The Agwuocha Family: Part 2 : Post Surgery and Leading up to Christmas

Continuing from the last post about my surgery, I will fill you in on some further details about my week in the hospital post surgery.

So, the expected recovery time after a double mastectomy with immediate DIEP Flap reconstruction is anywhere from 3-7 days. I was in the hospital following this surgery for 6 days. During those six days I spent 5 of them in the ICU. Two of those days are expected but the remaining 3 days came with some complications. For the first 48 hours the nurses were monitoring my heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, blood flow in my reconstructed breasts, and monitoring my drains. I had 4 drains. One for each breast and one for each side of my lower abdomen. On day 2 my right drain started to drain a lot of extra blood. I was running a low grade fever, and my heart rate was "tacky" other known as elevated. It then came to my doctors attention that I was probably forming a hematoma on my right side which was causing the excessive bleeding. They put a tummy binder tightly around my waist to try and limit the bleeding. My temperature was a mystery. My heart rate is what really got the ICU concerned. I spent a lot of time just trying to stay calm and focused to bring the rate down. Every time a doctor would come in though, of course it would spike. That was really quite frustrating and a bit scary for me. I could feel my heart beating and was just praying to God that it would not turn into a life threatening situation. The doctors put me through all sorts of tests to rule out what it could be. Thankfully the week before I had just had an echocardiogram. I kept telling them that I had just had one so they could use that as their baseline. The doctors then felt that the bleeding from the Hematoma was causing my heart to overcompensate for the constant loss.

They then started to infuse me with two sometimes three blood transfusions a day until my heart would stabilize. During this time although I was honestly a little concerned, I continued to keep my focus. That focus was to make an impact on others. I am a relational person and spent much of my time conversing with any person who entered my life in that hospital. Sharing stories of life with my nurses and doctors and physical therapists and visitors were such a blessing!

My dad brought in cookies to bless the nurses with!

It was impressed upon my heart to reach out to my church and ask for prayer on my behalf. A few wonderful people came and prayed for me and over me. It's not just about the prayer that encouraged me, but the encounters with the people that they would take time out of their day to walk in freezing temperatures to show a tangible act of God's love over me was amazing! You know who you are and I thank you!

During this period of time in the ICU I also had to learn how to "walk" again. The first day I could only walk a few steps down the hallway and back. Day two I did a complete lap. I really didn't want to do it and was afraid I might pass out, but I was determined to prove that I was strong and capable. So I did.

On day 5 they transferred me to a regular room, where I shared a room with a lovely sweet elderly lady. I really wasn't excited about sharing a room. I could barely walk to the bathroom so I needed a potty close by and that was a little uncomfortable for me with not much privacy. Need a visual???

I overcame those feelings and offered myself up to the fact that I was meant to meet this woman and that my life would impact hers and she would mine. I will never forget her.

She was discharged the day after me.
We hugged and cried when I left.
She is a beautiful soul!

There are many smaller stories to share within this larger story but I may bore you, so I will spare you alllllll of the details, but the gist of it is that this was definitely a challenge of a lifetime but wrapped up with so, so many blessings.

Thank you Capital One for sending flowers to my dad on my behalf, after he had told you what I was going through.

Thank you Aunt Mary for sending me this wonderful Christmas arrangement. Made me feel very loved!

After 5 days in the ICU, I needed a little fun time!

I was discharged on the 6th day and for the first time in a week was able to hold my babies! Ahh was that wonderful! Mommy was home and it was time for me to reassure my little ones that mommy was ok and that all of their emotions and fears and attempts to be strong and have courage could now melt away in my arms.

I spent the next week recovering, sleeping in a recliner, going to the bathroom in a portable potty in my living room and being cared for afterwards by my "in sickness and in health" amazing husband, being bathed by my mom and sweet sister in law, having nurses visit to aide in my recovery, and get ready for Christmas!

My first shower! Thanks mom and Pooh!

I had a very emotional surprise visit by some amazing, amazing people who showed up to my doorstep one evening and started to Christmas carol for my family. There were over 50 people there including WTAE news. As I sat there looking out onto the crowd, I wept. I wept with gratitude. My eyes gazed into the faces of each and every person and there I had a flashback with each face as I saw the moments throughout the course of this journey that, that person had been there for me through. I saw meals being dropped off, I saw visits while in chemotherapy, I saw the card that I read that came in the mail, I saw childcare, I saw little gifts that were given, I saw my new laundry room that was gifted to me on my second floor, I saw rides that you give to my children to school, I saw people, my army, you who have been there for me! Oh it was overwhelming and so perfect all at the same time.

An amazing dinner provided by Bistro To Go coincidentally the same evening!

We made the news that night!

By Christmas Eve I was becoming more mobile and able to at least shower myself. We hosted Christmas Eve at our home as tradition. My amazing family helped make this possible. Gifts were wrapped, kids were in their new Christmas pj's and Christmas day was around the corner. I did turn a corner on Christmas day, and will save that for my next update!