slow recovery

I am feeling a little better everyday. I am still sore in my stomach area when I get up out of a chair. The burning sensation is gone but when I move wrong , I do get an awful pain in certain areas. Its starting to get itchy which is a good sign of healing. I've been sitting in our glider chair that we used when the kids were babies which allows me to put my feet up on the Ottoman. I had Gene bring it up from the basement, good thing we kept it. The couch is too low. I am looking forward to lay down real soon.

The first four nights of my surgery, I slept in the recliner chair in our bedroom. Two nights ago I woke up with a charlie horse in my right calf and that was painful! I fell back to sleep to wake up again with a charlie horse under my left knee. As of today, I only have pain in my right calf not left but I didn't need this extra discomfort. I think I was so busy with Emily that I didn't drink enough fluids. Now I am drinking alot of fluids that I have to go to the bathroom all the time. I can't win. I am not a back sleeper so its hard to get comfortable. I tried to sleep in our bed last night but had some pain when I move to either side. I just needed a change. I am not taking any pain medication during the day but I do take one before I go to bed to help me sleep. I am also taking an antibiotics to prevent from any infections after the surgery. My scar from my skin graft is bigger then I thought. Its about 10 inches across my lower stomach. I have steri- strips over the incision. I will get all the details on Thursday from the doctor. I was able to take the gauze off that area but I am still covering it with press and seal (works well) when I take a shower. I can't get my chest area wet so I am using the kids shower since their shower has a hand held shower head. I washed my hair in the kitchen sink which is easer to lean over. I am glad this is a temporary situation. I had cancer, I can't believe people go through this pain for bigger boobs! I still have no pain in my chest area.
I am back taking all my medications. My Oncologist texted me (funny but technology now) to stop my Tamoxifen 5 days prior to surgery then to restart when I feel good afterwards. I really don't have any side effects from the Tamoxifen except for two times over the last few months. I woke up in the middle of the night drench in in my sleep. This created me to get tiny bumps on my upper back. They went away after a few weeks after I applied Aquaphor. I guess if this is the only side effect I can deal with it.

Emily has been getting better every day but she still has a low grade fever as of today (11/8/09) so she will not be going to school tomorrow. She still has a cough as well.

Lucky nobody in the family has caught the flu yet, lets keep our fingers cross that we beat it!

AJ is slowly getting better but not a 100%. He missed 3 practices and a game this week. He did play hockey today and seemed okay on the ice and made a goal! (Gene took him)

Some of you know and some of you don't. Brittany our family dog which we bought her before the kids were born hasn't been doing well. Over the last six months her hips have given out on her and she has been limping around. She would drag her feet which would make them bleed. We would have to carry her down the stairs just to go to the bathroom and watch she doesn't fall over while she goes to the bathroom. Unfortunately, Boxers can develop a bad heart or hips that give out later in their life time. There was no guarantee that the surgery would help her and Boxers life span is usually 10-12 years. We decided that it's not fair to see her like this and not knowing if she's in pain. Yesterday Saturday (11/7/09) she was put down. We will miss her and remember all the wonderful times we had with her. We were all upset in the morning but have been doing okay. Emily said she will remember her by a stuff animal that is a Boxer she has. I told her we can print out some photos as well. AJ didn't express much and kept quite. The kids haven't asked about her too much today just made a remark that they miss her. I think in a few days it will be harder when they realize she isn't here in our daily life routine. Brittany was 11 years old, a great dog, companion, and she will always be loved!

This has been a hectic and busy week and look forward to a better next week!