On the Mend

I'm approaching the two week mark since I had my bilateral mastectomy. The recovery process has had its difficulties but, overall, is less taxing than I expected.

My daily routine is wake up, take my meds, empty my drains, sit still in our recliner, walk a little, take my meds, empty my drains, and go to bed in the recliner. Joel goes back to work this week so I'll have to do some of these steps on my own. I'll miss having him here for constant support and care! He's incredible.

My family and friends pick up where Joel leaves off. I've been so lucky to have many visitors to break up the long days. They often come bearing food and gift baskets. Other times its an offer to help around the house or a comedic performance (thanks to my nieces and nephews). An example of this is when my best friend visited and folded ALL of our laundry that we were very behind on! That's love. And I love her.

I'm happy to report that I'm needing less of everything every day - assistance, pain meds, etc. Swelling is going down, I still have some discomfort in my breasts, and can feel the expanders. The latter was surprising. There are certain areas I can press down on and it feels like pushing in on an empty water bottle.

My drain levels are getting lower and I hope to get them out this week. Fingers and toes crossed! They are not painful, just appendages that have to be considered when doing anything - moving, getting dressed, etc. If you don't know much about drains, they help me heal properly by removing excess fluid that can cause pain, swelling, and other issues. The bulbs create suction that pull the fluid out of my body via tubes that are inside my body near the surgical site, held in place with sutures. ​Below is what they look like.

I'm anxious for my follow up with the Surgical Oncologist and Plastic Surgeon on July 14. That will be the day I find out if I'll need further cancer treatment - radiation and/or chemotherapy.

I got a preview of my pathology report via MyChart and it looks like they found two additional tumors in my left breast (the breast that already had two known tumors, prompting the surgery) and my right breast had several abnormal items that were unexpected. I'm not a doctor, so I could be wrong, but this is what I think the report presented. It gives me no better idea about whether or not more treatment will be needed, so I need to have patience until the professionals cover it with me.

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These are a few of my Favorite Things...
Joel, my family and friends did an amazing job gathering all of the supplies I'd need before and after my surgery. Here are just a few of the items I've used daily, there will be more to come!

Post Mastectomy Pillow

I use this almost every second of every day! It is first and foremost a shield from the dogs jumping on my chest. The pillows on the side help prevent rubbing in my underarms, specifically the side that had lymph nodes removed. It's a necessary item to have in the car as a barrier between me and the seatbelt. I wore it in the car post surgery and couldn't have survived the trip without it. The pockets allow me to hold my phone, the remotes, etc. so I can follow the instruction to do everything with t-rex arms!

​Neck Pillow

Because I'm sleeping in the recliner each night while I have my drains in, this neck pillow has become a requirement for good sleep! I use it whenever I'm resting and wore it on the way home in the car post surgery so I could sleep, because I could barely keep my eyes open that day!

​Sleep Eye Mask

I've never been a sleep mask girl but I am now! Again, sleeping in the recliner means being in a living room that gets super bright, super early. I can live in denial that a new day has come for an hour or two.

Rinse Free Shampoo Caps

I preferred not to take full showers for a bit post surgery. I took one a couple of days after but it was a little too nerve wracking for me. I preferred wet wipes (below) and these shampoo caps. It's really a remarkable item that made my hair feel fresh and clean.  You just put on a cap, "lather" as you would in the shower, and take it off. Your hair gets just as wet as if you showered, without having to go through the whole process.

​Washcloths

In addition to the shampoo caps, I use these washcloths to clean up. For face and body, these have been convenient and a great way to freshen up in lieu of a shower. They are gentle, do not irritate my skin, and the scent is very nice, not a "chemical" smell like you'd get from a regular wet wipe. They're large in size, so are easy to use and one cloth can cover a lot of ground!