Tag: Breast reconstruction

Exhaustion, Televisions and Birthdays

What a day..I am exhausted!  I started the morning deciding to push the limits a little and jumped on our elliptical machine for 12 minutes..followed by 5 minutes on the punching bag. I felt really good afterward! My mobility is amazing just since doing the stretches that I started  Tuesday. Still sore under my arms and in my chest but I can fully move my arms and my arm strength is good.

What I was not expecting was the rest of the day.  My daughter’s birthday is Saturday.  For a few years now both birthday  and Christmas wishes have been the same, a TV in her room.  My answer has always been the same..NO.  I have been so vehemently opposed to the idea that this year she did not even ask…so that is what my husband and I got her.  She is such a great kid (not that I am biased or anything :-)).  She is a straight A student, leaving third grade was reading over a 5th grade level, plays piano and soccer and is just a good kid. Maybe I softened due to how helpful she has been to me but I agreed with my husband she could be responsible with a television in her room.

We decided to make it the biggest surprise possible..totally unexpected so we got it into her room, mounted and connected to the cable today without her having a clue what was happening.  It took several trips up and down the steps, moving of this and shifting of that.  On my feet all day. The kids were busy in the basement playing with no idea what was happening upstairs.  When we were finished they went into the pool with my husband.  I should have taken the time to just sit for a bit but instead gathered and ran the laundry, folded what was in the dryer and cleaned up the kitchen.

When they were finished swimming Frank informs me they all decided that we would go to the Diner for dinner..good with me since I had no intention of cooking.  The girls got changed in the downstairs bathroom while my husband and I settled onto Megan’s bed with the  Television on. I called down that I needed help could they please come up.  Without question they came running…it was great!  Once they found us, she walked in kind of shocked looking at us sitting on her bed not even noticing why then turned her head…the rest is the stereotypical little girl response.  She jumped into the air screaming. I guess she liked it!  I love being able to pull off a good surprise!

Next was dinner and some back to school shopping at the mall.  Since I am heading back to surgery 8/24, for the nipple reconstruction and revision, I want to make sure these things are taken care of.  Not sure how I will feel and how long I will feel that way. We finally walked back into the house about 7:45 after I had announced that I had more than enough and needed to go home!

Right now I sit in peace..my girls are upstairs watching the new TV, husband is in the backyard mowing the lawn in the dark and I happily sit not moving anything other than my finger as I type on the laptop watching the olympics.  I can hear the girls talking and laughing..I love that.  I am sure it will not stay that way for long but right now it is lovely.

Exhausted after a long but good day!

Tired and a little sore..but good!

SO I did the first round of exercises that I found on Livestrong.com last night.  I was very careful…did only a handful of each (3-5).  There were 5 exercises attempted.  One of the funnier things happened at the start..getting to the ground in the first place.  I stood there for a second remembering my falling flat into bed experience from just a few days ago and decided my plan of attack.  My girls were by my side to “help” but I thought I would squash them if something were to go wrong so I told them to stand clear.  I was very proud of myself..got to my knees, turned carefully to my bottom then basically to my side to lay flat on my back.  Once down I thought “well that’s enough for today :-)”.  But I pushed on.  It is something when you realize lifting a stick over your head or just stretching your elbows to the floor would be difficult.  The girls cheered me on and I felt great afterward to finally feel like we were moving forward!

Getting up from the floor was another thing all together.  Since I have no core strength I am basically stuck on my back.  When I was finished Madison says “I will call daddy”.  NO! I can do this! So when Frank placed the bed into the family room, he tied these workout straps to the frame thinking that they would help me get in and out.  They never worked..they had too much give.  As I laid there stuck on my family room floor, I remembered the straps…”Madison, hand mommy the green cord..please” .  It was something of pure heroic maneuvering (alright maybe not but I was dam proud of myself!) I was able to pull myself to my side and closer to the end of the bed which I could then use to get up..I was on my feet!  The girls ran and told their father as if what they had just witnessed was something of pure fairy tale…I think they are proud of me :-).

The tired (I assume) comes from my medicine changes.  I have been working to get away from the Oxy for several days but was still taking one an hour or so before bed.  Last night I went with a vicodine after my “workout” but went to be pretty clear..and laid there, tossed, turned.  Then I had a pain (which I have had on the left side between my breasts).  I pointed it out to the doctor who says it is normal is the connection point for the flap and not to push on it.  First response was to grab a pill.  Instead I took a motrin and put an ice pack on my chest.  Eventually I dozed  for a little while but running on just a few hours.  I know it will work itself out and is part of the process.

On the agenda today, more exercise and maybe, just maybe our first venture out in the car.  We will see how the day unfolds.

Vicodine, therapy and the light at the end of the tunnel

So I had my doctor’s appointment today and it went well!  Here are the updates:

-Got a new script for vicodine which is half the strength of the oxy I had..which I had not been taking much anymore. They will be used sparringly just to take the edge off.

-I will be getting a call from Dr. Liu’s scheduler in the next few days to set up phase 2..Nip reconstruction to happen mid-August if all goes well with schedules.

-I have been cleared to drive AS LONG as I have not taken the vicodine from the first point

– We fully agree that the boobs are healing totally differently from each other and that they are totally different sizes. We have agreed that they are also still larger than I would like so all will be corrected during the next procedure.  He will actually make an incision on the sides removing what I have term the “air bags” that have grown under my arms and will liposuction anywhere else to even out.  (I envision more pain coming but at least the light at the end of this very long journey)

-He feels that most of my pain comes from scarring and has written me a script for Physical therapy if I want it..which I do not.  I have not been doing much since I thought I was not supposed to..now that I have been told to start SLOWLY I am ready.  Found a nice list of Occupational Therapy exercises for post mastectomy on Livestong .com and will do it myself.  I could give many excuses why I don’t want to do the therapy from my motion is improving greatly, the co-pay, 3 times a week for 8 weeks, two little kids with no one to watch them or the simple I am sick of doctors offices and I DON”T WANT TO!

-We are both very pleased at how the abdominal incision is healing.  He says to start using mederma  cream on it.

On the way home I laughed with my husband how numb you become to the process of these appointments.  My first appointment with a breast surgeon was 1994..I was 23.  At that time I was horrified at this man not just looking at the girls but touching them.  Almost 18 year later and 2 kids I sat there today topless doctor in his wheely chair between my legs squeezing the boobs as he developed his next plan of attack.  Not only am no longer  phased but we had an entire conversation as I pocked this one while he squeezed that one.  We need to get these babies right!  Amazing how things change over time  not sure if that is a good thing or bad one..guess it just is.

I am going to go and try my new exercises….anything would be good right!