On the mend

Hello! Sorry to not write sooner. I avoided my laptop because of the work e-mails waiting for me, truth be told. Surgery went as expected — easy and brief. Because I was first up, I was out of recovery and in my room when it was still mid-morning. Groggy and on painkillers, I slept most of the day. My mom came to visit before going to get James from school, but even that is a little blurry. Durand didn’t leave my side — somehow not complaining about the pullout chair he slept on — complete with another chair he had to pull up to it for his feet because he is so tall.

I had a roommate for the first time since one day where I had to share a room back in 2016 before I was transferred to the cardiac ICU. Sweet as she was, the woman was a SNORER. Even with my pain pills I was up much of the night, as was Durand. We had to laugh in the morning when her husband arrived and she told him she slept great. I bet! The joke he told was perhaps worth it though. Through the curtain we heard, “These stitches are driving me crazy. There are so many of them.” He responded with “I guess you shouldn’t have been doing all that snitchin’ then.” Haha. (For anyone who needs it, a reminder about “Snitches get stitches” from childhood…)

The doctor came by to check me out about 6:30 a.m. and was happy with his work. There is again an incision under the left breast and one in the center, which goes from about the middle over to almost my armpit. I was released around noon and set up my cocoon of pillows and blankets on the couch at Durand’s house. He and the kids took great care of me while I invaded the hub of their home. I had a post-op appointment on Wednesday and Dr. Sherbert said everything looked great and he would see me in a week, with the reminder not to let anyone hug me very hard on Thanksgiving.

We headed to Ionia on Thanksgiving and had a nice time with the Balice crew. Looking forward to when Cousin John and I take down Cousin Tim and his girlfriend Emily on Christmas Eve with our Euchre tie breaker. It is weird to not have James with me on a holiday, but I truly got to rest and not overdo it like I probably did last year at Thanksgiving post-surgery. We had a quiet Friday at mom’s then headed back to Detroit on Saturday morning.

I went back to my place when we got home, which of course Tone left in tip top shape. Daniel dropped James off for a few hours at my request and I foolishly thought she would just be able to chill and watch movies with me. Hahaha. If you know James, you know she is a force and is more like having three kids. Within minutes fish food was spilled all over the floor. I convinced her to play magnatiles on the couch (not the easiest) and in no time I was squeezed completely off the couch when I got up to go to the bathroom, came back and there was no room for me to sit back down. There was no question true rest and recuperation isn’t possible with her around.

Hopefully I get the green light from my surgeon this Wednesday at my next post-op to resume all activities over the weekend and expected. I’ll be picking up James from school Friday and will have our normal parenting schedule from there. I’m set to go back to work Monday. Say a little prayer that I get the go ahead as predicted because I’m barely getting through this week and need to start bringing in the bacon! Tough to pass up all those great Cyber Monday deals today! And I always look so forward to the annual Detroit Urban Craft Fair but might have to skip it this year. (YOU SHOULD NOT THOUGH! It’s great — you can find something for everyone and support an indie artist or maker). For most of them — or at least many of them — this is their full-time job and they make amazing, quality stuff.

I am happy to have this last breast surgery behind me. One more to go — the ovaries. I wish I could have done it all at the same time. I’m tired of stopping my life, being away from James, being stretched thin with money, inconveniencing my clients and those around me. My OB said it should really only sideline me for about a week when I get them out. They called me to schedule it, but I told them to call back in a couple of months. Im thinking March maybe? I guess there’s no real rush, but I’m just ready. Ready to be done. Ready to stop getting this shot, get through menopause, and possibly be down to only one pill at home. Ultimately, it would save some money each month for the shot and pill co-pay I guess too. A couple of days before my surgery, I got a call offering me $100 off if I paid that day. So weird! But I guess it’s a business and they want their money.

So, I’m certainly sore — tender might be a better description — and trying my best to do next to nothing. I lay here on the couch and see so many projects around me — that’s the tough part of being home. I’m dying to stretch and go to the chiropractor, but it will be some time before I can do that. Dr. Sherbert gave me the OK to kind of lay on my right side, so that has helped me be a little more comfortable. Then I try to hug a pillow on the left to give my incision some space and to remember to be resting that arm/side.

I think part of the reason I’m ready to to get these surgeries over with is because part of me backtracks emotionally every time my life is halted. Revisiting feelings I had during treatment. Maybe it’s good and helps me count my blessings and be grateful for being alive and what and who I have in my life. <3