Surgery with Dr. Lista on the 26th!

[robs]

I finally pulled the trigger and booked my surgery!  Excited and nervous but I'm dreaming of the day when I can put on a thin t-shirt on a hot day and be at easy.

3 weeks and counting.  I have to try not worrying about all the details...outcome...discomfort...etc.  But, as the old saying goes,

"no pain no gain"...ain't that the truth!

It's so great to have this discussion board to get a better understanding of what this procedure is all about and to go in more mentally prepared...really seems to make a difference.

Wish me luck!

[technics777]

Dont worry about it. easy peasy stuff
scars are so unnoticeable, and no bruising at all.

Only thing im worried about now is the scarring underneath the skin

anyways, good luck!

[gtitdi]

Well that was an experience!! Got in there at 8:30, waited half an hour.
They put me in the room, where i was able to change. Nurse came in, explained everything what was going to happen,
and gave me some meds. Next thing i know, Dr. Lista walked in, took some photos and told me what he was going to work on.
He also told me i was going to get results at 80%, was going to be happy with 80%. I told him okay doc, do what you do best, and
he left.

The nurse came back in, and guided me to the operating room. Next thing i know, i was breathing oxygen through the mask, and whoosh...i was out. I can't even remember closing my eyes and falling asleep. All i remember is breathing oxygen, and then waking up in the recovery room! Man that is some excellent stuff they use, haha! Laying down now and relaxing. Tomorrow i get to take the vest off and take a shower, so i am curious how i'm going to look. The vest is really tight!! It's gonna suck wearing this thing 24/7!

But all in all, everything was good. As for chest pain, just feel soreness and there is probably bruising!

[robs]

gtitdi, tomorrow, when you take off the vest, you are going to be so fricken happy!  You must be so relieved to be post-op...no more anticipation or being nervous.  It's really the waiting that drives me nuts once a big decision has been made. 

But, hey, I jumped out of a plane last fall...this is nothing.  By the way, if you haven't done it already, I highly recommend a tandem skydive.  Expensive but, oh, so worth every penny!  60 seconds of freefall is just incredible.

technics777:  are you massaging as much as the doc recommended?

Anyway, thanks guys for posting...nice to have some support from those who are going through the same thing.

[gtitdi]

Day 2 Post-op! I am feeling pretty good i must say. Yesterday when i took the vest off, i was kind of in shock because
my chest looked mangled up. Today while i was showering, chest looked much much better. Little bit of bruising left and
chest is still little sore and numb. I am so happy because my nipples aren't even puffy anymore, they shrunk a bit.

Taking my meds daily as well. But i haven't touched the pain meds at all, and probably won't use them as pain is getting
smaller and smaller daily. It's just soreness pain, but i guess everyone is different.

I have my first appointment back on Monday! I have just been snacking and laying down all day. It's very important to let the body
heal and rest for the first couple of days.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Day 2 Post-op! I am feeling pretty good i must say.

Glad to hear that you are feeling good...  

I have my first appointment back on Monday! I have just been snacking and laying down all day. It's very important to let the body heal and rest for the first couple of days.

A 'couple of days' eh...  You'll probably require at least 4 weeks for initial healing. It will take anywhere from 3 to 6 months (possibly up to a full year) to see final results...

You haven't even gotten past the 'Swelling' phase of recovery...  

GB...

[gtitdi]

yeah i know what you mean. What i meant healing and resting by is laying down 20 hours everyday for the first couple of days.
Then you can slowly start getting back to work and stuff. But yeah i have just been laying down last couple of days, just getting
up to eat!

GB, can you tell me why some people on here have drains after the surgery? I didn't have any, so i am just wondering why do
some people get drains? Thanks.

[Grandpa Bambu]

yeah i know what you mean. What i meant healing and resting by is laying down 20 hours everyday for the first couple of days. Then you can slowly start getting back to work and stuff. But yeah i have just been laying down last couple of days, just getting up to eat!

It sounded like that you thought (like many others) that you will be good-to-go after a few days R&R... This just isn't the case...  

GB, can you tell me why some people on here have drains after the surgery? I didn't have any, so i am just wondering why do some people get drains? Thanks.

Good question...  I didn't have drains either... It's probably surgeon preference and/or whether he/she feels that the patient will require drainage assistance...

GB...

[gtitdi]

Oh okay. One more question GB.

So the vest they gave me, i am wearing it all the time. I bought high compression vest from Underworks chest binding technology as well.
They probably have the same compression, as i tried both of them on. Except the one from underworks is impossible to put on, its so hard.
Do you think it would be okay for me to wear those for work? Would it change the healing process? and then when i get home i put the one that i got from the clinic and during sleep?

Because the Underworks looks less noticeable under a shirt. Thanks for your help!

[gtitdi]

Day 6  - Went back to the clinic for check up. The nurse took the stiches out and gave me Arnica gel to massage.
She showed me how to do it and man did she mean it. She told me to massage it to the point that it is hurting, more pain
the better, 3 times a day. Feels weird too, disgusting mushy feeling. Sill got some yellow bruising left and little numbness.
Gonna start massaging tomorrow!

[technics777]

sucks massaging eh?

[gtitdi]

Hahah it is the worst!!! i am massaging so hard, to the point my fingers are starting to hurt.
She told me, the harder, the better. How are you doing man? I left you a message but no reply.

[robs]

So all is good?  The annoying massaging and discomfort is worth it?  I still can't believe I'm actually doing this...

[gtitdi]

Day 13 (almost two weeks) - Almost all the bruising is gone, still lots of swelling and scar tissue left. My chest looks like exactly
the same it did pre-op, except for the puffy nipples. But i am at the two week mark and as I read a lot of others users post-ops,
this is normal, the chest will change over time and i am not going to stress about it, there is still a lot of healing and massaging to do.
Still taking the arnica pills, until they are finished. I get to see Dr. Lista on August 5th, so hopefully chest will start to look better.
Wearing the vest all the time, i bought another one so it's not hassle for me to wash it everyday.

Robs: I said to myself exact same thing that I couldn't believe I was doing it and what i was getting my self into. But man, in the end....it's worth it! You're coming up soon, best luck to you, hope the surgery goes well! We are all in it together. I'll update from time to time.

[robs]

It's the night before my surgery...feeling pretty good actually!  Not too nervous, just gonna power through and look forward to being free....

gtitdi, your previous post was really helpful, knowing that you had exactly the same thought..."what am i getting myself into".  thanks for sharing that, i guess its comforting to know that we all have the same reactions.

This past month passed by so quickly!  Put my cash on the table, worried about it, got excited, got stressed again and finally, now it's my turn boys...catch you on the flip side.