Well after staying up until the wee hours of the night worrying the night before my appointment (yes, 4:30 am) it seems things are improving. My doctor is really not that concerned about the infection because it is a skin only type infection. It is hard to explain but I have a complicated history. For one, I've already had breast surgery and existing scars that span twice as long as my new scar. The patch of skin that is infected has 3 sides of scars. Couple that with my apparently resistance to many antibiotics that I discovered when I had mastitis while breastfeeding (I tried to explain that to the first on call doc but yet he didn't give me the strong stuff that my Doctor admitted he would have-oh well it was a weekend and holiday and the on call doc did come into the office on a SATURDAY with his kids to see me) and you have recipe for a disaster. Oh, also add in the alloderm, which is a substance used to patch me up inside when there was a lack of existing tissue (since they took it all during the mastectomy), since below my skin there is alloderm there is even less blood flow to the infected area which already had low blood flow because of the scar tissues. So, when he explained it like that, it made sense and he in no way thinks this will lead to me losing the expander.
On Monday, he drew lines around the infection and on Wednesday there was one small area that it had receded so he took that as a good sign. Today it even looks better, also. So after 3 days of the Bactrim, which also cured my mastitis, I think I am on the right track. It doesn't hurt more or anything it just looks nasty! But today it looks better so I am relieved.
I am so glad that I love my Doctor and the whole practice. Like I said a random on call guy came in on a Saturday to see me and my personal doctor goes out of his way to get me in to see him. The receptionists know me by name! I feel like I need a special parking spot because I frequent the office so much though I hope that will be diminishing with less complications. I am a little sore today since I drove myself to the doctor but I think with time I can build my muscles back up. One of the other doctors I saw last week suggested physical therapy and gave me a prescription for that. I'll see if it I need it. For daily stuff I am fine to get around the house, do laundry, get food out of the fridge, etc though I still cannot pick up Carter. Driving doesn't hurt but it has made my pec muscles pretty sore this morning.
I've been in a bad place for a while now and I hope I can get back to the fun, worry free, Erin. I am not sure where she is hiding but I know that I had no idea I would have this kind of recovery. I guess it was naive of me assume that everything would fall into place and I'd be out running 4 weeks post surgery. At this point I am sad to report that I regret my decision to have the surgery. I sincerely hope at some point in the near future that I will not feel like that. I hope it is one day soon. Feeling better and getting rid of this infection sure would be a good start.
I hope it recedes and recedes till it’s totally gone. As time passes and you heal, happy Erin will peek back into the room. It's hard to be care-free after this sort of thing – the issues are so very big, but I've learnt that it's very possible to recover, and laugh, and feel well once more despite everything. You’re going to make it there.
ReplyDeleteRest up & feel better, Catherine