As mentioned, the drive home was an experience with all the bumps and potholes, I pretty much sat in the car holding my breasts to buffer the shock of the bumps. You can imagine the looks I was getting from other drivers.
The first 2 weeks were a breeze. I felt pretty good, except for the constant nausa which was from the anesetic. I was healing fast, I had the drainage tubes removed within a week. The tubes were never really in the way or annoying, I looked at it this way, they were smaller than the breasts that were hanging there 2 weeks prior!
I had a Nurse visit daily to change the dressings, and make sure that everything was healing properly.
I visited the Surgeon, and he was pleased with my progress, and to continue what I have been doing. I felt at this time that I could change the dressings myself, and the nurse released me from daily visits.
I suppose I got a little too cocky about my speedy healing, because on the 3rd week I started to feel sicker, and exhausted and the left breast was red and hot around the nipple. I don't want to gross out the readers, but the infection was nasty. I went to my Family Doctor and she put me on antibiotic on Tuesday. She did proactively take a swab of the infected area.
I can't even remember the weeks to follow. I just slept, couldn't eat due to the nausea. I forced gingerale to keep myself from getting dehydrated. On Friday morning I received a call from my Doctor, advising that the swab she took came back that the infection was from a rare bacteria that would only have been picked up from the hospital, and that the antibiotics she gave me wouldn't work, but called in another perscription for the correct medication.
By Sunday the infection got worse and I drove myself to the hospital. Again, I will spare the details, however when you have surgery like this, the tissue and fat dies and decomposes and needs to be drain.
Lets just say, by this time in my "new breasts life", they have been exposed to numerous nurses and doctors. It was as if they weren't mine anyway, I couldn't imagine showing my real breasts to anyone. I showed the Dr in Emerg and I am sure he was grossed out. He took a swab as well, and gave me another perscription for antibiotics and to take it along with the antibiotics I received on Friday. He told me that if it gets any worse to go back to the hospital where I had the surgery!
I became sicker and weaker. I called and left a message for my surgeon to let him know what was going on. His secretary called me Monday and asked that I come to his office Tuesday. I was too weak to drive, and I was sure that he was going to re-admit me and set me up on IV antibiotics and perhaps another drain. I was even taking some of the painkillers that he perscribed. I didn't feel that I needed the painkillers even the day after the surgery, but now I was in a lot of pain.
Tuesday, my parents drove me to Newmarket to visit the Surgeon. He explained that there was an absess on the one nipple and that the infection was not serious, but fat and its surrounding tissues becoming necrotic. He removed the abcess and infection. He called to have the nurses back to pack the area and ensure the infection clears up.
Back home I became sicker and slept more. At this point, the 4th week after the surgery I wanted someone to shoot me. I felt amazing the first 2 weeks. Now I lived off of Gravol, ginger-ale and popsicles.
Monday morning, almost a week later I woke up and wasn't nausaus. I was actually hungry! Hallalooooooooooya I felt human again. I actually had breakfast and kept it down.
The nurses are still coming and packing the hole that was created when the doctor removed the absess. I visited him again Tuesday and he is happy with the progress with the infected area, and happy with what the nurses are doing....
Check out next month....the benefits of having smaller breasts!
