The Gauze Nightmare is over.
Today I went to see my plastic surgeon for a followup, and for him to remove the lovely padded bra I've been sporting for the last week. It started with him opening up the front velcro closure of the gauze bra. Immediately I felt a sense of relief and less compressed. It wasn't like a tourniquet or anything, but it was definitely putting pressure on my skin, not to mention the irritation.
Once the bra and associated gauze were removed, I could see that there were, indeed, gauze pasties that were stitched to my skin. He began snipping away the gauze and I could feel the scissors on my skin (a good thing!). He was very happy with the healthiness of the skin and he said that it looked great. From a layperson's viewpoint, it looks kind of bruised and it's obvious that it's not completely healed, but he's mostly concerned about whether or not the skin graft has taken. He said it was about 99% healthy. I'm gonna go ahead and assume 100% doesn't really happen. Don't ruin it for me.
There are some dissolving stitches where the graft is stitched to my skin, and the whole circle is kind of indented, but I expect that to even out over time. I can shower again (yay!) and for the next week I just have to keep the area most and covered with these neon yellow strips after I shower. So, I still have to wear the gauze bra, but at least it's not stuffed with more gauze!
They completely removed the steri-strips from my inner thigh, and that area is feeling pretty good. There is definitely some subcutaneous "toughness" that I assume is scar tissue. I hope that gets better because right now I don't feel like I can run or do yoga. I'm sure it will improve, I guess it's just a matter of when.
I'll see him again in 6 weeks. For the time being, I have to still be careful to avoid trauma to the area, I have to keep it clean, then dry, then moistened so that the skin graft heals properly. The stitches will eventually dissolve, and it will look fabulous :-) During the surgery he also removed a bit of a dog ear on one side, and it looks SO much better. I am so happy with how it looks now, and I can only imagine that it will look better as time goes on. Well worth it!
Showing posts with label plastic surgery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plastic surgery. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Captain's Log
Day 4 from the couch.
The native is getting restless. It's been several days since I've left the house, aside from my doctor's appointment on Wednesday. I haven't showered since Monday morning, though I did wash my hair yesterday and took a sponge bath.
I've mostly been sitting on the couch, since I can't do much physical activity. I have to make sure my chest is well protected and doesn't get bumped or pushed, and I can't move my legs too much or else the stitches will pull. I've been working from home (and eating) during the day and knitting at night. It's so hard to just sit at home all day with nothing to do. I am so looking forward to going back to work!
It's so ironic that I'm doing all this to feel better about myself and how I look in the mirror, and right now I look like a tragedy!
I don't mean to complain. I know this is all part of the process, but it's so odd to feel so good and be able to do so little. I can't wait until I am back to life and yoga.
The native is getting restless. It's been several days since I've left the house, aside from my doctor's appointment on Wednesday. I haven't showered since Monday morning, though I did wash my hair yesterday and took a sponge bath.
I've mostly been sitting on the couch, since I can't do much physical activity. I have to make sure my chest is well protected and doesn't get bumped or pushed, and I can't move my legs too much or else the stitches will pull. I've been working from home (and eating) during the day and knitting at night. It's so hard to just sit at home all day with nothing to do. I am so looking forward to going back to work!
It's so ironic that I'm doing all this to feel better about myself and how I look in the mirror, and right now I look like a tragedy!
I don't mean to complain. I know this is all part of the process, but it's so odd to feel so good and be able to do so little. I can't wait until I am back to life and yoga.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Post-Op #1
I had my first post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon today. Things look good. The donor site is healing pretty well, and I got a sneak peak underneath my bandages (though there wasn't really much to see).
My chest is currently covered with lots of gauze, held in place by a lovely netted bra. It has a velcro closure in the front, and there was a piece of the hook-and-loop that was scratching my skin until I covered it with medical tape. The doctor pulled away the gauze this morning to reveal what Rusty called "pasties" that are basically stuck to the grafted skin to protect it. That's really all I saw, but I could tell that the skin around the stitches was very healthy and not the slightest bit red, which is good. I expect that the surgeon will finally remove the gauze nightmare at my next follow-up, though the grafts will still be pretty sensitive.
The donor site (aka my inner thigh) is understandably a little messier. It's kind of hard to avoid moving my legs. During the surgery, they basically cut round "full-thickness" pieces of skin from my inner thigh (to graft onto my chest) and sewed the holes shut. They placed steri-strips over the incisions (steri-srips are basically surgical tape) and I have to keep the area clean and dry without touching it too much. Sounds like fun, huh? :-)
So, for the next several days I'll still be sans shower (even MORE fun) and just trying to take it easy... not walking much, not lifting much, etc. At least they haven't restricted me from knitting.
My chest is currently covered with lots of gauze, held in place by a lovely netted bra. It has a velcro closure in the front, and there was a piece of the hook-and-loop that was scratching my skin until I covered it with medical tape. The doctor pulled away the gauze this morning to reveal what Rusty called "pasties" that are basically stuck to the grafted skin to protect it. That's really all I saw, but I could tell that the skin around the stitches was very healthy and not the slightest bit red, which is good. I expect that the surgeon will finally remove the gauze nightmare at my next follow-up, though the grafts will still be pretty sensitive.
The donor site (aka my inner thigh) is understandably a little messier. It's kind of hard to avoid moving my legs. During the surgery, they basically cut round "full-thickness" pieces of skin from my inner thigh (to graft onto my chest) and sewed the holes shut. They placed steri-strips over the incisions (steri-srips are basically surgical tape) and I have to keep the area clean and dry without touching it too much. Sounds like fun, huh? :-)
So, for the next several days I'll still be sans shower (even MORE fun) and just trying to take it easy... not walking much, not lifting much, etc. At least they haven't restricted me from knitting.
Monday, January 11, 2010
I'm home!
Sorry to all of you feed readers out there... I accidentally created a blank "I'm Home" post. Here's the real one.
So, I am home from surgery. Things were running a little late at the hospital, but I was running a little early! I woke up out of anesthesia very quickly and I went home shortly afterward. The pain isn't too bad so far. I just feels like someone took sandpaper to my boobs, but that could actually be considered an improvement on the left side, considering I haven't felt much on that side since the mastectomy :-)
I have my first post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon on Wednesday. Originally, it was going to be Monday, but after the surgery they said they wanted me to come in on Wednesday. Not sure why, but I think maybe they just want to monitor the donor site.
After we left the hospital we made a quick stop to Chipotle. All day without dinner - I needed a burrito, STAT. It was soooooo delicious. And I didn't even feel bad about it because I haven't eaten all day.
Anyway, thanks everyone for the well wishes, the happy thoughts, the prayers, and the warm feelings. I will keep you posted in the days ahead.
So, I am home from surgery. Things were running a little late at the hospital, but I was running a little early! I woke up out of anesthesia very quickly and I went home shortly afterward. The pain isn't too bad so far. I just feels like someone took sandpaper to my boobs, but that could actually be considered an improvement on the left side, considering I haven't felt much on that side since the mastectomy :-)
I have my first post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon on Wednesday. Originally, it was going to be Monday, but after the surgery they said they wanted me to come in on Wednesday. Not sure why, but I think maybe they just want to monitor the donor site.
After we left the hospital we made a quick stop to Chipotle. All day without dinner - I needed a burrito, STAT. It was soooooo delicious. And I didn't even feel bad about it because I haven't eaten all day.
Anyway, thanks everyone for the well wishes, the happy thoughts, the prayers, and the warm feelings. I will keep you posted in the days ahead.
Surgery Today
I just realized I never posted my surgery time. We have to arrive at the day surgery center at 11:30, which means I probably won't actually go in until 12:30 or 1. The surgeon says it should take about an hour to an hour and a half, but we'll probably be there for 5 hours.
I'm so hungry!!!
I'm so hungry!!!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Bandages Off!
I felt like a car crash victim who hadn't seen her face for weeks. I was very curious to see what I would look like after the plastic surgeon took off the bandages at my post-surgery followup appointment. In my head, I knew that what it looked like would NOT be the final result. I've been reading about other people's experiences, and many say that it took months for the implants to take shape.
Still, I was underwhelmed.
As I told my dad, instead of "boobs" it looks like "bloobs" (half way between a blob and boobs). The bandages were tightly wrapped around my chest to limit swelling (versus putting in drains, thank goodness), but there was still a fair amount of swelling in my chest. I couldn't even wear my wedding ring for the first day or two because my entire body was a little bloated. There wasn't much definition, which doesn't seem to make much sense because there was plenty of mal-formed definiting with my tissue expanders, and the implants are the same size with even better shape.
Anyway, I decided to wait to blog because I didn't want to post anything so soon after my initial disappointing view. After a day, things have gotten much better. The swelling has gone down and the implants are taking shape. I know that it's going to get even better as time goes by.
Aside from that, I'm doing great. I stopped taking pain meds yesterday morning, and my whole body actually feels better than it did a week ago. I no longer have muscle pain in my upper back, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. It's quite amazing how bad the expanders were, but I was so used to having them I didn't realize it.
All in all, I'm happy.
Still, I was underwhelmed.
As I told my dad, instead of "boobs" it looks like "bloobs" (half way between a blob and boobs). The bandages were tightly wrapped around my chest to limit swelling (versus putting in drains, thank goodness), but there was still a fair amount of swelling in my chest. I couldn't even wear my wedding ring for the first day or two because my entire body was a little bloated. There wasn't much definition, which doesn't seem to make much sense because there was plenty of mal-formed definiting with my tissue expanders, and the implants are the same size with even better shape.
Anyway, I decided to wait to blog because I didn't want to post anything so soon after my initial disappointing view. After a day, things have gotten much better. The swelling has gone down and the implants are taking shape. I know that it's going to get even better as time goes by.
Aside from that, I'm doing great. I stopped taking pain meds yesterday morning, and my whole body actually feels better than it did a week ago. I no longer have muscle pain in my upper back, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. It's quite amazing how bad the expanders were, but I was so used to having them I didn't realize it.
All in all, I'm happy.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Post-surgery
Hello,
I just wanted to send a quick update to let everyone know I'm doing great. The plastic surgeon said he was happy with the surgery. I am all bandaged up and won't be able to see the results, however, until our followup appointment on Wednesday.
My right arm actually feels better than it did before I went in to surgery (it felt like the expander was pushing on a nerve, and since the implants are softer it makes sense that I would no longer have that problem).
The pain is not too bad - on my left side the surgeon had to do more "work" with the pocket, so it hurts a bit more but I am feeling pretty good. There's no doubt that I'm certainly doing a lot better than after the last surgery.
I will probably post again after my followup, but I just wanted to say hello in the meantime. Thanks for all the well wishes!
I just wanted to send a quick update to let everyone know I'm doing great. The plastic surgeon said he was happy with the surgery. I am all bandaged up and won't be able to see the results, however, until our followup appointment on Wednesday.
My right arm actually feels better than it did before I went in to surgery (it felt like the expander was pushing on a nerve, and since the implants are softer it makes sense that I would no longer have that problem).
The pain is not too bad - on my left side the surgeon had to do more "work" with the pocket, so it hurts a bit more but I am feeling pretty good. There's no doubt that I'm certainly doing a lot better than after the last surgery.
I will probably post again after my followup, but I just wanted to say hello in the meantime. Thanks for all the well wishes!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Surgery today
Today I have surgery at about 11:45 AM to exchange my tissue expanders for permanent implants. I'm VERY READY.
Rusty will probably post an update from the hospital to let everyone know how it went. I can't wait!
Rusty will probably post an update from the hospital to let everyone know how it went. I can't wait!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Done!
As of Friday, I have finally officially finished with cancer treatments.
8 rounds of chemo,
2 boobs removed,
33 radiation treatments,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
I am tired and I'm happy it's over. Many people have asked what the next step is, so I figured I would address it here. At the bare minimum, my plastic surgeon wants to wait at least 3 months until I can have surgery to replace the tissue expanders with implants. I also still need to have the expanders filled a few more times before I'm ready for the exchange. We need to wait until my skin heals from radiation before that can happen - I would prefer the redness and peeling to be gone before I start stretching the skin, ya know? I also have to consider Phish. We're going to see their first concert in almost 5 years, and I can't enjoy myself if I'm sore, tired, or writhing in pain with C Dif. I'll be able to get the expanders filled in about a month, but the surgery will have to wait until after Phish.
8 rounds of chemo,
2 boobs removed,
33 radiation treatments,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
I am tired and I'm happy it's over. Many people have asked what the next step is, so I figured I would address it here. At the bare minimum, my plastic surgeon wants to wait at least 3 months until I can have surgery to replace the tissue expanders with implants. I also still need to have the expanders filled a few more times before I'm ready for the exchange. We need to wait until my skin heals from radiation before that can happen - I would prefer the redness and peeling to be gone before I start stretching the skin, ya know? I also have to consider Phish. We're going to see their first concert in almost 5 years, and I can't enjoy myself if I'm sore, tired, or writhing in pain with C Dif. I'll be able to get the expanders filled in about a month, but the surgery will have to wait until after Phish.
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