Day 12 post-op

19:00

I have felt very fatigued since arriving home; most of the previous days have been spent much as they were in the hotel: sitting or sleeping, and making the effort to move for only bathroom breaks and food. Before, with room service to clean and provide for me and thus most activity taking place at waist level with minimum effort, my incapabillity did not seem so obvious; I now find that returning to my lifestyle has presented several unanticipated difficulties.

My reach is limited to a 45º angle at best; the majority of dishes and pantry shelves require a tall stool to access. My mother has arranged a selection of cups and bowls on a countertop, which I anticipate on rotating through for another week at least. My bedroom being on the second floor, I have also found descending the staircase rather painful.

The tissue above and beside the areolae feels very bruised and slightly swollen, although the areolae themselves appear to be healing well. The left one is of some concern to me as nothing of the scabbing has shown the slightest sign of falling off, leading to an increasingly blackened and hardened appearance. However, the edges of the incision are pink and holding securely, so tissue death does not appear to be an issue. There has been a little bleeding around the nipple itself and the bottom edge of the incision on the right for the past few days, although it ceases quickly.

The tape covering the breast incision is becoming slightly saturated, and although its removal is recommended around two weeks, I am hesitant to do so as the incision itself is rather sensitive and I worry about the possibility of it opening during a high reach or quick arm movement, in particular given that tomorrow I return to work for the first time in a field that is quite physically demanding. While for the past few days I have hardly been able to stand to not wear the binder for the feeling of tension, exposure and tenderness, just today I find that it is becoming more tolerable to go without it.

Nonetheless, the overall healing process seems to be progressing with little obstacle. A natural stomach-sleeper, I have as of yet been unable to accommodate such a position as I am very aware of my skin stretching and of the weight on both the grafts and the bruised tissue, which causes a lot of discomfort. Sleeping on my side is both comfortable and painless, however; so it has become my position of choice.

The site this morning. Very little aesthetic change so far. The smudges here and there are tape residue from the nipple gauze, and there is some faint indentation from the binder.

From a different angle; not the best photo as my hands occupy half of it, but there can be observed some swelling above the areola in the upper left. The drain holes are beginning to close.

~ by geekbynature on July 5, 2009.