Hello all, i know it has been so long since i updated my blog. the weeks before my exchange surgery i worked like crazy. the week before surgery i put in 84 hours between both of my jobs, i also worked mon and tues 12 hours shifts before my 630 am check in wednesday at the hospital. busy girl, sorry.
it is all over! i honestly cannot explain to you all how happy i am to be done for the moment praying everything heals well, and no infections it has only been 5 days since my exchange i will start from the day before.
day before exchange-
i didn't have to do any preop labs this time, it hasn't been 4 full months since my PBM and my plastic surgeon felt like i really didn't need them, the hospital called the day before 6/12 to go over when i had to stop eating and told me to shower with dial soap. I got off work around 730pm went to walmart with my mom to get a few groceries and dinner for my brothers. by the time we got home it was about 9pm i still had 2 hours before my food cut off time but me being me i layed on the couch and slept until my alarm went off at 5am, talk about being tired!
exchange day before OR-
up at 5, showered, put on pink hollister leggings and a grey tank top, i wanted to be comfy and i knew from before i could put this tank on from my feet. i got to pre-op and had the same pre-op nurse stephany as i had during my original surgery she remembered me and said she heard about all of my complications after surgery and assured me that dr rhee was not going to let that happen again (i wasn't too worried about it). when it was time for an IV she asked me where she got me last time and it was in my right AC, (fold of the arm) she also remembered that she had to poke me twice :( she went for one in the hand and sure enough she missed so she tried for the same one in the hand just a little higher and got it, i was very happy 3 pokes just wasn't my thing for that morning. after all of that my PS came back and did some drawing on me, and told me that i should plan to wake up with a Jp drain on the left, and possibly on the right. whoo hoo! -_- my mom and brothers came in sat for a while, the anesthesiologist came in to speak with us, mostly my mom because she wasn't happy with the last one that i had. dr rhee stopped by one last time to ask how i felt if when he got in that he put two different size implants in to make them even i didn't care either way. the anesthesia guy came back gave me a med in my IV as well as famotidine, since i take zantac for heartburn daily. then i got wheeled back to the OR, i fell asleep before i got there.
exchange day after OR-
I woke up and asked for the bed pan because i really really had to pee. it took forever to go and at one point the lady told me i really didn't have to go it just left like i did. i honestly think it took so long because i was still falling asleep on and off. i finally went and she said whoa i guess you did have to go, 400cc's :) i told her i had to! lol. the nurse asked if i was having pain and gave me .25ml of dilaudid, then about 15 minutes later another .25ml (my timing maybe off) when i woke up a little more i started poking around at my foobs just to make sure they were soft & squishy! and they are, then i asked the nurse if i had any Jp drains and he said yes one on both sides... bummer! but i had squishy foobs and i was happy, last i asked for my mom so i could get my phone... i am attached to that thing and really needed it! i told the nurse i didn't want any more dilaudid so he gave me some graham crackers and 2 percocet, it was so hard eating the crackers my mouth was very dry. my mom came back to see me for a second, i got my cell then i was told when i was ready the nurse would help me get dressed, me being me after she told me not to stand up i did it anyways because i didn't need help putting on my tank as long as i did it from the bottom, she yelled at me when she came in and saw me standing... oops. i got in the wheel chair and my leg wouldn't stop shaking, it was shaking hard they asked if i was cold and i wasn't, they gave me a blanket anyways it it stopped, before leaving dr rhee came to see me and told me to call his office everyday with my drain output and he maybe able to take them out before the weekend! that brightened my day.. 100+ degree weather in Arizona, how was i supposed to hide 1 drains in a tank top? lol. we stopped at Jamba juice, and the grocery store, my brothers and i stayed in the car while my mom went in. I wanted some watermelon. it took her forever, and one of my bothers spilled his entire smoothie on my back seat! and i was not in pain and turned around to help clean it up crazy how good i felt right after surgery. got home around 1230pm, only about 6 hours later so much better than my extended 5 day hospital stay in february. the rest of the day i sat in my recliner, had my mom make some tuna but i couldn't eat it my mouth was too dry and for some reason i was horribly nauseous. everytime i took a sip of anything i thought i was going to vomit. i decided it was safe to not have anything else for a while. i txtd for a while, updated and responded to FB messages and watched tv. my 2 coworkers said they would stop by after work i was pretty excited. visitors already. i got a phone call around 7ish and i spent about 30 mins on the phone when i got off my mom was asking me questions and i ignored her because i really felt like i was going to throw up.. i got up as quickly as possible from my recliner got in the bathroom and threw up everything i had put in my stomach during the day. talk about a horrible feeling. Justine and Tara K came over, we talked for a while on the couch, when they left i took a percocet, and went to bed. so after surgery i had half a mg of dilaudid, and 3 percocets. what a great day!
day after exchange-
thursday, i woke up, not feeling much pain at all except when i move around, sitting still i do not feel like i had surgery 24 hours ago. i had breakfast didn't feel like i needed to vomit anymore, i took a percocet because i didn't want to get uncomfortable. then around 11 my brothers were ready to go out to the pool, the high thurs was 104 i wanted to scream but they hadn't had a chance to show off their swimming skills so i agreed to go down and sit under the cabana, it was hot and after getting tired of watching them i put in my earphones, turned on adele, and fell asleep for about an hour (sweating) lol. back inside i had lunch, took a nap. stayed home the rest of the day. in the 24 hrs since surgery my left jp had 40cc out, the right had 20, my ps office told me to call and report to them tomorrow. took a percocet before bed.
friday 6/15-
feeling great! pain is very minimal, i honestly don't know if i feel like i had surgery 2 days ago. went to my ps around 1 this afternoon and he took both drains out! YAY! i took a percocet about an hr before because i already knew what to expect if he did pull them. i have to continue to wear the sports bra even tho it's killing me.
saturday 6/16-
shopping day with my mom the boys & my sister. no pain at all... i only got a a pair of TOMS i love them striped and super cute! oh and i drove for the first time. it was nothing like the first time with expanders. this surgery honestly wasn't nearly as bad at the first. :)
the rest of the weekend was great nothing special my mom sister and the boys all went home on sunday.
wednesday 6/20-
1 week later! so most of this week i went out shopping, and went to lunch mon tues and today. i really feel regular. i could probably go back to work if i didn't have to lift/turn patients and be perfectly okay. my job doesn't accept light duty so home is where i stay :) saw my ps yesterday he is very pleased with the way that i look, he says i may be a little swollen, he asked if i was okay with my size or if i wanted to go bigger, i like the size i am. i think he is used to women coming in for augmentation and wanting to be as big as they can get. i am content with the size i am, i wish i could share what size i was but i am still wearing this tight surgical/sports bra it sure is a killer! hopefully next week i can take it off. he took off the dermabond (glue) and took out the stitch that was on both sides, then redid the dermabond. it smells really weird to me. i cant wait until it starts falling off and i can go swimming. i am still not allowed to sleep on my stomach :( i was sleeping on my stomach the last 3 weeks i had my expanders. he says another 3 weeks. he also said he doesn't want me going all out just because i feel good. i am still healing on the inside. i have had a little pain, mostly it is just a sharp shooting pain randomly, it makes me grab my foob, a little awkward when i am out or around ppl but oh well!
i am glad it is all over, well at least this part, and i pray that i do not need to have another surgery or get an infection. i will try to post more often as my healing is continued. my foobs are very squishy, i honestly don't know if they feel much different than my old ones did. but i am not sure because it has been almost 4 months since my boobs went away. I am completely happy about my choice, and i havn't had any days where i have been depressed or sad about having my fake boobs. they are great and they are healthy and that is all that matters!
i made my title because surgery was a piece of cake, and i have really been craving cake :)
i really thank everyone for all of the support i have gotten!
