Drain Tubes

SOOOO....I got two of my drain tubes out today, and the stitches by my armpit.

I had a little LOT of anxiety before going to my appointment today because I heard from several people that the drain tube removal was one of the worst (most painful) parts of this whole thing.  Mom reminded me yesterday to "take a pain pill" before I went.

It didn't help my anxiety that my appointment was at 10:15 and he didn't get back in the room until after 11. So, here I was sitting in the chair, with a floor to ceiling mirror right in front of me for what seemed like an abnormal amount of time.  Starring at drain tubes hanging from your side is enough to gross out even the most strong-stomached.  Dr F comes in and looks and pokes around and says everything is looking great, and that he needs to go get a suture kit to remove my stitches.

I held me breath when he started to pull the first drain tube out....fully anticipating to feel some kind of sharp pain in my chest.  I felt nothing except for some skin stinging, which was not that bad, and it stopped as soon as he was done pulling the drain out.  The worst part was actually seeing how long the tubes were once he got them both pulled out.  He told me to expect some drainage out of the holes for 24-48 hours, and after that they would scab up.

Then he removed the other stitches (the ones by my arm pit), and I didn't feel those at all.  I guess it's a good thing the skin is completely numb right now.

I have started to shed the top layers of skin around where the incisions were made, and while it looks kind of gross, some of the black bruising is starting to lighten up.

He said I am far enough out now that I can also start using Vitamin E Oil on the incisions and it will really help with the scarring, even though he said I scar 'nicely'.  That sounded kind of funny to hear come out of a plastic surgeons mouth, but I guess it's true.  My C-section, gall bladder, precious lumpectomy, and hysterectomy scars are all only noticeable if you stare with the intention of looking for them.

Next weeks appointment will consist of me getting my other two drain tubes out, and I'll get my first fill.  Hopefully, that appointment will go as smooth as this one did, and the 'fill' will only cause minimal discomfort.  The good thing I keep telling myself is....we're already at 360.  We're already over half-way there in this process of stretching my pectoral muscles.  If all goes as planned, I should be done with fills and will be ready for my exchange surgery in about 10 weeks. (which is coincidentally the week of Christmas, and is not ideal, but it will save us from having to meet another yearly deductible within the first couple weeks of January.)

After my appointment, Amanda, the girls and I went to Wal-Mart and I ordered Breanna's birthday cake.  She's been three for a week now, and it still seems surreal to me that she's blessed our lives for that long.  Maybe it's because she's the baby, and it makes me a little sad that she's THREE already!