My surgery was four+ weeks ago. I am in my fifth week of medical leave from work. I have been at home in Maine recovering slowly, helped every day by my incredible family, friends, and neighbors. Beautiful summer weather has hit Maine today and yesterday after a very gray and wet spring and I have spent time sitting outside reading with Fergus; bliss.
Two weekends ago (Sat May 17) I was hospitalized for back spasms and spent two nights at Mercy Hospital. I emerged with an infection in my right breast, cellulitis. I went on antibiotics. Watched the infection carefully over the course of last week until Friday afternoon (May 23), when my plastic surgeon called to say he'd just gotten the lab results back, it was a bacterial infection, and he suggested we remove the right tissue expander immediately. As in, that night.
So back to Mercy Hospital I went for the second weekend in a row, to meet my saintly plastic surgeon who'd managed to last-minute secure an operating room, anesthesiologist, and support team so he could remove that offending implant at 9 pm the Friday of a holiday weekend, enabling me to spend the next three days healing instead of watching the infection worsen while the world around me was semi-shut down for the long weekend. I'm still taking the antibiotic.
This week, following that emergency procedure, I have one drain in my body to assist with healing, but it's child's play compared to the four drains I was sporting for a couple weeks following the big surgery; I even empty this one myself, and am hopeful it will be removed tomorrow when I visit the plastic surgery office to follow up on things.
Once I am drain-free, I should be able to start moving my arms above my head. I am able to push and pull more things around the house more every day without discomfort, which is exciting. Perhaps soon I'll be able to drive!
Next week, first week in June, brings a chemo education appointment and turning my attention toward beginning that chapter.
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