With Cindy recovering from her major reconstructive surgery in December I have decided to let you know about the reality of set-backs.
She has had to deal with one reconstructive surgery that didn't work out earlier in 2012 due to the transplanted skin not healing properly because of compromised blood flow. So it was on to another recon surgery called Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforators (DIEP). Of the half dozen surgeries she has had this one was by far the longest and most arduous. She spent 13 hours in surgery and then 5 days in the hospital so they could monitor the blood flow of the newly attached vessels and veins.
That was the part that worried both of us the most with the falier in blood flow from her Latissimus Flap surgery. But that aspect went well. Here set-back with this surgery was with her hip to hip incision that pulled the skin on the stomach extremely tight. Sure enough it has had a hard time healing, leaving her with a quarter size hole that the doctors are watching carefully. They hope that with time it will heal from the bottom up and that she can avoid any infection getting in there.
This surgery has really taken a toll on her both physically and emotionally but she has been very brave and positive in dealing with all of it. She could very easily get down and take it out on me and the kids but it is a credit to her that she has been able to deal with this latest set-back. I find that I get more angry thinking about them than she does and I think that comes from being the husband and trying to deal with a situation and outcome that you control.
Just know that set-backs are a part of our life and you just have to get through them no matter how long it takes.
There is always a rainbow at the end of a storm to remind you that better days are ahead!
