| As women, especially American women, much of our | | | | emptied a couple of times a day and you will have to |
| femininity is centered on our breasts. No matter | | | | write down how much fluid you drain so the doctor |
| where you look, there are pictures, billboards, | | | | will know when you've slowed down enough to |
| commercials, television shows, and movies with | | | | remove them. You may not know where to put |
| women with these beautiful breasts and ample | | | | these drains under your clothing. I pinned mine up to |
| cleavage. The thought of losing one or both breasts, | | | | the sports bra and that way, they didn't pull when I |
| to breast cancer, can be devastating for many of us. | | | | moved. |
| Sure, there's reconstruction, but will it ever really look | | | | When you get home, plan on having someone there |
| the same again? Even if you have reconstruction, | | | | to help you for the first few days. You won't be |
| you'll never have sensation there again and, for many | | | | allowed to reach into your cabinets and definitely |
| of us, that definitely affects our sexuality. | | | | won't be able to clean house or pick up your children, |
| I went through two separate mastectomies, for my | | | | if you have little ones. You'll be sent home with pain |
| breast cancer, despite the fact that I wanted them | | | | meds and definitely take them if you need them. |
| both done at the same time. Two different surgeons | | | | Studies show that you will heal faster if you keep |
| told me that wasn't necessary. They found out, later, | | | | yourself out of pain, so don't be afraid to take them |
| that it was, as I had the same breast cancer in both | | | | as prescribed. |
| breasts. Through these surgeries, I learned a few | | | | If you have a recliner, you might consider moving it |
| things about what to expect, and how to get up and | | | | into the bedroom as you won't be able to lie flat for |
| running again, after a mastectomy for breast cancer. | | | | a while. You'll need to sleep in a partial sitting position. |
| The first thing to realize is that, apart from the | | | | If you don't have one, or don't have space for it in |
| emotional aspect of such an operation, this is a simple | | | | your bedroom, lots of pillows will work, too. That's |
| surgery. The breast is composed, mostly, of fatty | | | | what I used. Just be sure you have enough pillows to |
| tissue and, of course, milk ducts and lobes. The | | | | keep yourself comfortable propped up. |
| removal of this breast tissue is way easier than | | | | If you would like someone who's been there before |
| operating on an organ, but carries much more | | | | you to visit with, be sure to call your local American |
| emotional impact for most of us. Most surgeons will | | | | Cancer Society and ask for a Reach 2 Recovery |
| get as much of the breast tissue out as they can to | | | | volunteer. This is an American Cancer Society |
| help alleviate the chance of a recurrence of your | | | | program where they try to match you with one of |
| breast cancer. You will typically wind up with a | | | | their volunteers who have as similar experience as |
| horizontal scar about four inches long. The scar may | | | | you're facing. This woman will come visit you and will |
| be red for quite a while but, ultimately, should fade | | | | bring you all sorts of brochures and information on |
| to where you can hardly see it anymore. | | | | conventional treatment. She will also bring you a list |
| You want to be sure to take loose-fitting, | | | | of exercises you can start to do to regain your |
| button-down shirts (raiding your hubby's closet is | | | | mobility and range of motion. |
| helpful) with you, to the hospital, as you won't be | | | | This is VERY important. It hurts to stretch your arm |
| able to raise your arms over your head for a while. | | | | up, after surgery, but if you haven't had |
| You will also need a sports bra and I would highly | | | | reconstruction, and you don't start soon, you will lose |
| recommend one that fastens in the front. They will | | | | that range of motion. I would recommend starting to |
| put that on you after your surgery. Typically, you | | | | gently, slowly reach your arm up ... let your body be |
| should be able to stay in the hospital for one night. If | | | | your guide ... the day after your surgery. This is |
| you're going to have lymph nodes removed, a small | | | | ONLY if you have not had reconstruction. If you |
| pillow, to slip under that arm, will help make you more | | | | have, let your plastic surgeon tell you when to start |
| comfortable. Check with your local American Cancer | | | | stretching. Push to where it hurts just a little, but do |
| Society as they may have small pillows for you. An | | | | not push too far past that. Little by little, you'll find |
| extra pillow to hold to your chest, if you need to | | | | yourself able to stretch a little farther every couple |
| cough, sneeze, or laugh, can help keep your incision | | | | of days. |
| from hurting. | | | | Most of all, allow yourself to heal emotionally, as well |
| When you wake up, you will have a couple of drain | | | | as physically. Some of us just can't look at that |
| tubes for each side you have done. These tubes are | | | | incision right away. That's OK. Take as much time as |
| important as they allow the excess fluid, which your | | | | you need. I know I felt like some kind of freak with |
| body will produce, to drain out. If you didn't have | | | | no breasts and, even six years later, I still do |
| them, the fluid would have to be aspirated with a | | | | sometimes. But remind yourself that these scars are |
| needle. The drains, even though they're no fun, are | | | | your battle scars. They do not make you less of a |
| better than that. These drains will have to be | | | | woman. They make you a warrior. |