Pre- and post-mastectomy care plans
Hi all, My 71-year old mother in America has just been diagnosed with her second, independent case of breast cancer. It luckily appears to be a minor case and is not currently malignant (according...
Forum Discussion
Hi James,
If your Mum is in otherwise good health it is very likely that she will be up and around very quickly.
Modern surgical practices are good and, as the other ladies have said, it's drains and seroma and the consequences of someone ferretting around in your armpit that cause the most inconvenience.
From my experience it's the time about 3 weeks after surgery where support is really helpful. Which may be an issue as you don't live there, but might be something to watch for even after you get home.
This sort of surgery can bring on frantic cleaning/cooking jags beforehand while we try to get 'ready'. After about three weeks the spiders are moving back in, the fridge is empty and visitors are starting to trail off. You are sick of yourself and frustrated about being not quite right. But you are well enough to get in the car and visit other people, go shopping and resume normal activities if someone is around to take up the slack when you get tired or want to do too much.