BRS - A private matter

So, it's been just over six months since I planned it.  It's been over 15 years that I've been wanting it.  It's been 14 days since I had it. 

Breast Reduction Surgery

There, I said it.

I won't go into the details of size.  Suffice it to say, I had been 'gifted' with being well-endowed from an early age.  By university, I gained weight and things got worse and steadily worse after moving to Ireland.  But to give an idea, being known as 'Busty D' to uni-friends or having people I'd only just met with their eyes lowered (uh, my face is up here!).  Then there were the old cousins who upon seeing me for the first time in ten years remarked "My, Dilla! How you have GROWN!", with eyes declaring my growth.  Jackets that wouldn't close.  People thinking you larger than you are because you have to buy clothing several sizes above your frame... I could go on.

I won't.

So, with my pregnancy things got much worse and the back pain started.  Soon after the little K-man was born, things got a whole lot worse.  I decided it would be happening now or never.  I couldn't bear the thought of having more children and enduring any more.  Though, I do plan to have more children!  I spoke with my doctor who referred me to the surgeon.  Then, patiently and impatiently I waited until 6 months after I had weaned Kiran.

I was completely 'OUT' for the surgery.  Pre-surgery preparation was to get myself as physically fit as possible.  

Post-surgery...

I woke up a completely changed woman.  Suddenly I could close my jacket.  My shoulders and back were not aching.  Euphoria!

Of course, I feel like a rag doll that's been taped together (literally) at the seams!  I can't lift up my son (or anything more than 5lbs) for 6 weeks from the surgery date.  I'm also not allowed to lift my arms up and it's been hard keeping them pinned to my sides.  Sleeping is a bit hard as well, on my back - instead of my habitual side.  1/3 of the way there!  The first two weeks were getting over the anasthesia.  The next week will be waiting for the seams to start to harden/thicken.  Then the last three weeks will be waiting for the hardening scars to heal enough to be consider done.  Following that will be months before I'll be really 'back to normal' in the sense of scar tissue retreating and size stabilizing.  

I'm so happy for having had the surgery.  I'm also happy for my insurance covering the procedure (more than 300g removed from each side) and that I qualified for short-term-disability from work to aid with the healing.  

I felt strange telling colleagues that I was 'going for surgery' and not feeling comfortable enough to go into the details.  This is and always will be a private matter.  The first time friends came over I felt so self conscious.  The first time friends who do not know saw me, again self conscious.  It's a new life.  Going back to work after Thanksgiving will be interesting.  I hope that I'll be able to keep the physical demands of life as a laboratory technician to a minimum.  Either way, I hope that the scars will have healed or solidified enough to not do too much damage.

I've been Reiki'ing myself nightly - so I'm hoping that will help speed the recovery as well.