Walking in Faith: Monday, Day 12

I don't feel like trying to get out of bed & find a laptop, so I am trying a quick update with my phone. We'll see. Not sure if anyone is even reading anymore?!? Please feel free to leave a comment. Regardless, I am documenting this for our family first & foremost.

I am so, so happy to be off the narcotics & using the Toradol painkiller. I cannot tell you what a difference it makes. As my mother-in-law, Jean (not to be confused with my own mother, Jean) was asking last night about the routine of last week (who woke up the kids, who laid out clothes, etc.) I realized I had absolutely no idea. I truly cannot recall any specific memories from last week, especially nothing before lunchtime. And even then I'm fuzzy on it. This morning as Chris was milking my drains & measuring their contents he commented that I seemed to finally be doing better. I said oh good, how can you tell (it was still dark out & I hadn't even gotten out of bed). He said it was the first morning with no crying. I was shocked. I asked what he meant. He said every morning had involved at least a round or two of tears. I was as embarrassed as shocked that I couldn't remember any of that. Scary. I asked him what I was crying about & he said it wasn't always clear....me mumbling about pain, or just crying for no discernsble reason (other than the mere fact that all of this has been extremely high on the list of "lousy things I never want to do.")

We had one little moment of drama today. I was laying in bed & suddenly felt wetness dripping from my armpit down my back. My waterproof bandages & gauze under were soaked & leaking. Clearly something was wrong with the drains. My doctor is in surgery all day, but we were advised by his office to remove all dressings, milk the drains as hard as I could stand it (assuming they were clogged with a blood clot) then re-dress the area & let them know if things stay dry. It was uncomfortable but we managed, & so far so good. Only down side, no showers until after I see Dr. Woods on Thursday. Sponge baths it is, I guess.

I will try to attach some photos that will help give a taste of the last week. At least, I like visuals. And I'm also wondering if I can actually do all of this on my phone. (turns out I couldn't add photos from my phone....)

OK - Not a flattering photo of me in the slightest, but for those who have asked about the drains, this shows better how they come out of the armpit and literally hang several feet down, emptying into the little "grenade" I like to call it.

This is a good look. Just lounging with bodily fluids dripping out of me. 5 drains.

Super husband. After he "milks" each drain 3 times a day, he has to empty, measure and record the contents. Each little "grenade" has to be squeezed in before it can be closed again to create a suction/vacuum that pulls the fluid out of my body.