Mastectomy in June

Hi Iggy,

There's some really helpful information on the main Breastcancer.org site on Mastectomy: What to Expect. In addition, you can get some great tips from other members here on the Surgery - Before, During, and After forum, especially the Shopping/Packing/To-Do List for Surgery + Recovery thread.

Hope this helps and best of luck! Keep us posted on how you're doing!

--The Mods

I found the wait from dx to mx to be way too long.  And I waited a mere 3 weeks. 

If there is any advice I can offer, other than the usual practical junk (like a lanyard is useful for holding drain pouches in shower), it is this...

Don't hold back on your feelings.  If you need to cry, let it fly.  Just cry.  If you feel like laughing, then go for it.  If you want to tell everyone to go to h--l, then go out by yourself and scream.

I cried.  I cried on my way to work, I cried on my way home from work.  I cried while I ran my usual 3 mile run.  I cried in the shower.  I just let it go.  It helped me tremendously to not try to hold it back.  It was like mourning.  I mourned the loss of my breast.  I think that that helped me when in fact I actually looked down and my breast was truly gone.   I did some more mourning afterwards, but mostly, that was mostly all done in the weeks leading up to surgery.

I think lots of women are hard on themselves and become superwomen in the face of hardship.  I think this is one time, it is really really helpful to let that go.  Pity parties can be helpful...  You have every right to be sad, mad or whatever else you are feeling. 

Oh...and this is the perfect time to spoil yourself.  I decided that I would go and have my first ever full body massage two days before surgery.  That was a good call...:)  Go for those treats you normally don't do... 

Wishing you all the best in this.  I hope all goes quickly and uneventfully.  Best wishes to you.

Claire