May surgery thread

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited May 2022

    beebee you will probably be more comfortable in the recliner for a while. When you feel like moving to the bed, have extra pillows for under your bac, arms, and knees for support.

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited May 2022

    thanks funnscales, I figured my recliner is small compared to the hospital bed, not as comfortable 😆 use lots of pillow in my bed now 😅 how u feeling today?

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited May 2022

    hi, I had my follow up appointment with the breast surgeon, she said incisions are healing well but the stiffness on my right side will take longer to improve because this is my second surgery on that side plus I've had radiation on that side which affects the muscle. She recommended that I wait another week or so before starting the expansion, since it will add to my discomfort.

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    I think everyone feel better after the drains removal right? I felt pain at the site of the drain insertion 😒 start to feel itchy on the wound on belly too....

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    Well, life wasn't interesting enough around here, my 4-year-old tested positive for COVID yesterday. We knew we were exposed and have been quarantined since Tuesday night, but I'd begun to hope we'd escape it. No such luck!

    The rest of the family is vaxxed, boosted and not particularly high-risk, but of course she wasn't vaccinated yet. I'd be angry if I wasn't so damned tired.

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    oh no, I’m so sorry, that’s just about the last thing you need right now. I hope it’s a mild case and that it’s not a huge setback for you

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    hi Janewhite, wishing you and family a speedy recovery. I had covid in April, mild symptoms, just need to be isolated for 10 days, and all good after.

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    8 day post-op, I still walk like a prawn, can't walk with straight back...how bout you ladies?

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    My daughter had a fever all weekend, but she's feeling a lot better today. I was a little sick too, but no real problems. I let her play in the backyard. And, it looks like we'll be out of quarantine in time to see my brother when he comes to town next week!

    Random thing I learned: The little battery-powered pulse-ox detectors don't work on little fingers, but they do work on little thumbs.

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    janewhite, glad to hear everyone is feeling better. beebee, I think I have the opposite problem, I get achy if I hunch over too long. My posture is great now : )

    I’m feeling a little nervous, the first fill will be tomorrow. The expanders are still pretty tight from surgery. I’m wondering how many CCs were filled at the surgery, maybe I’m still healing from it. Will I just be tight and achy until the exchange???

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    Janewhite, glad things are better now.

    Fur-n-scales, I did research about expanders before, I think it's gonna be little by little over a period of mths. I hope it won't be too uncomfortable...update us!

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    hi, the actual fill wasn’t too uncomfortable, I’m numb so I didn’t feel much other than pressure, and closed my eyes. Now, hours later I needed Tylenol. I expect to be sore for a couple days. My right side has all kinds of skin problems, I had red streaks near my incision (treating with silvadene) and dimpling on the lower part. PS said this was all caused by my prior radiation.

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    janewhite how are you doing? I was thinking of you today, my husband tested covid positive and I’m freaking out. He got it after a trip that he took- a trip that I had hoped he would cancel because I still needed a lot of help at home. So I’m pretty angry right now. I’m also worried that I’m going to get it bad because of low immunity after surgery… am I being paranoid? How severe were yours and your daughter’s symptoms? How am I supposed to isolate him when he’s helping me with everything?
    This is crazy…

    Beebee how are you feeling?

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    hi fun-n-scales, sorry to hear that. How's your husband symptoms? You both vaccinated? If it is unavoidable, put on mask while he is in close contact, that's the least you can do. I had covid in Apr, my bf was in close contact, surprisingly, he didn't get it at all for the 10-day home isolation. True that we have low immunity after surgery, I take vitamin C + zinc effervescent daily. My covid experiences were not too bad, I had no fever but sore throat, I took lots of lozenges and vitamin C...and rest for sure. Hope he will be good soon.

    About 2 weeks now after surgery, my wound oozing starts to improve, belly button still a lot but the abdomen wound has cleared a lot. My flexibility improved but I can't walk straight-up still. My PS explained that I am too skinny for a DIEP FLAP, it will take longer for some new tissue in the area to build before I can regain my full flexibility.Other than that, I didn't take painkillers for a week now, not much of pain just itchiness so antihistamine instead. Abdomen bloating, no sensation ard abdomen area, some strange feeling on boobs...those are still...

    How's your post-op feeling now fun-n-scales?

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    Hey, fur-n-scales, sorry to hear that. My symptoms were extremely minimal and lasted only about 2 days. I am vaccinated and boosted last November.

    So your husband should wear a mask and sleep in another room from you if possible.

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    hi guys! His symptoms are mild, he thought it was allergies, just congested. We’re both vaccinated. He hasn’t been wearing a mask, but we’ve got windows open, fans circulating, we’re social distancing, and I’m sleeping in the spare bedroom. It’s just frustrating.

    Beebee, vitamin c is a good idea, I’ll try that daily. Sounds like you’re doing ok, it’s a long recovery. Itchiness is better than pain!

    janewhite, we were due for a booster but I guess we’ll see how this plays out. Do you think I need to let my Dr know about my exposure?

    Other than all that, I’ve been sleeping better and exercising daily. I still have strange sensations on my right side under my arm, but I’m hoping physical therapy will help. I heard that the fills sometimes help relieve the discomfort as the skin stretches and the expanders settle. I’m certainly scared for fill #2 but it’s 10 days away. So I’ll just focus on dealing with Covid right now.

    thanks!!

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    I would let them know. For one thing, you might need to reschedule your next appointment.

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    hey how’s everyone doing? I did develop symptoms and have been dealing with a sore throat and productive cough. Mostly just exhausted. I let my Dr know, and it shouldn’t set me back too much. I missed a physical therapy appointment.
    Anyone having a tough time in relationships right now? I’m trying to see things from my husband’s perspective but I also get angry, it seems like he’s just so critical of me. If I ask for a little input, it sets him off. He expects me to just go with the flow but I’m like “hey are you paying attention…this sucks right now!”….

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    hi furnscales, the symptoms will go away eventually...just get urself hydrated, lots of vit C and nutritious food. I hope you recover from this COVID shit soon ;p I had COViD before and it took almost 10 days for the full recovery.

    I am not married but have a bf for years, I am not sure what's gonna happen in future, considering myself an independent woman with full capability to earn my own living, I am all relax in this relationship at the moment. He has been supportive so far, been taking care of me for the first few weeks of my recovery...but because we live in different city and he has a job and study to attend to...I am not thinking too much about that for now but focus on my OWN recovery...I wanted to feel good about myself to be able to send the good vibes....

    How's your recovery? Anymore pain? I am off painkillers for a week now, the only time is at night when my abdomen wound went crazy itchy. I need painkillers and antihistamine to get myself distracted and sleep good...the healing is slow ...oozing all the time, the incision and belly button. The wound at the breast is improving, still swelling and bruising. My PS is happy with my recovery, she said all takes time...

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    Hey, sorry you got COVID. I was doing great for a while, but now, I'm pretty sure I have a wound infection. Which is a weird thing to happen after 4 weeks of good healing, but there it is. Waiting for doctor to call back.

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    hi Janewhite, how that happened? So your wound recovery was all good until now? How you feeling? Did you take antibiotics for the wound before? Do you rmb anything you did that triggers that?

    My wound recovery looks almost like infection: the pus, the oozing, the redness...but the surrounding skin did turn dry slowly. I have been visitng my PS every week post-op, I took a course of antibiotics in my second week post-op. She just keep monitoring and commented that it looks fine to her...will take time to heal. The fluid became clearer and lesser now Two spots along the incision line has active oozing now...almost like the seal is breaking up...but PS is not worried about that...

    If you can share hows ur incision recovery looks like wound be good. Thanks

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    Weeping clear fluid is normal and not a sign of infection.

    My actual incision looks great, almost all of it is fully healed with a couple scab spots. That's why this infection is so weird. The symptoms are pain, tenderness, swelling and redness in the whole area where my breast used to be, and a fever. All of a sudden out of nowhere last night. The only possible thing I can think of is that I've been more active the past few days, doing lots of housework, and maybe a small collection of bacteria that have been trapped inside for weeks broke out and started causing problems.

    I went to the doctor this afternoon (driving a car with broken AC when it's 95 degrees and you have a fever is a Bad Idea, just in case you were wondering) and she agreed it was definitely infection, and that it's weird to show up now, but that a course of antibiotics should fix it.

    Last time, I had the wound actually reopen and take months to fully heal, and that ugly mess never got infected! So weird!

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  • Janewhite
    Janewhite Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2022

    Well, after two days of antibiotics, I'm feeling much better. Fever gone, redness and swelling much reduced. Also I poked at it last night and an insane amount of fluid came out, and that probably helped, too.

    Winning!

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    janewhite glad to hear that you’re doing better. I’ve been in a Covid fog but feeling better today. I’m getting a little concerned about the expansion… one side has lots of indentations around the incision and the other is fairly smooth. Wonder if it will stay bumpy like that, or if it can be eventually corrected. Beebee how are you

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  • beebee22
    beebee22 Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2022

    Hi Furnscales, i am into the beginning of 4th-week post-op. Defintiely feeling better...in terms of flexibility. Unfortunately, belly button still oozing and weeping still at parts of the abdomen wound...I just cover them with dressing as advised by my PS. This healing process is just tooooo long....I am seeing my PS coming Friday, hope all is good.

    I am going into office next week...yes, 4 weeks of sick leaves....and can't afford further pay cut. Would you be able to text your PS the pictures and ask if the indentation is normal? Hope you can find out soon too.

    I was initially scheduled for expanders, but later I insisted on DIEP flap, guess no easy way for us ya...but we are getting better week after week 😉 Just have to stay strong!!

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  • fur-n-scales
    fur-n-scales Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2022

    Don’t forget to get a letter from your Dr. that explains your physical restrictions. Just in case you do any heavy lifting at work..

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