THE DRAINS ARE OUT!!!  Ok, I'll back up....
The past week was a rough one. I had to go back on the Norco (as needed) because the expanders pretty much sent over the top in pain. A pain I cannot describe. Well, maybe the best way to describe it is to put it bluntly (Rob closes his ears when I describe it like this, but I make him listen as that is the least he can do if I have to have the pain). So imagine your skin is scraped clean and is as thin as can safely be (on the inside), your ribs are scraped clean and raw, your pec muscles have had the fascia covering them removed and are now just muscle and then you have a hard plastic bag (I mean rubbermaid hard) put in and is now being filled with saline and stretching the muscles and skin.  YEP, that's how I felt.  Either the pain became bearable or it actually got better as the weekend ended. I then also developed cording. These fine cord like structures appear to be scar tissue and common in women who have had a mastectomy with the lymph nodes removed.  Basically it looks like wires stretching from my body to my arm via the armpit. UGH, more stretching!  And then I started getting a charlie horse in my right pec. OMG, If you've never had a charlie horse in your pec, try avoiding it at all costs. It was an extremely painful cramp that has eventually gotten better with more stretching!
Sunday I had 6 of my closest high school friends come for a visit, they brought gifts, drinks, & snacks, and we ate pizza!!! It was so much fun to sit and visit with them, and I truly appreciate them coming in from not just Friendswood, but Dallas and Midland. We used to go on girls weekends before we all got so busy with kids and life. So it's actually been a few years since we've all been together at once. I look forward to our celebration girls weekend next Spring! (Thanks again Melissa, Hollis, Tanessa, Lisa, Marcy & Michele).
Today I went to see Dr. Gordley. I wasn't too excited because even though my drains are slowing, I knew they weren't ready to completely come out and I was going to ask him to avoid filling the expanders for one more week. After a long wait in a very crowded waiting room, I was finally seen. He looked at my drain chart, asked how far out I was (3 weeks) and looked at me and said we're removing all the drains!  WHAT?  Even my lymph node one? He said they're doing fine and at this point there's more risk of bacteria infections if they're left in too long. WOW!!!  I was so excited and he even said he'll wait until next week to fill my expanders and won't put in as much saline.  That was it, done, they're out and I cannot tell you how excited I am to sleep on my side (probably won't roll all the way over as I cannot imagine laying on these things), wear normal clothes, shower without the tubes and drains hanging, and I could go on, but you can imagine how free I feel.  I put my shirt back on and it hung down, I wish I'd had a belt! Those drains were so "in the way!" I could care less about the pain now, the drains are gone!!!
Ok, I guess you can tell I'm happy!
The rest of this week is pretty boring, back to the daily grind of making lunches, running errands (only a few), after school activities and then just doing nothing!  Friday I have an appt. for a wig (ugh). Next week on the 10th I get my hair cut and then 9/11 I get my port and 9/12 is my first day of chemo!!

Thanks again for all the prayers, hugs, well wishes, food, etc.!!  Prayers for y'all and your daily struggles-may they be minimal!


GOD IS GOOD!!!