Titty Gate

4 days post op.

I did so much research about the cancer when I got my diagnosis. Like I read ALL OF THE THINGS. I read about the surgery and what to expect. So many articles and posts describing it.

None of them mentioned I would look like this. There were no pictures. No warning. I have been proactive about preparing myself for a lot of this journey. I was not prepared for this. Not for lack of looking but for lack of explanation.

So I’m sharing this mostly because if someone like me is looking, I want them to be prepared to see themselves like this. And this is just a lumpectomy. Imagine a mastectomy.

The lymph nodes that were removed from under my arm means all the fluid they normally drain is just hanging out there and my body is numb there. Swollen still and really has no feeling. No one told me about that.

I can’t lift my arm. Expected. But the bruising. The bruising is bad. And I’m not sharing for reactions, I’m sharing so the next woman who wants to know and looks can be prepared.

Remember this is your body healing itself. It looks gross and feels weird, but it’s your body doing it’s job and healing you. It will go away. Just be prepared to know you’re going to look like this.