Week 6 Post-op

It's amazing how quickly a body can heal in just a weeks time.  I read my last post and realized how much progress has been made in my recovery.  Six weeks after surgery is the time that my doctor said I would have fewer to no restrictions on how much I use my arms and that six weeks is when I would feel more normal.  I didn't believe him at the time because of the constant pain and discomfort I was experiencing, but he was right.  I feel like I can use my arms like normal...almost.  I test the limits and realize certain things are still difficult.  The day of an expansion and the next day, I revert back to very limited use.

Oh, update...you will be happy to know that I finally was able to stretch my arms far enough to shave my arm pits.  :)  Gotta celebrate the progress...big and small!

I had my fifth expansion on Tuesday, January 22nd.  The previous four, I had 60 mL added to each expander.  This time I had 120 mL added to each since I am coming up on my radiation treatments.  Wow, was that uncomfortable for a few days.

The same day, I met with my radiation oncologist.  As I was hoping, I received some good news from him based on the pathology report.  I will not have to do the 30 treatments like initially thought.  I will be doing 25; so 5 weeks instead of 6.  I'll take it!!

I have one more expansion scheduled for Tuesday, January 29th and that will be the last time I see the plastic surgeon for at least six months.  Then the next day, Wednesday, January 30th, is the planning session for radiation.  My understanding of this is that they line my body up to the machine for the area that is being radiated.  Then they tattoo little dots to be markers for the following treatments.  I'm not sure if I will have a treatment that day or not.

I've learned a little more about the side effects of radiation treatments.  The main two are tiredness and sunburn-like skin.  The tiredness was described as a slow decline where it would get worse as the weeks go on and then would be a gradual incline to normalcy after the last treatment.  The constant exposure to radiation will irritate my skin to the point that it will be like a bad sunburn and blistering around the scars.  Just when I'm close to normal, I have to start another awful process.

Prayers are welcome as I begin on this new path of my journey.