After my surgery I was really lucky regard pain. Although I did ask the anesthetist to give me enough to knock me out until everything was over!
I was told to take 2 weeks off work to recover from the surgery, although because I was feeling fine it was driving me nuts stuck in the house since the lovely 2" cut under my arm would not let me drive (this was the only pain at this point and I also think my boob fell out with me cause it was causing no pain). I will no longer joke about being a lady of leisure unless I am well enough to escape the house. The other disadvantage of breast cancer surgery recovery (I am still trying to work out the advantages) is that you are not allowed to do any housework. I use to think it would be lovely for some help doing the housework, however I had to watch my husband and kids, who were trying to be helpful, doing the housework but the problem was they did not do it the way I did it. Between you, me and everyone reading this blog I have OCD when it comes to hoovering my mat and it was painful to watch it being cleaned wrongly.
After a week off work and watching my lovely mat being ill treated, I asked my doctor to let me go back to work early because my imagination was being so creative (my art teacher would have been so proud of me since she told me I hadnt a creative bone in my body). It was like bidding at an auction, this is how it went:-
"Me - Dr can I go back to work on Monday; Dr - I would prefer if you could stay off for another week; Me- but it has been 7 days since my operation I feel wonderful; Dr - ok what about you go back on Friday; Me - what about I go back tomorrow Tuesday; Dr - What about you go back on Thursday; Me - What about I go back on Wednesday" I won the auction.
I went back to work on Wednesday, although driving was a bit uncomfortable but only when I had to change from 4th to 5th gear, hence me spending about a week only going as high as 4th gear. I omitted to tell anyone that of fear of not being allowed to go back to work.
Fear of cancer, fear of the unknown, fear of not working, fear of changing gear, fear fear fear. There is a pattern here it seems and fear seems to be it.
Although driving did become less painful and I think my car was happier than me as it did not have to squeal when doing 50 miles an hour in 4th gear.
At this point the roller coaster went back on a straight as things settled down until the next phase of my treatment........the radiation blaster!
