A bit over one month post-op now, doing alright overall aside from giving myself food poisoning last week. Is it possible I reverted to eating garbage too soon after taking antibiotics?
Truly one of life’s many mysteries.

Content warning for dressing changes, it’s my blog and I get to post uncensored photographs of partially healed surgical incisions if I want to.

_{Two online purchases arrived on the same day and I’m living like if Dr. Frankenstein wasn’t a coward.}

Initial dressings and absorbent paddings were removed during the one week follow-up. They appeared to be some kind of white tape with larger square plasters in the armpits over where the drainage tubes had been removed.

After the nurse cleaned the incisions there was a quick check-in with the surgeon to assess the healing progress. Nothing alarming noted by either professional, a fresh roll of micropore tape was provided to dress the incisions and the nurse demonstrated how to apply it.

_{14-01-2025 | 19-01-2025}

Eight lengths of micropore total are used, that’s four on each side.
The first piece goes on from sternum to mid-pectoral, with the second from mid-pectoral to armpit, while pieces three and four are the same again simply layered over the first two.
Repeat the same process on both sides.

_{Why do I look more naked without glasses than without a shirt?}

Every 5-7 days I change the micropore tape (or more frequently if it starts peeling itself off). It’s fine to shower with the tape on, just pat it dry afterwards, but I am still forbidden from being immersed in water such as taking a bath or swimming.

The compression tube bandage is still worn daily to help with swelling and keep the tape from peeling. It only comes off for about 20 minutes a day while showering, after which I change into a clean one. The used ones are washed in a delicates bag on the same cold/gentle cycle all my regular laundry goes through.

Two compression bandages were given to me in hospital; the one I was wearing post-surgery plus a clean one to change into once home. At the follow-up appointment the nurse said the bandages were too long for me and suggested it would be okay to cut them in half, so I ultimately wound up with four after that.

Once settled back in at home I ordered another metre online along with some sterile saline and gauze swabs for cleaning. The extra metre of bandage was enough for 3 more tubes so now I’ve got enough for a full week without having to do any extra loads of washing.

_{The tubes say “eyewash” but it’s just regular saline (probably).}

Arms still shouldn’t be lifted above shoulder height for a little while longer, and there is also a 2kg weight limit in terms of lifting or carrying things. But I’m no longer in any pain from the procedure as of about 4 weeks out, which means driving is once again permitted.

No that I drive much, but it’s the principle of the matter, you know?