Day 3 -
No Norco still...just some ibuprofen to ease the pain during the day. I took 2 walks today, 2-3 times around the cul-de-sac each time and felt tired after but not exhausted. My breathing was still labored, feeling like I couldn't get a full, deep breath in. I had more of an appetite today and felt like I ate a lot (which is good)!! My tummy and left breast were both sore today but nothing crazy. Oh, also...still no bowel movement since the surgery but I definitely HAD to go......so it was becoming frustrating.
Biggest achievement of the day (drum roll please....) I GOT TO TAKE A SHOWER!!!!! The dressings on my wounds are covered in these bandaids that look like saran wrap (and feel like you're ripping a layer of skin off when the surgeon takes them off) so they're water proof!! My husband had to get in the shower with me (unfortunately, even though it was exciting that I got to shower, I couldn't shower on my own) and as I faced away from the shower head, he sprayed me down ensuring the water didn't hit the front of me but only ran down over me. He even washed my hair for me (aaaaaawwwwwwwww, I know)!! I didn't get so far as to shaving my legs or armpits, but that will come later, and really? who cares at this point anyways???
I have to say, that first shower after surgery feels INCREDIBLE!!! You feel like a new woman!! The smell of surgery has been washed off of you, the sticky residue left all over you from the random tape and bandages that they used to hold iv's in you and tubes on you can be scrubbed away and you really do feel like you have some normalcy to your life again!! So DAY 3 = AWESOME SHOWER!
Day 4 -
I woke up late (10:30am) with no appetite and NO energy. I felt lightheaded, dizzy and had labored breathing again. Around 12:30 I FINALLY ate a small bowl of cereal and 1/2 banana. I was getting annoyed that I hadn't had a bowel movement, and I had emailed my plastic surgeon asking if a small cup of coffee was OK, to which he said it was.
It's true...I do
(photo from morethanpaleo.com)
So, a few sips of coffee in, and even dizzier than when I first woke up, I got up and walked around trying to "shake" things loose (or something). Well, a miraculous thing happened.....I had to go!!!! But, this was no ordinary bowel movement, this was the most INTENSE bowel movement of my entire life (that might not be entirely true, but at the time it felt like it). In the post-op care instructions it says "do not strain during bowel movement," well, my body sort of forced me into an involuntary straining game. I focused on my breathing and tried to allow my body to...do its thing. And OH MY GOODNESS, let me tell you...IT DID. It was the most glorious thing and I felt 20lbs lighter and also had been wiped off all energy and felt completely exhausted and sapped. I ended up having to lie down for an hour feeling so light headed and dizzy that I could hardly move!!! (And my bum bum was sore...is this TMI?? Oh well!!)
A friend visited for an hour, and as we were catching up I started feeling better as time went on. By the time she left I felt like I needed/wanted to go for a walk. This was my longest walk yet!!! We went out of the cul-de-sac and continued down the street!!! My 2nd walk of the day took me even farther AND I even put on some of my Lululemon yoga crops (talk about feeling awesome!!)!!!
As the day continued, my breathing got better, I no longer felt light headed or dizzy and I was more awake. I had more of an appetite as well and had a slice of leftover (dairy free) pizza for lunch and pasta for dinner (my appetite had reduced by dinner and I didn't eat as much). I took absolutely NO PAIN MEDS at all today, no tylenol or ibuprofen!!!
None at all!!! WAHOO!!
I was able to wash my face comfortably on my own and it felt amazing!!!! The one thing about today was that I wasn't tired when I went to bed.....I ended up reading until 11pm and STILL wasn't tired. I ended up putting my book down and sort of forced myself to close my eyes and try to sleep. I ended up sleeping because I had 2 separate bizarre dreams and I woke up at 8:30 feeling tired, but good!! I also want to note that I slept almost completely flat last night with only 2 pillows and they were pretty much all the way down!!
I'm able to use my arms almost completely, pushing myself up out of bed and turning/leaning onto one arm. I can fully extend my arms out in front of me and bring them behind me. I still can't lift them laterally (out to the sides) all the way up to shoulder height yet, but that will come with time. All in all, I have SO much more ROM after this surgery than I did with the mastectomy/expander surgery. The laparoscopic surgery threw in some unexpected feelings and nuances but I guess that's normal!!
I hope these updates are helping all of you who are going through the same thing as I am right now or are planning to have this surgery in the future!! Feel free to ask me any questions at all!!!
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