Surgery day - Dec 14th

Hi everyone!  I know it has been a while since I last posted.  Again just enjoying my nights with Emelia and Larry!  But here are some updates on whats been going on.. and how I have been feeling!

For the weeks and days leading to my Mastectomy in December I was a mess.  Mostly scared and sadden to lose a part of me.  Wondering how I would change.. if I could still be me.   As with most struggles... the weeks before and the anticipation are always worse than the actual event and the days after.    A few things helped me get threw it.  A couple of weeks before the surgery I had a Bye Bye Boobie party!  Lots of friends, drinks, food and fun!  Great time and really helped me relax before the big day.   

The morning of the surgery Larry did his share to make me laugh.  We had to be at MGH early.. 6:30 am.  Larry was tired.. didn't eat and maybe just a little nervous/concerned.  We were in the pre-surgery room, I was laying on a bed, getting prepped..  He stood and watched the nurse put my IV in my hand.   Probably not a good idea!  All of a sudden.. he was pale.. shaky.. and 1, 2 , 3..  passing out .. heading toward the floor!   The nurses called for help.. and had him in a chair.. started taking his blood pressure.. but it was so low.. no pulse..  and then they looked at me and said.. Rebecca can you get up and move.. we need to give Larry your bed!   haha- of course.. always stealing my moment!   He was hooked up to oxygen and given some food-   Waving to me laughing as I was eventually moved to a new stretcher and into surgery!  It did help make me laugh. 

The surgery was fine..  I was asleep!   Since I did not do reconstruction that day and my lymph nodes were removed previously, it wasn't as bad as I expected.  I was even able to go home that afternoon!  Of course I got sick.. I always do. But by later that night I was fine.

The hardest part of the next few days was not being able to lift Emelia.  I could physically.. but I wasn't supposed to because I had a drain in and they didn't want fluid to build up in my chest wall.  Recovery wasn't too bad.   The drain was in for 3 weeks.  Since it was over Christmas, the holiday and company helped distract me.