I hurt...

And no I haven't even runs my first 5k yet. I'm just hurting at different points all over. Not sure exactly why, but I'm wondering if my lymph nodes are fighting some type of infection because the usual one hurts in my neck/tonsil area, something hurts on my chest, my butt checks are sore and now my back is spasming (?) with pain. All along, my forearms have been tender since the surgery and now I'm really wondering why. It feels like sore or bruised muscles and they're even sensitive to touch, like clothing, very strange. My right side is still swollen or filled with fluid and I'm still taking Tylenol to dull the pain. I read a lot about our lymphatic system; our bodies are pretty amazing.

Not much still

I'm still recovering from my surgery after almost two weeks. It's taking longer than I thought and I haven't been very physical lately. I'm eating anything I want and starting to get tired of the whole situation. Not that I regret doing this, but I wish I could just rest somewhere for three days, no picking up anything or anybody, not stretching too far or going too long with work. The left side is now the better side, no swelling, looks really good. The right side is swollen, keeps swelling and painful. Dr. Saunders says I have fluid there and then I cut him off, so I don't even know what he was going to recommend, but I see him again on the 3rd. I interrupted him because I wanted to know if he was able to clearly distinguish and remove all of the breast tissue. To my delight, he said they came out in one lump; something about breast tissue being very fibrous like that. I've found that keeping it bandaged up, tight, helps. I'm nervous about running on Saturday. I'm going to strap myself up really good, take some Tylenol with codeine and hope for the best! I'll take more pictures after this busy weekend. The in-laws are coming Thursday and we're going to AC after Jake's soccer. It'll be our first visit at our timeshare...

Jake is sick, so is Jim, but Jim is also a year older and anxious. He hates when Jake is sick, running a fever and coughing non-stop.

I've done two intakes for ADCS. Piece of cake, that's all I have to say.

I'm in stinkbug hell! I hope I can get some sleep tonight with the mix of Jake's coughing, me worrying about Jake's coughing, stinkbugs hoovering o'er and discomfort with my underarms.

Just updated pictures

Bandages on Thursday and Friday, off on Saturday.

Great night, bad morning

I can't help but see the last 28 hours as a mix of a wonderful night, celebrating my birthday with new and old friends and family at Firestone's Roasting House last night. For the first time, I was able to float around and talk to everyone while not even once focusing on who wasn't there that said that they would be there. It never crossed my mind who wasn't there because I really enjoyed the time I spent with everyone there and there were no great expectations. Everyone said they had a wonderful time and despite the problem with seating everyone close together, meals coming out timely and bills be provided, we had so much fun. To top off the night, we ended with dancing! I drank to my content's desire, but of course, only got tipsy, never drunk, and even the next day, I wasn't hung over. But I didn't have any wine either, just everything else. The pain from my surgery has subsided a lot on both sides, but I'm still experiencing so much stomach pain that it's keeping me awake and nothing seems to help. I know it's the vicodin and the ibuprofen I took to replace it didn't help. Now I'm just not taking anything and hoping it will all go away. Last night was the best birthday celebration EVER!!!!

WARNING: PICS INCLUDED!!!

Okay, here are some before pics...

Two days post-op

I have lots of pics... to show the transformation from being "double breasted" to being some what normal. I can't believe it was that easy, that cheap, that quick. I wish I did it a loooooong time ago, before my wedding, before the kids, when I first noticed them and they became a slight nuisance to me (which wasn't until I started wearing revealing clothing, around 27 years old. I was so nervous before the surgery, thinking, what if this is how I die, I mean it's just cosmetic... I'm going under to for elective surgery... and then always my blood pressure has been of concern, but no one complained that my readings were high or anything and everyone was so nice and they worked together so well. I knitted, my Aunt Delores graciously took me to the appointment, stayed some two hours and then took me home. I was asleep shortly after the anesthesia went through my system. The next thing I remember was being wakened up and cold! Then trying to go back to sleep and get warm. So far my right arm is fine, but my left arm is in excruciating pain and it's bleeding a little at the incision line. The vicadin they gave me makes me nauseous and hurts my stomach. Luckily I can deal with the pain and once I called the doctor and confirmed I should tighten the bandage around the left side, the pain has reduced. But there is still this knot just above the incision line that throbs with pain and if I lean over something happens and I get a sharp stabbing pain. But did it work... yes! Noticeable reduction of tissue under both arms and this is just a few days after surgery which means, there is probably still a lot of swelling to go down and healing to take place. Okay, for those interested the next blog will contain before pics. DO NOT OPEN THE NEXT BLOG if you do not want to see pictures.

Today is the day

I go in for removal of the excess bilateral axillary breast tissue under my arms today. I'm very nervous, but I know everything will turn out fine. I'm not sure how I'll be afterwards, I assume I'll be sore and tender and down for the day or two, but I hope to be up and ready for my belated birthday party on Saturday to Firestone's on the Wilm Riverfront. I'm excited, a lot of folks have said they're going to come and I just look forward to getting together with my family and friends. I can't wait to wear all kinds of stuff that I used to love wearing, but hated the fact that that extra tissue stuck out. Strapless, sleeveless, halters, tube tops, tank tops!!!!! yea!!!!!

On another note, I'm still working on KJ's blankie; it's turning out really nice, but I'm only at 10". hopefully I'll be done by the end of the month and then I'll start on Semec's son's blankie. We also have another tile job!!!! yea!!! Hopefully it'll be simpler and therefore quicker.

I ran yesterday, partly because I got this delicious "lemon" cake from Constance Grant and I've been enjoying very big slices and not regretting it all. I ran also because I need to and I'm about to do my first 5k for the AIDS Walk on October 1st. Yikes!

Finally I shadowed my intern supervisor, Stephanie Winfree yesterday at Community Hospital and I LOVED IT!!! It's so what I want to do and it felt so comfortable, despite how depressing or shocking the stories were, I was able to just enjoy that the client had this time to talk, to be heard, to strategize and to hope for something better. I have little reservations for jumping in it again thanks to all of the work I did at DHCI with Dr. Barnes. I'm going to get a lot of opportunities and exposure to groups, intake and one-on-ones.

I'm watching Anderson Cooper interview the cast of "How does she do it?" which is a reflection of my life, except I don't do it that well. I'm laughing the entire time and can't wait to see the movie.

I'm feeling manic!

I've got so much going on, I'm feeling manic with little sleep, little food and so much emotion! Jim and I are finishing up the tile work at my uncle's home. The creativity is pouring out of me as I assemble 11 different pieces of tile in varying sizes and colors on three areas of his home in about three weeks. The hardest part is trying to make it all make sense, but I think, for what I was working with and the requests he's made, I've been successful. If that isn't enough work, I've been teaching myself how to draw! I downloaded this book on Jim's Kindle, You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less. I'm on day 4 or lesson 3. I'm very excited that one day I'll be able to create my own illustrations to a story I made up with Jake, the Woman and Her Garden. Although I have not had any organized exercise, we did go hiking at Ridley Creek State Park on Saturday for 3 1/2 hours and working on this tile job since Thursday, all with minimal amount of food, low carbs, etc. I'm stuck just under 150 lbs, but I'll keep trying, because soon I'll get used to working two days, intern two days and one day "off". Finally I'm scheduled for removal of bilateral axillary breast tissue on 9/15!!!! The procedure is only supposed to take one hour and my insurance covers it. I'm not supposed to be down for more than 1 weekend. That's the update, could really use some crabs on this Labor Day, but I can wait another day or two.