11.1.23
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:9-10
Hard to believe my surgery was a week ago already!! I’m doing really well! Thank you for the continued prayers! I had my follow up with Dr Nastala yesterday. Everything looks good and is healing well. I was right on the line about getting some drains pulled. Since we’re not flying out till Saturday I have another appt scheduled Friday morning. They will pull whatever drains are ready to go (the drain has to have less than 30ml in a 24hr period.) I’m hoping that they will pull all but one. (The nurse said they would leave one abdominal one in for the flight.) They are pretty uncomfortable so I’m looking forward to that!
After my follow up we spent some time at Shops at Rivercenter. It’s a huge mall right along the River Walk. They get 12 million visitors a year! There are even a couple of hotels attached to it! So that was kind of fun. 🙂 I plan on taking it easy today. I don’t want to over do it. It’s hard because I feel pretty good, but it doesn’t take much and then I’m reminded, Oh yeah, I had major surgery 7 days ago… 🤪🤣🙂
You can do all your research but until you actually experience it it’s hard to know what to expect. I found it’s hard to stand up straight. My ab muscles feel like they are in a constant cramp when I’m standing. It also feels like I have a ten pound weight wrapped around my waist whenever I’m standing. That feeling is getting better, but it’s weird! On the flip side when I sit down I feel like I have a rubber band cinched around my waist at my belly button. 🤣 The incision goes from hip to hip and then it went above my belly button kind of like a football shape. They actually had to cut a new hole for my belly button. You should have seen Easton’s face when I told him and Colt “I got a new belly button hole!” 🤨 🤣 Then they pull all that skin back down tight. I tend to notice my incisions more when I “over do it”. I get a burning/stinging sensation at my hips and across my abdomen. It’s not terrible, but enough to know it’s there! I can’t use my arms at all. So I have to scoot to the edge of the chair and then stand up. I feel like I’m 9 months pregnant without the baby bump when I try to get up. 🤣 Thankfully the pain is going down significantly each day. Those first couple of days were rough in the abs department whenever I would sit/ try to stand. Right now I have Aaron support my back whenever I need to move forward or lean back. That helps tremendously with the ab discomfort! 🙂 It still hurts to laugh. Pretty sure my husband does silly things on purpose or at least it would seem so when I can’t laugh. 🤣🤣🤣
If you are anything like me you’re curious about what some of the incisions look like. I’ll share a couple of those at the bottom of this post, but wanted to give fair warning for those that would rather not see drains and incision lines… (just a little part of my abdominal incision and where one of the drains come out.)
Pretty sure he’s glad I got the Larson chicken leg gene! 🤣 They aren’t a necessity but they are recommended. And given the fact that last I checked my left ankle was still a little puffy from back in February when I was doing chemo. I figured the compression wouldn’t hurt. Maybe by the time we’re done with this it will be normal again…
It got a little chilly here in San Antonio! And we didn’t bring our warm weather clothes… 🤣🙂
I got the best mail the other day!!! 💗💗💗
Drinking extra protein to help with the healing process!! I had to laugh, I think my phone was scolding me for not being as active…🤪🤣🙂
Just to give fair warning… the next couple pictures are my drains and incisions. I don’t think they are that bad but I know some people either don’t want to see it or can’t handle that type of stuff. 🙃
I wear a shirt under the binder and the surgical bra to protect my incisions and help keep the bra/binder clean.
Right now I think my belly button looks a little goofy. We’ll see how it looks when the swelling goes down and everything is a little more healed. I will have one revision “surgery” that has to be at least 90 days after my first surgery. It usually involves liposuction. Never in a million years did I think I would get liposuction- yet here we are. 🤪😬🤣
You look great Cassie! It’s pretty incredible (I think) that you are out and about with Aaron doing “touristy” stuff. I was curious as to what a “drain” looked like, it looks uncomfortable, but you’d never know by looking at your face. The incision sites look healthy, but you can tell how traumatizing it is to the body. Otherwise, you don’t look like at all like someone who had surgery so recently. Praying that you continue to heal so rapidly and that you’ll be able to get most of those drains removed before you head home. Much love and prayers.
Thanks Kim! I’m so used to it now but realized some people have no idea what’s all involved.. and hopefully they’ll never have to!
Thanks again for the update. It helps me better to visualize what you are going through and helps me know how to pray more specifically. Thanks also for showing us the kids. They seem to be doing fine. Yes, we did get snow while you were down in San Antonio.
Jesus is a very present help in time of need. Psalm 46.
Did you celebrate Reformation Day? A friend invited me to a reformation evening. Besides German food, one thing on the menu was a “diet of worms” gummy worms! that made me laugh.
Yeah it makes it a little easier being away when you know they are having fun with cousins! It’s been a little cooler here. Which has been nice. I’m not supposed to get all hot and sweaty!
We took it easy that day and didn’t do much…