a week post op

Hi Everyone

Ken and I are almost back to Eugene. AND I am so excited to see my garden, I have been dreaming about it.

All and all I think I have done well post operatively. The first day I was pretty sore, but I have done pretty well since then. I woke up from the surgery with an ace wrap (in Canadian :tensor bandage) around my chest, and two drains.

The way it was explained to me, he removed each of the implants and the capsules around them, leaving the entire area of raw tissue, and the purpose of the wrap is to keep the two sides of this raw tissue together with the hopes that they will heal together and not leave a space. The purpose of the drains is to make sure that all the bleeding and drainage gets removed, otherwize the fluid would get in between the two surfaces, preventing them from healing together. These fluid collections are called “seromas” and it sounds like they can be a real problem in healing.

So the drains are basically tubing about the size of IV tubing with multiple holes in them, placed in the operative site, and then stitched to the skin. At the outside end of the drain is a ball that collects the fluid and you can drain the fluid from this ball. (I guess it is a bit like a turkey baster, you squeeze it and it sucks the fluid up)

Anyways, they leave the drains in until the drainage becomes minimal. I saw the doctor again yesterday and he removed the drains.

He seemed to think that everything looked pretty good. To me it is hard to tell, lots of swelling and bruising, so time will tell what it will look like. I have decided that I think I like this new “flat” look. Seems like much lower maintenance

I think that this is going to create a huge gap in my closet.

I went through this phase 10 years ago when I had them put it, and I bought all kinds of low cut tops etc, but the funny thing, for the most part, it took me years to become comfortable enough to even wear a tighter fitting top, let alone something very low cut. So now there will really be no reason to wear any of this stuff.

It has been kind of interesting since I “came out of my closet”,......

Several people have commented about why do women in our society feel the need to do this sort of thing. I guess I have never seen it like that. I always saw it as much the same as I would dying my hair, or having peirced ears, or even wearing a different type of clothing. It is always “ I wonder what I would look like in that”. I have to say I only did it for me, for no one else but me. In defence of my actions, I would have to say that there are many things we do in life to alter our appearances. I for one have almost never worn makeup. I guess I just so much wanted to have breasts, and though looking back, I can see it was a mistake, at least I know now that like so many things in life.......... “That as they got closer were not what we visioned at all”

Now as I write this I realize that one of my songs describes this much better than I can here. So I will enclude a link to that song.

ilver dollars

Written by: janet bates

Silver dollar Janet Bates 2007.….. How many times have we chased silver dollars That slipped through our fingers like slow flowing water (does) How many dreams have we seen in the distance That as we got closer they were not what we visioned at all How many plans have we changed by the time They got close to fruition, our plans then are different So many times have I thought of what might have been Looked at was has been, glad of the life that I lead Ads I'd seen in magazines, thought that could be me It's only now I can see So many things that I thought that I wanted I found what I wanted only, what I already had REPEAT You cannot learn too soon If you reach for the moon Even though its what you wanted It won't fit in your pocket Stars may seem bright As you gaze out at night In the light of the day They just all go away ….And when you dream Just of pastures of green They will all turn to brown When autumn comes around http://janetbates.com/music.html open the "for all of his wealth" album and scroll down to silver dolllars there is a downloadable form there. love Janet jankenb @ gmail.com