After the pain
in the right breast seemed to subside with the use of the
antibiotic kelflex, I started to feel mildly better. The
dullness and heaviness was still present in my right breast,
but I tried to ignore it and continue with my normal every
day lifestyle. Three days after I started taking the kelflex
antibiotic pills, I woke up in a puddle of wetness. I thought
I had wet the bed or something.
I got out of bed to see why I was so wet, at first I couldn't
find any logical explanation. I hadn't urinated in my sleep,
I didn't have my period, I wasn't sweating, so what the heck
happened? Well, I look down at my night shirt and it was
soaked with what felt like icky water, and my bra was also
drenched. I went into the bathroom to take a shower and clean
up the mess, and while I was showering I looked down at my
right breast.
Where there had been pain before there was now this little
open sore that was gushing to my horror green puss-like
fluid! When I say gushing, I mean full force as if it were a
water fountain. I tried to get the fluid to stop leaking by
using wash rags, towels, toilet paper, clothing, etc -- but
nothing helped. The fluid leaked through everything. The area
didn't hurt, and I wasn't experiencing pain.....it was just
plain disgusting!
I called the doctor's office and her nurse told me that this
was normal and I shouldn't be alarmed. Hello? My breast is
leaking fluid and you want me to sit around the house as if
everything was normal? The nurse said my breast
"cyst" had ruptured and that is why it was leaking
fluids.
She said that unless I have a temperature, bloody puss comes
from the area, or the area hurts....I don't need to worry.
I'm pass worrying by now, obviously, so I hang up and
continue to put up with the drainage.
By three a.m. the fluids are still draining, so I put a
garbage bag around the area. I took about four baths during
the day and watched this fluid poor from the open sore, with
complete disgust and horror. I tried to do my daily
activities with a garbage bag around my entire right breast,
but needless to say -- things went unattended. The fluids had
turned from light green to a darker green by now, and I just
waited for pain. None came. So I went to bed, uncomfortably.
The next morning I continued to have excessive, nonstop
drainage from the right breast. I put yet another garbage bag
over the breast so I didn't have to worry about the fluid
going anywhere. I sat down in my living room for most of the
day, and by eleven in the morning the garbage bag was over
half-full of nasty fluids from the area. Now the color had
changed yet again from dark green to a light brown looking
color. The fluid continued to poor out and never let up.
Again, this day I took at least three baths trying to warm
compress the area with water in hopes of stopping the
leaking. I spent most of the day scouring the internet for
any information I could find, turning up NOTHING.
Around four in the morning I decided to try another bath. I
climbed upstairs, undid the garbage bag carefully not to
spill the fluid, and what did I find? My entire right breast
looked (for lack of better words) deflated! That's right, it
looked as if it were a flat tire or balloon. Where the open
sore (known as a FISTUALE, see picture below) had once been,
there was now a tiny black hole. The black hole was making
suctioning noises as if it were looking for more fluids to
drain. I freaked out and started crying hysterically. I
actually thought, no laughter, that my body had drained all
the contents that make up my right breast. I thought I was
going to die, for a period.
I called the
emergency room and explained the situation to the on-call
doctor. He told me to come in right away because it sounded
as if something were wrong (ya think?). So I called my sister
who was kind enough to drive me there even though she had to
work the next day. I waited four hours in the waiting room
for the doctor (who was really good looking, so this was
totally embarrassing) to show up. When he came in to check on
me the only thing he did was take a sample of the liquid,
look at the area, and explain that I had a breast abscess. He
said the infection in the right breast leaked out, and that
was normal. He said the abscess had reached the surface and
drained, and that isn't wrong or uncommon. Normally, I guess,
the doctor has to drain the area himself/herself....but in my
case my body did it on its' own.
Confused, I
didn't know what the heck he was talking about. He explained
that I'd have to be referred to a general surgeon immediately
so that I can have the abscess removed from the right breast.
What he had said exactly, I can't remember. Between the lack
of sleep the night before and this new scare, I was pretty
dang tired. I just nodded and tried to hide the fact that my
entire right breast was creepy looking and making noises. He
gave me bandages to cover the area with to prevent further
leaking (as if there were any fluids left to drain).
I walked home
from the hospital (about a mile) because it was five in the
morning and I didn't want to bug anyone for a ride home (I
don't drive yet). I went home, and after that didn't
experience any drainage in the area. My doctor had scheduled
me an appointment to go see a general surgeon (Dr. Theodore Kubista) at my clinic the following week, so
I prepared myself for the worst.
I saw my
surgeon (Dr. Theodore Kubista) three times before the surgery was
actually performed. My doctor gave me a shot of levaquin,
another antibiotic, in the hip to help the abscess heal.
After that my general surgeon examined the breast and
determined that I had a large abscess, at the time he
estimated about several centimeters. I had to have an
ultrasound of the right breast conducted to make sure of the
size and to see if they could determine the fluid that filled
the abscess. The couldn't determine the fluid based on the
ultrasound, however they noted debris in the breast where the
abscess was that would also need to be removed during
surgery.
My doctor had
to give me a pre-operation physical to make sure that I was
healthy to go through with the surgery. It was determined
that I was indeed able to go through with the surgery. She
also recommended that I get a breast reduction. She let me
know that with the problems I've been having my insurance
would cover it, and that if I didn't get a reduction I have a
risk of having this happen again. She referred me to a
plastic surgeon in my city and set up an initial consultation
for me in her office. Great!
July 5, 2001 - Surgery Day
My surgery was
scheduled for Thursday, July 5, 2001 at 9:00 a.m. at my local
hospital. I was told to come a half hour earlier so that I
could be prepped. When I arrived I was immediately brought
into a room, told to change (can't have any clothes on
underneath hospital garments). The week before I was given a
list of things to do and not to do before my surgery, here's
what it said:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DAY OF YOUR
SURGERY
- DO NOT
eat or drink anything after midnight the
night before surgery. Your stomach must be empty.
Do not chew gum or smoke. You may brush your
teeth the morning of your surgery.
- Do not
use alcohol or tobacco within 24 hours of
surgery.
- Do not
take anti-inflammatories for 1-2 weeks prior
to your surgery. (Examples include ASPIRIN,
Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Nuprin, etc.) If
you are unsure of a medication, please ask your
doctor. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) is safe
to use.
- If you
take medication(s) daily, take them as usual
the morning of surgery with a SIP of water. Bring
both a list of your medications and the
medications themselves with you on the day of
surgery.
- If you
are diabetic and use insulin, please ask your
doctor about pre-surgery insulin dosage. Bring
your insulin with you.
- Please bathe
or shower the evening before or the morning
of surgery.
- Do not
wear make-up, jewelry, or fingernail polish.
Please remove artificial nails.
- Eyeglasses,
contact lenses, and dentures may need to be
removed and stored in proper containers before
surgery. Please bring containers with you.
- If you
have a cold, sore throat, fever, or other illness
24 hours prior to surgery, please call your
doctor as soon as possible. If you cannot reach
your doctor, please report your illness.
- If you
have any allergies to medications, latex,
tape, soap, or foods, please inform your doctor
beforehand.
- If your
physician/surgeon has prescribed a special
prep or medication to use prior to your
surgery, please follow the instructions closely.
- YOU
MUST MAKE ARRANGEMENTS IN ADVANCE for a
friend or family member to drive you home after
your discharge. Under no circumstances
will you be allowed to operate a motor vehicle if
you have received sedation or general anesthesia.