The Countdown to Surgery

It's been a busy couple of days for me.  Yesterday was the sleeve and glove pick up day.  No more mummy wrapping!  The sleeve is going to take some getting used to, but it's already better and SO much easier than the seven layers of wrap.  I'm glad that is behind me.

Today started with a pre-op appointment at the plastic surgeon's office.  It's pretty scary to hear how much pain I'm going to be in and that I'll be walking bent over for a while, and to not force myself to stand up straight.  How I can't lift over five pounds for six weeks and how there is no way I'll be able to climb stairs and so on and so on.  I'll have a pain pump for the first couple of days.  I know I can handle it, but it's making both me and Kevin nervous.

One good thing that came out of the appointment was what might happen as a result of the surgery.  Because the radiated tissue will be replaced with non-radiated tissue (with healthy lymphatics,) there is a possibility that my lymphedema may get better.  Wouldn't THAT be amazing?  That lifted our spirits after getting scared by the warnings.

This afternoon, the guy came to set up  my compression pump and show me how to use it.  It's not bad at all.  For 50 minutes a night, I sit in the recliner while the pump does massage to move lymph fluid up and out of my arm.  This is my new routine:

So...two more weeks.  Next week is Thanksgiving and I'm going to get to see my Georgia brother.  The next week is a full week of work.  The Monday after that, we'll head to the hospital to check in and get ready for a noon surgery.  Yup.  The time is finally almost here.