It’s been a week since my surgery for my second mastectomy operation. Nothing says International Woman’s Day like ‘get this other boob off me now’. I know I’m a bit late to the game with it being a week past, but I’d like to take a minute to think about all the support I get from the women around me. Not only at home, but the team around me at the hospital is all women. My chemo nurses, breast cancer nurses, Oncologist and my surgeon. What an amazing group of women to have in my corner. I also need to give a shout out to the women on this platform. The support they give each other when they are going through their own shit is unbelievable.
You would think at 36 years old having a double mastectomy would be it would be de womanising, but I love my body the way it looks now and wouldn’t change it for the world.
Recovery from this surgery has been so much easier than last time. The lymph node removal was the worst part so without that it has been so much less painful. I did get my ‘dogear’ taken off my other side which has just made life a dream being able to put my arm down flat. There was a lump of cancer in there too that has now gone by default so that’s also a bonus.
I’ve been on morphine for the last week but today, cut that right down to taking half the dose just twice a day and sticking with paracetamol and ibuprofen. I’ve found the physio exercises much easier second time round but have been really strict with myself to do them 4 times a day. I can get my arms straight above my head already which is weeks ahead of my last surgery.
What doesn’t change after surgery is the horrific constipation. I feel like I’ve talked about nothing but my poop for the last week to anyone who will listen. They will all be pleased to know I’ve been! Long may the regularity last.
I had my bloods done on Friday to start chemo this week but my liver functions were too low, so I’ve got another week off treatment. This stressed me out on Friday leaving it but it was a decision I made and I knew there might be complications so sucked it up. It did make me get back on the straight and narrow with healthy eating though and necking all of the water I can take knowing I have a week to get my body back to full strength. And to go to the loo everyday (got to get more poo talk in while I can).
So all in all, this was the best choice I’ve ever made. Although I’m still swollen and full of water and so bruised I look like I’ve been hit by a bus, I love my tit-less self.
