Baking

The first weekend at my house, the girls did some baking to practice their 4H submissions.  Mena made some brownies and Maggie made some lemon cookies.

 

Healing

I was back in my regular size shirt by March 16th, the drainage tubes were removed on the 19th so I could start driving again, and the girls came home on March 21st.

 

Girls Visit

I'm walking around the house and gaining energy.  The drainage is decreasing, but not enough to have the tubes removed yet.  The girls spent a day with me and Mom on the 10th.  Then on the 13th, they spent the night here.  I don't have the energy to parent fully, but it was so good to see them!

Mena was unfazed by the incisions and tubes.  She is able to help me change clothes.  Maggie was brave enough to look at my chest, but then walked away until I was dressed again.  Maggie is more like me and I guess Mena is more like my mom!

 

Home from the Hospital

Mom and Dad brought me home from the hospital the day after the surgery.  I have two drain tubes, one on each side.  Mom has to drain them because I get queazy when I see them.  I talked to the girls on the phone and did a lot of resting.

 

Surgery

Gene had the kids the week of my surgery.  Before they went to his house, Maggie declared that she'd never be able to wear her breast cancer wonder woman shirt again after I had surgery because the cancer would be gone.  I told her then we'd wear it because I would be a cancer survivor.  Maggie had to process this new information and decide if she really could wear the shirt again.  Mena responded "if."  I looked at her and asked, "If?  If I survive?"  "You could die," she told me.  I assured her this was a surgery done many times and I would survive.  

I called the girls the night before surgery and Mena was very nervous.  She thought I wouldn't have a right arm after the surgery.  I assured her that they were only taking a lymph node from my right arm pit and that my right arm would still be on my body.  She didn't seem convinced of this.  Maggie forgot I was calling before surgery and chatted on about other things until she declared that she had to go.  My girls are so different!

The day before surgery, my parents had gotten their first covid-19 vaccine.  During the night, my mom started having a reaction.  My dad dropped me off at the hospital and I was confident that I could handle it by myself because I've had so many surgeries in the past.  Prep went fine and when I woke up from surgery, my mom was in the room with me because she was feeling better.  Mom went home for the night and I stayed by myself in the hospital.

During my surgery, the girls were at school.  Mena started stressing out and crying so much that the school counselor called my mom.  Mena talked to Grandma and calmed down enough to stay at school thankfully.