Welcome to the first edition of the The Really Real Truth. I'm going to try to add a Contact Me widget so I can take questions, if anyone has them. I'm pretty open but if I don't want to answer via the blog, I'll answer you directly.
So, let's get started. As you are aware, I've had a couple of parts removed. There are a few topics that relate directly to the mastectomy so this will be the first in a series, I guess. This one is pretty easy but was unexpected...for me anyway.
Shortly after surgery, I started having random pain in the chest muscle very near each underarm area and on the left side very near my sternum. The pains near the underarm areas were not really bad - more like a muscle just tightening up versus a cramp. Weird but tolerable. The pain in my chest was more like a stabbing pain. For a while, thought it was the tape on dressings just tugging (horribly) on my skin there. Soon I realized it was more like a charlie horse. Turns out, it's exactly like a charlie horse. I asked the surgeon about it and it's normal. WHO KNEW?
So, if you ever have to have a mastectomy, be aware that you might just experience some unpleasant muscle cramps. Be sure to keep stretching, it helps!
Upside - At least there's no equivalent of the phantom limb syndrome. That would be horrible!!
Until our next lesson.
Love to all,
Andee