BRCA: Double Mastectomy - Week 1

I'm officially on the other side and what a week it's been...

Monday (July 7th) - My husband and I checked in at the Natalie Building at 6am for my double mastectomy and the first stages of reconstruction. Meaning, both breasts would be fully removed (sparring the nipples), and expanders and alloderm would be put in place under my chest muscles to be filled once the surgery healing was complete in 4-6 weeks. I was calm and ready to get started. 

The only part that made me a little nervous was when the nurse said that the IV had to go in my foot. Really?! I fully understand that my breasts are being removed, but put an IV in my foot and I get completely grossed out. Not to mention, the first try was painful and it didn't work so the nurse was sweet enough to get someone else for the second attempt. Thankfully my blue pedicure came in handy. Around 7am, Uncle John, our pastor, and a sweet friend from church came up to pray with me, and the nurse joined in as well. My best friend was there the whole time, but she just missed seeing me before I was taken back to the Operating Room around 7:20am (earlier than expected).

Once in the OR, I had to sit up while the Plastic Surgeon played Pictionary on my chest. Well, not exactly, but it felt like it with all of the markings he was doing. I was then laid down, given gas to breathe, and out like a light. To say I was in a lot of pain when I woke up would be an understatement. I'm not one to complain and I have a high tolerance for pain, but on a scale of 0-10, I was a 9-10. The pain was horrible and the nausea was worse. It took 4-5 hours of pain meds, morphine, and Valium to get me at a comfortable level. After that was reached, I was ok. I was still in pain, but at least I could think straight and deal with the situation much better than before. While at the height of my pain, I couldn't even play it off to make my husband feel better. I'm so thankful for him and his support, because in that moment he had to be strong for both of us. After admitting my weakness (2 Cor 12:8-10 -- 'Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'), I turned the corner and started doing better. 

Tuesday (July 8th) - The Breast Specialist sent me flowers which was very sweet. I ate a little breakfast and we were told that we could go home anytime. I waited for my next round of pain meds and we headed home. 

The next pictures are graphic, but if you know us well then you know that we joked about leaving the hospital with bombs strapped to my chest. There's really no discreet way to hide that contraption. I got to wear that "bra" cover-up until I went to the doctor on Thursday to have it removed. I slept most of the day at home, but I didn't eat much since I was so out of it.

Wednesday (July 9th) - I woke up with a migraine. It was terrible, I mean terrible, and it lasted most of the day. I spent 3/4 of the day in bed trying to figure out if I was allergic to one of my meds or what was going on. At one moment I couldn't figure out what side of the bed to get into so I lost it. I was crying, shaking, breaking down. Thankfully, my awesome husband was there to let me run through the emotions and then I was fine. After talking with the doctor and my best friend, the conclusion we came up with was that my sugar level was off (I'm hypoglycemic) because I felt almost instant relief after throwing up that evening. A few hours later a friend came over to wash my hair in the sink so Greg could spend some time with the girls at my parents house. If you haven't caught on, I can't take a shower until the drains are removed. Thank goodness I naturally smell like roses so don't let me think otherwise if you stop by to say hello. In my spare time, I've fashioned this nice little scarf to pin my drains to. I'm thinking that this might take the fashion industry by storm. 

Thursday (July 10th) - I had my first follow-up appointment with the Plastic Surgeon and my dressings were removed. I thought I would cry when I saw the wreckage, but it wasn't that bad. The stitches were gross and I'm pretty bruised, but the icing on the cake was that my doctor had already given me my first fill, so I wasn't completely flat. That was a nice surprise since one of my fears was coming home flat chested and my three daughters wondering if everyone that goes to the hospital comes home with no boobs. I was given detailed instructions as to how to 'milk' the drains, measure the output, thoroughly clean everything, and re-bandage twice a day. It's quite the process and it all has to be very sterile to keep out any infection.

Friday (July 11th) - We got to see the girls! I can't even begin to explain how much I miss them, but I know they're loving their stay at Camp Pops & Weasey so that gives me great comfort! While they were over, my mom washed my hair again. Never take for granted the ability to wash your own hair.

Saturday (July 12th) - TMI, but my only goal this day was to poop. This simple, yet very important task, had alluded me since Sunday and my body does not take well to that kind of abuse. If you answered one of my desperate phone calls, ran to the store for me after dark, or prayed harder than you've ever prayed before that I would poop then God bless you. You saw me at my worst and I hope that we can still be friends.  

Psalm 100:1-5 - Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;  we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving  and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever his faithfulness continues through all generations.

God Moments: 

If we choose to look, we each have a chance to see these God moments throughout our day, but the catch is ... you have to look. These moments can easily be mistaken as a coincidence, but to us they bring peace. These simple moments where reminders that I was on the right path to a healthy future.

• My surgery was in the Natalie building which is right next door to the main hospital where I would be moved to stay the night; our daughters have a sweet friend named Natalie.
• On her way to prep for my surgery, the Breast Specialist stopped to pray with me. At that time, I was able to introduce her to my uncle. She had performed a successful breast surgery on his wife years prior. She is also my moms breast specialist doctor.
• My Natalie building surgery nurse was the same nurse that I had one year ago with my random finger surgery. She remembered me and my famous finger (ok, it wasn't that famous, but she remembered how gross it was). Her name was Jennifer. I have a good friend named Jennifer (whose daughter just happens to be the Natalie mentioned above).
• Upon being moved to the hospital room where I would stay the night, I was greeted with the same nurse that I had exactly 11 weeks ago after my Hysterectomy. She remembered me as well. She's amazing!
• My night nurse was named Charlotte (remember my friend Jennifer mentioned above with the daughter named Natalie? Her other daughter is named Charlotte).
• My Plastic Surgeon was David Craig. My best friends husbands name is Craig.
• I didn't meet Dr. Bailey, but I heard his name mentioned during my Pre-Op so he did something with my case. My maiden name and our oldest daughter's name is Bailey.
• The number 7 is one of the most significant numbers in the Holy Bible:
• My surgery date was 7-7-14
• I was in Pre-Op room 7
• Surgery was suppose to start at 8am, but it started early at 7:30am
• The hospital room where is stayed the night was Rm 2121 (21 divided by 3 = 7). I did this for my 3 girls.
• After each of my daughters was born and after my Hysterectomy 11 weeks ago, I had Pei Wei for dinner. So, my husband got us Pei Wei. The total was exactly $21 (divided by 3 = 7). I asked him to grab a handful of fortune cookies in case I was still to sick to eat much. He grabbed a handful. Back in the room, we counted, he grabbed 7 cookies.