It has been a difficult 2 weeks but I am finally turning the corner and feeling better. I went in March 19th at 2 pm for my bilateral extended to forearm briachioplasty. Opened my eyes in recovery ay 6:45 and was home by 8 for 10 minutes when the ambulance was called. I was bleeding profusely from my left arm and had passed out in my recliner. Had to walk to the stretcher as they couldn't get it into the house. Got to ER around 1/2 hour later, Plastic surgeon from the Center (not the one that did the operation but had assisted with my breast reduction in June) came a looked at what was going on. Passed out again while he was there. He told me I had a hemotoma the size of a baseball and would need to go back into surgery ASAP. No operating room was available until 4:30 when he went in and did whatever had to be done and gave me a drain. Finally at 7:30 am Tuesday morning I was in a shared room. They tried to send me home Tuesday night started bleeding again. They did whatever had to be done. My blood count had dropped down to an 8 and my veins were blowing every time they tried to take more blood from my hands. I had an IV in each hand in case the right one blew. I was seen by the PS again Wednesday night and finally sent home on Thursday. From the hospital I was taken directly to the PS DR office on Thursday as when the hospital staff was loading me into the van I started bleeding again. The Dr and 5 nurses saw me immediately, did whatever they had to do and bandaged me back up and sent me home with all kinds of meds including Iron as I was amenic. I had a horrible weekend with intense pain, not only in my arms but my back as well. I was itching like crazy because of the gauze and ace bandages used. When they discovered I had this reaction they came up with a different way of bandaging up my arms. This past Monday I had my 1 week followup and the drain was taken out. I was still way to swollen to fit into any sleeve compressions so I have just been bandaged.
I go back tomorrow for my 2 week followup, hopefully will get some stitches out and into the compression garments. I have attached some photos showing the left arm hematoma area drain area and the right arm. I am so bruised, black and blue and swollen I have no idea of what the outcome will be. I have a feeling this is going to be long difficult recovery. I just hope and pray I will be happy with the final results.