Day 296: Good news, bad news, the night nurse…

Well, I guess I will start with the night nurse.  Let’s just say I couldn’t wait for shift change in the morning.  So, something new this time was incredible itching from the narcotics… or the generic hibiclense that was made by Clorox (seemed like a bad idea when I picked it up from the pharmacy)… no matter what the cause, I was itching like crazy and this started about the time of shift change.  The IV Benadryl seemed to take care of it pretty quickly but I knewwhen it was wearing off.  So it started with a simple request of a washcloth… I really did not want any additional chemicals on my skin at this point… night nurse felt I needed a special kind of alcohol swab and for some reason failed to produce said washcloth or preferred skin washing device of her choosing and needless to say conversations were had… washcloths and alcohol wipes and Benadryl was immediately made available and there was more attention paid to my room.  I know it seems like a small thing, itching and all, but not really – it is an allergic reaction to something and well… allergies can be a big deal.  Mom ended up staying the night with me in the hospital.  The cot seemed decent but I am sure she did not get much sleep.  I was happy to see shift change come again the next morning… night nurse, though pleasant, tightened the blood pressure cuff so tight I swear my IV was gonna shoot out.. but whatever, I was no longer itching.

Doc came by in the morning, surgery went well.  The good news, no AlloDerm, instead she sutured and cauterized to use scarring to reinforce the damaged areas.  We went with 800cc, however all the fat was transplanted to the left, she said that no matter what they did the left just looked smaller than the right.  I am not surprised by this, the left was concave after the mastectomies and the right had more tissue left by the general surgeon.  But then she says, well we can adjust and do this again if needed when you come back for nipple reconstruction.  Oy.  That, to me, is bad news.  My body is tired and the pain I am in … I just really can’t think of anything I would like less.

My bruising is SPECTACULAR and promises to only get worse.  Had a friend stop by, she is in process of completing her expansion appointments, smart lady… came to see the process for herself.  That really is helpful.  I have had people along the way share with me their stories and it has been immensely helpful in helping me prepare for the next steps.

So in a nutshell, what did we do:

• Removed the expanders and inserted 800 cc silicone implants on each side
• Performed abdominal liposuction
• Transplanted fat from abdomen to the left breast area
• Reinforced damaged inframammary fold with additional suturing and cauterization

Basic instructions, no lifting my arms above my head, no lifting anything over 5 pounds, no pushing or pulling, no bathing (other than sponge), wear the support garments at least 23 hours a day until post-op.

Gonna miss that pain pump… and the girl on morphine and now a couple tabs of oxycodone is in the front seat navigating the family to the ferry dock… Yesler is closed (of course)… don’t remember much past that… apparently I got us to the dock with 5 minutes to spare and we made it home…

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