Much to my surprise I'm alive

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Jadedjo
Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
edited October 2018 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Had surgery. They say it went well though they are worried about swelling on the left so keeping an eye on it.

Nauseas as hell,  in pain especially when I stand. Can barely move.

Experience wasn't the best cause the neglect didn't improve while in hospital. Huge delays and in recovery my nurse was more concerned about gabbing in the corner then helping me.

But I'm alive which is a surprise due to the foreboding I had going in.

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    I'm a little more awake this time and no one  told me anything until rounds but it ended up being pre-pec with ADM silicone implants he says I will probably end up a medium  to small C which is what I wanted although right now due to swelling and not much drainage the left looks like my original size so there is a stark difference.

    Ironically enough between the IV gravol and morphine I passed out between vitals checks. Without my Buddhist chants over the earphones.I'm ambulatory and actually surprised my night nurse over how well I was moving especially after the heavy nausea making me unsteady but I was told by a nurse once that standing up and just moving a couple steps can help.

    I haven't eaten anything since 11 pm Monday night though, just had a couple crackers 15 min ago and going to see what happens.although I sipped ginger ale all night and am now kicking myself for not buying a couple of cans for home.

    So that's all I know so far.

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  • Puzzlewoman
    Puzzlewoman Member Posts: 171
    edited October 2018

    Very happy to hear! Best wishes for recovery

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Thank you. 

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited October 2018

    Ha! Glad you're ok! Seems like it's going better than expected so far. Any word on when they'll boot you out the door?

    Maybe you can get a neighbor to pick up some ginger ale for you when you get home.

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Today at some point. Once again my paperwork got lost in the system cause guess who got no breakfast tray. Not sure I could handle it but it's not like there is anything to test it.

    Story of my life really, get lost in the shuffle.

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  • borogirl
    borogirl Member Posts: 86
    edited October 2018

    So glad it’s going well so far. Maybe with the paper mix up you’ll get that extra day in hospital after all. Hoping recovery goes smoothly!


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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited October 2018

    Good news! I'm happy you're alive.

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  • KCMC
    KCMC Member Posts: 208
    edited October 2018

    Hi there! So happy everything went well and things are going good so far. Maybe you can swipe a can of soda and take it home with you - they owe it to you. Hugs to you - hoping for a speedy recovery for you

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited October 2018

    Jadedjo:

    I'm glad to hear it went well! I see you were also able to have reconstruction like you had wanted. Will you be giving chemo a try?

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited October 2018

    They starved me to the point of dry heaves last time I was in the hospital because they forgot to input a meal plan. They almost starved me to that point a second time until I found a chocolate bunny I had stashed in my backpack months earlier and bit the head off.

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Hapa

    Thank you.No neighbor to help unfortunately. They want to boot me out soon.


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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Borogirl

    Thank you.They don't keep you here more then they absolutely have to.

    Ksusan

    Thank you.

    Kcmc

    Thanks, even if I ah e to stop off at a drink machine maybe I can grab something there.


    WC3

    Thank you. Still leaning towards no for chemo but won't know anything until end of month when pathology comes in.im just done. I don't see a reason to fight anymore.

    If the night nurse hasn't brought crackers to settle my stomach it would have been worse. They gave me painkillers on a mostly empty stomach so that didn't help.



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  • Egads007
    Egads007 Member Posts: 1,603
    edited October 2018

    Jade - your doc has to sign the release after examining you, and has the final say...have a serious chat with him about your circumstances and staying at least a day or two longer

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  • Vslush
    Vslush Member Posts: 183
    edited October 2018

    So glad surgery went well, Jadedjo! As Egads said, you should really talk to Dr about staying on a day or two since you will be alone and limited once you get home.

    Good luck, and speedy recovery from the surgery!

    Vickki

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Egads007 and vslush

    Thank you 

    I did tell them apparently the physio therapist and plastic surgeon says I'm good to go. The only time they keep you is if your close to death. I leave this afternoon at some point.

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited October 2018

    Good luck Jo! I know it's tough and it won't be pleasant but you'll most likely recover just fine. I had a lot of little panics after I went home but whenever I emailed my docs or sent them pictures of something that looked not right to me it turned out to be normal and no big deal. Try not to worry too much about what can go wrong and just concentrate now on getting rest and as good of nutrition as possible. Protein, vitamin C, vitamin A. Try to take it easy. I hope things keep going better than you expect!

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited October 2018

    They like to get people out of hospitals quickly these days to limit the chance of getting drug resistant infections.

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Thanks.

    My biggest concern is my cancer boob is a small C and the left prophylactic one look like a DD. Very pronounced difference. There's a lot of swelling and not so much draining but they talked to homecare and a nurse will be coming in daily until the drains are out. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to place the drains so I don't accidentally yank them.

    Apparently though my mobility and independence afterward seemed to make the nurses on the plastics ward amazed and proud of me  So there's that.

    The nurse who advocated for me said even she is shocked at how well I am doing I walked all the way to the parkade and then around the pharmacy looking for throat lozenges because I had a sore throat going in and now it's worse and with a cough thanks to the breathing tube. 

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  • Egads007
    Egads007 Member Posts: 1,603
    edited October 2018

    Hey Jade....yup you do have a lot to be proud of! So pleased to read how well you’re doing and that homecare will be in daily. It’s about time they made the appropriate arrangements for you! Pamper yourself and get plenty of rest. Keep us posted on your progress please. Gentle hugs and virtual chicken soup going your way.

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited October 2018

    Jo - my cancer side stayed quite a bit bigger than the other side until just recently. Now it's just a little bigger. Right after surgery they were both bloated beyond what was reasonable for my chest. After a couple weeks the left one went down a lot and the right didn't. The right went down seemingly overnight about a week ago and now its much better but it still might be swollen a bit. They're not even still but they look a lot better than they did about two weeks after surgery. I don't know what to expect in terms of migration but one is higher than the other and one seems centered on the nipple while the other is not.

    For the drains, I NEVER put them in my pants pockets. I was too paranoid that I'd pull my pants down to go to the bathroom and yank my drains. I had small apron that tied around my waist that I put them in. I also made a couple pockets that I safety pinned into button up shirts to put them in but I mostly used the apron. Eventually I figured out that my drain tubes had been sliding in and out a bit all along and stopped worrying about it. Worst case scenario, I'd pull them out accidentally, but I hated them anyway. I still can't believe leaving drains hanging out of a person after surgery is a thing. Seems insane on so many levels. But I guess its better than the alternative.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited October 2018

    I used a scrubs vest with pockets (and buttons).

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Egads007 

    Thanks.

    Hapa

    I got mine safety pinned to my nightshirt top and a thin robe over top.


    Also I hit the crap cherry on the crap sundae and it seems my sore throat the two days  before surgery wasn't acid reflux due to stress but the warning signs of a cold.

    Stuffy to runny to stuffy  nose and a cough that's growing.include the fact that my cycle is due to start Friday and I start antibiotics tonight and the pains gotten worse since I got home  even after taking pain killers probably due to the coughing attacks.

    Right now I honestly don't know if I'm going to survive the coming weeks. The words sick as a dog won't even begin to cover what I'm about to endure.

    Mostly I would start crying hard  right now but I think I might suffocate if I did. I'm back in the stuffy phase of nasal congestion.

    Mostly I just want to know why? Wasn't I suffering enough?

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Hapa

    My cancer side is normal sized.

    The left side is huge. 

    I'm hoping by the time it's over they even out cause it looks like I overstuffed my bra on the left side like a 12 yr old trying to make themselves boobs. 

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  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited October 2018

    Thank God sweetie glad to hear the good news hang in there and have HOPE that's what helped me get thru. I am now a 24yr Survivor Praise God so keep saying I'm going to get thru this. msphil idc stage2 0/3 nodes 3mo chemo before and after Lmast. Got married cause I was making wedding plans when I found lump n diagnosed. adriamycin cytoxin 5fu and 5yrs on Tamoxifen.

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    My little sore throat has slipped into full nasal congestion and a cough with either a dry throat or because I can't breathe.

    Took a gravol and all it did was slightly Take off the edge but the nose is still super stuffed.leaving me unable to sleep despite being tired and exhausted and my mouth is completely dry because I can only breathe through my mouth.

    Not feeling a whole lot of hope here , sorry.

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  • Scrafgal
    Scrafgal Member Posts: 631
    edited October 2018

    Jadedjo

    It's been a while since I've posted on your threads, but I do find/follow you. Congratuations! You've come a long, long way! I am not surprised that you are alive. You are tough!

    Scrafgal!

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited October 2018

    Yikes Jo! A cold right now is bad news. You're basically leaking your immune system out through your drains. Get lots of fluids!

    I don't know if you're familiar with the comedy of Tig Notaro, but I thought of this clip when I read about your cold:


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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Thanks scrafgal

    I'm trying my best.

    Hapa

    I saw the documentary actually, that was my favorite part. Yes people can be given more then they could handle.

    I'm drinking lots of water, almond milk and ginger ale after my antibiotic because my gut is not happy with it. Not happy with the Advil I have to take for inflammation either. I normally don't drink soda just water and almond milk but one must do what they must to get through this.

    At the moment I got more arm mobility so I'm able to reach further then yesterday like to turn on kitchen faucet. Also thanks to the Advil for inflammation ( which also gives pain relief)I'm down to one T3 every 5 hours and suspect by Saturday I will be down to extra strength barring any complications the next two days. I can't bring myself to look at any of it right now especially with the left side so huge and the right cancer side small 

    ( the small I'm ok with, its the size I was aiming for it's the swelling on the left that is bothering me emotionally)so I just do the drains and don't look into any mirrors but it's pretty obvious when you look at me without my cover robe.i knew there was going to be swelling I just didn't know I would have one that looks so huge while the other is normal sized and that it would be the side that was prophylactic that would act up.

    Gonna try a birdbath now as much as I can. Then go back to watching diagnosis murder and ncis dvds. Figured I would do it while I'm not as sore as usual.

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  • Jadedjo
    Jadedjo Member Posts: 469
    edited October 2018

    Whelp. That was an adventure! at least the hair is mostly washed for now and I smell a little better

    M cycle has started a day earlier then it should it was supposed to be between Friday and Saturday. 

    So the list is:

    1) bmx with pre-pec implants recovery 

    2) a cold with cough, sore throat and nasal congestion that I'm hoping is short lived 

    3) my monthly cycle starting today 

    When my body goes, it goes ALL out crazy.

    I'm trying to figure out if my life's theme song is "just can't win" by Lee Fields or "born under a bad sign" by Cream or both. 

    *shrugs*

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited October 2018

    You're actually doing great all things considered.

    For my theme song, I like "tubthumping" by Chumbawumba.

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