Still alive! Everything went well, as Bob has reported. I had about a teaspoon of blood loss. I asked my surgeon if that's typical, and he said it is, "if you do it right." I love arrogant surgeons!
They gave me a scopolamine patch, so I've had no problems with nausea. In the hospital, I went for the full spa experience, including aromatherapy before and after surgery, and the heated shampoo cap and head massage in my room.
There is no pain. I would definitely describe discomfort. I feel like I was hung up by my armpits, then bench pressed many reps, sometimes dropping the bar on my chest. My sternum feels bruised, and sort of sticks out like a chicken's. The nerves were cut basically from armpit to armpit, so the sensation is weird.
I have my lovely drain bottle appendages with me always. They're sewn into my armpits, so I have no choice. They work like turkey basters; there's a little spout where they can be emptied, then you squish the bottle and plug the spout, creating suction.
It's surreal having nothing there. Breasts are just gone. It's fine, though; I haven't found it terribly upsetting, just odd. Turns out that they weighed just over five pounds each.
Good news: the lymph node biopsy came back clear. I'm at Stage 1a or 1b. That's like hardly any cancer at all. Sounds like there was a third suspect area in the left breast, so it's good to be rid of it. The right breast was totally fine. I guess I could have kept it, but then what? Hi, I'm Kate, and this is my one enormous breast? Having only one sort of negates any positive breast attributes.
Thank you all SO MUCH for your support and positive thoughts! I'm mostly comfortably lounging with a wonderfully fuzzy blanket (thank you, Elise!), watched over by my bodyguard Abbie the dog.