Finally Done!

I am done! I had my implant exchange surgery yesterday around 10 am. The surgeon was done at 11 and I was heading home by 2pm. The whole process was so much easier this time. I was excited to have the surgery so that helped. As soon as I woke up in the recovery room I reached under my blankets to feel my new chest. It was soft. I was so happy! I had no idea that what the doctor was saying would actually be true. My plastic surgeon did a great job choosing an implant and all that fit me and looks almost like I used to look before all of this. They look very natural and feel nice and squishy! No more hard plastic bowls sewn into my rib cage.

I had almost zero pain yesterday and I stayed on top of my pain medicine until over night. I woke up once in a fair amount of pain but I took a pain pill and went right back to sleep. It is so much easier to sleep when you don't have expanders in you. I cannot sleep on my side for a few weeks but even on my back I was more comfortable. My pain today has been higher, which the nurse said it would be. I am just taking it easy and resting. I am pretty swollen so I've been using the ice packs to help with that.

Overall it was a piece of cake. I couldn't beleive it until it happened but everyone was right. It was nothing compared to what I've already been through.

I am on preventative antibiotics to stop any potential infection that might develop. The area that had the issues is nasty looking and very bruised but I guess that is normal. It'll take a while for the swelling to go down.

So, if today is the worst pain I am going to have, I can deal with that!
Whew! It is over! :o)

This is it.

This is it. The day is finally here. The day I have been looking forward to for a long time! Now that the day is finally here I can feel my nerves start to rise up a little when I think about it. I know that I am excited and all but it is still surgery. I am going to be hurting a little more first before it gets better. I think I will feel better to have the expanders out of me but I'll still feel a little sore for a few days at least. I keep hearing how easy this surgery is compared to the last and I really hope that I can agree with that when this is over!

I went back and read some of my earlier posts and it helped me regain my focus. I know this has been a hard few months and it is no secret that I didn't handle this all as I would have hoped I would. But, finally it is coming to an end and I can hopefully get back to regular life without a worry about infections, pain, another surgery, etc. I know I made the right choice and when I get a little distance from this all I know I am going to be so grateful for that choice I made. I know my children will appreciate not having to see me go through a breast cancer diagnosis. I can sleep easier knowing I did everything I could to protect them from that.

Wish me luck! By this time tomorrow I should be at home resting in my bed with my new an improved *soft* TSB's!!

Still excited!

I swear the closer I get to my surgery date the more annoying these expanders are getting! I've been doing really well with sleeping the past month. I haven't had any anxiety about going to sleep, less restless leg issues and I can fall asleep and sleep through the night without any sleep aids. That is major progress for me! The past few nights though I haven't had the best nights sleep. I think my body is just ready to be done with the expanders. I had a really vivid dream about waking up with soft implants and how great it felt to be a little squishy up top. I hope that dream comes true because it was a wonderful dream!

I had a great appointment with my plastic surgeon yesterday. I am so glad that he is so great. He has been so sweet and reassuring through every step of this process. I made him promise that I wouldn't be in pain anymore after the soft implants are put in. He said he was sure I'd feel better and had no real explanation for my pain other than the expanders are hard and annoying. The past few weeks I've seen an increase in pain on one side. It is the same side that was bothering me around Christmas, and ironically the non infected side. Well, it is bothering me enough to affect my life right now. Turning my body, driving, basically moving causes pain. I wanted to know that this pain will be gone soon. He assured me it would. Because of this pain I haven't run or done any physical activity in months. I will be so excited to get back to running and being active again. The weather is turning warmer and it is a great time get back into my exercise routine.

I am preparing my sub plans for work, getting my house ready and all things in order. The countdown is really on. I am as excited as a 5 year old is for Christmas! I cannot wait to wake up and breath a sigh of relief. I cannot wait to be done!