Counting down...

Hi Bellb! I am a Uni, so I do wear a prosthesis most of the time. I just thought Id mention to you that there are many options for you after you have your BMX. You will be in the unique position of having the choice to go Flat and Fabulous, or be whatever size you choose. Fittings for Prosthesis are done about 6 weeks after surgery. By that time, the swelling and a lot of the healing has taken place.  

Depending on the size you choose, if you have smaller size breasts, you can wear the light knitted bras and camisoles which are very cheap from department stores, they have littl pads in them, but they don't work too well with the heavier silicone Prosthesis. There are all kinds of Micro bead, Lightweight Foam and Weighted Foam Forms. 

If you decide you want to wear silicone Prosthesis and Mastectomy Bras, you need to go to a fitter who can show you all different types and weights in Prosthesis and the range of Mastectomy bras is so extensive now that you'll find something that suits you.

If you want a swimming Prosthesis, there are micro bead forms or clear silicone ones that fit in the pockets of the Lands End suit you've ordered. You can make your own micro beads from a pattern available online at Mastectomysolutions.com Mary, the lady who put this great website together has patterns or she will make the forms for you for a very low price.

There is a great range of clothing available from Amoena which has the mastectomy pocketed bra built in. I found their Valetta Camisole early on and still wear them all the time.There is also a lot of athletic wear which has good sports bras or crop tops that have small modesty pads inside them that you can slip another small form or even some dacron or filling in behind.

I know it feels really foreign right now and hard to navigate, but there are many, many options out there. 

You ask if you should feel grief for losing your breasts, that's a hard one, many here will say that they do mourn the loss. For me, I didn't have that feeling at all, in fact I felt great relief that it was gone, but we are all different and there's no right or wrong answer. 

I wish you all the very best, I understand what you mean about others thinking you should reconstruct, but believe me, no one knows exactly what they would do, unless they have actually faced this themselves. Trust yourself, only you know what's right for you, it is fine to be a bit selfish right now, it is all about you!    Take it easy! Hugs to you!

We are each so unique - there is no "One Size Fits All"  for what works for us individually.

I had read that you had to have button pj's so  I bought a pair - never wore them.  Was also told that had to had button shirts to wear after, I did have a couple of button flannels but my winter 'uniform' is a turtleneck under a sweatshirt.   Had no problem with getting them on at all.   Drains do not have to go out through button area of a shirt - I just kept mine inside my turtleneck amd pinned them to my jeans belt loop.  Worked great.

I was 'strapped down' with a compreasion bandage that was left on for a week and removec by surgeon at first appt. post op.  I had no external sutures of clamps - he had done internal sutures and glue for external.  While dealing with drains is a 'pain' (figureratively, not literally), thaking them out too soon can cause seromas which ars mot fun at all.  One of my drains came out at 2 weeks with no problems and the other at 4 weeks but developed a large seroma - mot fun at all.

2 days after I got home from hospital, the local ACS sent me a 'care box'  that included a 'fluff' that I used for probably 4 mths before I gpt my pros.  I have never felt that my pros. is ' heavy' or 'uncomfortable' at all amd wear it all the time.  Seeing a Certified fitter is important.  There are so many different sizes/shapes tp consider.  Fitting too soon after surgery cna result in less than ideal fit as there will still possibly/probably still be swelling from surgery.  Where I live, there is only 1 Certified Fitter in over 300 miles amd she works at a Medical Supply House.  In larger areas, there are Mastectomly Salons.  I am a very active outdoor woman with many hobbies and quite honestly, I never think about my pros - no matter what I do be it riding my horses /bicycle, flyfishing, mowing, swimming, whatever.   For swimming, I just use my reg. pros.  But we are each different.

I wish I had never developed IBC, but I did so I did what I had to do to remain here with Hubby and Son.  So a UMX was necessary and I'm still here almost 5 yrs later and still NED so that's what matters to me.  My QOL is just as good as it ever was, so that's what matters to ME!