Double Diep in a week

Hi Louise, I was really anxious prior to the operation didnt help the registrar made a comment about" when you come back in for the other side to be done". I asked for medication for the anxiety but it didnt help and was crying all the way into the pre anaesthetic room, where they gave me something that did work and I remember no more.

I found i was able to mobilize on my own by the 4th day post op but was told that was impressive. I had wanted a nipple sparing and skin sparing mastectomy so they approached it from under the breast but pathology showed another focus of cancer under the nipple so they took that off at the operation. Unfortunately the skin died between the two incisions( the nipple area and under the breast. I was told this was because I was too thin. I am now 12 days since split skin grafting to the dead skin and so have another sore area the skin donor site on the hip as well as the scar across the lower abdomen.

After the operation I felt so much better emotionally but every now and again I have a really down teary day, then seem fine again the next day.. I think is partly boredom, I want to try try driving tomorrow. The lower half of my reconstructed breast looks like a patch work quilt and I felt really down about that yesterday and then I think well the cancer is gone and I already look normal in clothing, and tell myself to get over it lots of other women are worse off! I'm just looking at tamoxifen now.

Things I found helpful, big baggy loose granny undies to not press on anything to much. I still can't face the elastic pants but that is more so due to the hip skin donor site, being really sore. Target surgical bras have clips at the front and I leave the bottom clips undone so not too place to much pressure on the under breast scar. They are only $20. Ahh bras roll up and hurt the scar on me at least.

A friend gave me a flat soft "pillow Pet" mines a purple butterfly; that I wear under the seat belt it covers the scar from hip to hip and both breasts and has made travel much better ( i live in the country). A recliner chair has been really great to and lots of women sleep in them for the first few weeks.

Good luck this is masssive operation, don't push yourself too hard and don't try to stop the painkillers too early. I only got off the night time oxycontin a week ago.