Door Open

Inspirational song: Back In the Saddle Again (Aerosmith)

It was fun while it lasted. I had about three nights with no cats in my room overnight. I was mostly able to sleep through the shenanigans in the hallway, or at least return to sleep after an hour or so of cat sobs through the crack in the door. But all things must pass. There's only so long I can keep a "sterile" environment. And to be honest, if I am ordered to go 48 hours without a shower, is it so much of a stretch to have cat paws walking all over the bed where I'm sleeping? I came in to take a nap this afternoon, and in the split second my door was open, Rabbit zipped in and was immediately on the bedside table. I give up. I let her snooze next to me the whole time. The main thing is that she stops sleeping on my shins, making my knees hyperextend. Who am I kidding? She'll do that as long as she draws breath.

The local anaesthetic wore off this afternoon. I don't mean gradually, either. All of a sudden I started feeling everything in the left breast and armpit. I thought it was the oxy wearing off early, but no, it was the local just dropping off a cliff. I have about 45 minutes until the next pill, and I'm sitting with an ice pack, counting the seconds.

Generally, though, I'm doing pretty well. I'm as coherent as one can be after what I've gone through. I can walk around the house and get a drink or put my phone on the charger, but I can't stand up long enough to make an elaborate dinner or to do dishes. I also can't lift anything heavier than Athena, so I'm not trying to do so.

I'm still wearing the bra they put on me on the operating table. I have to keep it on until tomorrow afternoon. It is covered in velcro, and it chafes something fierce. I'm so ready to have this off. I sort of peeked under it this afternoon, to get an idea of how much I have left. There's more there than I expected. I hope this doesn't preclude me getting made symmetrical (work done on the right) when reconstruction time rolls around. I have no idea when that will happen, anyway. Probably after radiation has been declared successful.