It has been one month since my prophylactic nipple-sparing bilateral mastectomy. How am I doing? Here’s an update:

• I am now driving and no longer need a chauffeur.
• Sneezing still hurts.
• Got clearance to resume aerobic exercise, but no running or jumping.
• Planning on going back to work in less than two weeks. Eek!
• I am not a fan of these expanders. They are hard as rocks.
• Still no expansions/fills. We are waiting for the necrotic area to heal. The large scab is slowly lifting at the edges. I trim it so it doesn’t get caught on clothes.
• Had the 14th and last hyperbaric treatment today. Not sure how much of the healing can be attributed to the treatments, though. The wound has definitely gotten better, not worse, so it didn’t hurt. My breast surgeon believes that it saved Dusky!
• Some bruising has developed on my right side, right over the fill port, so I stopped massaging the skin and expanders. Still using the cocoa butter oil with vitamin E.
• Making progress in getting back full range of motion. I am happy to report a small victory – I can now bring my arms all the way to the floor during the floor/towel exercise at 13:10 in this post-op exercise video. Big accomplishment!
• Haven’t gotten any bills yet, but I know they’ll be pouring in soon.

Overall my recovery has been going great! The complications I’ve had are relatively minor and I am happy that it has not been worse.