Picture This

I've been waiting for two more LLBs (in a smaller size, which is what Dr. D. really wants me to wear 24/7 for maybe 4 more weeks) to come into the surgical supply company/mastectomy boutique right near the doctor's office.  Every day I call and they say, "by the end of the week."  Today I had a followup visit at 11:15 a.m. and called to see about the bras.  "Not yet" when I called while waiting to see the doctor at 11:15.  "Not yet" when I called while waiting for the doctor at noon.  "Not yet" - well, you get the point.  We finally saw the doctor at 2 (he had a surgery that took longer than he thought,) and still no bras.  At 2:20 we swung by the place just in case.  As I'm preparing to defend myself against being considered that horribly impatient customer everyone hates, someone goes into the back room and voila: bras!

I don't know if anyone remembers long line bras (I certainly never owned one) from maybe a grandmother or a mother - at any rate, they're not medicinal looking, have lace and such, in a good, inconspicuous neutral beige color.  There's a bra part attached to a kind of corset.  Unfortunately, not like a really cool pirate queen lace-up vest or one of those Frederick's of Hollywood things (although I did check those out to see if they would be cheaper, but a) they're not cheaper, and b) they're not really about compressing your back, are they?)

At any rate, having waited for the doctor for nearly 3  hours, with Rod idling in the car (and needing to drop me at home and go back to work,) I still wanted to try one of them on just to be sure, especially at $60 each.  So I started unbuttoning my shirt at the counter, and the saleslady says, "Wouldn't you rather use a dressing room?"  I say no because I've got a tee shirt on under the other (bigger) LLB anyway (nicer to have something soft against my skin and I can wear a clean one every day -  and the doctor has no problem with it.)

So, I've got my layers - tee shirt, then LLB, then outer shirt, and I'm in a hurry.  Along with telling her about the tee shirt and continuing to unbutton my outer shirt, I make some crack about if Madonna could do it, so could I.  As I finally yank off the shirt another lady sitting at a nearby desk (who I guess hasn't been paying attention) almost snaps her neck jerking her head up and says "You know there are some men around here, right?" By this time I've got old LLB off while I ask the saleslady to do up a couple of the 12 hooks on new LLB so I can check the fit, and I'm re-explaining the tee shirt thing, while standing right there in a tee shirt.  Maybe you had to be there, but I thought the whole episode was pretty hysterical. Perhaps I was not their typical customer.

(I think that those of you who have been my friends and relatives for a really long time would agree that in a million years this outrageous behavior is not that of the shy girl you knew.  But if you pause to consider, recognize that I got my training in the "real" Filene's Basement with Mom in her opaque tights and full slip, right there in the aisles.)  I have gotten a lot braver, and learned a bit more about which things are important.  Not enough yet, but more.

For the scorecard, one back drain out (OMG that one hurt to come out - I'm glad I didn't know how much.)  No work, no driving.  Next appointment Monday at 5:15 at which time he hopes to remove both other drains.  I, of course, ask to go back to work on Tuesday.  He says no.  I believe his words were "Let's take it a week at a time, okay?  Don't you have a couple of good books?"  He is still very happy with the results of his work and my custody of it.  He says he has a "perfect record" of no patients with seroma, and I have no desire to end up with more drains, a bigger scar, another all-IV inclusive hospital stay, or any other unfortunate thing that the dreaded seroma would cause.

Many, many thanks for the office coverage, the driving, the edible and non-edible support and everything in between - the prayers, the friendship, the love.  It's a powerfully healing combination!