Mastectomy - What You Need To Know

Mastectomy

All you ever wanted to know ... but didn't know who to ask !

Here we are - Marjory and Gordon sitting over a bottle of wine on a Monday evening and it feels like a chapter is already closing.

Marjory had her mastectomy just a bit over two weeks ago and we will start onto the next phase (chemotherapy) shortly - possibly before the week is out. It's amazing how your perception of time changes when something like this happens in your life.

So - what's the story - mastectomy wise? What don't they tell you in the text books? I'll let Marjory take it from here ...

• all in all it hasn't nearly been as bad as I thought - having never had an operation (even without all the cancer stuff) I was terrified. However, three or four hours post op, I seemed to be coping and that's whats happened ever since.
• the mastectomy drains were the bit I wasn't prepared for and I had one of them in until seven days post op. Painful - no, but very uncomfortable and a source of constant annoyance.
• Seroma - again not much information given to me before the operation but .. should have been !! Now, having had two drained and knowing it may happen a few times more, I can't say that I was in any way prepared for this. Don't get me wrong, they're not painful and the draining is not painful but, even as a trained nurse, the seromas have made me panic slightly when I see my chest swell almost to the size of my lost boob !!
• the scar doesn't bother me at all and I'm not sure if this is just because I'm not letting it or - more likely - it really doesn't. I'm still me and the only person that ever sees is Gordon - and he seems less bothered by it that I was to start with.
• the Softee / Comfee prosthesis has become my best friend - I love it - it's soft, it makes me look normal and - at the moment I can see no need for a silicone prosthesis. This may change but if I can wear a tight tee shirt at the moment (and I can) then there's hope for everyone.

If this is about to happen to you, or has recently, then I hope that all this helps. It's all about doing the best we can in a difficult situation. I've found it much easier than I thought.

Marjory and Gordon