No!!!

And the bad news keeps rolling in. Yesterday, I developed a new pain. It felt like there was a knife digging into my right shoulder blade. The area around my right drainage tube was swollen and inflamed. The whole area was on fire and stinging and tender to the touch, all new sensations. I felt like I was getting a fever because I had the chills and my skin was aching all over.

Kimber popped into my surgeon's office to show her a picture of the swelling (perk of a spouse who works in a hospital) The doctor said I should be seen right away. Turns out, I have an infection developing. My body still doesn't have enough umph because of the anemia and can't heal itself from the surgery, and so it certainly doesn't have the ability to fight off an infection. 

image from: http://clairesholisticpursuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Bandaid.jpg

I got some IV iron, fluid, and also started some antibiotics right away. And more pain pills, thank God. I am at home today but she wanted an update today so Kimberly exchanged some texts with her (another perk of a spouse who works in the hospital). I have to abstain from eating or drinking tomorrow, because if I still haven't improved, I will need to have another surgery tomorrow to remove the tissue expander so that the infection can heal and doesn't get any worse. It won't be as involved of a procedure as the initial mastectomy, but it does mean that the entire reconstruction process will be delayed by 6-9 months. 

All of this trouble... the excessive pain, the slow healing, now the infection - it's all likely because of the anemia. We knew it was a problem going in and tried to take the preventative measures, but the reality is that I probably wasn't ready for surgery. The overall blood numbers improved with the infusions in the weeks leading up to the initial operation, but my body just can't hold on to the iron. I guess I need to eat more beef.

image from: http://stepoutbuffalo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/steak-pic.jpg

It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I pictured being down for a couple of weeks and then life getting pretty much back to normal with only the 'no heavy lifting' restriction in place. I didn't realize that three weeks post-op I would still be be stuck in bed and heavily medicated. I didn't realize my body would refuse to heal to the point of now getting infected. I certainly didn't predict that I would still be useless around the house and unable to help with the kids because they are crazy maniacs who jump all over me. 

It's so frustrating. Right now I am on antibiotics and have spent the majority of the day asleep. And now I'm feeling the same burning and stabbing/stinging on the other side, I hope that doesn't mean that the infection is on the other side, too. Praying that the drugs and the rest will be enough to keep me out of surgery tomorrow.