For transparency, it may be worth mentioning that I have a history of ideal health. Compared to my brother, my driver and my friends, I'm lucky that I haven't even had any side-effects to deal with. No post-anaesthesia high or nausea, no pain even when I tested out going off the prescriptions.

I can lift again, and I can reach up as long as I'm careful, meaning I can also wear pullover shirts and do yardwork by myself again.

And now here I am, four weeks post-op to the day. The last of the surgical tape came off this weekend and now that the last of the scabs are off too, I can switch from daily antibacterial ointment and bandages to scar gel and capsules of arnica and bromelain.

Caring for the incision sites while they heal. Tingling the same way skin does when feeling comes back after escaping the cold. And safe from sweating into a binder through any more summers. Cool breezes feel so much better with one less layer to wear.

Then I was under the care of my roomie, my friends and my family while I wait for mobility in my arms to come back. Able to shower again, as long as I followed instructions.

I was still pretty tired from how early I had to wake up for the drive to my post-op appointment, but I was giddy seeing my bare chest in the mirror for the first time.

The the sutures holding my grafts in place and the (admittedly itchy) binding over them were removed this week, and the surgeon was delighted to see how well my nipples were healing this early on.

Everyone congragulated me, but once I made it back to the bed with the neck pillow, chest pillow and sleep mask from my roommate and her mother, I was only awake again to eat, drink, take pills or watch day become sunset become night. And I felt so, so loved.

I was able to take my first post-op selfie as promised on the way back to the hotel room, where one of my dear friends had sent me flowers.

I was shivering intensely, but the doctors were patient and helped me into the soft pajamas I brought. Pajamas my roommate gave me. The nausea never came, and when I had tomato soup for lunch and the potato soup for dinner, I couldn't imagine anything tasting better.