Good Stuff

After my initial couple days of pain following my surgery, I "forgot" to take pain pills by Thursday because I was no longer hurting. Of course, there was pain if I bumped any surgical areas, but there was no more "all the time" pain.

Also, my mind has been so much clearer and my fatigue levels so much better than after my last surgery. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact I was off my Letrozole for three weeks, but it sure felt good to feel good. 

I had my one-week post-op appointment with my surgeon on Monday. He thinks everything is looking great and I don't have to follow-up with him for another six weeks. I did start back on the Letrozole on Monday, so we shall see if any side effects come back. I'm hoping my body will just say, "Oh, I've seen this stuff before. No big deal."

I keep marveling at God's goodness toward me. Especially in this cancer situation. I had an unrelated issue which led to my diagnosis. I was diagnosed early. I have had insurance provided to me at no cost with no copays. I have a Christian breast surgeon. I am so grateful to not need chemotherapy or radiation. I have had only minor side effects from the medication so far. I have moved from surgery to reconstruction in just 10 weeks. I have received so much love and support from family, friends, and even strangers.

There are a few things still to come. I will need a second reconstruction surgery a few months from now to "even things up." There will be 5-10 years of taking Letrozole and watching for negative side effects like bone loss or kidney issues. There is one more medication to start next month with more potential side effects. Then there will be the ever-present need to watch for the cancer returning or metastasizing. But I am filled with peace and confidence in God for my future.

The Day After...Ouch

Well, it has been a little over 24 hours since I was released from the surgery center. According to this pain scale, I seem to be hanging out around a 5 with jumps to 7 or 8 as nerves wake up. 

My throat is a bit sore from the breathing tube. My abdomen hurts in two places where they took some (not nearly enough) fat to use to fill in around my implant. And, of course, both breasts hurt. They are what jumps to the 8 when nerves wake up and catch me off guard. Fortunately, it is just a quick stab that goes away. However, I was expecting more pain, so hanging out at 5 most of the time is not too bad.

I am much more alert and have no nausea, unlike after my mastectomy surgery. The drive home from Flagstaff was not uncomfortable, thanks a lot to the mastectomy pillow my mom made me. I was even able to have a grilled chicken sandwich on the way home. Boy that tasted good. Of course, after we got home I saw the discharge instructions said to do a liquid diet for the first day. But since they fed me fruit snacks and rice cakes in recovery, I guess that did not really matter. 

I continue to be amazed by God's grace in all of this. My peace is intact, my faith is strong, and my gratitude is ongoing. God is good!