In The Matrix

I am so very glad to be Home. Yes, with a capital "H". I finally hung pictures on the wall last week - decided where I wanted them and got the 3M stuff to do it so I feel much less like a squatter. I come in the door and I see my books, afghans, pictures. My plants and mugs, everything where I left it. It smells and feels like the haven that it is. I breathe a small sigh when I walk through my front door - there is a lightness of being that I feel within these walls.

I am really not experiencing pain as such. Dr. Hofer certainly took me at my word to "make this worth my while" and the skin & muscles in my stomach are tight. My back aches by the end of the day from walking upright, making sure that I don't hunch over to make it easy on the stomach muscles. There are shooting pains inside, not near the incisions that the nurse said were indications that the nerves were healing. There are also internal stitches which I'm sure I am putting to the test when I cough. I use a pillow or my forearms as a supporting splint but it still hurts like a mofo. 

 Caution - graphic photos to follow.

The drainage tube from my breast was removed before I left the hospital; I still have the abdominal ones. A nurse will come every day to double check the wound sites, drain & record the fluids and make sure I've generally not fallen & can't get up. The abdominal drains can be removed once there is 10mL or less fluid draining (from each one) for 2 consecutive days. Until then I feel like I'm still connected to the Matrix. I am still puffy and swollen - drinking water, walking and trying to be patient (HA!).


Here are the pics - not for the squeamish but ya'll know about my fascination with procedures and progress.

 Matrix connections & a new belly button!!!

underneath the left side of the breast 

#1 - the insertion site for the breast drain.

#2 - blisters from the tape holding the drain in place

A lovely, not caved-in breast!!! Excellent patch job once the swelling & bruising subside.

 I am very happy that even after 6 days my tongue ring went back in with no problem!!! Ron will be disappointed (he's a tad conservative) but I don't care - I love it!! 
I am just walking - believe me, I am the tortoise!! - and resting. Sleeping/napping/dozing when I can.