I am sharing the same photos again for the handful of folks who wanted to follow along. 

I’m nearing the end of day 3 and it’s been a rollercoaster so far. 

- The pain is more manageable today, I assume especially because I’ve stayed on top of my meds rotation. 
- The tremors/shaking I experienced days 1 and 2 have almost entirely gone away—one of the nurses informed me that it was likely a side effect of the anesthesia, and I think she was right!
- That said, two days’ worth of tremors and also subconsciously trying to compensate for my wounds has left me with soreness in muscles I didn’t even know I had. Honestly, the muscle aches are worse than the actual incisions. 
- Speaking of aches and pains: my butt and back are constantly sore from sitting all the time. Getting up to walk around occasionally has been an absolute treat lol
- I still can’t get out of bed without help, but once I’m up, I can walk around and use the restroom by myself (thank god)
- The worst part of this whole thing is the drains. The ports are somewhat tender and uncomfortable, but most of all they just itch HORRIBLY. I can’t wait to get them removed. 
- Just within the last couple hours, my breasts feel like they’ve swollen a lot more and kind of feel like they’re ready to explode. I’m sitting with ice packs now and hoping that alleviates the sensation a bit. Still not particularly painful, just very strange!

This specific mastectomy pillow has been a lifesaver: https://a.co/d/2LaoP32

I haven’t worn it 24/7, but the pockets are great to hold the drains, my phone, tv remote, and anything else I might need within reach. Plus the inside pockets are great for ice packs. And it adds some extra protection in case of accidental puppy bumps. 

If you’ve read this far and have any questions about my experience so far, feel free to ask! This sub was hugely helpful in preparing me for my surgery, so I’m happy to talk about my experience with whoever might have questions (:

3dpo reflections