While other celebrated Independence day last year, I laid perfectly still in a hospital bed, IV’s and monitors attached everywhere. Glass walls ensuring not a second of privacy. Less than 48 hours removed from a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and DIEP flap surgery, I laid in the ICU with crazy beeping machines and alarms because my heart rate continually dropped too low due to excessive (yet needed) pain medications.
I did not yet realize the struggles I was about to face in recovery. I was not aware that my husband had moved a bed into the family room for me. I did not think about how many additional surgeries would follow. At the time I lived 10 minutes at a time. That is how long it took before the little green light on my hand-held pain button would light up communicating I could once again push for a dose of Dilaudid.
Tomorrow I see my surgeon and will be released from his care. A final ending to this extremely long chapter in my life. It has been a life changing set of months. It has made me a better mother and wife. It has helped me put things into better perspective as to what is really important in life, my family.
I am both lucky and truly blessed.
Decisions for my Family 