Between mx and prosthesis, what did you do?

Hi Faith --

I also had a single mastectomy after irradiation -- i didn't go for a prosthesis until 5 weeks after the mx, because i wanted to be sure i was healed. I was really worried about LE because i'd had truncal swelling after rads, and had been doing compression bras until 1 month before the mx.  I certainly didn't want to mess up my lymph function. On the other hand, i'm 34D, and very uncomfortable without a bra. And i went back to teaching my classes (of 250 and 25 students) after 3 weeks.

Well -- i wore the puffy from the camisole in a very soft mastectomy bra, but i went out and bought loose, woven button blouses (ordinarily i wear knit tops that fit reasonably snugly... nothing extreme, i'm > 60, but  but nothing i could wear a puffy under). The puffy actually rode inches higher than my 34D breast - in a no-underwire leisure bra, the real one was half way to my navel! But you know - no one noticed. I suppose i was lucky it was getting colder -- i'm in IL. but unless you live south, you should be able to get the prosthesis before really hot weather sets in?

And with the prosthesis, i can wear *all* of my knit tops (at my age, i wasn't showing cleavage anyway), and i look absolutey normal and balanced. 

It's a bad time, between mx and prosthesis - but it isn't forever. And unless you are still quite young - it's amazing how unobservant most people are!

I am a D cup with unilateral mastectomy. I tried various combos of things pre-prothesis. The only thing that was acceptable was a sports type bra (I found a front closing one at Walmart for $10 for two) and the puffy thing. It smushed everything down and kept the puffy in place. All other bras meant that my puffy was migrating all over my chest all day.

It was a very frustrating, but temporary period.

I went in right away (as soon as my drains were out) for a prosthesis because I was having to work and didn't want to look funny.  So, within a few weeks, I was in a foam prosthesis (nearly me triangle) in a luisa sports bra.  The bra is slightly too big so it didn't rub. 

Before the drains were out, I wore a camisole with a poofy in the pocket.  I bought a camisole that had pouches for the drains.

 Just as an aside, I got tired of the uni-boob sensation pretty quickly (AND was terrified of going through this again) so I had the other side removed after chemo.  So, now I'm boobless.  I'm still contimplating recon but other than when I'm naked, I don't think about it.

When I had my first mastectomy, I was left with one very large breast on the left side.  I bought bath puffs and kept putting them in my bra until the size was the same.  Because the puffs had no weight, I would put in the first puff and then put several D cell batteries (the "D" size seemed appropriate to use) in for weight and then add the other puffs. 

 I washed the puffs in the washing machine (compete cycle with fabric softener) to make them less scratchy before using them.

Kind of a funny story...I went back to teaching pre school 3 weeks after my mast. I got some very bad advice and made a small nylon sack out of birdseed. OUCH. I obviously should have used something more durable...those little seeds poked me all day, plus with the kids hugging me, it flatted out anyway..I just layered clothing from then on until I was fitted. Sooo much better. ;-)

I tried weighing my foobie down with many items. Do you know where the best resource for info on homemade foobs I found??

Crossdressing message boards. I found a great thread where they discussed how they made homemade foobs and the "jigglibility" of each item. They did mention bird seed but specified the little seeds, no sunflower seeds!

I was about to resort to the suggestion of water balloon/silicone caulk idea if the prothesis store didn't get me in.

Like I said, it was an uncomfortable, but temporary period.