2 days! Any last minute things I should remember?

Don't lift your arms!   

My power lift recliner chair has arrived. Got it for a great deal of $33 until the 1st of Feb.

In 24 hours I will be out cold on the operating table!

Congrats! Good luck!

I survived my surgery. They didn't use enough pain stuff when I woke up and hurt real bad on the hour ride home plus probably another hour for my oxycodeine to take effect. I'm having trouble peeing it seems on the first day. Like I will start just fine but once there is a pause in my stream it takes some effort to start up again to empty the bladder. So every four hours I take the oxy then every two hours between the oxy I'm taking some ibuprofen. Appetite is fine. I ate three bowls of mrs. grasses soup. That was after the pills took effect. I've been in and out of sleep since I got home. My chair only goes back to a certain position that causes me to snore when I don't snore normally. Kitty has been a champ and kept my lap warm on top of the four blankets I have. Oh I was kind of bitchy when I woke up and a bit nauseous but I was in pain so yeah. But I was well enough for the 5 minutes it took in the pharmacy to pick out a roll of those giant sweet tarts for later plus a few butterscotch discs. Butterscotch didn't really help with nausea that much, had better luck with a candy cane. Emptied the drains 3 times I think so far. This left side hurt worse to start but it was bigger by a bit so it will be interesting to see how it all looks in a week.

It's not unusual to hurt a lot the day of. It's surgery you know. I'm sure you'll be doing great in a few days. Heal well, and feel better.


--Jay

Congrats!

Day 2.

Itching like you wouldn't believe. It is driving me crazy. I think I'm backed up with about 10cc output today on each side. The left side appears to be swollen. I called the surgeon and he said to loosen the vest and not move my arms much and to call if it gets worse. It's like my whole side is bruised and painful to the touch. Not sure how I will survive the week. Took some benedryl and colace. Some farts coming out but no bowel movement yet. Eating is normal. Still sleeping a lot and pretty tired. Put some bactarician(sp) on my drain holes. They look swollen too.

Day 3

Still very itchy. Taking a baby wipe and going over all the places not covered in foam on my chest seems to help me feel better. It got all the blue stuff off of me without having to scrub. Swollen by the drains and along my sides. Already less than 30cc a day. I want these drains out now! Felt real sick to the point of almost throwing up. I think it is the mixture of meds and not pooping that caused it. The swelling in my left chest has gone back down. I called the surgeon and hopefully they will call me back so I can get these drains out Friday instead of Monday.

Day 4/5

The power lift chair I got really killed my back. It's hurting worse than my chest or the drains. The itching mostly went away. I occasionally feel tingles on my chest. It's probably the incision healing. Day 4 I pooped so no problems downstairs, though every time I pee it's like a waterfall. Wiping hasn't really been an issue. Neither is reaching once in awhile. The worst part is having to wait 3 more days for drain removal.

Day 6

Felt some tingling in my nipples and all over the chest. Drains really really started to be painful. Mostly the stitch in my armpit was irritating me. Back was mostly better but I kept a heating pad on it most of the day and night.

Day 7 Drain Day!@!@!

Got the drains out. When she pulled them out it was like the burning of 2000 suns. I think my chest looks pretty good. There's some puffiness on the left pec that I hope goes down. I really need to work out now, my lower half is way bigger than my upper half. I am concerned if he left me with bigger nipples? The middle bump not the areola. The right nipple looks bigger in the middle than the left one. Y/N?


Edit: Forgot to add that I can already feel sensation in the nipples as of day 6. Just sitting here they tingle and when water went over them in the shower I felt it on both. Though the right has far more sensation right now.

1 week post op.

Day 8

There was some bright yellow colouring on the nipple pad when I took it off today. I hope it's nothing serious. Everything else seems to be good. Showering is easy and sleeping is easier, though I get a sweat buildup right where the vest is on my back.

Quote from: Alexthecat on January 21, 2014, 09:45:19 AM
Day 8

There was some bright yellow colouring on the nipple pad when I took it off today. I hope it's nothing serious. Everything else seems to be good. Showering is easy and sleeping is easier, though I get a sweat buildup right where the vest is on my back.

Sounds like the stuff Dr G used (bright yellow xeroform which had yellow color petroleum yellow) or it could be some kind of antiseptic. I understand it's a common thing to coat everything in a bright yellow/orange antiseptic.
So normal.

Honestly sounds like any of us could have written your review. Brings back all the lovely memories. (Itch itch itch).

--Jay

Day 9

My left nipples areola turned white almost like it is showing the skin layer underneath it. The right nipple is bigger, it's like he didn't cut it down at all. Compared to the left it is gigantic. It's most noticeable looking down at it as it sticks out like a nub.

Day 11

My nipples are bleeding! I think the areola turning white might be it scabbing over. I hope it scabs all good and I don't lose it. I actually rolled over on my side for a little bit last night. I felt the pulling but I have a feeling it is just a big bruise that hurts and not the actual incision pulling. All my tape is still on but it is coming loose in a few places. I imagine in a week it will have fallen off. I have been taking a shower each day so that helps it. It probably isn't as bad as I think it is, just the marker under the tape looks big. I can't wait until the ten days are up then I don't need to wear my vest any more and I can start just putting lotion and vaseline on them instead of the special ointment.

Alex, you are going to have ups and downs along the way of your healing.  Meaning, things are going to look worse before they look better.  Then worse again, then better.  So, when you see something that distresses you (one nipple too large), try not to let it stress you because 3 days from now it may look completely different or the other nipple may change and match the way the first nipple looks.  Keep in the front of your head that how your chest looks at any given time is only a possibility as to how it will look later. 

Brett, being my clone is mostly right.
It's true though. It's funny, my right nipple looked much better, than it was my left. It's funny how it shifts back and forth like that. There are going to be many changes while you heal, and it is best to think of this as a kind of journey, which you are on, but don't really have that much control over. (I don't mean zero, but you just can't change a lot.)

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on January 24, 2014, 10:07:31 PM
Brett, being my clone is mostly right.
It's true though. It's funny, my right nipple looked much better, than it was my left. It's funny how it shifts back and forth like that. There are going to be many changes while you heal, and it is best to think of this as a kind of journey, which you are on, but don't really have that much control over. (I don't mean zero, but you just can't change a lot.)

--Jay

Mostly?  MOSTLY?  lol

Yes, my left nipple looked best at first and now it is my right (left is a little too large for my liking).  I am happy with both areolas, though.