finally had color. Imagine needing to throw up, but you can’t move to get in the crouch position.

What this horrific stay has taught me is that I will never allow anyone to keep me alive on life support. Just four days of no moving caused body sores and pain – I can’t image what weeks would do at time.

In addition to weathering that tough stay in the hospital, I can add one more thing to me being a bad ass list: one of the flaps had to be left open to monitor it while I was in the hospital. The last thing my surgeon did before she sent me home on Friday was suture up the flap bedside. It was like a mini-surgery – she beta-dined me up, placed the surgical towel over the area she was treating and everything. It was so weird to feel getting sewed up. Thank God for yoga breathing!

I’ve been at my parents since last Friday night – a week now. I’ve been forced to sleep in a recliner. Fortunately, I’ve gone from being in pain every minute of the day to finding comfort at times. I have to get up and walk every two hours – I walk only around the downstairs. I can’t shower by myself, so my mom has to wash my hair for me as they don’t like me lifting my hands above my head. I’m not allowed to hold anything over 5 lbs. until six weeks post-op. My stomach has been cut from one side to the other and has stomach staples all across it. But the best news is they used stomach skin to replace the badly radiated skin on the left side. Modern medicine is just a miracle.

By next Friday, all four drains will have been removed with all the stomach staples and sutures. That will be 19 days post-op and hopefully by then I will be able to start walking upright. Being hunched over all the time has caused a lot of back pain.

My new surgeon said my left implant would have punctured through that thin radiated skin within a year and a half so it was a blessing we did this surgery. I could not be more happy with my choice and the results – even if I had to go through hell to get there. It is absolutely amazing to know that there is an end to this journey in sight. While I will have to have one more small surgery to do final touches to this work in the fall, it is amazing to know I am close to being done. No more surgeries throughout my lifetime to worry about. This tissue is my tissue – no more foreign objects to worry about or replace throughout my lifetime.

Many of you have told me all along how much you admire how tough I am. Well, for the first time, I can say, “Hell yeah!” I do feel tough. This has been the worst thing I’ve ever experienced, but I can tell you I am happy I made the choice and feel tough as nails.

Thanks for keeping up with me throughout this ride. I am incredibly blessed to have all of you thinking about me and praying for me during this journey.

Love,

Marcy

P.S. – and our family dog Brunswick has been quite the caretaker. He’s always staying close by and when he comes up to the recliner to say hello, he is ever so gentle. I’ve never met a more intuitive dog!