Breast Reconstruction Surgery Recovery in the Hospital Before Home - Thursday – DISCHARGE DAY!!!!

Disclosures: I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse. I am not a medical professional whatsoever. If you are concerned about your health, I encourage you to talk to your doctor. This post contains a few affiliate links. If you click them and buy something, I might earn a small commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own. I am also NOT a photographer. I work at a creative firm and we hire photographers. My photography is quite, well, awful. 

Thursday morning arrives and at 4 am I am ready to get the hell out of Baylor, this room, and home – everyone has been caring. I still can’t believe what they call food (BTW, the dinner I turned down was pot roast and broccoli).

Komal passes me over to two new day nurses (one is “in training” and requires a shadow). Adele (not the singer) passes me on to Coco. The resident doctor shows up and does what he does (still don’t know his name). Getting out can’t come soon enough. It’s raining, so hoping that doesn’t slow things down. Blake comes – she even unhooks the med vac and applies “super glue” to the scar – it really looks like a super glue stick. Her biggest concern is that I need to eat because eating makes the scars and healing take more time. And reminds me of the stitches they had to add because I had healing after the first surgery. She thinks it’ll take about two hours after she puts in the order for me to get out. That puts us at about 10:30 am!

That vac machine I had to wear

My spirometer. Haven't been very good this time around.

My bed from the conference room table (bathroom on the right)

First, they come and give me a flu shot (in the thigh because it’s the best place after my surgery). Then a blood thinner shot (again, in the thigh). And then, the nurse in training (I get that they have to start sometime, but I was really nervous about this removal of my IV stuff since one is in the top of my right hand and the other in my wrist) takes off the IV system. They say that they are finishing up the paperwork and send Coco to come and help me put on my PJs (I brought these nice soft ones I bought a second pair of so I have two). Find out that my bed has an alarm on it. It would have gone off if I tried to escape (really for falling, not escaping).

Blackberry made a different kind of trip this time to the hospital!

And then I wait. Tony comes to pack up Blackberry and the little bit of stuff I have with me. They come and read through a clip board of discharge stuff (nurse in training was very sweet, but clearly needs to read these papers and practice. She seemed so nervous). We send Tony to get the car (he came in my Explorer so that I could get in) while they call a wheelchair for me. Wheelchair comes and they cut off my bands and down we go, with the elevator stopping, I think, on EVERY SINGLE FLOOR. Part of me kept thinking: take the stairs you lazy f**ks when they only went down a floor. I kept my masked mouth shut. In the car and home we went, taking a slight stupid Waze route through the State Fair of Texas (last week) – she clearly doesn’t know to stay clear of it this time of year (why I usually go on out of the way, non Waze routes).

Tony heads into the house and locks Abby on the other side of the baby gate so she doesn’t get jumpy and rabid seeing me with all of my stuff. She starts “crying” until she gets to see me. I’m home. Makes me so happy to be out of the hospital. Surprisingly, not in much pain. Don’t know if it’s the meds, a number of days in the hospital, or the fact that I’m in better shape this time. Hardest part was getting into bed. And definitely stuck in bed without help.

 

Now to get back to normal!

Another last note: I know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but I really have no desire to wear pink, go pink, talk about all of this because it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I also am writing this blog while many of my friends/family don’t maybe even know about this year of BC. I believe in causes, but guess I rebel against a certain month or color.