Surgery

It has now been 4 days since surgery and I am attempting to type on my computer - so far so good but can tell it will be short lived.

With me for 4 major inpatient stays 

Right before surgery I had to have a quick CT scan so there was a bit of a shuffle which helped keep my mind off of things. I definitely was emotional though. My friends sent me some great things to keep me distracted though - pictures of puppies, videos of my favorite little guys and then of course Justin Timberlake. Before I knew it I was out, didn't even get to the counting down part! 

When I woke up I had this insane pain - in the heel of my foot! Like crazy pain, enough that I was kicking and screaming. Yes, screaming. I was relieved at that moment that I hadn't lost my ability to talk. But man my foot killed. It was most likely propped up at a weird angle for the 5 1/2 hr surgery and then once it moved and got blood flow it freaked out. Me screaming also meant that I was able to swallow as well. I then smiled and most of the smile works, just a bit of my lower lip is stunned and should hopefully come back. This happened with my last surgery and it took about 2 months to come back. Knowing that it will most likely come back makes it easier to accept.

Before surgery to compare

Before surgery to compare

WARNING - SCAR PICTURES BELOW!

Surgery went really really good. Dr. Monroe said he believes he got every tumor out as well as any affected lymph nodes. He dissected the old scar as well and was able to keep the new scar minimal. I made him take a picture of the tumors and show me them when I was awake - pretty insane. He was emailing them to me but somehow that got messed up. I hope to get them tomorrow to post. It was pretty interesting as some of the lymph nodes and tumors are black while the others were not. That's the melanoma in them. The scar is larger but the sutures/stitches are tighter so I am thinking it will heal even better than my last one. I have a drain that is working pretty well, having some minor issues with it but nothing too big.

Day One - right after surgery

Day One - right after surgery

Day Two - still in the hospital

I was in the hospital for 2 nights and now have been home for 2 nights. My oxygen level tends to drop when I sleep while on pain meds so we decided I should have supplemental oxygen at home for when I am asleep. It isn't too bad, I just hope it isn't a permanent thing.

Day Three - At home after a shower

Day Three - at home, after a shower

The pain isn't too intense - it is there for sure, but not what I had expected. There is a lot of surface skin nerve damage so I am not sure I am truly feeling all the pain that I am actually having, which is one benefit to nerve damage. I have been keeping up on a schedule for my pain meds and things haven't been too rough. I have some limited range of motion but I feel a lot of that is swelling and we can work on it to improve it. Swelling has been the worst the last two days so I have been trying to drink as much water as I can and move as much as my energy will allow - which hasn't been much. I have been sleeping a ton. I know you heal when you sleep so that makes sense, but man I'm exhausted.

This came in handy for my new diet! Just no chocolate dipped ones for me this time

They had to cut one of the bile ducts in that area that regulates fat in your blood stream so because of that I am on a NO fat diet. Like zero fat, nada. Not so easy to do when you can't chew much since most of the fat free (natural) things are vegetables. We are finding recipes and tricks though and for now the nonfat yogurt, cereal, milk and fruits have done ok. Basically on a dairy diet. Like I said, we are working on it.

And this note made me chuckle

And that is about all I can handle of holding up my arm to type, but I feel like I did a pretty good job!