Breast Cancer Surgery and Home for Recovery

Editor’s Note: This is one in a continuing series about Valerie Hoff’s battle with breast cancer. We are proud and honored that she is sharing her story with Midlife Boulevard.

Lucky me!  I was allowed to leave after one night in the hospital. (No offense to the awesome team of nurses and doctors who are helping me kick cancer’s butt).

Photo: Valerie Hoff

I was REALLY tired of the IV in particular.

Photo: Valerie Hoff

I had a love hate relationship with this contraption that attached a series of tubes to my hand.   It was cumbersome and made changing clothes close to impossible, but it delivered the pain meds I needed at the touch of a button.

Photo: Valerie Hoff

I left feeling very little pain.  Until I woke up today feeling like I’d been run over by a truck, a freight train and a stampeding elephant. “Stay ahead of the pain,” all my boob buddies had advised me but I guess I didn’t quite do that.  I didn’t realize the nerve block that was given to me in surgery would wear off overnight, leaving my arms, shoulders and chest muscles in agony.

Luckily Derrick stayed home from work and helped me with the meds and drains.   Drains are icky but necessary.  They are attached to tubes that are  stitched into my chest to get rid of extra fluid buildup from the surgery. We have to empty them three times per day and keep a log of the amount and color.  I know, yuck.  The picture you see is of an empty one.  Picture it full of reddish Kool Aid and you’ll know what I’m dealing with.

Spent the day in bed but it appears I’m ahead of the pain now and can at least move.  But I won’t be putting on my dancing shoes any time soon.

Click here To read about Valerie Hoff’s breast cancer battle from the very beginning,.