Breast Reconstruction Surgery Recovery in the Hospital Before Home - Wednesday

Breast Reconstruction Surgery Recovery in the Hospital Before Home  - Wednesday

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. 

Wednesday morning arrives – I’m sure I slept, but every 2 hours + for visitors. Yes, Renata is my day nurse again. Nice to have some consistency and she definitely knows a little about me, especially my disdain/hatred of Baylor food. I looked down my gown at my new boobs and had a mini meltdown (I really haven’t had one throughout all of this breast cancer stuff). They looked like pencil stubs to me. I know that I’m not getting 32DD boobs again, but these looked like the ones in What’s Happening to Me book where they talk about boobs. They are pointy and triangular. I keep remembering the book we made Dad read to us that I still have: What’s Happening to Me. And the “boob page.” I didn’t like hers. I am sad. Very sad. Of course, I’m also morphed up.

What's Happening to Me? A Guide to puberty from the authors of "Where Did I Come From?"

 

Boobs come in all different sies and I didn't want the triangle ones (or the ones next to her either).

 The resident doctor shows up (still can’t remember his name). Rearranges stuff again. A bit worried about me not eating and says someone can always bring me something and also mentions Chick Fil-A (. He agrees that the coffee here is awful (oh my goodness – two sips and that was it for me – someone who drinks coffee 24/7). He also experienced my boob sadness.

Dr. Beale shows up. He gets to experience my boob sadness. They are still healing. And there is more that can be done. Not terribly reassuring, but I think my mini meltdown was over (and Renata said I wasn’t awful about my comments). He’s more concerned that I will not eat the Baylor food and need food and suggests Chick Fil-A.

The catheter also came out (it did get clogged and I commend the nurses who have to deal with “measuring cups” with pee. Mine looked pretty dark! Renata said I had until 2:50 pm to pee before they force a catheter in to make me pee. New objective to beat – not going do lose this check on the To Do List.

Chick Fil-A

Tony comes. He goes and gets Chick Fil-A  – asking what I want. I don’t know. I really don’t eat fast food and don’t know if I’ve ever ordered from there. He comes back with a sandwich and nuggets. I eat three nuggets and that’s enough. Not soon after, huge rolling cramps. Awful. Awful. I attribute it to not eating. We all do. I ask Renata to let me sit on the toilet (they are really nice about getting you on the toilet and leaving you, rather than watching – considering I went two weeks on a deserted island off Puerto Rico without being able to poop – I have an issue with watchers). It was gas, but gas relief helped. I also peeded enough to count!

I did get on my laptop – intention was to work while here, but their wifi is awful and it took me 30 minutes to do 5 minutes worth of work. Decided to wait and everyone knew anyway!

We do the sit on the potty a few times that day. I feel for Renata because anytime we get up to sit in the chair, go to sit on the potty, do anything out of the bed, 30 minutes elapse. And I’m not her only person. But, she’s great. And eventually we go for a walk. We could have just walked around the room, but I want to see what’s “outside” and we go for a tour of the floor. Circular. I see the ice machine, the front desk who I am now really familiar with calling anytime one of my machines starts beeping (I was patient thinking if it beeps in my room, they all know and will come – 30 minutes later the constant beeping causes insanity), their break room, their station. I have a good location with two entrance doors! I didn’t realize until after we got back and I looked at a mirror and Kramer was in full force – I asked Renata to tell me next time if we left the room. I know I’m in a hospital. And I’m not terribly vain, but this was special. She and I also talked about what I would have done in December – who knows, but at least my hair is coming back!

My hair (don't judge the pic, shiny skin, pose, etc.).

Comparison of my hair to Kramer's. Note the resemblence?

Again, like Groundhog day, lots of Friends. Only this time I got out of bed!

Lunch: decline

Dinner: decline (they don’t give you a choice, but isn’t pot roast and broccoli just an odd thing with warm milk). I love my conference table because it is no where near me and I just get them to leave the ugly non staged tray (Food Network: maybe you can see a show in the works about hospital food and service in your future?).

Renata gets a call from Dr. Beale and they unhook me from my pain button – and maybe other stuff. I also get a blood thinner shot in my thigh (my arm is lacking fat and stomach area is already a wee bit tender).

Komal and Adele are my night people again. Nice. They get the added chore of getting me out of bed to pee (I seemed to pee quite a bit more than usual). But are nice about it. [with my food issue and gas Tony mentioned that the best place to poop in bed would be in the hospital. I managed not to, but was never sure it wouldn’t happen.]

Thursday I am supposed to get out – and considering I’m unhooked, no catheter, no issues that they’ve mentioned, I’m feeling pretty good about getting out! They have a sign that talks about getting out goal of 11 am. I like this goal and want to “beat it.” I want out.

Pain throughout: I think the pain I felt from the double mastectomy was worse top wise. I didn’t have arm mobility pretty much at all. My stomach area has a huge scar that runs from waist across belly button side to side. The scab isn’t pretty and that’s why Blake/Dr. Beal are worried about me not eating. Need to have protein and nutrients to help with that. But really only hurts when I cough or sneeze. The workouts I have been doing help -- I can easily do a bridge pose to lift up for pillow removal and replacement!

 Last night, hopefully! If I could pack, I would. But I’m kinda on stuck in bed without assistance lockdown.

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.