Stick a sock in it

PuddinTame

This was the advice I got today from the medical supply place run by the hospital.  They didn't have a puffy insert in my size for the post surgical bra, which is the only thing she said I could get on my insurance right now.  So, she said, I could get the bra with the pocket and stick a sock in it.

I'm handling this whole thing pretty well, I think, and I still felt like crying.  I can't imagine what kind of damage that kind of advice would do for someone more fragile.

And if I hadn't spent so much time here, I wouldn't have known what I should be expecting.  Shocking.

Jenniferz

It's hard sometimes to tell how people mean things, isn't it. Even if this woman was a friend of yours, your feelings should have still been considered. People do say that strangest things, and sometimes that can be pretty rude...not matter how unintentioned it is. Please try not to dwell on this statement, and just move on.  This nurse probably didn't think she said the wrong thing.  Probably thought she was being helpful. 

If you can find some cotton batting, get an old knee-high pantyhose, and you can sort of shape it until you get your prothesis, or until you do recon, whichever makes you feel better. But a sock??? I don't think so.

Someone else will be here in a moment and give you more advice.

(((hugs)))

Jennifer

brendafromflorida

I will actually be having reconstruction after my treatment but wanted to pass along a little tip that I have been using in the meantime.   I purchased a recovery camisole, which by the way I found was too large for me, but with it came 2 soft inserts that I have been using since my surgery.  I believe they sell the inserts separately.  Website http://www.softeeusa.com/.  

 I just took this off the website.  Breast forms are woven of a polyester/cotton blend fabric, with 100% hypoallergenic polyester fluff inside. Each Breast Form can be easily adjusted to become any specific size and shape required.  Price of $13.99 shipping included.   This may be a good alternative until you are able to get something more permanent.   They work nicely for me. 

Good luck.  

otter

sock, shmock.

Go to the nearest American Cancer Society office and plead your case.  Mine gave me a whole box full of free stuff--two scarves, two caps, a nice wig (one that's listed in the TLC catalog for more than $40), and ... a free Amoena prosthesis.  In the box with the prosthesis were 3 fiber-fil puffies.

You might also find a mastectomy supply store that caters to women with cancer.  Forget the orthopedic supply people--they're clueless (sometimes).  I stopped at a mastectomy supply place right a few wks after my mast/SNB.  It was still too early to be fitted for a prosthesis and mast bra, but the very nice saleslady showed me some examples of what they had, and gave me a free puffy.  Of course I went back there when it was time to be fitted.

OTOH, a leg cut off from some old pantyhose can work OK if you only need an A cup... But someone working at a medical/orthopedic supply place isn't the one to tell you that, unless she has had to deal with a mastectomy herself and has the necessary empathy.

otter 

[Edited to change that last sentence, so no one here thinks I'm criticizing the advice of women who understand what this is all about.] 

PuddinTame

I ended up getting what I needed.  We called the ACS and got the name of another fitter in town.  She saw me right away, agreed to file the insurance for the "post surgical kit" and agreed to prefit me for a prosthesis so that I could get it on the insurance this year while my out of pocket is all paid up.  She also is a breast cancer survivor.  So it was a happy ending.

I was just surprised that the place with the hospital's name in it was in a storage closet, didn't have what I needed, couldn't do what I wanted, and told me to stick a sock in it.  And, like I said, if I hadn't already spent so much time here and had heard your stories where people visited you in the hospital and sent you home with camis and puffies and pillows, I wouldn't have known what was possible and what I should be looking for.

NancyNJ

Can you wear it without soreness on your incision. I'm having a relly hard time with even the puffy insert putting pressure on the incision.

Desny

Hi,

I couldn't wear anything for about 8 weeks since I was just so skin sensitive.  I did have my older sister tell me to just put a sock in it when I complained about how heavy I found the forms to be.  Lovely, huh?

It has been 18 months and I decided to have reconstruction with expander.  What I found out in terms of discomfort from the prosethies is that when they did the skin sparing mastectomy on me they putted the skin to one side, making an area of my chest very thin skinned.  Makes sense to me now why I had such senstivity and pain while wearing one!!!

I am glad that you finally found someone to help you.  Hugs to you

NancyNJ

What made you decide to have reconstruction now? I decided to hold off for at least now..it all happened so fast I wanted some time to think about it. I was thinking maybe over the summer I would get it done. I am self employed and my busy season is in the winter months so my priority was to get back to work - which is going much slower than I expected. I am uncomfortable going out without a bra on the breast still left and am getting sore from it when I try. Thanks for the info....I have to figure something out because I can't go another couple of weeks......

rumoret

I think soft cotton balls pulled apart and then formed into a shape would work nicely. The soft inserts that come with the camisoles seem to be made of what feels like matted cotton.

Love,

Terry 

PuddinTame

I wore it for a little while yesterday.  I still have staples in and the incision is dead, so it didn't bother me there and actually a little pressure there felt nice.  It also helped the area under my arm that is really sensitive and raw from rubbing against the staples under there, I think.  But it was kind of restrictive around the bottom, so I didn't try to sleep in it although the pocket for the drain was very convenient compared to my pj pockets.

I'll probably try to have reconstruction sometime in the late summer.  My work is busy in mid summer and there's an annual church activity that we want to go to July 4 week, so after that will be most convenient for the family.

Desny

Hi Lasrnw,

I was very overwhelmed at the time of dx and the ps they sent me to was an @ss so I just didn't want him to touch me.  So I held off until after my chemo.  (had 6 months of CMF)  I truly tried to be happy with the forms.  They were never comfortable on me.  And as I said before - now I know why.  Also, at the time of my expander placement, my ps told me that I was off-center.  My skin was streached to one side, waiting for reconstruction.  Another mystrey solved.  I was constantly adjusting my bra to center for a good 16 months!!!  Now an expander is not the most comfortable thing but I am adjusting.  In an odd way it still feels better then a heavy form sitting on my muscle all day.   I've had 2 fills and will need 2 or 3 more.  It is a process of 3 to 6 months and then waiting for another month before the exchange surgery. 

I wish you luck with whatever form of reconstruction you choose.  Hugs

dx 4/07 mastectomy 5/1/07 Stage 1 Grade 3   0/6 nodes, 6 months CMF   delayed reconstuction with expander placement 11/6/08 

Desny

ps

I am sorry, I never answered your question.  I finally decided to have reconstruction surgery when I was denied clean-up of the mastectomy site from my husbands union. My bs did a skin sparing mastectomy and twisted the extra skin, I always disliked the hole that it made and wanted it along with dogs ears cleaned up.   My husbands union considered it to be cosmedic!  But would pay for reconstruction!!  Just amazing,  so I sought out names of good doctors through my bc sisters on this site and yes, my ps is fantastic!!!  So far, I am pleased with my results, 

Hugs

otter

kateful, I'm so glad to hear things worked out for you.  Don't feel bad that you weren't visited in the hospital and given cami's and puffies etc.  Neither was I.

There seems to be a lot of difference in the services provided at different hospitals and cancer centers.  Mine was bare-bones as far as the niceties of cancer treatment, but the actual medical care I received was terrific.  After that, it was just a matter of finding the people who could help fill in the gaps and help me with the rest of what I needed.

otter