Thank you for writing up so much Stabby, there's a lot about the process I never knew and this is enlightening.
I should definitely write up a big-ass "things I wish I knew" document that's actually a knowledge sharing document. Guess it would be more of an extensive "these are things I learned" document. I'm happy to share whatever information is in my head that I can conjure to the forefront and reliably type up, so any, any questions at all, just ask me; here, twitter, OF, anywhere you can reach me.
But yeah, the biggest thing I learned from my infectious disease specialist doctor (The one who handled my IV-antibiotic requiring super-resistant infection in the summer) was stuff about the lymphatic drainage system, and how hematoma (bruising) and swelling are red flag warnings that that system is either already damaged or is currently sustaining damage from trying to deal with all the fluid. So all the swelling after surgery with Revis (there was almost none at all after surgery with Dr Baeke) and all the extensive bruising after surgery with Revis (my entire breast area including on torso itself was very discoloured for weeks afterward) are really telling of how indelicate his techniques are. Anyways, the importance of the lymphatic drainage system was really what I was trying to mention above, but I pretty reliably wind up mentally side-tracked. The more damaged it is, the harder it is to fight infection, since not only does fluid get removed by it, but so too do antibiodies and all those pathogen-fighting cells and systems gain access by said system. It's like washing your driveway with a garden hose instead of a pressure washer, in terms of efficacy. A lightly-soiled driveway (clean surgical wound with no bacteria) may be cleaned nicely with a garden hose, but a horribly mossy one (surgical wound with some bacterial or other contaminant presence) may not necessarily become clean under the power of just a garden hose.
oof I went on a tangent again. Guess writing "a lot" is my default, lol.
in conclusion; happy you're happy to learn, and happy to share more!