Category: Domestic-ness

Wednesday, March 16 – Day 36 Post-Op
Welp. I planned to stop making daily updates about my recovery after week 5 since I was feeling better, for the most part, but I guess I’ll stop once I completely get over this…allergic reaction.

Had our women’s program all morning till lunchtime. One of our participants/instructors taught the ladies how to make giant paper flowers! They looked so awesome! I’m going to make some for the girls’ room 😀 .

I went to eat lunch with EZ and Michelle afterwards. My love is out of town working so I didn’t get to see him for lunch, of course. Got back to the office and hauled butt trying to whittle my to-do list down. I had to leave by 3:45pm to get to my follow-up PS appointment.

Got there and disrobed.

My doc came in and sat on his rolling stool and checked my bewbs. He said, “That reaction just won’t go away, will it?” I said, “Well, it had mostly gone away, then Sunday morning I woke up with these 2 new patches of irritation. I was wearing a cotton bra Saturday into Sunday, so maybe that did it?” He said, “Yes, it could be…so this is new?”

He shone a spot light on me and starts scraping/pinching at my skin. He literally scratched at the little clear suture-knot right on the edge of my nip, but he didn’t remove it. Then he proceeded to squeeze each boob and focused on the vertical incision. He asked, “What are you putting on it?” I said, “I hadn’t been putting anything since the rash was getting better. But the last two nights I was so desperate and itchy I had to put hydrocortisone again.” He said, “I don’t want you to put anything on it. Unless you really, really can’t stand the itch, then that’s okay, put some, but try not to. I’m going to prescribe an antibiotic again, just to be on the safe side. I also want you to stop wearing your sports bras. I don’t want anything rubbing or irritating.” I said, “Ok. But–I work! What do I do??” He looks thoughtful and says, “Well, yeah, only during work. I’ll see you in 1 week.” I said, “Oh, one more thing…when can I work out??” He smirks and pats my shoulder, “How about we wait a week or 2?” Ugh.

So I got home and saw the kiddos off. We made some Jiffy Pop popcorn and talked about their day and the boys joked around like always.

It’s the other parents’ turn with the kids starting today for the rest of Spring Break. The house is so quiet, I miss them already 🙁 .

I picked up my Rx, stopped at the bank and deposited some money I’d been holding onto and then came home and changed into a comfy Tee. Made myself some dinner (stuffed crabs and edamame) while I watched a movie and now I think I’m ready for bed. I hope I can sleep tonight! The last time Jorge was out of town, a couple of weeks ago, it was easy to sleep through the night because I had the assistance of Benadryl. Now I don’t!

I think Brudder’s home. I need him to get some stuff out of the washer for me 😆 .

Thursday, March 17 – Day 37, Post-Op
I called it. Had the worst night of sleep, ever. WORST.

I don’t know what the deal was, whether I ate bad crab, a sinus infection, something having to do with my boobs, but I was up from 1:30am-3:30am with terrible chills, violent ones, like I got the 2nd and 3rd week of recovery. Nothing I did made me feel better. I didn’t even have wet hair or the ceiling fan on and I just felt awful. Then my calves would spasm. I got up to pee and freaked out at my reflection when I passed the mirror! I had the most insane, bloodshot eyes I’ve ever seen! My face was all blotchy and red, too.

I got up to go to work anyway, even though now added to my despair was aching bones and I felt feverish, and a POUNDING headache.

My boss took one look at me and said, “Go to the doctor,” as did Michelle and Jorge and Ivan. I answered a few emails and then left work for the doc’s office. I get there, and both docs are out today and tomorrow! So Laura calls Dr. Avila’s office and they told me to go in at 2pm. I hope they have good news!

11:59
So I have a sinus infection, which I was mostly right about. My doc saw me and told me to stay on the antibiotic and to take Sudafed. He also checked my rash/incisions again and he said, “Wow, you see, you look so much better since yesterday. Did you wear a bra?” I said, “For about 3-4 hours while I was at work.” I can see an improvement, too. He then commenced squeezing, pushing on and scratching away at my boobs. It hurt. He warned me he was going to squeeze hard at the “T” intersection so to brace myself. I asked why and he said because he’s going to check if any fluid seeps out. But he squeezed and nothing came out so that’s good. I’m to go back Monday instead of Wednesday to determine whether everything is ok or if I need to be drained for some reason 😕 .

Spent all day either sleeping or on the couch watching Flip or Flop. I was lonely since the kids aren’t here and my love is still working out of town 🙁 . I had the worst headache still, and nausea and my eyes were still bloodshot. John got home around 9pm and was going to bring me something to eat but I told him not to; just reading the food options he texted me made me feel nauseated. So he brought me ginger ale and made me drink it. After passing out for 20 minutes I felt better from the nausea. Still have the headache and stuffed nose but at least my eyes aren’t bloodshot! Let’s see if I can sleep tonight.

Friday. March 18 – Day 38 Post-Op
Spoke too soon last night; woke up at 3:30am and my eyes were once again bloodshot. I couldn’t sleep due to the throbbing behind my eyes, so I Googled home remedies. A humidifier would have been ideal but i couldnt find it, grr. So I did the alternative: microwaved a fully-dampened wash cloth for 20 seconds and placed it over my face, only slightly covering my nose. I felt SO much better after that and finally fell asleep around 4am. I went in to work an hour late since I was so exhausted. And my eyes were bloodshot again and I still had a headache.

11:15pm
So my boobs were ok today. I only felt small twinges of pain on my right boob late in the day, which is the one the doctor squeezed hard yesterday 😕 . I think that small, clear knot of suture came off, too! Only a tiny piece of plastic is poking through (and snags on my shirt sometimes).

I was more concerned today with my sinus infection, bloodshot eyes, and the HIVES that I managed to pick up for some reason. I have never gotten hives in my LIFE. I’m itchy all over and was splotchy and red. My scalp all the way down to my legs itch.

I shall spend the weekend trying to get over whatever I have now. Who knows what these hives are from. The crabs I ate 2 days ago? The ginger ale John brought me last night for the nausea? My medications? Ugh. Who knows.

Saturday, March 19 – Day 39 Post-Op
I woke up feeling so much better! My head only slightly hurts, my eyes aren’t bloodshot and I think my appetite is back.

I did, however, lay in bed last night before I passed out and felt twinges on each breast. I started feeling each breast and noticed my right is “softer” than my left. I actually felt a hard spot near my nip on the left towards the top. Kind of alarmed me and I’m wondering if that’s what the doc is talking about draining? That is, after all, the nip that had been draining on it’s own where the doc assumed I had a seroma that let itself out. I’m kind of nervous, to be honest 🙁 .

The “new” rash itself looks like it’s drying up; there are even some scabby spots, which freaks me out a little, but at least it looks like it’s going away and not oozing like it had been *aherk*. I’ve been listening to my doc’s advice and going bra-less so it’s easy for me to pop open my shirt and look at my bewbs and obsess about my scars, and scabs and everything. Ahhh!

Sunday, March 20 – 40 Days Post-Op
Slept a pretty good amount overnight and I seem to be mostly over my sinus infection. My legs, however, still feel like I had an insane workout, but I think that’s due to how badly my muscles were spasming and contracting on Wednesday night. And as for my boobahs, my right one is still slightly getting twinges of pain since my doc squeezed the incision at my appointment on Thursday.

My poor boobs have mostly gotten a bad rap since the beginning due to the unforseen allergic reaction to the steri-strips. I haven’t been able to fully enjoy them because of the initial pain, the crazy, swollen, bruised way they looked when they were let free from the surgery bandages, and from the painful redness the allergic reaction gave me. Then the small seroma that caused my 2nd round of antibiotics. Then the 3rd round of antibiotics due to the 3rd bout of rashy irritation 😥 .

I don’t think I’ve come out and said that I’m happy about doing the procedure, but I truly am. A few delightful things I’ve noticed so far:

I can walk around braless with only a t-shirt and not feel gross or embarrassed. I could NEVER do that before with DD’s (and after 4 kids and breast-feeding!). I only ever took my bra off when I knew it was time to sleep, and even then, that’s only been in the last 5 years. Previously, I slept with either an underwire bra or sports bra!
Also, I can sit any way I want and not feel that ickyness of the bottom of my big boobies touching the top of my stomach. Hated that!
I shaved my legs for the first time since the surgery yesterday since I could finally hike my leg up and it doesn’t hurt my incisions to stretch my arm. (Don’t hate; I’ve worn lots of sweatpants at home and I have a lovely, patient husband 😆 .) I didn’t have to fight with my knockers to shave my legs nor did they drag over my thigh when I was trying to reach the back of my legs and get them covered in shaving cream. It was double work!
I can finally, after many, many years, wash my face with both hands at the same time! They were too big to be able to do that before, not kidding! I used to have to use one hand to wash my face and the other to keep my boobs from getting wet 🙄 .

Those are the small changes I’ve noticed so far! They may not seem like a big deal, but they were things that would really bother me before the surgery. I spend a lot of time staring at my boobies now 😆 .

Tuesday, March 22 – 42 Days Post-Op
Didn’t have a chance to update yesterday as I had 2 appointments, worked all day and then got home to make dinner (spaghetti squash), which took forever.

I got a mouthful of bleach at my first appointment at my dentist’s office 😡 ! I don’t know HOW they managed to fuck up like that, but they did. And I got a referral to go to an oral surgeon to remove my bottom Wisdom teeth. It had been a while since they’d mentioned doing that; like 2 years? More maybe.

My appointment with my plastic surgeon was at 1pm. They took me in really quickly, thank goodness. My doc looked me over and was pleased with the progress. Told me to continue on my antibiotic till I finish them and not put anything on my boobs; no ointments, creams, etc. I didn’t have to be drained from anywhere, so that’s good news! He said the “T” intersection scabs will heal and he’d see me in 3 weeks. Woo!

All day yesterday and today have been pretty pain-free. Even driving is better; hitting potholes or dips doesn’t hurt anymore but the seatbelt still bothers me so I drive with my pillow. Walked around in an old tank top today and was astonished at the difference. I couldn’t wear this tank out with my big boobs because people would STARE. Now, I look tiny!

Ok, need to sleep. G’night!

Ugh. I feel like death warmed over. I told myself I’m not doing anything today; the kids and I are just going to be bums while I get over this darn cold. I NEVER get sick, ever, and when I do, I feel like I’m seconds from dying. I’m dramatic, what can I say.

I’ll update on the last week, since it was essentially a good one all around.

We were kid-less last weekend and both Jorge and I were feeling like not being cooped up in the house for once, so once I went to the bank after work I got home and we got ready to go have dinner. It took us a while to find a place, because we’re both indecisive but we ended up at Kumori. 2 Kumori’s. The first had tons of people and we were sort of ignored, so we got up and went to the one at Uptown, where we ran into Jeremy, Jorge’s old co-worker and friend.

Then we came home and continued our Breaking Bad binge :).

Alaethia had a UIL meet the next morning so I met Mary and the girls at the school the meet was hosted at. We met up with John and Audrey and all moved on to the hall where their writing meet was being held. It was much less chaotic than the cafeteria, thank goodness. The whole thing took about 1 hour and the girls emerged from the classroom and we were off. I came home and cleaned my bedroom a bit (I NEED to stop being a paper hoarder! I get so lazy throwing out important papers I *might* need some day but probably never will and I feel guilty throwing out the girls’ school work/projects. Ugh.) I kept myself pretty busy and then Mom and I went to Walmart, then Target, where I unsuccessfully tried to find something to wear for Jorge’s Company Holiday Party. But I did find some awesome planner supplies in that darn Dollar Spot!

Gets me every time! I’ve been avoiding Target like the plague; didn’t even do much Christmas shopping there because then I want to buy things for myself and I had to FOCUS over the holidays. *pats self on head*

We finished running errands, Mom and I, then visited Gramma. It was dinner time for her so I fed her her entire tray and then we chit-chatted some more before we came home. I debated rushing to Ross (always my last resort) to find something to wear, but I knew I really wouldn’t have time and I didn’t want to make Jorge and I late, so I wore one of my roomy, dressy blouses and threw on some jeans and boots.

The Company dinner was at Pappadeaux! One of my faves. We said hi to everyone, as half the company was already there, all timely. Jorge’s bosses sat next to us and across from us were Cesar and his girlfriend. We had a good chat about various subjects and then we played a trivia game. It was fun. And then of course came dinner, which I didn’t get a photo of because I devoured it. Tilapia and spaghetti squash, yum. I did get a photo of us, and our dessert, though!

The next day we spent quite literally being lazy. Wait, I think we left the house for tacos at one point? Yes, I believe so. I kept stalling going grocery shopping and by the time we knew it, Briana and the kids arrived! They came down for the weekend to celebrate Nick’s birthday. We got ready and went to Incredibowl (formerly Valley Bowl). I’ve been to bowling alley’s before, but have never in my life played.

Jorge tried teaching me, but I was awful till about halfway through, and by then it was too late! I was afraid I was going to slip and fly with the ball like they do in the movies buahaha.

Still, we had fun with the kids and the food was good, too!

Definitely need to take all the kiddos!

We got home and I was not happy about having to go to the groceries so late, but I knew I’d hate it even more if I had to go after work the next day. So I sucked it up and went. Then I was exhausted when I got home and fell asleep during Breaking Bad. Blah!

It was an overall low-key week at work, compared to all the other weeks! We had to get ready for our very first music in the park-type event at the Food Truck Park, and we had no idea how that would go, we just hoped it would be successful. We had other tasks throughout the week, too, like Michelle and I taking our Grant winners shopping for their supplies, so that takes up a good amount of the day.

Alaethia got home from school with a trophy for 2nd place in Ready Writing UIL! So proud of her! She’s gotten 2 1st place trophies and now a 2nd place one!!

I started the week out perfectly, but I woke up feeling like mush on Tuesday. I had the beginnings of a sore throat and my ears were stuffy, so I started chugging down OJ and green tea, and remembered to take my vitamins everyday. I felt great by the end of the day, though, and suggested eating at the Food Park to Jorge. (I’d taken a payment from the owners earlier that day and they reminded me for the 2nd time that I still hadn’t tried out the food!) He agreed, and the girls of course were all for it.

We decided to try Bliss Street Food out, since we hadn’t tried it yet, and we weren’t disappointed. The owners even sent out some fajita nachos on the house!

The temp. was quickly dropping and I started to get chills right when we were standing in line. The girls had showered before Jorge and I got home and their hair was still damp, so we got our food to-go.

We were so hungry I didn’t even get pics, heh. I had the Mexican Gyro (OMG, so good!), Jorge had the Gringas (tacos), Alaethia had the pork tacos (she’s a firm believer in Taco Tuesday) and Emily had wings.

The next day was Jorge’s 33rd birthday! I couldn’t get the morning off, but I got to get the afternoon off after lunch. Michelle and I took some of our Grant winners shopping and then we got back to the office where I got some things squared away for the event on Friday and then I left work. I stopped for some cheesecake for my love and some snacks to go along with his iTunes cards I got him for his birthday. He kept insisting we not get him anything, but I know he’ll always use iTunes cards so I got him those :).

He’d gotten 3 days off during the week to just relax, which I’m glad for. He finished getting ready when I got home and then I took him out to lunch to Kumori (his choice!).

Even though I could hardly swallow my food, I gave it my all! Everything in that photo is my absolute favorite!

We ran some errands, got some Starbucks and then we had a quick break at home before picking up Alaethia from Chess practice. Mario had dropped Emily off already with Mom. So we picked up Alaethia and then we hung around at home. Alaethia asked, “So! Where are we going for Daddy’s birthday?!” Jorge and I look at each other and I say, “Well, I took Daddy out on a date for lunch sort of late. Where did you want to go?” She said, “That fancy restaurant we always go to.” Pappadeaux! It’s usually where we go for his birthday, but since we’d just gone on Saturday with his co-workers and bosses we decided to do something different. After much debate, we decided on IHOP, heh.

I could hardly stand my throat by then. But we had a great time :).

Thursday afternoon was going to be a hectic one. I get out of work earlier than usual on Thursdays since Alaethia has UIL practice. So I picked her up, and then we went home and changed since Audrey, Maddie and my girls were going to try and Zumba Kids class with their classmates. I’d been wanting to put the girls in SOME kind of class, but everything is either to expensive, or it conflicts with my work schedule. This would work out, if they decided to join. Emily had been excited about it and then decided that day that she’d rather not participate; she’d just watch.

We get there and they’re the first ones. Sofia, Brianna, Audrey and Maddie get there with their moms and they instantly get into it. Even Emily, who was in jeans and sandals, decides to join. They had a great time and Jenny and I signed the girls up straight away :).

I’M even considering starting the Zumba class! It’s not my forte, seeing as how I’m extremely uncoordinated, but it looked like a great workout!

The girls finished up and we drove the 30 minutes it takes to pick up the boys. Picked up pizza on the way home, got them all ready for bed and Jorge and I continued our Breaking Bad streak–until I passed out on the couch, like always. He’s such a patient man :D!

Friday was finally here, I felt so much better, despite the occassional coughing fit every now and then. We spent the morning making sure we had everything ready for the Food Park that evening.

Once that was done my love and I had lunch at Zoe’s to celebrate some good news I’d gotten that morning, while I caught up with the Breaking Bad episodes I’d missed ^_^.

Michelle and I once again had some Grant shopping to do with the ladies, so that made the afternoon go by quickly. Who’da thought I’d get to do/shop for crafty things in my job??

We went to the Park to check things out and once the guys moved some stuff around we went back up to our offices where I did some last-minute social media stuff and then left to pick up the kids. I had to time it all correctly especially since there’s always that 5 o’clock traffic jam in Penitas!

We got back to my office just in time and I took the kids in to pee before going back to the park. I had them find a good seat on the bleachers while I went around taking photos and talking to a few of the Food Truck owners.

Our singer that night looks and sounds like Taylor Swift, so the girls (and boys) were immediately smitten.

Jorge stopped by for The Teenager (Eenan) who wasn’t interested in the event but posed for a photo for Mama like a good sport and we switched for Justin, heh.

The kids had a great time, the weather was awesome, the food was tasty and the music was great. I was glad to see we had a good turnout! Excited for the next one!

I got home with all the kiddos, dropped them off and then John and I went to get groceries. Then we got home and stayed up watching Breaking Bad. We have one episode to go!!

I don’t know if it was because it was chilly again by the time the event was over, or that I stayed up late or WHAT, but I woke up feeling awful today. Probably worse than what I felt Tuesday. I can’t believe I forgot to buy OJ!!

Ok, Emily keeps popping in to check when I’m going to be “done,” so I guess I am! Going to think of what to make for dinner for everyone.

I could have sworn I already had a post started about Thanksgiving, but I can’t seem to find it. Weird. I bet you anything it didn’t properly save when I tried to on the app.

ANYWAY!

The kids were spending Thanksgiving lunch with their other parents and dinner with us. So Jorge and I were lazy all morning, watched a movie, spoke to Dina for a while and took our time getting ingredients chopped and things boiled. Extra pat on our back for remembering to thaw the turkey with enough time this year :D!

Mario was dropping the kiddos off to me since he asked for a bit more time with them, so that helped tons with getting stuff ready. For the first time since moving into this house we didn’t feel rushed. It was great. We did miss Dina, Bri, Javi and the kids; it was a little quieter than usual. But all that changed when the kiddos all arrived :).

While Jorge went to pick up the boys, my kiddos, Mom and I went to visit Gramma.

Got home and finished cooking. We figured they’d all be ok with dinner around 6pm since they’d all just eaten around 3p-4p, but they’d gotten impatient and kinda stood around staring at us while we waited for the turkey to hurry up.

First, it was the boys…

Then the girls and Justin came…

We say grace before dinner, but this year, Jorge made sure no one–not even John–starting stuffing their faces until everyone expressed what we were thankful for :).

I’m truly grateful for my kids, husband, my entire family. My job, of course. Our home, vehicles, just everything. I look back and remember just 5 short years ago both Jorge and I were starting from scratch. And here we are :).