I was road mapped again this time on my arms and chest by the amazing Dr. K prior to being wheeled back down the hallway and counting backwards from ten. When I awoke four hours later, I was two pounds lighter but struggling with the immense pain. I do believe that my arm-chest lift was harder than the body lift. I did not rebound in the hospital as well as I had hoped. I was unable to reach the call button, get my own drink or feed myself for two days. It was so humbling lying in the hospital bed after it all. The opportunity to experience life with no arms for a few days and was miserable. A deeper understanding for people without the use of their upper body or missing limbs really hit home for me. Darah, my amazing nurse from the first procedure explained that since I had just underwent a major surgery two weeks prior, I was not fully recovered making a second major surgery more of a challenge. I am restricted to wearing front closure soft cups for six to eight weeks. Where on Earth would I find this? My parents searched Target, Wal-Mart, Dillard's and Kohl's looking for items to no avail while I slept under a veil of anesthesia. Mom and I tried a venture to Macy's on Monday evening and for a mere $36 each...(gulp!) I found what I needed. The sales associate commented my lovely jacket which I get to wear for the next two weeks and immediately asked if I was a breast cancer survivor since she had to wear one after her reconstruction. I congratulated her on her survival and being free of the sickness which ravages many women and told her no, just had a lift in the arms and chest. Another opportunity to experience "stepping into someone else's shoes." As quoted by Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mocking Bird.
The recovery at home is a 100% improvement each day from the day before. One day I can move my arms and sign my name, the next tie my hair back and feed myself, make my own meals and push a shopping cart, start making meals again and so on. When seeing Dr. K today he was please with the way the incisions were healing since I am only a week out. He mentioned that I was allowed to start walking for exercise up to an hour a day. Those of you that know me well understand that I am a gym rat at this point in my life and I am severely missing my daily time in addition to sessions with Drew. Luckily, I get text updates from him and will be allowed back in on August 1; unluckily, no personal training cleared for most of August. Sigh!
I did make on Sunday a salad which my awesome Aunt Deby had made for the fourth of July...with the exception of the regular tomatoes rather than cherry since that is what was in my parent's fridge. I lightened it by using less olive oil and fat free feta cheese rather than regular. If interested in the recipe, it is listed below! 
I also had the blessing of Jenna and Jesse Roskilly, my best friend and her husband, kidnapping me and taking me to lunch at the Salty Iguana prior to me seeing my sweet cousin Greta, and her ever more lovely daughter Dei-Dei and baby Trixie from Jetmore, Kansas. I love it when I get to see them and hear about their garage chickens and organic gardening adventures.
One week out, how am I feeling overall? Sore! I attended one of my best friend's weddings on Saturday under the okay from Dr. K. (I told her that even if I sat there in a bathrobe, in NO WAY would I miss her wedding day.) The reason for this was my procedure got bumped up a week or I could wait until the school year started...teacher's everywhere like me would opt for NO Sub planning for six weeks and just doing it in the summer. Unfortunately, this meant that while I was set to attend her wedding with no problems before, now I would be out of surgery a mere four days before she wed. This was a bit of a stretch, but a cocktail of Oxicotin supplemented with Codine allowed for smiles. I was ambushed by lots of hugs at the wedding and while people tried to just gently pat, as the night wore on and wine flowed freely for them…not me, squashing Erin occurred more frequently. Worth it for my Laura Love. Congratulations my sweet friend!
Yet in spite of the pain, for the first time in 20 years, I am able to look in the mirror and feel that I am lovely. It may seem vain, but when you have lived your entire life as an obese person, then to have a body of a 90 year old woman at the age of 27, to have the outside reflect the love and kind heart which many know exist on the inside was never manifested, until Today at 1:30 pm. The swollen image of the phoenix rising from my old life was what I saw Dr. K revealed my new set of wings.
The exciting thing is that now, I can begin to soar to the new heights which before, I limited myself to because I was ashamed of my body and the way it appeared due to my own self mutilation of food. I have a new set of jeans and shirt which I am thrilled to venture out on Saturday and wear to Hy-Vee at 135th and Brougham in Olathe for the Health Fair. Hopefully, I will see you dear friend as I start to begin my wobbly attempt as a newborn bird, spreading my wings to fly to new valleys and mountains which I never dreamed before.
Mediterranean Tomato, Cucumber and Feta Salad with Fresh Mint and Thyme Dressing
This salad gets better the longer it sits in the dressing. Make the night before and let the herbs work their natural magic in the fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
- 3 large tomatoes chopped into large bites – or use 2 pints of grape tomatoes and cut into halves.
- 2 very large cucumbers
- 6 green onions, finely chopped, greens and whites included.
- 1 cup of fat free feta cheese – I like the PRESIDENT brand, it is found in the deli section of your grocery store. – I buy the large container
- ¾ cup of kalmata olives, cut in half, lengthwise – these are found in the deli section or with the olives and pickles aisle.
- Zest of one lemon
Dressing
- Juice of one lemon – about ¼ cup
- ¼ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 TBSP of Thyme – If using fresh, about ¼ of a cup, finely chopped
- 1 tsp of black pepper
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup of fresh mint leaves finely chopped – if you do not have fresh mint, feel free to leave out.
Procedure
- On a cutting board, remove the white core of the tomatoes. Slice, then chop into large bites no bigger than a nickel or quarter size. Place into a large mixing bowl.
- With a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the cucumbers and then slice them length wise. Using a spoon, scrape the seeds from the cucumber and discard them.
- Return cucumber halves to the cutting board and slice each half length wise a second time and proceed to dice into bite size chunks. Repeat for the green onions and add both the cucumber bites as well as green onions to the tomatoes.
- Add the feta and kalmata olive to the tomato and cucumber mix.
- In a small separate bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together for about 20 seconds.
- Pour dressing over the salad mixture then gently toss together.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the salad to sit for a few hours to chill.
This salad will serve about 8-10 people is using 1 cup servings, I usually eat 2 cups for lunch with fresh hummus and whole wheat pita or a Flat Out Wrap.
