One week on from op

Hi there, I detailed a bit about the surgery and 24-48 hours afterwards. But not the updates since.
On the Friday, I was able to sit up in a lazyboy chair for about an hour and started my first physio exercises and on the Saturday, I sat in the chair for about four hours - and I think did a small walk around the ward.
On the Saturday, one of the lovely nurses told me that things would improve a lot each day as tubes start to be removed on a daily basis. On Sunday, I had the oxygen removed as my oxygen levels were ok.
Drains had to drain less than 30ml a day in order to be removed and two were removed on the Monday along with the canula/needle in the back of my hand. Also, the catheter came out on the Monday. It was a good day. So I was able to get up and go to the toilet and also have a seated shower. The doctors also said that I could go home on the Tuesday if things improved at the rate that they were going. YAY.
On the Tuesday, another drain was removed which left me going home with only one drain (draining from my tummy). The drains are put into cute pink bags so that you can walk around with them. However, as I have this tube coming out of my abdomen, it is very hard to wear clothes - I decided to cut a hole in some track pants so the tube can come out :)
I really bonded with three nurses - they were sweet, caring and so helpful, giving me pep talks about how I would feel and that having a cry was normal. And making me feel comfortable  There was a couple of nurses who upset me - and one time when my buzzer wasn't working. I couldn't work out why I was pressing it and nobody came. It was a powerless experience.
I thought I would feel anxious about having nurses washing me, but when you need a wash, you just don't care who sees what. Also, same with the catheter. It didn't bother me at all.
My plastic surgeon had the flu so hadn't been at work since the surgery but she was fantastic - so experienced, so kind and even gave me a hug before the surgery. I have so much admiration for the medical team - including two female lead surgeons.  The hospital is also a training hospital and quite a few students were around; it was inspiring to see an amazing group of new surgeons coming through.
Each time someone would check my breast, they'd use the word perfect.  It was such a relief to pass the critical point where if something had gone wrong, I would have needed to go back into surgery to replace the breast tissue.  To be honest, when I was feeling so grotty, I almost didn't care what the breast looked like as I just wanted to feel better - but in a few weeks, I will really care :)
So it appears that the surgery has been a complete success and as each day passes, the trauma reduces slightly.  It is amazing how the body heals along with the mind.  
As of Thursday one week later, I still have some serious healing to do - stitches on abdomen and breast - and not able to lift very much - or use my right arm much at all. I am walking slowly and able to shower seated (with my Mum's help).  I am resting almost the whole day and taking pain killers every two to four hours.  When I am late with them, I know all about it. The antibiotics make me a bit nauseous and I have quite an upset tummy. I am able to eat a little more each day but don't really have an appetite yet.  But I am feeling my spirit is back :)
Also, I had some beautiful flowers in my hospital room - very uplifting - and especially the card from people at work, the words were lovely.  Yesterday, another bunch arrived from a friend in Chch. I have a lot of support and caring around me. x A

Second op down

Hi all, thanks for all the support and good wishes - messages, cards, flowers, texts, pressies....it's been great.
The surgery was a bit bigger than I expected and felt quite a trauma at that time. It was around five hours and I got back to my hospital bed around 5pm on the Thursday.  The general anaesthetic and I didn't get on too well and I remember Thursday night - not being able to lift my hands - with a horrible taste in my mouth. Wine gums help a bit with this and Shaz and Nicky visited the hospital and gave me lollies and a bit of support. I had a wonderful nurse Leo who spoon fed me some yogurt; I was like a baby.
I woke up with four drains coming out of me - two from my breast and two from my tummy - these are tubes which drain fluid from the wound sites. A catheter so I didn't need to go to the toilet, a canula/needle in the back of my hand - with two lines, one for a morphine pump - where I could push the button and get a burst of morphine plus a drip with saline making sure I was hydrated. I also had an oxygen tube putting oxgyen straight into my nostrils. Anything else - I had anti blood clot socks on and the electric wraps that massage the legs (to avoid blood clots). The room was so hot; I was told that I had to keep the flap (skin/tissue taken from my tummy and moved to become a new breast) very warm in order for it to survive/not be rejected.
Hourly for 48 hours, medical staff checked my blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels and pulse plus checked my breast to see if it was the right shade of pink/that it was accepting, not rejecting.  I also had daily injections into my thigh muscle of a drug to prevent blood clots, antibiotics injected twice daily through the back of my hand plus daily blood tests/taken from my feet! All this with 3-4 types of painkillers plus a variety of other drugs to stop nausea, inflammation and other things. I felt completely overwhelmed/that I couldn't cope and that I could not get through this. The first night, I had kind of druggy dreams about driving and monkey/jungles etc etc abut didn't sleep much at all. I realised that I couldn't cope seeing any visitors. I was spending basically all my time being nursed/doctored anyway - exhausting. Friday morning, mum arrived at 10am and I told her that I couldn't cope and could she help me. I was sweating from the heat so she was able to pin my hair up in little bunches so that I the back of my head wasn't sweating. Mum contacted people and let them know that I wasn't up to visitors, just focussing on survival really. Mum is a nurse and is amazing. She helped me wash my face, wash my glasses, brush my hair, she read to me and basically did heaps of things to help me try to be comfortable including cooking alternative meals to the uusally unappetising hospital meals. She stayed until around 3pm and continued that pattern of visits for the five days post surgery in hospital.
The doctors do their rounds at 8am each morning and told me that the surgery had gone perfectly - and that the breast flap was looking great. My tummy was also looking good. I have in effect had a tummy tuck with fat and muscle taken from the tummy and turned around/created into a breast - and apparently, they've created a new belly button.
Feeling a bit better each day so will update this tomorrow. x Andrea