Holly’s Lipedema Surgery Day 4/5

While the sweet escape of sleep continued to elude me from Day 3 of lipedema reduction surgery, Dr. S texted and soon followed with a call in the wee hours of the morning. He assured me he had made arrangements with a pharmacy to secure the same drug I had been on at the hospital, which had served me well. Nurse Cristina would pick it up and deliver it to me first thing. I was relieved to hear this since her visit would also entail my first shower, followed by a session with Ifi of MLD. 

Dreaming of a shower.

I truly wanted to be clean, but the journey seemed overwhelming and I had to talk myself into moving. I hobbled with the nurse’s help to the bathroom and had to sit immediately on the toilet. I felt weak and faint. Lowering my head between my legs helped but I didn’t think I could move the ten extra inches to sit on the chair she had set up inside the shower.  It is advised to shower with compression on at first and to remove them afterwards since the change in pressure can be too much. There was a drain in front of the toilet as well as in the shower, and the lovely nurse soaked herself along with me by washing me where I sat. The air was chilly and I began to shake. She moved swiftly, dried me gently and drooped my robe across me to help me get back to bed in haste. 

My friend, Traci, had cleared the bloody puppy pads and pillows so I could lie flat on my stomach.  I shivered violently, trying to catch my breath. The ladies pumped the heat and covered me with sheet after sheet as my breathing returned to normal.  

The next step was removal of the compression pants. Cristina was able to slide them off with relative ease and I lay buried in covers until Ifi arrived for the drainage. I was so exhausted by this point I could barely remain conscious.  

What is dignity?

Any semblance of dignity is absent from this process of recovery,  much like women must endure through pregnancy.  All parts are exposed and one must focus on the fact that these are professionals who do this every day. So I lay there, completely bare, as Ifi once more began to relieve some of the pressure from within. I moaned and groaned throughout as pools of hot lava spilled from my skin. She took her time and allowed me silence to get through it. 

The most difficult part was putting the freshly cleaned garment back on. I don’t think I will ever complain about donning my tights under normal circumstances again after having experienced it. But once on, the compression did feel better.  I was provided with crotchless Lipoelastic compression which can sometimes cause issues to the exposed area. This was the case for me, which I remedied with a piece of lipofoam cut to size and stuffed under the seams. It is easy to remove and keeps my skin from being nipped.

After the shower and MLD,  I was completely wiped out. I was given a sleeping pill and settled in for a few glorious hours of rest. I woke, had a little food, and rested again.  Now I am getting ready to tuck in for the night.

It was not an easy day, but it was a day that brought me relief,  from showering, to MLD, to sleep. I felt support all around me, from the professionals and my companion. I finally feel on the road to recovery, and at this point, it’s all I need.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings. 

 

Day 5: The Shift

Before undergoing lipedema reduction surgery,  I did A LOT of research.  I poured through journals, I watched YouTube videos and Instagram entries,  and I obsessively read stories from and connected with those who had already been through it. And this did help me to prepare,  somewhat. I followed recommendations for items to buy, places to stay,  things to wear, supplements to take, but I also understood that the surgery and recovery experience is truly individual. However,  I did cling to one statement from fellow patients in hopes it would be true: that on Day 5, things do get better.

So, during the previous difficult days and nights,  I would repeat the mantra that I was close to Day 5. Get to Day 5. And the truth is, it actually was better.  Was I without pain? No. Did I eat a lot more or have boundless energy? No. But, I had slept relatively well through the night and when Ifi arrived just after 10:30, she said the colour had returned to my face. 

 

Compression Quandary 

Ifi asked if I preferred to keep the compression on during the massage or to remove them. They were wet in parts from the oozing liquid, but my memory of trying to get them back on yesterday was far too vivid. I immediately declined.  She proceeded to work hers hands over me and I noted that my agonizing groans were significantly reduced.  Only when she massaged an area with an open incision did I cry out. Recognizing this gave me some solid evidence of progress and lifted my spirit. She sprayed my incisions with antiseptic and I noted there was less stinging as the incisions were closing. 

However,  as we neared the end of the session,  Ifi broached once more the topic of replacing my compression.  I do have additional custom flat knit with me, and one pair I didn’t mind ruining from further leakage.  My hesitation lay purely in the fact that these have the crotch, which would mean pulling them down and up over my horribly bruised buttocks/side/waist area. I was also concerned that they may not have enough compression. 

In the end, we agreed to give it a go. Ifi used a Bauerfeind compression sleeve to start my lower leg, although the instructions were not immediately intuitive.  Simplification would be lovely. My Medicozy pair were the ones we went with and tugged them slowly together over the excruciating tender bits. Other parts were easier to navigate,  likely those without incisions. Once on, they actually felt pretty good, particularly around my middle since these went higher on my waist. 

 

Facing my fears

I was able to make it to the bathroom soon after to face my fear. It was indeed painful,  but lasted just the few seconds that it took me to pull them back up from my thighs. I could do it. I have continued to lose my breath slightly each time, though, and then head back to bed to catch it. I believe the sitting on the toilet, compression removal, standing, and pain of replacing the garment result in a brief blood pressure drop, but it levels back out rather quickly. 

After the session,  I ate a bit of meat for protein,  took my new meds, and fell to sleep quickly,  which is pretty much how I spent the remainder of the day. I was able to move a little easier and made a valiant effort of three walks around our tiny place. Like a baby, eat, sleep, poop (although that milestone is yet to appear) and repeat.

Ifi looked directly in my eyes at one point today as she kneaded my body and said in her most serious tone, “This is not a cosmetic procedure,  this is serious and necessary. People have to know.” 

I couldn’t agree more.