Surgery Complete!

Here I am sitting at home in bed. My final surgery to this long ordeal is finally complete. Yesterday I underwent a tissue expander to implant exchange and also an oophorectomy. Today I have managed to get around. This surgery recovery is by far much easier than the double mastectomy. I can't say that I am pleased with the results yet, as there is still lots of swelling in the chest area. But the boobs are much softer and I am thankful for that.

Surgery check in time yesterday was at 10. I got into pre-op around 10.35. I had to scrub down and take off all of my clothes and don a lovely hospital gown. Then it was a waiting game. My surgery was scheduled to begin at 12.15. Um... they were more than hour behind schedule. I got a scopolamine patch to put behind my ear to help with nausea. They tried to get a line in my. They poked once. Then I told them to get an ultrasound. The anesthesia doctor put a line in my arm using the u/s. However, just before they were going to take me into that room, the vein collapsed or something. All of a sudden my arm started to hurt, and hurt bad. The tried to get some blood return but didn't. They stopped the IV. Then the nurse anesthesia started one in my hand. That felt so much better. Then she gave me sleepy medicine. I said goodbye to Brad and I was off. I made it to the OR feeling good. I even moved from the gurney to the table. I was talking with the people in the room, making friends. The last thing I remember is having an oxygen mask placed over my nose and mouth. I was gone.

Dr. Munro was the first to do the surgery. Hers was the faster one. Dr. Thaker wanted to go last because she wanted to take her time with my boobies and make sure they looked okay. So apparently the surgery took longer than expected. Dr. Munro got my ovaries and fallopian tubes out okay. She didn't find any abnormalities in that area, so she didn't touch my lymph nodes. Then there was a period of time that no one was doing surgery on me. They had to redress me with the curtains and drapes. I'm led to believe the second surgery took about 3 hours. I woke up in recovery around 710p. I was in and out during that time. I finally came out of it around 730. At around 8, my recovery nurse, Linda, called Brad and he came down to see me. We hung out for about 2 hours in recovery. I had apple juice to drink as well as saltines. After successfully going pee, I was discharged. I wanted to come home to rest.

I have JP drains, which means I got the highly cohesive silicone implants. I am happy that I got these. Today I am sore in my chest (down my cleavage) and in my abdomen. But I have pain pills and I am taking it easy. I wish I could do more, but I want to heal. Well, I am a bit tired, so I am going to go.

At last!

The twins will be here tomorrow!

Tomorrow morning I have my tissue expander/implant exchange... as well as my oophorectomy. I am so excited for this surgery. This afternoon I had my last meal. I just finished taking the magnesium citrate which will help me clear my system out (hint... go for the flavored stuff. The cherry wasn't bad.). For the next 6 hours or so, I will be on a liquid diet. Luckily I gorged on Taco Bell! Yummy. If I am not going to be able to eat for awhile, I want it to be full of calories and not good for me. Hee hee!

Tonight in order to prep for my surgery, I have to shower with the soap that surgeons use to disinfect their hands. In addition, I have to shower with the same stuff tomorrow morning. My wake up call... around 4a. I have to be at the hospital at 5.30. Am I nervous? At times I am. But I am excited... new forever-perky-boobs and permanent birth control. Can't beat that, right?

Dr. Thakar is going to use new implants. The implants are called cohesive silicone implants. They are nicknamed "gummy bear" implants. Europe has been using the implants for awhile now. However, they were just approved in the last few years here in the U.S. CLICK HERE for more information on the implants. Dr. T is going to put them in me and see how they look. If they look good, there they will stay. If they don't look right, we'll go to the original silicone implants. The cohesive ones are great because they feel like breast tissue. There's no liquid inside the implant to move around. She says that it looks better on women who are think like me. There's less "rippling." They also last longer. The only bad thing: she'll put in a drain if she uses the cohesive implants. So I hope that I come out of surgery with drains. :)

After my surgery, I will wake up with nothing around me... meaning I won't be bandaged up and I won't have a bra on. Nice.

Nothing else to report really. I just can't wait to feel a little more comfortable. I am looking forward to having the tissue expanders out of me. Until next time...