Day One down.

Well I certainly have a routine cut out for me, but first a few details. (they may be TMI but necessary for me to chronicle.)
When they checked me out, they did indeed find cancer in two of three sentinal nodes under my arm so they took all of them out. This means that I can't have anything happen to my right arm for the rest of my life. This means no cuts, possibility of injury, IV or even blood pressure taken on that arm. I will get the news about further developments by next Tuesday on what else they had found.
The actual incision isn't so bad as I thought, it feels like my pectoral muscles have been pounded on by a boxer. If you want to know what that involves just move your arm. Any movement that you make with your arm involves those front pectoral muscles between your nipple and top of the shoulder muscle and between your neck and armpit. This also involves muscles for coughing, which thankfully I don't have to do a lot of at this point. Scared the nurse at the hospital though, she walked in and when I tried to say hello I inhaled some of my cereal milk. Honest, it wasn't that bad, but it was difficult.
So as far as my routine goes, have to check my drain things every four hours and record output and condition, take my antibiotics three times a day (have my ipod alarms set for that) if I need it, take pain meds, but only needed that yesterday when I came home so I could take a nap and change dressings once a day.
Sorry if that's a bit much, but I'm writing it down so I can internalize what I have to do. This routine will be for the next week or two, then when the drains aren't needed those come out and they check the status of the stitches and start scheduling the expander sessions.
For those that don't know here's the deal.
They didn't do an implant right away, they put in what's called a tissue expander under the muscle flap. Over the course of the next several weeks and months, I see the surgeon and he inflates it a little more every time with sterile water to make a cavity for the eventual placement of the implant.
Yeah, this isn't a case of, 'we took the bad one out and put a new one in, voila!' It's a bit longer process but makes for a better support area for the actual implant.
Thorin (roommates cat who doesn't like too many people) took a nap with me this morning. I had an enticing window size patch of sunshine on the bed and soft covers. Katie got a picture that will find it's way somewhere in my records of this event.
Friends are stopping by soon, so will sign off.
Compared to the pain in my shoulder the last few weeks and the pain of post childbirth, this is bearable. Uncomfortable, but this is okay. I thought I would be in horrific pain but not so much.... hmmph.
The only quote that comes to mind is from Babylon 5:
"Grey 17 Is Missing."
After Marcus has had the living tar beat out of him by another Minbari and he's recovering, his attacker is talking to himself, thinking he is unconscious. Marcus however is aware of his musings:

"The next time you want a revelation, could you possibly find a way that isn't quite so uncomfortable."

Yeah... about those revelations.