Survival Files: Post Surgery Update

I have been laying low this weekend getting rest and doing very little. I mentioned that I would give more details and so here goes...

The surgery went well, better than I had hoped. The surgeons were able to get rid of the cancer and not only that, they were able to lift the tram and move it over. From what I understand, there was very little of the tram removed. Woo Hoo!

I will find out more information on Friday when I visit with the oncologist. I am hoping the pathology will shed a little light on where this came from or if this is a few leftover microscopic cells from last time that just started growing. Up to this point, they don't really know. Next Monday I have my appointment with the surgeons.

They sent me home tightly wrapped with instructions not to do anything with the dressing. So I haven't actually seen the main incisions. The port incision is not dressed at all since they used glue to close it. That incision is about an inch and a half on my left collar bone.

I have two drains, one to drain the main incision and one where the lymph nodes were taken. There is definitely more fluid coming from my armpit/lymph node area and I was pretty shocked the first night when I stripped the drains to see how much fluid was there. 120 mLs was more than I have ever seen in one drain. It was down to 70 mLs by Sunday morning though and has been around that or slightly lower since. If you want to read more about Jackson Pratt Drains, here are a couple of other posts I have written about them.

December 2013 Drains
September 2013 Drains

So far, so good. I broke down and got a color book for adults. I have enjoyed coloring all my life and have crayons and coloring books all over the house still, so I never understood the big to do about these more sophisticated adult coloring books. I have a pretty good set of colored pencils and have finally been coloring like an adult after all these years!

I am reading a couple of books and of course, coloring pages in my new coloring books. Today I will spend some more time in my recliner and maybe try some knitting. I started a new project on Wednesday and did everything until I got to a part I didn't understand in the pattern. That means watching a few YouTube how to videos before I keep going. The trick is to see if I have the patience to work on a more difficult pattern while under the influence of narcotics.

Speaking of that, I have gone down to one instead of two pills every four hours and am starting to add ibuprofen too. I hope to wean off the stuff that makes me sleepy and be on ibuprofen only. Maybe by Wednesday or Thursday. Right now I am almost an hour past when I should have taken my next prescription pain pill and the ibuprofen is working fine.

Thanks for all of the prayers as I heal. The summit of the first big mountain has been reached and we are now on the other side resting up for the next climb. Love you all!