An unwanted "gift" for my 40th birthday
Hi everyone, In the middle of January, I felt a lump in my breast and went through the usual tests - mammogram and ultrasound, and then biopsies of both breasts. At the end of February, roughly two...
Forum Discussion
Sorry to see you joining our 'special club' ... the one we never thought we'd have to join - and Definitely not the birthday present you wanted @CozyCat :( It is a real roller coaster ride - and our emotions are up & down .... it is totally normal to feel sad & upset - check out Charlotte Tottman's Podcasts - she is a BC Psychologist who had a double mastectomy & chose to remain flat, so she 'gets it'. She has a very natural & easy speaking style & the podcasts are very easy to listen to.
Click on the 'show the 22 tracks' and click on No 13 (which is actually the first one!) Or you can just listen to them in random order.
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=charlotte%20tottman
After your surgery - definitely keep up the pain meds (whether you think you need them or not.) If the pain breaks thru, it can take much longer to get on top of it - so take the meds as advised (often 4 hourly) to prevent it breaking thru in the first place. Take notes & if you think anything 'looks weird' - take a pic of it every day or so - it can be handy to show your Breast Care nurse or even your surgeon.
Some great advice given already .... just make sure you don't use Dr Google ... as a lot of the info is OLD & not even relevant to your own diagnosis (and it can scare you!) The support pillow is very important - it supports the arm on the surgery side - and also is good for 'hugging' on the drive home, as any bump in the road jars your boob and it can hurt - specially going over gutters, eg to petrol stations & into your property (as I found out on the way home! And another reason to keep your pain meds up!) And definitely cook up some of your favourite meals & freeze them for easy post-op meals. Buy in your favourite snacks & fruit - as sometimes you just feel like something 'light & easy'.
ACCEPT ANY offer of assistance or meals - you'll be a bit restricted in movement afterwards - so you may need some help around the home & garden - no hanging out the washing or mowing .... it could be taking the kids to school or sports ....
Jump onto this thread - it has lots of info in it, re what to take to hospital etc as well as some other posts that may interest you, re your hobbies (art & Craft, gardens etc) and we even have some 'funny posts' as we all need a laugh now & then! There are also some tick sheets down the bottom that you can print off & fill in re your mental and physical recovery .... fill them in & take them with you to your appointments xx. Make lists of your questions - and give your surgeon a copy & tick them off as each one is 'addressed'. Ask for copies of all your Reports ... get a box & store them! Also Consider recording all your appointments - it is easy to miss (or forget) bits, with so much going on.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-our-new-members#latest
take care, I will never forget how relieved I felt after the surgery, just knowing 'the beast' was GORN!! ;)
All the best
Click on the 'show the 22 tracks' and click on No 13 (which is actually the first one!) Or you can just listen to them in random order.
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=charlotte%20tottman
After your surgery - definitely keep up the pain meds (whether you think you need them or not.) If the pain breaks thru, it can take much longer to get on top of it - so take the meds as advised (often 4 hourly) to prevent it breaking thru in the first place. Take notes & if you think anything 'looks weird' - take a pic of it every day or so - it can be handy to show your Breast Care nurse or even your surgeon.
Some great advice given already .... just make sure you don't use Dr Google ... as a lot of the info is OLD & not even relevant to your own diagnosis (and it can scare you!) The support pillow is very important - it supports the arm on the surgery side - and also is good for 'hugging' on the drive home, as any bump in the road jars your boob and it can hurt - specially going over gutters, eg to petrol stations & into your property (as I found out on the way home! And another reason to keep your pain meds up!) And definitely cook up some of your favourite meals & freeze them for easy post-op meals. Buy in your favourite snacks & fruit - as sometimes you just feel like something 'light & easy'.
ACCEPT ANY offer of assistance or meals - you'll be a bit restricted in movement afterwards - so you may need some help around the home & garden - no hanging out the washing or mowing .... it could be taking the kids to school or sports ....
Jump onto this thread - it has lots of info in it, re what to take to hospital etc as well as some other posts that may interest you, re your hobbies (art & Craft, gardens etc) and we even have some 'funny posts' as we all need a laugh now & then! There are also some tick sheets down the bottom that you can print off & fill in re your mental and physical recovery .... fill them in & take them with you to your appointments xx. Make lists of your questions - and give your surgeon a copy & tick them off as each one is 'addressed'. Ask for copies of all your Reports ... get a box & store them! Also Consider recording all your appointments - it is easy to miss (or forget) bits, with so much going on.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-our-new-members#latest
take care, I will never forget how relieved I felt after the surgery, just knowing 'the beast' was GORN!! ;)
All the best