After discharge from the hospital

Back in the hotel. It is so nice to have a husband who is super good helping to care of drains how he was taught to do in the hospital. Taking one tablet of a narcotic before going to an appointment makes me nauseous. I’ll be sticking to Tylenol after this. However the appointment was with a rehabilitation specialist, and we talk fun stuff like exercise and research studies of exercise after mastectomy.

A wedge pillow is comfortable to have. Since getting there by car, I was able to take all sorts of stuff that I may or may not need. A foam roller and a yoga bolster was part of it. This, the yoga fish pose, and a long back scratcher bring relief from sleeping on the back.

Post Surgery

You can order room service meals J I am hungry. Half of a veggie omelette (no cheese) hits the spot, and a cup of blueberries, that the nurses eye enviously.

After a good sleep despite the continuous leg muscle massage, I woke up, looked down my chest and thought: “I am going to like this!”  And I still think that after seeing myself in the bathroom mirror when I get up. Note that after watching the pre-op video “Preventing Falls in the Hospital”, you do call a nurse to watch you. I enjoyed talking research with the resident, a friend send some flowers, another friend visits for a chat, and I have my iPad to stay connected with others. It is all going brilliantly until it is time to get up, get dressed, get discharged. Then the pain hits, and opioids make me feel much worse (disoriented, hallucinations). So I need a little more rest, but we do leave at around 10pm.

The day of the surgery

This is the day of the surgery. My husband and I check in at the hospital at 6:30am, and I am a little nervous. Peppermint oil is fantastic to relieve nausea symptoms. There is dye to be administered and then I have to leave my husband behind as I am wheeled in the OR. The Reiki meditation Joshin Kokyo Ho is very, very helpful for relaxing and even napping in the pre-op room during the weight.  I greatly appreciate the surgeon telling me he will do reverse mapping to alleviate my fears of lymphedema. At noon the team wheels me into the OR, I move to the OR table, chat a little. There are so many times when you have to say your name, birthdate, and your understanding of what will be done. And then …….nothing …... until someone is in my face asking me how I feel. A crane heaves me into a hospital bed.  Next thing I know I am in a hospital room and am so happy to see my husband! The clock shows I have lost 6 hours.  I am shocked at how much time has elapsed. A little chatting, asking how my husband’s day was, and asking him to put my little barbell good luck charm on the table for me to see. Then it is time for more sleep.

When my son was little he desperately wanted to be picked up by an ambulance (with sirens) and was quite offended that his "injuries" didn't warrant calling calling one.  And now I experience the workflow of a hospital from a patient's perspective when usually I just analyze clinical data for work.  Fascinating.

At the beginning of the day:

Pre surgery

Thanks to a friend I was able to continue training while traveling, and there was even a weightlifting platform and an indoor track.
It is so very difficult to pack the weightlifting shoes and wrist straps and training plan into the gym bag and store it not knowing if or when I can use it again.

The meeting with the surgical team was enjoyable especially discussing clinical trials pertaining to treatment options. We talked about risks, especially about lymphedema, which I fear may impact my activities.

Getting ready

This is a crazy week to prepare everything at work for others to fill in. On a positive note I am off teaching and relieved of administrative duties for a short time thanks to my colleagues. I wish I had more time to rest and ponder.

My first acupuncture session was so relaxing! The therapist said I needed "grounding." I do know exactly what she is talking about. And my Reiki meditation teacher agrees with her. It is a good time to practice the basic meditation Joshin Kokyo Ho from the Japanese system of Reiki.

It is time to pack for the trip to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Hotel reservations (room with kitchen area) are made.

Here is a link with a list of things I found useful: What to pack