POST-OP UPDATE

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Two weeks post-op. WOOHOOO! 🤩

Thankfully, I'm doing really well and feeling good. 😊 👍🏼

I was probably more fearful about what recovery was going to be like than the surgery itself. How much pain would I experience? Would it be too much to handle? Let's just say that I am thankful for pharmaceuticals! Also, there is no doubt that all the positive vibes, love and healing energies are helping considerably! How could it not be so?

I have been able to reduce the dosage of both ibuprofen and acetaminophen. I stopped taking the opioids a couple of days after surgery. Sure there are, on occasion, needle-like sensations travelling through my breast and the underside of my left arm feels tight, and frankly just weird, but generally it's all ok. All normal, I suspect, as the area is healing - both in my left boob and the area around the incision near my underarm where the sentinel node was removed. I have to keep reminding myself that swelling and odd sensations and some discomfort will be around for a while. Part of the deal.

I have also been experiencing some discomfort overnight and the inability to find a comfortable position for long periods of time has caused some sleep disruption too. Some nights are better than others. No hot flashes, but since surgery, I have yet to find the goldie locks of temperature control. Duvet on. Duvet off. Foot out. Foot in. Jammies on. Jammies off. Oh how I miss the solid 7-hour deep sleep I used to get!

Sometimes my energy is a bit low but I roll with it. I'm generally feeling good enough to start adding a bit more structure to my days - focusing on simple routines and daily rituals that bring me joy and support my healing: self-care time, meditation time, exercise time, project time, reading time, doing little stuff around the house time, online-programs time and nap times too 😴 - kind of like kindergarten. Progress day by day. Did I mention naps? Ya, lots of those.

I try and get out for fresh air walkies often - making it a part of my day, on the daily if I can. At a minimum, I stand outside and take in a few deep breaths and every day I crack open the windows for a bit of a refresh. Yes, even on these colder days.

All the suture strips have now been removed. Looking pretty good! Great handy work on the closures and ever so grateful for the camouflaged scar along my areola. Hands of an angel that Dr. Escallon.

My post-op exercises (simple stretches and movement to keep the affected areas limber) have been coming along nicely and I have returned to my full range of motion. Huzzah! I still can't carry heavy items or do repetitive motions - all in good time.

I tried driving for the first time today. Beep! Beep! Good to go there. 🚗 The trick is having a small pillow tucked under my left arm - a helpful tip from one of my Breasties in the Breast Cancer Support Group. These Wonder Women are full of helpful gems.

I was hoping the pathology report would be back by now so that I could see my surgeon and find out what the next step in treatment is to be. Nothing yet. I was hoping to have my post-op clinic appointment on January 31 but it looks like I'll need to wait until the following week (🤞🏼).

And so we wait...