I went on Saturday for my second lymphatic drainage massage. It is amazing how much better I feel immediately afterwards. I was telling my daughter that it is almost like I just did 45 minutes of yoga. I feel relaxed, refreshed and much less stiff than when I went in. I am glad I have 9 more sessions left! I am still struggling with swelling. And not just swelling around my mid-section. Swelling everywhere! I have discovered that I can go one day without my compression stockings with no problem...but try and add a second day and my ankles swell up like balloons! Bummer! I look forward to the day when I don't have to wrap myself up like a brautwurst...but I have a sinking feeling that day is long into the future! Doctor said to wear the compression garment for 6-8 weeks...or until my swelling is minimal. The way I feel, that may take 3-4 months! I did buy an extra garment...so now I have three. That really helps with the laundry...but they are so darn expensive! If they were $50, I would have 5 by now! But at $100-$120, I will have to settle for three!
I had something exciting happen yesterday. I was trying to find something to wear to work on Friday besides jeans because I had a lunch meeting with one of our store managers to discuss some receiving and stock issues and I thought I would dress up a little. None of my dress slacks fit...they were all really baggy and didn't look good at all. So I asked my daughter if she would go shopping with me to buy a few new pair of work pants. We went to my favorite store - Loft - to see if they had anything as they were having a 40% off sale! I love a good sale!!! I had it stuck in my head that I was a size 14 so that is the size I grabbed to try on. My daughter was saying that 14's were the size I had at home that were too big...but at Loft they have petites...which I love because then I don't have to hem them...so I was sure that a 14 would be fine. Wrong! They were just as baggy as my pants at home. Cue the big "I told you so" from my 23 year old! So I asked the salesperson if she could bring me a pair of 12's. Now...I think the last time I wore a size 12 was before my oldest daughter (who is now 27) was born. I just couldn't believe that a size 12 would fit me...and I was right...but not for the reason I thought. A size 12 was too big!! What??? That is impossible. I told my daughter that I thought they fit fine...after all, I am old and don't want to wear skin tight pants. She said for God's sake Mom...look at them...you could fit a diaper in there! The salesperson, being the good diplomat, suggested that I try on a size 10 so that I could see which ones were more comfortable. While she went to get a pair, I was telling my daughter that there was no way and that I was going to look like a crazy person to even try them on. She just smirked and said "we'll see". And dammit, she was right! The size 10 (let me just say that again...SIZE 10) fit me to a tee. Not too tight, and they did look very nice. Then my daughter said something that really made me take note..."Mom, why have you done all this work, and had surgery, and still you are hiding your body?" Well hell...when did she get so wise? So with those words ringing in my ears, I bought 4 new pairs of pants and three new shirts (all daughter approved). I can't wait to wear a new outfit to work and celebrate my new body instead of hiding it!
So enough procrastinating...here are my pre-op and one month post-op photos. Bandage on my breast is due to a spot that is not healing as well as everything else...other than that, all is on track.
Thanks for listening! Have a wonderful week!
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