Preparation.

I have been very anxious about my upcoming surgery.  I have been mostly nervous worrying about all the things that could go wrong:  I have to stop doing that to myself-it can’t be good for my health.
 

 I met with my plastic surgeon last week and I am really glad I did.  I needed to hear from her again what was going to take place during the surgery and what to expect after.  I needed to hear the confidence in her voice when she told me she has all the reasons to believe that my surgery will go well and that I will be more than happy with the results.  Knowing she cannot really ‘guarantee’ this outcome, I still left her office with a huge sense of relief.  And dare I say excitement. 

  

With roughly a week until my surgery and my anxiety sort of under control, I have been getting into preparation mode.  While my recovery is expected to be easier than the first surgery, I am still going to be down for a period of time.  It really hit me that I will have at least two weeks of doing a whole lot of nothing.  I can hopefully get back to work by the following Monday but I am also on full restriction- No exercise and no lifting of anything weighing more than a gallon of milk.  I remember back to my first surgery and how some of the daily activities were so difficult or just were impossible after surgery.  Cooking, laundry, picking up around the house- all of this will become a challenge again or just not get done. Obviously, there will be no biking of any kind for at least a month.  I will just have to find something else to do with my time…..

Besides a few pre- surgical doctor appointments, I have been going about my business- it has been a pretty regular routine for me.  I have been working a ton and trying to get in as much riding as possible.  It has been so incredibly rainy this season,  so getting out in the woods has been spotty at best.   I cannot remember a time when the woods were so saturated.  I have managed though and even have hit the road a bit which can be a great time with the right people. 

Taking a break after a brutal climb.

What was to be a mellow 30-40 mile ride turned into a near 60 miles with many hills and each hill seemed to be harder than the next. 

While the weather looks near perfect for the week ahead, fall has arrived.  I decided this was the right time to swap out my summer wardrobe.  As I pulled out the first bin under the bed, I opened it up and there it was- my bra collection!  It might as well have jumped out and grabbed me like the boogie man.  Why have I put all my bras away?  Simply, they do not fit over my tissue expanders and frankly they are uncomfortable and unnecessary.  These rocks do not move, even when I mountain bike!  The not so simple explanation is I got sick of opening my top draw and seeing them.  It was a memory that I was not ready to look at yet.  Some things still sting.  So while I may be getting my new ‘boobs’ in a week, they are not my old ones.  Those were pretty fabulous if I can say so myself. 

 

Bras will return in my future but chances are I will be shopping for some new ones.

S.M.