Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Breast after delivery

I got an engorgement about 5 days after the delivery of my boy.

The right breast got softer after a week or so, but my left one had never gotten soft.
And it had started redden around the areola, then, I started feeling chills and flue like symptom.
I'd researched online, and suspected this might be a mastitis.

My husband and I didn't think much about it then.
I just learned how to heal mastitis online.
-empty the breast
-warm compress
-massage the hard area
And so on...
But it'd never gone away.

So I finally went to the doctor, and he prescribed antibiotics.
I went back there after 5 days because I couldn't see no improvement.
In addition to that, the effected area got soften and I could feel some puss was building inside.

The doctor said this is a breast abscess that needs to surgically drain the puss and buildup.
I was devastated...
If only I had gone to the doctor as soon as I felt the flu-like symptom...

I was still pumping breast so that I could keep produce milk, but without feeding it, I threw away the milk from infected breast.
As I pump, yellowish-and-blood-mixture of fluid was slowly coming out.
I went to the doctor right away.
And here I was, breast being cut and puss was drained 5 days before I was supposed to see the surgeon.
I felt like it hurt more than the labor contraction.... but I guess it's not true... contraction was the worst!!

The puss that was inside of my breast was more than 4 oz!
****I was going to post a picture of my bandaged breast but I might gross people out. So I decided not to***

After the doctor drained everything he could, he inserted a medicated ribbon that is to absorb residue inside the breast through the hall that he cut.
And he bandaged the area.

Next day, I went to the office, and he took out the ribbon, and inserted another new one.
It hurt, too!!
Unfortunately, the office will be close next week, so he told me to insert the ribbons for a few days by myself......
Well, my husband needs to do the work since it's hard for me to do it by myself....
I am scared, and I know he will be scared too...
But in order to get it better, we need to do it!!

Hopefully, it gets better soon....


Everyone!! 
Don't postpone going to the doctor!! 
Don't think it will heal by itself, either!!You will pay for it later!

1 comment:

  1. Aww Hitomi, that sounds so painful! I'm sorry you had to go through that. Is it getting better now? How are you guys all doing and adjusting to parenthood? Ken is so cute!

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