69. easy peasy

yay!

exchange surgery was so easy.

i was able to have it done in Hamilton and still survive the 2 hour trip home immediately after. it was so good to get home and relax in my own bed and couch. i think i went to bed around 9:30pm, and was up and puttering around this morning at 6:30am...then a lovely nap at 8:15am...and up again at noon. such a great excuse to lounge and be lazy. in fact, doctors orders!

i am in more pain today than yesterday, but that is to be expected as the area the was flooded with marcaine is wearing off. still completely manageable. i just have to take it easy. the pain comes as little stabs through out but more so in the lower left breast.

here is a short can do/can't do list for yesterday and today:

Same Day Can Do:

• open fridge
• open doors (carefully, but can't hold them open for others. sorry guy at tim hortons with coffee in both hands)
• make dinner (pre-packaged pizza from the freezer)
• eat a normal size meal
  
• do a small amount of dishes (2 plates, pans from the pizza and pizza cutter)
• empty my own drains
• play with my iPhone, facebook, check my gmail:) (you know you breezed through surgery when you are checking and posting on social media within 1 hour of being discharged from the hospital)
  

Same Day Can't Do:

• urinate without straining (gosh i hate this one. so difficult to go pee. still is, but getting better)
• be alone (doctors orders that i have care for the first 24 hours since i had day surgery. my awesome sister stayed with me for the night, and my Oma kept me company for a few hours too, before my sister was able to arrive from work)
• my hair
• scratch my back (i needed my back scratcher to reach)
• get a good look at my foobs
• keep my eyes open during a conversation past 9pm
  

Today's Can Do:

• tie my hair up in a ponytail
• scratch my back and shoulders without using the back scratcher
• enjoy looking out the window at all the snow we've gotten
• enjoy the company of my kitties
  
• sleep, sleep, sleep

Today's Can't Do:

• bowel movement (it's been 2 days.)
• play with the kitties (they like to play fetch. no can do.)
• stand up quickly (i am still light headed from the anesthetic)
• bathe (i won't be able to bathe or shower until at least 24 hours after my last drain pull. i might plan a trip to the hair salon at the end of the week to get my hair washed, and i can still have shallow sitting baths. i just have to make sure i don't get the incision or drain sites wet. these instructions vary from surgeon to surgeon.)
• put a loose t-shirt on over my head

in addition to the pain, i am really, really itchy. grrrr. i react to tapes and latex so i almost have a tape/adhesive free bandage that is held in place with a truck type sock. it is mesh and i just step into it like a tube top. however, this meshy tube top is super itchy too and i can't stop scratching my back and stomach. hopefully, it can go today when the home care nurse comes, and she can do some light bandaging that can be held into place with my post surgical bra.

i got my mentor card upon discharge. i had to go to the mentor site to see what the codes look like, but if i am correct these are the sizes of my implants:

left: 350 11,7 4,9 324-4350 RSZ-3504 (350 cc's in the left)
right: 400 12,3 5,1 324-4400 RSZ-4004 (400 cc's in the right)
This is normal to have 2 different sizes in each breast. It's about appearances. In the bigger picture, 50 cc's is not that much of a difference.

i'll share a couple of pics now of my bandaging, and some of my kitties and the snowfall we've received in the last 3 days. i feel so toasty warm in my apartment and enjoy looking out the window to see the snow blowing and collecting on the trees.

day after exchange.

really enjoying the loving company of my fur-family. this is lucy.

and this is my oliver. he's the funniest cat i've ever had.

oliver might be the funniest cat i've every had, but lucy is clearly the prettiest cat i have ever had.


oliver going in for the big stretch.


oliver sticking his tongue out at me. cute.

oliver and lucy checking out the snow falling in the backyard.

hooray for snow! i love a good snowstorm. it's been snowing since sunday.

i think i will go and lie down again for another nap. the pain killers are making me sleepy.