Day ...hmmm...how many has it been?

Okay so it has been 11 days since the surgery and I can't even believe that I will have to go back to work on Monday. The 2 weeks that I had taken off for this surgery have just flown by. Not quite like I was laying on the beach in Mexico or something wonderfully tropical like that but it still has gone quickly.

Monday Mark and I drove over to Missoula. We had an appointment with the nurse to see how the progress is coming along. It is about a 10 minute visit with her and it is such a long drive and time to get there. However, we did know this when we chose our doctor so we grin and do it. In the long run it was the best choice. Something to consider when finding a plastic surgeon. There are quite a few follow up appointments that should be made and kept. Anyway, she got us in the room and I unveiled the girls. She was happy with what she saw. She said progress is coming along nicely but a little slow for the left breast. She showed us some exercises that I need to do a few times a day for a year. Basically I do it on both breasts at one time. I place the palm of my hands (one on one breast and one on the other) and press in from the outside, like I am making good cleavage, and hold it for 10-15 sec.
Then I press the opposite way from inside my cleavage with my fingertips like I am spreading them apart and hold. Then push down from the top and massage in circles for the same amount of time. On the bottom I pinch, like I am grabbing my whole boob, and push up and hold. I am guessing it all helps to put them in the area that they are eventually supposed to be on my chest and gets them to soften up. They are hard as a rock right now.

Because they are not dropping quite as fast as wanted she was going to give me a strap to put around them. This goes around my back, under my armpits and around the top of my breasts. This is left on there now basically at all times. It will help to push them down where they belong. They were out of stock on the strap so I received an ace bandage about 6-8" wide and it ends in Velcro. I don't like this near as well just because of the fact that I cannot put it on and take it off by myself. Mark has to do it every time because it goes around me twice. I did talk to one of the office gals today and she is going to order more and mail one to me.

I was told that I can start sleeping in bed now and we can move the recliner back into the living room. I was so glad about that. I was hoping that would make me a little more independent and Mark could get an undisturbed night of sleep. He was having to get up to let the lever down, on the recliner, to lower my legs. Well the bed didn't work out as planned. I laid in bed with one pillow under my head and one under my knees. I couldn't do any more under my head. It just didn't work for the back. Because of this, after 4 hours of sleeping, my whole body cramps up and I cannot get out of bed myself. I have to wake Mark up to lift me from a laying position. I can't even roll onto my side and roll out of bed. Ugh!

That was the end of our visit and the next appointment will be scheduled with the doctor one month from surgery date. UPDATE: The office called and the doctor will be in Polson for a short time this Sunday. It is about half the distance to Missoula. He has an office there that he will see patients for pre or post care. So we will take the boat out of the water early Sunday morning and head over to see him. We will be staying on the boat on Flathead lake that Saturday night. I am looking forward to seeing him since we haven't since the surgery.

As far as my mobility goes, it is getting better. I can now take a shower on my own and just barely wash my own hair. Shaving my legs is difficult but needs to be done. Funny the daily things that we take for granted. I can only lift my arms about armpit level and not really above my head yet. Reaching at this point is not allowed. I can lift a little less than a gallon of milk. I tire so easily and by the time Mark gets home from work I am a walking zombie. I am off all of my pain meds and muscle relaxers during the day but by night I am still taking the muscle relaxer. I wake up and my chest is flexing off and on by itself. It is like a charlie horse across my entire chest. Oh boy that hurts. I have been trying not to sleep by day so that I am good and tired and can sleep through the whole night. That isn't the case though. I usually wake at 4am and 6am. Which means...so does Mark. (It feels like we have a newborn in the house) Last night it was 2,4, and 6am. I am thinking maybe I will try sleeping on the couch tonight. Mark doesn't know this idea yet. If you have ever had kids, my boobs feel like they are filling up with milk. That really tight, sore, full feeling...that's it. When will they dry up...lol!
I cannot stand from a sitting position by using my arms. Can't push. My legs are getting quite the workout. And no twisting. it all pulls from the breast. Go ahead, try it. Amazing all the abuse these girls can normally handle in a day!

Well, that was a long post and I am signing off for now. I will post again after my appointment with the doctor.

Ciao!