Friday, August 16, 2013

Surgery, recovery, surgery

I realized I never posted about how the actual surgery went besides being declared cancer free! So I'll post about that and how recovery is going now.

My actual surgery was great. I had the dream team of my breast surgeon, plastic surgeon, anesthesiologist (who's a great friend of the family), and nurses. One of my nurses was actually a good friend of mine's mom! They all did a phenomenal job. They told my family that my surgery was routine and textbook. 

Then I recovered in Scripps hospital for 2 nights. The nurses there were super sweet and took great care of me. Since then I've been recovering at home and my parents house near mine. It's hard because my arms are super immobile and I just feel uncomfortable a lot. I can't do anything for Elise since I'm not allowed to lift anything over 10 lbs for 4 weeks. So Jon and my parents have been doing a great job keeping her happy and healthy. 

All was going pretty well until this Wednesday when I had a hematoma (broken blood vessel) pop up out of nowhere on my upper left chest. I went straight to my plastic surgeon's office and he decided it needed surgery. So later that day I was back in the OR under anesthesia (our awesome anesthesiologist friend did it again). After 30 mins they found the bleeder, fixed it, and I was back in recovery. Now I'm feeling ok minus a lot of soreness on my left side and the stupid surgical drain that I have on that side still (my right drain is out!). 

And since everyone asks me about reconstruction, so here is the deal... When you have a mastectomy you have zero breast tissue left, so they can't just put an implant on your chest like a boob job since there is nothing to hold it. So during my mastectomy the plastic surgeon put expanders behind my chest muscles. Now over several weeks he will slowly fill those expanders until I start radiation. Then several months after radiation he will replace the expanders with silicon in another surgery. So it's a long process. 

8 comments:

  1. Glad to hear all is going well...

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  2. Thanks for sharing an update. I am glad to hear all went well. Continue to rest and recover. Thinking of you!

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  3. I'm late reading posts this week, but praise God!

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  4. Glad to hear you are doing well! I was thinking about you earlier this week so I'm glad you posted!

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  5. I'm glad to hear things are moving along for you! I know the expanders can be uncomfortable, too, so I hope things continue to be as pain-free as possible. Thinking of you, your family and your beautiful little girl! Prayers for all!!

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  6. Yikes - glad surgery(s) went well, all things considered! Thinking of you! xo

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  7. You are so amazing, Kirsten!! I have been following you since the beginning and I'm so, so glad to read this post and see you are cancer free and doing well. So happy for you!

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  8. Going through the surgery is indeed difficult, but that's the best way to treat breast cancer. How long do you need to wait before you can start with your procedure? You've gone through a lot of hardships, Kirsten, but despite all that, you remained strong. You really deserve all the blessings that you have in your life right now. I'm sure Elise was the best blessing you had ever received. :)

    Candance Summerall @ COSMED Plastic Surgery Center

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