Forum Discussion
Mastectomies this week
Hello there, I'm having surgery later this week. I've been setting up my home so that I can cope with things following surgery. It's important that I do this since I live alone, have no family in WA and friends are unavailable. Can anyone tell me please what I may expect when I return home following my surgery? I realise my range of motion with my arms will depend upon whether I have nodes removed or not and how many. What position will I need to sleep? I guess I won't be washing my hair for a while! I am experienced with top and tail washing because I have had to do this when my back problem interfered with showering etc. I have moved needed items in my home to waist height in preparation for this event. Can anyone think of anything I may have overlooked? There's bound to be something but if I can feed myself, remain reasonably clean, and entertain myself with videos, ebooks, music and exercises I feel that life will improve over time. Your stories are inspirational. Appreciate any feedback you may give.
20 Replies
- All the very best @goingdancing xox
- Good luck with it!
- Have just organised a means of getting home from hospital day after surgery. Took some doing but if they discharge me by 1:30pm, it should work out. What a relief. So now is the time to get on with all those last minute/days things I need to do. In case I don't get a chance to log back in here for a while .... shall let you know how it all went. Sending best wishes to you all for best outcomes. Thanks for your feedback and support.
Would never throw it away. Is a permanent feature on door knob in my dining room (where I dress!!) along with many other interesting devices. Visitors seem perplexed but I'm beyond embarrassment. My shoes are now Velcro which works with Reacher/pickup stick. Neighbour had to remove my lace ups for me last July and get washing out of machine. I was wiped out unexpectedly. It was December before could put knickers on without reacher. Anybody remember this ad: "Life is full of Vesta situations"? lol
I am now devising a device to store those bags at my waist. It helps to have a supply of clean catheter straps (not mine) and blue heeler ice pack bags.
- Don't throw your sock aid away - reaching down to tie shoe laces was a challenge to begin with!
ah AllyJay - multiple issues below the waist and then above the waist. Were you like me with my initial reaction being "I'm so grateful to Breastscreen" verbally expressed, closely followed by the thought "What this now as well? Oh Gee". Love the "dewdrops" and the "around the corner". Last year I contemplated investing in a bum wiper (they exist). It felt like a step too far at age 65. But some of the comments here may encourage me to invest prior to surgery.
Yes right knee, left foot, lower leg and ankle, unstable and disabling spasms right sacro-iliac, left shoulder has not appreciated prone MRIs. But we soldier on. I also revert to 1L milks etc when I need to. I sometimes think that anonymous videos of how people manage with challenges might be educational. For example your description of putting on bra and titties LOL. Not everybody has had the privilege of Stockholm Emergency Department from 9pm to 5am. Then 5 days hotel bound in Oslo in wheelchair with no footplates. Then home learning how to navigate the rooms in my home in a wheelchair.
You are a wonder and entitled to foul language. Let's face it. They say punch a pillow to let the anger out. You can't do that.
- Wiping the dewdrops off my daisy
Hilarious!! What a great turn of phrase! - Hi there @goingdancing , I've also had multiple issues, both before this particular shitfest, and after. I use a granny wheeled walker now because of severe peripheral neuropathy as well as buggered knees. I put all my crap into the underseat basket, and roll with the best. Subsequent to surgery, both whacked off, I ended up with a shortened pectoral muscle on the left. After starting hydrotherapy for this, I then developed inflammatory capsulitis (frozen shoulder) on the other side. Wiping the dewdrops off my daisy became a real challenge, and as for around the corner, well lets just say, it posed problems of its own! So, this titless wonder, with no idea where her feet are if they can't be seen, stuffed knees and shoulders just had to improvise. I found often just little things, such as smaller bottles of milk helped. Open down the front clothing was, and still is the go, as I can't get my right arm up from the elbow. Putting on my bra with silicone titties installed is also a problem. Hooking up at the front, and then trying to rotate the boobs back to the front and then arms into the over shoulder bolster holder has resulted in some very foul language as well. I sometimes feel like a character from Cheech and Chong or Monty Python, but onwards and upwards, I say.
Sister - Ah! the wiping of the bum! Been there with my back issues. How annoying is that. I'm ok with that now. I have set up a range of buttoned shirts within reach. Last year (when wiped out by back) I got my tee shirt tangled over my head in my earring. That was fun. The things you couldn't do if you tried.
onemargie Another nurse (retired) here. Do my best not to be a shitty patient since I know what they are up against but occasionally become frustrated lol. I was so ignorant about breasts. My hospital says is normal to return home the next day. Not a bad idea to keep away from infection risk. My biopsies meant that at times I had one or the other arm available occasionally.
I'm heartened to hear that ROM returns fairly quickly. Shall be diligent with exercises. Have been wiped out with mobility including wheelchair bound on occasion in my home so am set up with dressing and bathroom aids (hand held shower, stool) etc. But this is my arms not my legs or back, so made me think again. It's not that I need the sock aid and reacher to dress now, it's my arms! Became a case of not only not having things too low, but also now not too high for a while. And it sounds like it won't need to be like that for long.
You sound a bit like me. I have a range of cable ties! Quite handy with a range of tools etc. I also am stubborn and generally find a way of achieving things using "unusual" methods. I use a dog lead to close the car door after I get in when I can't lean to reach it. This tends to halt people in their tracks when they see this happening. They wear puzzled expressions, I smile and away I go.
- Hi there @goingdancing I’ve had a double but 6 months apart and I went home the next day with both of them but im a nurse too and a shitty patient lol. I went home with only one drain both times and managed well actually. I had 8 nodes taken from the left side and none from the right as that was only a prophylaxis mastectomy. I used a hand held shower thingy that I attached to the bath tap to wash my hair but I didn’t fuss too much as a couple weeks after the left side surgery I started chemo and shaved my head.
I had very little pain and discomfort just some numbness and I did all the physio exercises and found range of motion returned pretty quickly. I had the drains in for two weeks both times but this Varys with everyone. I was hanging Xmas lights off my gutters with the second one using my drain bag to hold my cable ties! But Im left handed so predominantly used it but still doable but probably naughty.
As a nurse im not a very good patient like I said lol. And I wouldn’t recommend you do that but that’s just me. I also drove with the drains in which apparently you’re not supposed to do either but I had to drive myself to my wound care appointments and im pretty stubborn and didn’t want to rely on anyone. Again not recommended I case there’s a accident and you might not be covered. But do take advantage of any extra community nursing services offered to you if you can get them for sure. Keep us posted how you go. Keep us posted how you go. Margie. Xx
