It's Tummy Time! 9 Weeks Post-op Update

Tomorrow is 9 weeks post-op!  It really is hard to believe how quickly life is moving on.  

Me with my friend (& NICU Manager)
getting ready for the NICU Reunion!

I've been back at work for 3 full weeks and things are going very well there.  I feel stronger every shift and was happily able to participate in our annual NICU Reunion yesterday! It was so much fun to see all of our NICU Graduates so happy and healthy and to catch-up with their families.  We all look forward to the event every year!

Those of you who follow me on Facebook (@bosomthing) know that I could stop wearing the abdominal binder at week 8.  So, this past week has been a bit of an experiment in how it feels to be without that extra support. Overall, it is better than I expected.  For now, I will continue to wear it to work...just because I feel more secure with a little extra support on those long, busy shifts.  On my days off, however, I am going without it and it's been nice. It is definitely cooler without that extra layer; especially since we've had some really hot days here lately!  That's South Texas for you!

I was very concerned about the amount of swelling I would have when not wearing the binder and have been pleasantly surprised to find that it is not bad at all!  Like everything else on this journey, it seems to improve each week!

Here is a 2.5 minute video to show you the progress on my abdomen:
(I realize I do not have makeup on for this video, but I'm learning through this journey to be less concerned with all of that...or at least trying to be.)


Have a great week!

4 weeks Post-op Video Update

Post-op Day 17 Update

WARNING:  THERE ARE GRAPHIC POST-OP PHOTOS IN THIS POST.

Today is POD #17....

I haven't posted this week because I have been battling a little cold or allergy thing.  Let me tell you, the last thing you want is to be sneezing and coughing with surgical incisions!  It burns across each breast and my abdomen when I cough.  Thankfully, I seem to be on the upside of it today and I didn't have it nearly as bad as my poor son.

Anyway....I went to see my amazing and wonderful Surgical Oncologist, Dr. K on Monday for my 2 week post-op visit.  It was the quickest appointment ever!  He basically just told me that the final pathology came back just as it was in the OR on surgery day....perfectly clear margins and clean lymph node biopsy.  He reiterated that because I chose the bilateral mastectomy, I had no further necessary treatments, so I am good to go as a CANCER FREE patient!  As a BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR I still need to see him in 6 months, just for follow-up.

Bonus, no more mammograms....ever!  He did say that he wants me to still do breast self-exams.  Dr. K said that there can always be changes in reconstructed breasts (i.e. scar tissue, fat necrosis, etc.) and that becoming familiar with my new breasts is a good thing.  I can start doing this as soon as I am released to begin incisional massage...probably next week. (My Plastics nurse said I had to wait until all the scabs are gone to begin massage with Cocoa Butter.)

On that note, I thought I'd share some updated photos from today.....you can see the swelling has gone down significantly.  Although, I do feel more swollen by bedtime.  Dr. K commented on the "great symmetry" for after the first procedure!  They do seem pretty even.  :)

POD #17...Abdomen after
Bilateral Skin-sparing Mastectomy with DIEP Flap Reconstruction

POD #17...Breasts after
Bilateral Skin-sparing Mastectomy with DIEP Flap Reconstruction

Wearing a good bra is key!  I definitely notice if I don't have support.  I swear these gals weigh a ton!  I think its just the numbness that makes them feel that way.  It's kind of an odd feeling.  My abdomen is numb in most places too.  And, everything tingles when I ride in the car....that's really weird!

This is what I wore to my MD appointment
on Monday....felt good to wear a real bra!
The last couple of days, I've been wearing sports
bras...def. the more support, the better.

Incisions all seem to look good.  The abdomen seems to be moving along faster than the breasts.  

Abdominal incision close-up...POD #17

I'm off all meds as of Monday.  I have taken Ibuprofen a couple of nights this week; not due to true pain, but from stiffness in my back and arms from sleeping and sitting propped up all the time.  This sleeping upright on my back is getting really old!  I dream...literally...about cuddling on my side with a pillow!  

No other real excitement here.  I'm getting bored at home and it is hard to be so limited in what I am allowed and able to do.  Next week, I am looking forward to starting some arm exercises and possibly starting to drive.

Oh!  I got a call yesterday inviting me to join a team for the Komen Race for a Cure on Saturday, April 8th.  I'm not sure I'll be up to walking the whole 5K, but Survivors only have to complete part so I am definitely going to try.  My son is planning to walk with me too!  #FightLikeaGirl #TeamJules

Hope y'all are having a terrific first week of SPRING!

MY TIMELINE:

12/22/16  Routine Screening Mammogram

01/18/17  Repeat Imaging and US of left breast; LUMP found.

01/20/17  Core Needle Biopsy

01/24/17  Biopsy results positive...Stage 0 DCIS, left breast

01/25/17  Meeting with Breast Center Navigator and Genetic Testing

01/30/17  Consultation with Surgical Oncologist, Dr. K

02/08/17  Consultation with Plastic Surgeon

02/21/17  Pre-op Visit with Dr. O's nurse

02/27/17 Pre-op Labs and Testing

03/05/17 Lymph Node Injection

03/06/17 SURGERY DAY!

03/10/17 Home!

03/16/17 10 day Post-op Visit with Plastic Surgery nurse
03/20/17  2 week Post-op Appointment with Surgical Oncologist, Dr. K

Dressing Room Disaster

Today, I woke up tired, but excited.  Tomorrow is my 2 weeks post-op mark and I can officially stop all my medications and most importantly....stop wearing the surgical bra and big binder!  Today, my mother was coming to take me bra and panty girdle shopping.  Another bonus of being drain free.

Y'all remember this beauty of an outfit?  I wear it 24/7 except for showers.

The nurse from my Plastic Surgeon's office provided me with a list of suggestions and brands of what to buy. They also make it VERY clear that you should NOT spend a lot of money on bras right now.  My size is still changing and will definitely be altered after my second stage procedure this Summer.  Most of the recommended bras and girdles were available at Walmart. They also suggested Target and JCPenney.

I will admit to you...I'm cheap...when it comes to undergarments.  I just don't really care about fancy bras and I hate spending money on things like that for myself.  I'm bad about just buying whatever is on sale, fits, and works...usually from Walmart or Target.  I've heard it said that most women are wearing the wrong size and type of bra and that every woman should have a professional bra fitting.  Never saw the point in that until today!

As soon as my second stage is done and I'm wherever I'm going to land size-wise, I am going for a bra fitting!  And, I will never buy a "cheap" bra again.

Like I said, I was excited to go shopping. Today was a gorgeous day and the stores were not crowded.  I totally thought we would run to Walmart, find what I needed, grab a few groceries, and be home.  NOPE. 

My mother and I found the recommended panty girdle right away and started gathering various bras that looked the part.  I needed something with full support, wide side bands, foam cup, and no underwire. There were lots of bras to choose from but so many of the sports bras had no cups or had underwire.  Then, there was an entire array of really stretchy ones that had absolutely no support.

I took around 8 bras and two girdles into the dressing room.  I was in there forever!!  First of all, I tried on the panty girdle. Imagine how you wiggle into Spanz on a regular occasion...now picture it without the ability to bend over and limit ability to pull with your arms.  It was a trick.  It worked though and I moved on to the bras.

We were unsuccessful at finding anything that fit the requirements in a front clasp.  Most of what I took in were sports bras without a clasp of any kind.  Remember, I cannot lift my arms above my head so nothing over the head is allowed.  I was having to step into these sports bras and pull them up.  Not sure how to explain the problems here.....even after finally getting them up my body, they were so tight, I could not get my arms thru the straps.  One bra and I was winded.  By the third bra, I was exhausted.  I called my mother and said: "There is no way!  This is impossible. None of these work."  I finally found two I could get on, but neither offered any support...too comfy.  Finally, when I was almost to the point of needing to sit down for a break, we decided to just buy the panty girdle and waist girdle I liked and move on for bras.  My excitement was no more...I was tired and disappointed.

We went to a nearby shopping center with both a Target and a JCPenney.  Thankfully, we chose to try JCPenney first.  The department was a mess and it was a little off-putting.  We found a couple of bras and then I saw an employee in the dressing room.  She was fantastic!  She took one look at me with my surgical bra peeking out from under my tank top and said: "Yes, you need help, Honey."  Turns out she had worked in a "breast cancer doctor's office" for awhile and she was so very helpful.  She understood what I needed and just sent me into the dressing room while she brought more bras into me.  

May not be pretty or fancy, but it feels great on!

They also happened to be having a "Buy One Get One 50% off" sale today....SCORE!  I found two I really liked and bought them.  I spent more than I usually would on bras today, but honestly, I was ready to pay anything by the time I tried on the last ones.  It was a long morning.  

My incisions were all tingly and numb from taking clothes on and off and all the rubbing on them.  My breasts were completely numb...like how your lips feels after dental work...it was weird.

It wasn't nearly as much fun as I had thought it would be, but in the end I am very happy with my purchases and super excited to get to wear them tomorrow.  I still have to wear them 24/7 for quite awhile, so I need them to be comfortable.

My recommendation is to plan a longer trip than expected and more time in the dressing rooms.  Everything takes longer right now...and that's okay.  You can go to Walmart and maybe have a better experience, but be prepared to try on things.  Nothing was the size I thought it'd be.  If you can, take someone with some bra knowledge or find a great salesperson like I did....makes all the difference!!

Who knew I'd ever reach a day when wearing a panty girdle would make me happy???

PS> Shared this pic on my Facebook page this week....it made me feel good to see an hourglass shape returning instead of the rectangular shape I've been with all the swelling:

MY TIMELINE:

12/22/16  Routine Screening Mammogram

01/18/17  Repeat Imaging and US of left breast; LUMP found.

01/20/17  Core Needle Biopsy

01/24/17  Biopsy results positive...Stage 0 DCIS, left breast

01/25/17  Meeting with Breast Center Navigator and Genetic Testing

01/30/17  Consultation with Surgical Oncologist, Dr. K

02/08/17  Consultation with Plastic Surgeon

02/21/17  Pre-op Visit with Dr. O's nurse

02/27/17 Pre-op Labs and Testing

03/05/17 Lymph Node Injection

03/06/17 SURGERY DAY!

03/10/17 Home!

03/16/17 10 day Post-op Visit with Plastic Surgery nurse
03/20/17  2 week Post-op Appointment with Surgical Oncologist, Dr. K

My drains are gone....I've been set FREE!

POD #10 was a lovely day.  Went to my first post-op office visit with my Plastic Surgeon's nurse at 0900 this morning.  It felt a little weird to be up and putting on "real" clothes over my bra and binder.  I fixed my hair and wore makeup even.  It was kind of nice to get out.

I used my new seat belt cushions that were given to me by a family friend. They worked quite well to provide a little cushion from the seatbelt rubbing or pressing on my chest or my abdominal incision.

These cushions velcro around the seat belts.

After calling me back into a room, I noticed that she had set-up the supplies for drain removal....I was so hoping for that!  Don't forget your drain records...she needs those to determine if the output is low enough to remove them.  For me, she was looking for less than 30ccs/day of output for 48 hrs.  I easily met that requirement on all 3 drains, but she told me that she is very conservative on removing the abdominal drain early because she has seen patients need it replaced again...ugh.  But, she would assess my abdomen for swelling and  if it looked good, it could go too.

My allergic reaction rash is still VERY present but nothing like what it was.  We discussed that a bit but agreed that the steroids appeared to be working. After a brief assessment, the nurse said that all looked well...breasts were soft, incisions healing well, and no abnormal swelling. And, ALL THREE drains could come out.  Yippee!

She told me to take a deep breath or to keep talking to her as she snipped the suture in my right breast holding the first drain in place and slowly pulled it out.  I felt the tug as she snipped the stitch, but I really did not feel anything as the drain slipped out. This was the same on the left breast.  The abdominal one I felt, but it was not painful.  It's a longer drain so I felt a little more of a tugging sensation as she pulled it out.  Once each drain was out, she placed antibiotic ointment on a gauze pad and taped it over the wound.

Covered drain site on my left abdomen

These stay on for 24 hours and then I am to use gauze until they scab over.  It was really no big deal and took a matter of minutes to remove all three drains.

Once we finished that, she brought in some instructions for me regarding the next couple of weeks.  We reviewed my current medications and which ones I will stop (like the baby aspirin regimen is only for two weeks). She also told me that Monday (my two week mark), I can change from wearing this post-op bra and binder to a store-bought bra and "panty girdle" (think Spanx).  They provided me with a list of brands and photos, most available at Walmart and Target.  I am actually really excited about that prospect...this current binder and bra are supportive but bulky.
At week 3, I can start some little range-of-motion exercises for my arms.  These are important to getting full ROM back and stretching the post-op tightness out.  And, I should also be scab-free around that time and can start massaging my incisions with cocoa butter cream.

In the meantime, things look good and I feel good.  I actually felt great without the drains. Just not having them hanging around my neck on that lanyard was so freeing!

Throwing away that drain lanyard
from around my neck!

After the visit, I stopped by my NICU unit to say hello to some of the folks working...it was nice to see everyone and get out for a bit.  Its a large unit, and I was tired after the walk.

Later this afternoon an old friend stopped by and we caught up and chatted for a long time.  She brought me a book and a stack of magazines to help me pass the next several weeks at home.  So sweet.

I also got to chat online with a friend of a friend who has also just started her breast cancer journey.  We chatted back and forth about my procedure and I tried to answer as many of her questions as I could. Sometimes it is really nice to connect with someone who has actually just been through it.

Ended the night with a movie in the living room with my boy and my mother.  All in all, a terrific...drain free...day!