And I’m feeling good
It’s been a little over a week since my surgery .. and finally, I am starting to feel like myself again. Well, sorta. My body gives me a gentle reminder as soon as I try to complete a task a little too quickly or with a bit more strength than I can muster. Like a gentle finger being wagged at a toddler … Aht aht aht .. not just yet.
The road to recovery is not an easy one. Though the road is paved with good intentions, I constantly have to fuel my mind with positive affirmations:
I will not rush my recovery.
I will be patient with myself.
I will accept my body at every stage.
My body is a temple.
I’ve fallen into a schedule since I’ve been discharged from the hospital.
Early am .. shower and drain change. Theo is the best. I am definitely in the right profession.. Engineering and not Medicine. There is just something about bodily fluid that makes me wanna gag. Thank God for the husband that I have. He has emptied my drains and documented my output twice a day .. everyday. 🤢 After a shower and drain change, I am refreshed and ready to start my day. I think the hardest decision I make all day is what color pjs I want to wear.
I make my way over to the recliner where I spend the majority of my day .. aside from walking from one side of the house to the other every 2 hours. While others are working remotely in various corners of my home, I read, nap, watch tv, answer calls .. in that recliner. It’s my refuge during the day. But it’s also a reminder that I made it out of the bed today. Progress.
The view from my recliner to the pillow fort
My Senior Nurses (my mom and aunt) are responsible for daytime care. They ensure that I am fed and help me with various tasks during the day. I also have a very special junior nurse who gives the best foot massages. I have to schedule her for no earlier than 11am. She has this thing about early appointments. 🙄
Sydney provides daily leg and foot massages
My cousins join me after their work shifts. They’ve been doing double duty since they’ve arrived. I’m appreciative. It’s good to have them here through this stage of my recovery. We’ve been spending our evenings catching up on old times and watching documentaries. (Netflix has a plethora of them if you are interested). We also make sure we have enough time for a treat every now and then.
After a week, I’m getting around a lot easier. Just in time for follow up appointments with LT and Dr Shuck.
I met with LT on Tuesday. She reviewed my pathology report again, ensuring that I understand exactly what it says. She had already called me last week to share the good news. But this was the kind of news that called for multiple discussions. And now I could ask a zillion questions. 🤪
No residual invasive carcinoma is present after presurgical therapy. 🙌🏾
No matter how many times I read that statement, I am overjoyed with gratitude. No residual tumor. No radiation required.
God is so good!
Two days later, I was back again .. this time to see Dr. Shuck. Now that we have the approval to move forward with reconstruction, I can breathe a sigh of relief.
Dr. Shuck walks in the room and gets right to business. He checked the girls out. Healing well with the exception of a small blister on my right breast .. likely from all the pulling and tugging during surgery. Dr. Shuck relieves the blister and prescribes an antibiotic cream for the blistered skin and scaly areas. Next, he reviews the drain log. “You’re still expending quite a bit of fluid.” … not exactly what I was hoping to hear. I’m watching him read over the log, praying that he agrees to remove two of them.
Victory! Yes. Drain 2 and 3 .. You’re outta here!
He gives me some exercises to practice at home, and tells me to let him know if there are any developments before we meet again next week. Oh, and one more thing.. He extends my antibiotic regimen.. I have the feeling that he doesn’t want me to ever get to those two bottles of champagne that Priti and Shonta gifted me with. I don’t know, feels like a conspiracy.
As I ride home from my first follow up appointment, I can’t help but think how much has changed in just over a week .. how much stronger I’ve grown in just one week.
I can shower without assistance.
I can almost put my shirt on by myself. Almost.
I can raise my arms over my head.
I can walk without hunching over to minimize pain.
I can make it through a day without the need for pain medication.
And now, I have 2 fewer drains than I woke up with this morning. As I look out the window, the words of Nina Simone play softly in my head …
Birds flying high you know how I feel.
Sun in the sky you know how I feel.
Breeze driftin' on by you know how I feel.
It's a new dawn . It's a new day . It's a new life for me..
And I'm feeling good …
