13 Days Post Op

I am ever so pleased to report that the surgeon took the drain out yesterday. Whoo-hoo! She got me to lie flat on the examining table whereupon it was confirmed that I still cannot yet be completely straight because when I tried to lie flat on my back, my knees automatically came up a bit. What's the phrase? For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction? My body is still missing that 6 inches of skin and will need some more time to adjust I think.

Taking out the drain was an interesting sensation. My drain was placed at my right hip, the tube to which it was attached seemed to be somewhere between my left hip and my belly button. It was quite a thing when she pulled it out. I instinctively averted my eyes, but the feeling of it was decidedly icky. She then took her hands and, I believe the polite word is palpated, my abdomen at the hip insicion pushing out as much fluid as she could from the drain's hole. She got me to shift a little onto my right side so that fluid could drain more. As she was touching me I realized that my lower abdomen is pretty much numb. I could feel the pressure, but my skin obviously has not yet reconnected completely to the nerve endings below. I may or may not have complete feeling returned - will have to wait and see.

I looked down my stomach and could kind of see my new belly button which has yet to round out, and my lower, lower stomach which is still a titch swollen even when I'm on my back. She explained that I would be able to shower now (THRILL OF THRILLS!) and that she wanted me to deliberately massage both the new belly button and the hip incision to encourage the sloughing off of the dissolving stitches. The Doc was very impressed with my healing so far. (One of the nurses, Sharon, had told me right after the operation that the surgeon had done a phenomenal job - one of the best results she'd ever seen.)

I asked the Doc about walking. She would really prefer I didn't walk outside the house at all. Which makes me cringe. I kind of offered her a choice about the 3 small walks a day or the one bigger walk a day and she went for the bigger walk earlier on in the day, but still stressed that especially this coming week, because I no longer have the drain in, I need to take it easy or the fluid could build up once more and I might need to be aspirated next week. Aspiration is when they insert a needle into you to release fluid build up. I'm hoping to avoid that particular pleasure. After today I shouldn't really have to worry about the dressing on the drainage hole, it should already be healing over. If fluid does build up this week, I'll call and see if instead of going all the way into Toronto, she might be able to refer me to another surgeon maybe in Peterborough or Whitby.

Even though I had "seen" my stomach I hadn't really LOOKED at it in a mirror until last night after I showed David and Rissa the results. Rissa was pretty grossed out and David was appropriately complimentary and asked what I thought. It then struck me that I hadn't actually looked yet. So I trundled into the bathroom, sidled up to the full-length mirror, eyes half-closed in anticipation... and it's... good. I mean I have a huge honkin' scar at my hip line that's all red, but it's symmetrical, and low. My belly button looks like it is in the right place, albeit a bit hairy because of the sutures still sticking out of it. (Think of your Great Aunt Hilda's ginormous wart.) It looks pretty darned good. It's flat. (Apart from the swollen bits.) My waist has come in a bit. So finally after 12 days of doubting my decision... I'm turning the corner. Now that I'm no longer covered in dried bloody gauze, I can see that this new stomach will eventually be what I had hoped it would be: tight, firm and free of cottage-cheesey squooshiness and elephant ear flappiness.

So this morning I woke early when David when downstairs to do the Wii Fit. I turned on my side in bed to pet our little cat Minuit. I TURNED ON MY SIDE! It was heavenly. I have more energy today and was feeling like I could conquer the world until I went to walk David and Rissa a few blocks and realized that I continue to be woefully shy of my regular walking pace. I walked them to the end of our street then let them proceed on their mobile way and I decided to take the Doc's words to heart about taking it easy and only walked two and a half blocks this morning. The dishwasher needs to be unloaded, the floors are in dire need of a vacuuming, beds should be made, but I shall ignore those calls until people who are able to move get home at the end of the day. Instead I shall write - I'm in the midst of a vampire novel - and seeing as I need to research for that - I'll watch some more True Blood as well.

And see? 13 days out, and I'm beginning to forget the badness... the future begins to look bright.

Cheers!
Heather